Ground Hog Day 2012

Cloudy - promising for Ground Hogs afraid of their shadow

 

Well, no sunshine and no shadow for that furry critter that forecasts the severity of winters.  It was quite warm today 60 degrees (15 degrees C for my Fahrenheit-challenged friends across the pond).  The cherry blossoms are confused enough to think Spring is already here.  Let’s hope they are not wrong.

 

 

What do you think?  Ready for Spring?

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Fantastically Frivolous Fun

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I was casually reading through some blogs I frequently visit when I came across a Monday Morning Writing Prompt on Victoria’s blog, challenging all comers to write something with alliterations. I love alliterations, though the temptation to overuse them can quickly turn a fun piece of writing into something cheesy.  Ha!  I am the master of cheesy. So, without further ado, I present to you my submission both illustrated and alliterated…
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Fall – filled with foliage freely flaunting a flamboyant final farewell,

Furtively forecasting a frosty future from fronts fast approaching.

Fragile and frail, flora once full-bloomed and fragrant, fades flimsily.

 

Feathered fowl in formation flying in from afar.

 

Freely floating and flapping, friskily foraging for food.

 

Fine furry friends finding first-rate refreshment  so fulfilling and favorable.

 

Fortunately for fellow followers, Phil’s fall frolic is finished.  A fond heart-felt farewell for my friends following faithfully.

Fondly,

Phil

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Weekly Photo Challenge – Or Is It Weakly Photo Challenged?

 

This morning I was reading a blog I frequently visit, Lorna’s Voice, and noticed a post of hers titled “The Day is Done, Sunset Challenge“, which is inspired from a blog she frequents, A Lighter Shade of Grey, which contains a post titled “Weekly Photo Challenge: Sunset“, which is in response to a weekly WordPress challenge on Fridays for Photos, all of which means I spend way too much time on the computer during my morning coffee break at work.  But I digress…

It seems the purpose of the photo challenge is to post a picture of a sunset and perhaps write something about it.

I love sunsets.  They are strikingly beautiful, and they are free.  Free and beautiful, what’s not to like?  The most extraordinary thing about sunsets, is their ability to be beautiful anywhere in the world.  Sure there are spectacular shots of the sun waning on the horizon in tropical paradises, pristine waters, glacier-topped mountains, and other exotic locations.  Yet a sunset has the ability to beautify even the most mundane place in the world.  Witness the above picture, taken around sunset a few weeks ago just outside my office where I work each and every day.  Nature and the heavens have a way of smiling down on the entire planet with no bias in latitude and longitude.

All you have to do is make an effort to notice.  Eureka!  There is a point to all this.  As we rush around to the hectic pace of our everyday lives, try to become more aware of all the beauty in your everyday world lying just beneath that conscious, distracted mind.  Pay attention!

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Morning Trails – Springtime at Lakefront

 

I am fortunate to live in an area that has hundreds of miles of dedicated walking trails and a marvelous lake and wildlife preserve a few miles from my home. I enjoy an early morning walk or run on these trails, and when I have extra time and the weather is nice, I make my way to the lake, camera in hand. I’ve been snapping photos of the lake for almost a decade now, and the fascination and beauty of the place never fades. If you have a few moments, join me and see why I consider this waking part of my day to be so special. I’ll try not to bore you too much with commentary – the images tend to speak well for themselves.

 

 

A Blue Heron searching about for breakfast.

 

 

Sunrise making its presence known.

 

 

A young buck and his companion enjoying a morning drink. Personally, I prefer a nice strong cup of coffee.

 

 

Sometimes, all you really need to do is look upward for inspiration…

 

 

A favorite spot for me to reflect, and to journal those random thoughts that occasionally make their way to this blog.

 

 

Last year’s grasses yielding to this year’s new growth.

 

 

Full sunlight bathing the lake’s easternmost end.

 

 

Here we have a family of Expatriate Canadian Geese who have declared their preference for permanent residency in Maryland.

 

 

This pesky Egret was dodging me for quite some time before finally staring me down, probably wondering what the heck I was doing poking around his environs.

 

 

It is said that some men spend their time sitting in Church and dream about fishing, while other men spend their time fishing and dream about God. I believe this shot helps me understand the spirit of that saying.

As I made my way home, walking through the trails and eventually emerging to the streets leading to my home, I couldn’t help but notice the frenzied pace of cars whirring past me as people scurry about in their daily lives, completely oblivious to all that beauty lying just beneath the veneer of a world they are unconsciously rushing through.

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