MAY AND JUNE...4 (SMALL CREATURES)

Whatever you were just thinking while looking at this...is pretty much what I thought when I first saw these. I was shocked when I came upon these, as I walked closer to them (I think with my mouth open in awe!), they all moved at once.....SYNCHRONIZED!! It turns out that they are European Pine Sawfly larvae of a primitive wasp-like insect that prefers Mugho pine and rarely feeds on Ponderosa. Lucky me, these larvae fed on both in my woods. They move branch to branch stripping the tree of its' needles. The larvae raise their heads and tails in a threatening manner to scare off intruders in a synchronized fashion. It has got to be one of the wildest, strangest things I have seen! Fortunately, the birds ate them, but I'm sure I'll have some next year, from fallen larvae. They are the most common sawfly to infest Pines.

My kids always called these...stinky bugs. I have no idea what it is.

A young dragonfly clings to an orange Lily on the woods' edge across the pond. Dragonflies and flowers...it doesn't get much better for me. This was on one of my early morning walks.

A makeshift wooden bridge covers what I call a "sometimes creek". When my daylilies or daisies fall over and onto the bridge, that's where they stay! I like that loose, casual, natural look. Obviously, this flower was meant to be here, because from my kitchen window I snapped this photo of two butterflies sharing this flower.

Apologies to any guests that have seen and read the post dedicated to my new favorite damsel on my other blog...but, this Ebony Jewelwing damsel is simply a beauty...she deserves another showing. The male is also featured on my damsels and dragons blog. The bodies are brilliant metallic green and blue...and how awesome are those black wings!

APRIL INTO MAY...2

My bleeding heart against her feathery foliage

Yes...I have an obsession with rocks, it's that whole concept of contrasts. As my ferns soak up the sun, she plays with the ability to create shadows...I found this play interesting against the textured rock. This particular rock is next to our largest waterfall...we have so many fern varieties growing in the woods, all I need to do is take a little walk when I want a fern.

Wild Violets scattered here and there are common now here in the woods...I find them most attractive after a light rain, surrounded by the darkened fall leaves that blanket the floor of the woods.

The tall Ponderosa Pines are showing off their new growth...these pines are plentiful at Wishnik Woods.

Pear tree blooms just beginning to open

My first waterlily pad surfaced....here it is almost sundown. The gold you see is the sunset reflecting. Hmmm???...must be a fish or two underneath playing hide-n-seek?! Something from below kept that pad bopping just slightly.
Not the best capture...but look...my dragonflies are back! The male and female Springtime Darners were all about eachother...ahhh...love is in the air!
Ummm....not sure! I received a few flowering bushes as freebies from a nursery a few years ago...this is one of them...beautiful Spring bud, though!

My flowering grass...so dainty...so delicate

NOVEMBER BEGINS IN THE WOODS...

November started out with unseasonably warm weather, reaching the 60's. The birds were chirping and I still was able to watch my dragonflies...you might have thought it was early spring, if not for the sparse autumn colors that are scattered here and there. A few days last week I witnessed snow flurries and plummeting temperatures. Saturday was the first, the skies couldn't decide on bright and sunny or just plain cloudy. The result made for some interesting reflections on the pond. Not much color in the first photo, but the stark contrasts kept me planted on the wooden bench just admiring the view for quite awhile. If I hadn't mentioned the skies mood, wouldn't you have assumed this was the moon reflecting?

This is my Hydrangea tree showing off her late fall colors...for the most part, the sage greens are gone and now they're a beautiful blending of gold and just a hint of pink.

The Meadowhawk dragonflies seemed happy to be out and about after the cold spell. The fallen autumn leaves really compliment the red dragon. The backdrop of the pond and the silhouette of the bare branched trees just makes this image perfect!

Even a few butterflies were enjoying the warm weather...now I 'm really not sure what the norm is for these beauties...but I was somewhat surprised to see them after the few days of snow flurries. The underside of this butterfly's wings were a pale yellow.
Just another reflection photo, the combination of the blues, the blacks and maroon offer a dramatic effect. I am always looking forward on my walks to see what the pond surface colors are...as they change throughout the day with the changing sky.
Oops!!... Is that another dragonfly?! Sorry, I just love them...can't possibly have enough!

Very early in the morning...There's the blue and black with red this time. I love being outside so early in the morning...it makes me feel like I am truly one with nature. It's a good time to just soak up the calm and get ready to start a new day.

IN DRAGONFLY HEAVEN!!!...

Oh, yes I am!...Look who came back again today...and brought friends! I had just walked out onto the dock and sat down and it flew right down in front of me on the dock - as if to say,"where were you?" (just indulge me in my fantasy world!) Then it proceeded to come closer and closer. This dragonfly may have been the one that I spent so much time with yesterday. I can't tell you many times it was within inches of my face...just looking at me. My husband and stepson were fishing there watching this. It would follow me and my camera...so many times I took photos with the camera held smack next to my face..I tried it on the auto and close up settings...but the pictures were too blurry...the Dragon was just too close! It also allowed me to pet its' wings several moments at various times. I spent awhile out there and then I spotted three other "Ruby Meadowhawks" (if I'm correct on the identification). At one point... my husband moved our waterlily plant to a different spot. As he was canoeing away with the plant..one "Widow Skimmer" came right ON MY FACE and fluttered its' wings...a little upset maybe?! Not me..the dragonfly! Possibly eggs were deposited there? The pond is down a good eight inches...and the waterlily plant has grown so much, that it needed to be moved anyhow. It's a good thing my dragonfly photos are close ups where I'm taking them, because right now the shallow end of the pond is quite mucky. Not a pretty sight...we need a good long rain. The last photograph is just one of the times the little guy(or girl) was watching me!

ROYAL VISIT OF A RED DRAGON...

I am one happy camper!...I was quite surprised when this red dragonfly came to visit our pond yesterday! I am taking a guess at this being a "Ruby Meadowhawk"...and please...if anyone knows better, leave me a comment of correction. I would like to start and try to identify all of the species of damselflies and dragonflies that hang out at Wishnik Woods. It's the first time that I've seen this one...we spent quite a while together bonding. It allowed me to pet its' wings several times. I love that I was able to capture a photo while I was touching him(or her?)...of course my hand looks a little funky in the shot and full of grass seed(?) from having to push through some tall plants full of seed..o.k. - my vanity aside....that was one tough shot to take. I was in a half squat position, leaning forward, arms outstretched...and my arm holding the camera was unsteady and shaking! All I have to say, is that was one circus balancing act I was in!! All the while I was hoping that I wouldn't sink in the mucky marsh water at that end of the pond. The photo of the two golden colored small dragonflies mating are two "Eastern Amberwings" They flew all around me in this position and finally ended here in my Japanese willow bush. In the last photograph is a pair of "Widow Skimmers", I believe. Once again, please correct me if I'm wrong. Obviously, I enjoy the the beauty and amazing antics of these creatures. I am in the process of setting up a blog featuring just photos of the dragonflies and damselflies. They must just take my stress away on their wings and drop my worries off somewhere else... while watching and admiring them I am totally relaxed...I've found that calm.

HANKY PANKY IN WISHNIK WOODS!!!(X-RATED)...

Let me start off by saying that you must be 21 or over to view this post!! See the first photo...well, I'm taking a picture of my waterlily, and my little friend flies right in front of me!!! Look closely!...notice the smile on that cute face?....in the next photo you can see why there was a smile plastered on the little mug! Yes....love is in the air here at Wishnik Woods. That handsome green stud...I have been trying to get a clear shot of him for weeks(green is my favorite color)....now he's strutting his stuff!...and right in front of me! At one point, the handsome couple in the last two photos were within a foot of me. I suppose the fresh country air, warm sunny days, moonlit nights on the pond and beautiful scenery make this a perfect honeymoon getaway nestled way back in the woods! (well now - let's just hope these guys are in a committed relationship!). All of this excitement is happening around here daily lately...hope there's many new dragonflies next year...at any one point...on a sunny day....there could be 30 of the dragonflies gliding through the air and a few wander off to the gardens. Next year will be the fourth year for our pond, my fingers are crossed...hopefully, come next summer I'll be enjoying the outcome of all this HankyPanky!!!

THIS SIDE IS BETTER!!...

This interesting little guy just seemed as if he wanted me to take his photo, he wouldn't leave me alone...so, finally he perched himself on the cattails(which are about 6 feet tall now) and looked straight at me. I took his picture, and then he flew down a tad and turned to the side...can you just imagine him saying... Oh, I look sooo much thinner from my side profile!! He sure is comical looking!!

HEY..LOOK AT ME!!!...

THE LAW OF NATURE...

Today I witnessed the death of a dragonfly...and I believe I had a big part in it...we have lots of dragonflies here in the woods, simply because we are so far back in the woods and they surround our pond, last year I noticed the dragonflies will follow me around the pond, and when I stop and rest, they will too. This year a few of them, (different ones-they don't live that long) are becoming bolder and much closer to me. This morning was beautiful and sunny, I was in one of my gardens and two different dragonflies in particular must"live" or like to "hang" out in that area, they were always there since I started to see them this year. For quite a while I watered and pinched off the old flowers, those two followed, would stop and rest and watch. Closer and closer they got , and one of them was within a foot of me as I was bending down "bonding" with it. My legs started to cramp squatting so long , I had to stand up. As I slowly stood up, the dragonfly flew up and - BOOM - a baby blue jay dove down and got it!! Now, I know that's the law of nature at work, but I felt really bad - because if the dragonfly hadn't been so still for so long, that bird wouldn't have had so much time to zero in on it. At any given moment that would probably have happened - but jeez, did I have to be a part of it?! I know, I'm a nutcase!! Sure was a beautiful dragonfly.