Daisy - Sunshine on a Stem

Flowers always make people better, happier, and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine for the soul. ~Luther Burbank

Robin In Flight

Hear how the birds, on ev'ry blooming spray, With joyous music wake the dawning day. 
~Alexander Pope

Robin in flight - 04-23-11 - Gateway Trail - Blacksburg, Virginia

Lilac Dreaming

Flowers leave some of their fragrance in the hand that bestows them. ~Chinese Proverb

Hummingbird Moth - Wednesday Wings

In all things of nature there is something of the marvelous.
- Aristotle

Hummingbird Moth seen on my walk along the Huckleberry Trail 04-25-11

Blacksburg, VA - My FIRST sighting for 2011

Butterfly of Blue ~ Leaves of Green

Expectant of greater things,
We try climbing -
Higher
And Higher;
An effort that costs us much,
Leaving us short of breath
To find only
The ground below is much prettier.
~Phillip Pulfrey

Blue butterfly seen on my walk yesterday 04-25-11 along the Huckleberry Trail

- Possibly an Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly -

Spring Colors

Maple Seed Pod with droplets - 04-23-11 - My front yard - Blacksburg, VA
The naked earth is warm with Spring,
And with green grass and bursting trees
Leans to the sun's kiss glorying,
And quivers in the sunny breeze.
~Julian Grenfell

Please visit Lisa - HERE - for more Macro Monday Images.

Movement is Life

Walking gets the feet moving, the blood moving, the mind moving. And movement is life. ~Carrie Latet

Field Sparrow - seen on my walk yesterday 04-23-11 - Gateway Trail, Blacksburg, VA

Ladybug in the Leaves

Never lose an opportunity of seeing anything beautiful, for beauty is God's handwriting. ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Ladybug ~ 04-14-11 ~ Heritage Park ~ Blacksburg, VA

Carolina Chickadee

Carolina Chickadee ~ Bisset Park ~ Radford, VA ~ 12-31-10
Some people, no matter how old they get, never lose their beauty - they merely move it from their faces into their hearts. 
~Martin Buxbaum

Morning Dew Drops

How cunningly nature hides every wrinkle of her inconceivable antiquity under roses and violets and morning dew! ~Ralph Waldo Emerson

Dew drops on wildflowers ~ One of life's simple pleasures

Content with Silence

When words become unclear, I shall focus with photographs. When images become inadequate, I shall be content with silence. ~Ansel Adams

First Hummingbird moth sighting of 2010 - April 19 - Huckleberry Trail - Blacksburg VA

A Magnificent World

The moment one gives close attention to any thing, even a blade of grass it becomes a mysterious, awesome, indescribably magnificent world in itself. ~Henry Miller

Wildflower from the archives - June 2010 - Deerfield Trail - Blacksburg VA

Daydreamer

Sit in reverie and watch the changing color of the waves that break upon the idle seashore of the mind. 
~Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

House Finch from 04-25-10 - He looks like a daydreamer to me :)

Relish Small Pleasures

Think big thoughts but relish small pleasures.

~H. Jackson Brown, Jr

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly - From the archives - August 2010 - Gateway Trail, Blacksburg VA

Up Close To Green

Green is the prime color of the world, and that from which its loveliness arises. ~Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Green is my favorite color! This Green Frog image was captured in May 2010 - Gateway Trail Wetlands area - Blacksburg Virginia.

Friday Feathers ~ Shine On!

Like the sky opens after a rainy day we must open to ourselves.... Learn to love yourself for who you are and open so the world can see you shine. ~James Poland

Tree Swallow in Flight - Taken Sunday April 10, 2011 - Izaak Walton Park, Christiansburg VA

New Beginnings

Every day is a fresh beginning, Every morn is the world made new. ~Sarah Chauncey Woolsey
Macro shot of a Dogwood Bud starting to open ~ taken 04-10-11

Wednesday Wings ~ Great Blue Flyover

A Great Blue Heron flew over as I was walking on a very foggy Sunday morning - 04-10-11 at Heritage Park, Blacksburg Virginia. What an awesome wingspan!
Spread your wings and let the fairy in you fly! ~Author Unknown

Make it a Day for Planting Kindness

He who sows courtesy reaps friendship, and he who plants kindness gathers love. ~ Saint Basil

Chrysalis with Dew Drops

Change occurs when one becomes what she is, not when she tries to become what she is not. ~Ruth P. Freedman

My VERY FIRST chrysalis found Sunday 04/10/11.

Visit Lisa HERE for more Macro Monday images!

Eastern Towhee Close-up

Yesterday the twig was brown and bare; To-day the glint of green is there; Tomorrow will be leaflets spare; I know no thing so wondrous fair, No miracle so strangely rare. I wonder what will next be there! 

~ L.H. Bailey

Treasure in the Trees

Normal day, let me be aware of the treasure you are. Let me learn from you, love you, bless you before you depart. Let me not pass you by in quest of some rare and perfect tomorrow. Let me hold you while I may, for it may not always be so. One day I shall dig my nails into the earth, or bury my face in the pillow, or stretch myself taut, or raise my hands to the sky and want, more than all the world, your return. ~Mary Jean Iron

Just Ducky

Build this day on a foundation of pleasant thoughts. Never fret at any imperfections that you fear may impede your progress. Remind yourself, as often as necessary, that you are a creature of God and have the power to achieve any dream by lifting up your thoughts. You can fly when you decide that you can. Never consider yourself defeated again. Let the vision in your heart be in your life's blueprint. Smile!

~Og Mandino

I have no idea what kind of duck this is. ID help is appreciated!

Sunshine, Freedom and a Little Flower

"Just living is not enough," said the butterfly, "one must have sunshine, freedom and a little flower." ~Hans Christian Anderson

This was taken last year while on vacation in North Carolina.

Wings of Spring

Beautiful and graceful, varied and enchanting, small but approachable, butterflies lead you to the sunny side of life. And everyone deserves a little sunshine. ~Jeffrey Glassberg

My first butterfly "capture" for 2011. This was taken Monday 04/04/11. I had seen a few butterflies but hadn't been able to capture any with the camera. I must say that these lovely creatures really do bring sunshine into my life. In fact - this little guy was taken in a bit of shady area - but the sun came out and started shining on the very top of it's wings. Not sure you can see that in this shot - but it was quite a speical moment!

I am TERRIBLE at the ID on these little guys. I think it may be a Spring Azure.

Embrace Your Uniqueness

You are unique, and if that is not fulfilled then something has been lost. - Martha Graham

I thought this Red-bellied woodpecker looked like it was doing chin-ups.

Nature's Fashion is Never Out of Style

The tulip and the butterfly Appear in gayer coats than I: Let me be dressed fine as I will, Flies, worms, and flowers exceed me still. ~Isaac Watts

Learning to See

Learn to see, and then you'll know that there is no end to the new worlds of our vision. ~Carlos Castaneda

Photography has helped me "learn" to see in a whole new way.

New Mornings With Magic Waiting

I have always been delighted at the prospect of a new day, a fresh try, one more start, with perhaps a bit of magic waiting somewhere behind the morning. ~J. B. Priestly

Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly from August 2010

Discover Your Light

We are each gifted in a unique and important way. It is our privilege and our adventure to discover our own special light.

~Mary Dunbar