Jack’s Walk

It’s damp and drizzly again and while I might not like the weather there are certainly things that thrive when it’s moist outside. Fungus for example. Jack and I haven’t been to the forest in a few days and I was surprised to see this big bright piece of flaming fungus grown so large in 3 days. I swear it wasn’t there on Friday. It fits right in with the October colours all around it, but I didn’t expect to see fungus in a frilly orange party dress.

Flaming Fungus, ©voyager, all rights reserved

Pretty orange frills, ©voyager, all rights reserved

Monday Mercurial

Oversized kittens

White tiger cub about to jump

Ready?
©Giliell, all rights reserved

cub climbing

Look, look, I’m climbing a tree!
©Giliell, all rights reserved

cub in tree

Fuck, I actually climbed a tree.
©Giliell, all rights reserved

cub jumping

Thank goodness. Mum said if they have to call the firefighters again I’m grounded. Literally.
©Giliell, all rights reserved

 

A Stunning Little Dragon

These incredible photos were sent to us by Avalus. The first time I saw them I just sat there scrolling back and forth taking in more and more detail.  The first shot is all about camouflage, but after that it’s all about standing out. It’s a wonder filled study of a beautiful creature. Avalus says,

this encounter I found the most impressing. It was a really large dragonfly, just sitting on a mossy patch of sidewalk in the botanical garden of my University. She did not mind me in the slightest and I could take pictures from a few centimetres away. 

She did stick her abdomen in the moss repeatedly, so maybe she layed eggs? There was a pond-flowerbed maybe 20 cm away.

The finger is for size, I did not touch her.

As you can see in picture 11, it is a beauty and a beast (if you happen the be a insect)!

Avalus, thank you so much for sharing.

 

libelle 1, ©Avalus, all rights reserved

[Read more…]

The White Kangaroos of Bordertown

This dose of extreme animal cuteness comes from David in Oz who says,

And now for something completely different, I give you the white kangaroos of Bordertown. (http://www.abc.net.au/local/videos/2015/08/19/4296371.htm) 

Shot these pics a week ago, just in time to catch a joey with mum. Enjoy

Well, they certainly are something completely different and I can’t stop smiling at the photos. In the second to last picture it looks to me as if mama has heard a rude word and is gently covering her joey’s ears. Thanks for sharing, David.

©David Brindley, all rights reserved

[Read more…]

Jack’s Walk

Last year we didn’t really have too much of an autumn show of colour. Instead, most trees just went from green to brown to leafless. This year, though, autumn is glorious and all the trees are wearing their best, bright party dresses. Jack and I invite you to join us as we stroll around our neighbourhood and look at all the pretty October colour.

Just starting to colour up

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More Spiders!

OK, it’s just one more spider, but (s)he’s beautiful. This one came to us from Avalus who says,

I found this spider in August when I was riding home from work under the lit handrail of a pedestrian bridge. She had many moths woven in silk hanging just under the rail, so it seems she picked a good spot.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                   She did not like the flash too much. I think it is a common orbweaver (Kreuzspinne – “cross spider” in german).

Photos are below the fold. The detail in the second shot is outstanding. Thanks for sharing, Avalus. [Read more…]

Friday Feathers

This week’s Friday Feathers come from Nightjar who writes this:

 

These sanderlings briefly landed in front of me during a relaxed walk on the beach, understandably I was not carrying the 500mm lens with me. I took these with the 50mm, and then I cropped and cropped some more, and then I pretended I meant to compose the images like this all along because sand and seawater are pretty too. :D

I completely agree that the composition IS beautiful and I sympathise with “if only I had the other lens”. I am wondering, are sanderlings related to starlings?

Sanderlings on the beach

©Nightjar, all rights reserved

Sanderlings on beach

©Nightjar, all rights reserved

Sanderlings on beach

©Nightjar, all rights reserved

 

Jack’s Walk

 

©voyager, all rights reserved

I love the way fallen leaves collect on the ground and flutter with every passing car. They softly whoosh and dance and sometimes my heart swells just at the sight and the sound of them. I can often be found kicking my feet in the gutters and setting them in motion. Jack politely stays on the sidewalk, often giving me a look that says ‘mommy, we’re not allowed to walk on the road,’ but even his good manners can’t stop me. Come dancing leaves, my feet are restless and my ears hear the waltz in your sighs.

 

 

Jack’s Walk

©voyager, all rights reserved

The weather here has been glorious for the past 2 days. It’s T-shirt warm with cloudless blue skies and it was wonderful to be outside with the sun warming my back. We slowed down a bit to take in all the pretty colours and stopped once or twice to watch the squirrels dash here and there squirreling away their treasure. I think I should grab a book and go sit outside. Housework can wait. There won’t be many more days like this and it would be a shame to waste it.

Jack’s Walk

Happy Thanksgiving, ©voyager, all rights reserved

Today is Thanksgiving in Canada and our version of the holiday is a mix of harvest celebration, family get-together and time to count your blessings. We usually eat too much and grumble at how early the Christmas Season starts. There will be talk of Halloween and lots of remember whens and someone will tell the story of Dad and the whipped cream. There will be turkey and ham, squash and fresh green beans, apple and pumpkin pie and we don’t forget the cream, iced or whipped take your pick. Some of us will spend time outdoors going for walks and putting up Christmas decorations and most of us will spend a few minutes counting our blessings.

I have many blessings and I try to count them every day, but this year I have a whole new set of blessings to count and that is all of you. I feel very privileged to be a part of this community. You have all welcomed me during a very difficult time for this blog and your support means a lot to me. I’ve made friendships here with people from all over the world and although I will probably never get to meet any of you in person I value our friendship a great deal. So on this Canadian Thanksgiving Day I am thankful for you.

Spider!

We’ve been on a roll here lately with spiders and Nightjar has sent us one more. This incredible set of photos showcases a spider preparing a meal. Photos are below the fold. Thanks for sharing, Nightjar.

I feel slightly guilty about what’s going on in these photos. I had seen a honeybee on our goldenrod and approached carefully with the camera. When I got there the bee flew away… and straight into an orb weaver’s web! The spider was very quick to wrap up the bee (1st picture) and to carry it along a thin strand of silk (2nd picture) into its hiding place among some dried chayote leaves (3rd picture). Fascinating to watch, but I couldn’t help feeling bad for the poor honeybee, it looked so pretty on the goldenrod… Oh well. [Read more…]