Common Buckeye Butterfly

 "Optimism is the faith that leads to achievement." 

 — Helen Keller

Adventures Along The New River Trail

 “Adventure should be part of everyone’s life. 

It is the whole difference between being fully alive and just existing.” 

 – Holly Morris

This was our view when we stopped for a rest on our bike ride (10/30/24).

The Hiwassee Bridge over the New River along the New River Trail.

It was a beautiful fall day! 

Downy Woodpecker in Autumn

 Trust in what you love, continue to do it, and it will take you where you need to go. 

~ Natalie Goldberg

Zabulon Skipper Butterfly

 “The beautiful thing about learning is that nobody can take it away from you.”

 ― B.B. King

I've been going back through some old images trying to identify the insects and flowers.  I believe this to be a Zabulon Skipper Butterfly on a Prunella Vulgaris.

Always Wonderful - Male Cardinal

 "Even in the familiar 

there can be surprise and wonder." 

~ Tierney Gearon

Watching the Leaves

"Even if something is left undone, 

everyone must take time to sit still 

and watch the leaves turn." 

- Elizabeth Lawrence

From our visit to Claytor Lake State Park

10/26/24 

A Different Perspective - Bluebird Feathers

 “With an eye made quiet by the power of harmony, and the deep power of joy, 

we see into the life of things.” 

― William Wordsworth

Red-bellied Woodpecker - An Autumn Profile

 "Delicious autumn! 

My very soul is wedded to it, 

and if I were a bird I would fly 

about the earth seeking the successive autumns." 

~ George Eliot

Yellow-rumped Warbler Takes Flight

 "Let us not look back in anger, nor forward in fear, but around in awareness."

 - James Thurber

You can see how the yellow-rumped warbler got its name.

Tufted Titmouse Treat

 “Let the beauty we love be what we do. 

There are hundreds of ways 

to kneel and kiss the ground.” 

― Rumi

Autumn Bike Ride

 "There are two times of the year: 

autumn and waiting for autumn." 

– Unknown

I had never heard this quote before so I thought I would use it today.

I actually like all of the seasons, but winter has to be my least favorite.

I think that might change now that I am retired and don't have to get out in it

if I don't want to.

I took this picture along the New River Trail when we were riding our bikes

earlier this week. 

Autumn Tapestry on the Forest Floor

 “Now Autumn's fire burns slowly along the woods and day by day the dead leaves fall and melt.” 

― William Allingham

Bee in the Bee Balm

 "Nature will bear the closest inspection. 

She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain." 

~ Henry David Thoreau

Red-headed Woodpecker

 “Dare to live the life you have dreamed for yourself. 

Go forward and make your dreams come true.” 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

Red-headed Woodpecker seen on our visit to

Claytor Lake State Park 10-11-24 

Let Your Light Shine Today

 “Let your light shine today, and let your personality blossom, too. You don’t have to be a people-pleaser, just a people-lover.”

 – Beth Moore

Walking The Soul Back Home

 “A walk in nature walks the soul back home.” 

— Mary Davis

From our walk along Deerfield Trail - 10/20/24 

Harlequin Glorybower

 “Plants give us oxygen 

for the lungs and for the soul.”

– Linda Solegato

The Harlequin Glorybower is a "new to me" plant found during our walk at

Claytor Lake State Park - 10-19-24.

Between The Pines

 "Between every two pines 

is a doorway to a new world." 

― John Muir

Looking up during our walk through 

Claytor Lake State Park

on 10/19/24.

Autumn Cardinal

 "Autumn mornings: sunshine and crisp air, birds and calmness, year's end and day's beginnings." 

- Terri Guillemets

Autumn - When Every Leaf is a Flower

 "Autumn is a second spring 

when every leaf is a flower." 

~ Albert Camus

Captured during our walk along the Plantation Road

side of the Huckleberry Trail - 10-18-24 

Flight of the Long-tailed Skipper

 “In this world in which we live 

simplicity and kindness 

are the only magic wands that work wonders” 

― L. Frank Baum

The long-tailed skipper in flight - Summer of 2024

Artsy Version - HERE 

Pink Petals

 "If we could see the miracle of a single flower clearly, 

our whole life would change." 

~ Buddha

Friendly Fly-In

 "A journey is best measured in friends, 

rather than miles." 

~ Tim Cahill

Butterfly Friends

 "A friend accepts us as we are 

 yet helps us to be what we should."

   ~ Unknown

Painted Lady Butterfly and Black Swallowtail Butterfly 

Wash Your Spirit Clean

 "Keep close to Nature's heart...and break clear away, once in awhile, and climb a mountain or spend a week in the woods. Wash your spirit clean." 

~ John Muir

Portal to Autumn

 "In the right light, at the right time, 

everything is extraordinary." 

~ Aaron Rose

Right Under Your Nose

 "A smile is happiness you’ll find 

right under your nose." 

– Tom Wilson

Miracles of Life and Growth

 “I feel a great regard for trees; 

 they represent age and beauty 

 and the miracles of life and growth.” 

 ― Louise Dickinson Rich

Print Available - HERE 

Looking In A Different Way

 "Creativity involves breaking out of established patterns in order to look at things in a different way." 

- Edward de Bono

Prints and More available - HERE 

Live in Each Season As It Passes

 "Live in each season as it passes; breathe the air, drink the drink, taste the fruit, and resign yourself to the influence of the earth."

― Thoreau

White-throated Sparrow 

Print Available - HERE 

Bluebird Blessings

 "May your troubles be less and 

your blessings be more." 

—Irish Blessing

Artsy Print Available - HERE 

Magnolia Warbler

 "To pay attention, 

this is our endless and proper work." 

~ Mary Oliver

Prints and More Available - HERE 

Rise Up Joyful

 “When I rise up let me rise up joyful like a bird. 

 When I fall let me fall without regret like a leaf.”

 ― Wendell Berry

Another shot of the Pileated Woodpecker in flight with a bit more

of his wings showing.  From our visit to Claytor Lake State Park

on 10/11/24.

Autumn Was Awakened

 "And the sun took a step back,the leaves lulled themselves to sleep,and autumn was awakened." 

- Raquel Franco

From our visit to Claytor Lake State Park

10-11-24

Autumn Colors on the Wings

 "It isn’t what you have in your pocket that makes you thankful, but what you have in your heart." 

~ Unknown

Common Buckeye Butterfly

Pileated Woodpecker in Flight

 "If you listen quietly enough life will whisper its secrets to you." 

― Rasheed Ogunlaru

Pileated Woodpecker in flight from our visit to 

Claytor Lake State Park on Friday, October 11, 2024

Spiny Spiderflower

 “Flowers are like friends; 

They bring color to your world.”

– Unknown 

I believe this is Cleome Spinosa - Spiny Spiderflower

We found this on a walk while visiting the Warm Hearth neighborhood - 10/10/24.

Wonderful Stream of Life

 “We all exist as part of a wonderful stream of life.” 

― Thich Nhat Hanh

Pipevine Swallowtail Butterfly 

Print Available - HERE 

A Complete Rest

 "Sometimes the most urgent thing you can possibly do is take a complete rest." 

~Ashleigh Brilliant

On a rather cool morning at the Hahn Garden (10/07/24) 

a bee rests on the tip of a wildflower.

View from McKeever Lodge - Pipestem State Park

 “Everything in nature invites us constantly to be what we are."

― Gretel Ehrlich

Our view from McKeever Lodge at Pipestem State Park during our 

visit last weekend (October 4-6, 2024).

Pipestem is one of our favorite places to visit. 

Print Available - HERE 

Enjoy Every Minute

 "I promise myself that I will enjoy every minute of the day that is given me to live." 

~ Thich Nhat Hanh

Cabbage White Butterfly in flight over the asters seen on

my walk through the Hahn Horticulture Garden on 

October 7, 2024. 

Print Available - HERE 

Blue My Mind

 "Where flowers bloom so does hope." 

~ Lady Bird Johnson

I found this lovely flower and insect (a hover fly I think) on my

walk around the Hahn Horticulture Garden on Monday, October 7, 2024

I believe this flower is called a shaggy dwarf morning-glory and is named 

"Blue My Mind" - hence the title of my post. 

Print Available - HERE 

Always Continue the Climb

"Always continue the climb." 

~ Ella Wheeler Wilcox

Print Available - HERE 

Autumn Colors - Pipestem State Park - West Virginia

 "Autumn carries more gold in its pocket than all the other seasons" 

– Jim Bishop

Autumn is beginning to show its colors at 

Pipestem State Park in Pipestem, West Virginia.

10-05-24

Nature Brings Solace

 "And I firmly believe that nature brings solace 

in all troubles." 

- Anne Frank

Autumn Leaf from our Walk - October 3, 2024

 "Leaves drift softly earthward toward the grass Spring and summer blend from green to gold ... 

Corby Magnuson, The Measure of Leaves

From our walk at Hethwood Pond on Thursday, October 3, 2024.

The leaves here are turning more brown this year than the orange and reds we

usually get.   

Carolina Wren

 "Build a House for men and birds. Sit with them and play music. For a day, for just one day, talk about that which disturbs no one and bring some peace, my friend, into your beautiful eyes." 

~ Hafiz

 “I believe that if children fall in love with wildlife they will grow up wanting to protect it.”

 ― Imogen Taylor

Shine Your Light

 "Shine your light and make a positive impact on the world; there is nothing so honorable as helping improve the lives of others." 

— Roy T. Bennett