Hi, neighbor!

Once the unpacking is done, it’s time to see what neighbors are in residence. Fair warning: not every photo in this post is perfect. For instance this first one was taken in somewhat of a hurry with my phone because this neighbor is always leery of spending time in close proximity to the rest of us. But this isn’t so much about the photos but about the story told by those photos, about shy but always welcome neighbors and inhabitants of the mountains.

Although it was hot and getting close to the end of July, I was pleased to see plenty wildflowers, many of which were hosting their own guests. These guests never overstay their welcome.

The first two neighbors, although always enjoyed, aren’t as rare as these next drop-ins. Since we moved to Arizona at the end of March in 2020, the so-called monsoon season hadn’t produced much rain at all. I felt we were getting a good rain if there was enough water so that individual drops melded into the wet pavement look. (This year we’re thankfully getting lots of rain; lots for a place averaging 9″ a year.) So I was thrilled to see more drops in this photo than our back patio sometimes got in rains past at home.

Once the walk or walks are over, there’s always the porch. I like porches a lot. Spanish-style houses don’t have porches; they have patios. Patios are fine but they aren’t porches.

There are lots of good sayings about porches. Here are a few I really like.

Nowadays, people are so jeezled up. If they took some chamomile tea and spent more time rocking on the porch in the evening listening to the liquid song of the hermit thrush, they might enjoy life more. ~Tasha Tudor

True luxury is being able to own your time – to be able to take a walk, sit on your porch, read the paper, not take the call, not be compelled by obligation. ~Ashton Kutcher

My ideal summer day was reading on the porch. ~Harold E. Varmus

I dream of land, cut only where streams glistened with birdsong wander through quiet hills burnt hard by the scrape of wind, and of a porch from which a single road leads only homeward. ~Nancy E. Turner

Ponder/pond

Ponder

Pond

for One Word Sunday: ponder/pond

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #157: Getting Away

Today’s challenge is “Getting Away”, something I enjoy doing as often as possible. However, we aren’t the only ones who like to get away.

Here’s what getting away looks like in McDowell Forest Preserve, Naperville, Illinois. I came around a corner of the trail to find both a fawn and a doe. I froze, allowing me to appear unthreatening for at least long enough to get some photos.

(I’m going to publish this post with four photos, the first of the fawn. But although all the photos show up in the draft, the preview doesn’t show it. I’ll see what happens and if it doesn’t work out, try editing the published version. Ahh, WordPress, why do you do these things??)

The doe was on the move at this point.

OK, I’ve tried everything I can think of to get that photo inserted but WP won’t let me do it. So instead I’ll use another one. This buck was happily standing in the path looking at me until a cyclist, out of my line of sight, came zooming along.

Getting away in Wyoming might look like this and it wasn’t even Thanksgiving! I love the expression the eye seems to have.

And getting away at the Riparian Preserve in Gilbert, Arizona might mean flying high. This guy seemed to have been carrying some sort of foliage with him.

Whatever getting away means to you, I hope you’ll be able to enjoy it as soon and as much as possible.

Lens-Artists Challenge #153: It’s a wonderful world

This topic makes me sad, but only because almost every photo I take is something that makes me feel wonderful and although that means I have lots of choices, it means I have too many choices, enough to almost put me in shutdown mode. So I decided to start with my happy place and see where that led. And where it led was to stay right there because what’s not wonderful about a place where you can look one way and see this…

…or look the other way and see this?

Or you might look out the window and see…

…or be walking along a trail and spot one of these showoffs.

And of course in the middle of June, you might look back from a 115F day to relish the thought of seeing a moose in falling snow, also in the middle of June. Very cool! 🙂

Lens-Artists Photo Challenge #131-Emotions

Patti’s set us a challenge today, that of sharing photos the convey emotion. I don’t take lots of photos of people, but humans aren’t the only ones who express emotions. What emotions do you see?

Can’t resist a reprise of my W.C. Fields cactus. 🙂

Lens-Artists Challenge #123 – Found in the Neighborhood

Wherever the neighborhood where we currently live, my neighborhood of heart is here in the Big Horn Mountains of Wyoming. I was fortunate enough to visit for three weeks this summer.

The neighborhood.

Some of the neighbors.

for Lens-Artists Challenge #123 – Found in the Neighborhood

Two-fers: Minor miracles

Monday I headed for the park, isolation, and fresh air the order of a Coronavirus day, plus the need for soul food. I was blessed to see three groups of deer, none of whom spooked, allowing me to even get a halfway decent shot or two with my iPhone.

Lens Artists Photo Challenge #82: capital…a capital couple

Capital: first-rate; excellent

A capital couple from a walk last year. I rounded the corner, surprising both mother and baby but by not moving, I managed to observe them for a bit and yes, get some photos.

for Lens Artists Photo Challenge #82: capital

Monday walk…waiting for sunrise

At this time of year, it’s not difficult to get to the park before sunrise. It’s my favorite time, a time when animals are often still out and when the park is usually rather empty (unless it’s the weekend.) In the last week or so, there’ve been some rather good sunrises, the sun first a small red-orange fingernail on the horizon, gradually growing larger until it emerges as a giant red ball.

Wordless Wednesday…Doe, a deer, a female deer