The Small World and Survival

Stalking

Survival of the fittest sometimes is hard to watch, however this is the true way of life.

Morning Coffee-- Butterfly Photos

 

The summer temps are almost too hot to bare, however the early mornings on my patio are enjoyable with my visitors and my jo. I plant additional wildflower seeds each year and reap the rewards  into late November.

Giant Swallowtail and Native Bumble Bee Photos

Today is a hot August day with some clouds floating around. I was here at my cave window and noticed two visitors in one of my Texas Wildflower gardens and they seemed to be asking to be photographed. I grabbed the camera and went out to visit them since all I was doing was wishing that I was up in the Arkansas Mountains on some cool stream with my camera and far from the "Going's-on" of a fast and furious society.

Nature on a Rainy Day

I awoke to the sound of rain this morning, heavy rain, and thunder. As I looked out the window, I witnessed the oriental woman walking her daughter to the school bus stop in the downpour. I watch these two each morning and evening, talk and laugh together.

The rain is pouring down at this time and it makes me want to be in some place where life is slow and easy. I would like my life to be a simple and honest way of existence, far from people that flounder in their phony world.
 
I enjoy writing, although I would like to have the view to write about the beauty of nature and the simple enjoyments I experience. It seems almost disrespectful to sit here in a world of phony surroundings made by humans and attempt to describe the beauty of nature. I plant flowers and hang feeders to entice the critters to visit my world rather than visiting theirs. These actions are as close to nature as some humans ever experience.

We do not hear, smell, or taste the true world of critters and the natural surroundings that God provided for us unless we spend time in their world. We speed read, sniff, and glance at nature, never enjoying the full effect of the pleasure. I like to watch the Mississippi Kites as they circle looking for insects. If you only glance at them, you miss the total display of their ability in flight.

We have watched two hatching's this year, one outside the kitchen window and the other in an Ivy covered post near the patio area. The one outside the window was a cardinal and the other a mockingbird. The mockingbird tries to be so secretive on approach to her nest. The cardinal was so attentive to her nest and was assisted by the male. She weathered a terrific hailstorm and then Jane observed the hatching's fledged. These simple things matter not to most humans today.

I did not have the opportunity to plant the wildflowers this year and I am already missing them. They have always afforded me the pleasure of watching the small wild critters and flying flower gardens.  This year I will rely on nature to provide my viewing.

Dreams of "Simple Life"

Waiting on the Easter rain here at my cave, wishing I was in the Boston Mountains of Arkansas. The weather is just right to ramble the trails and back roads looking for interesting and unusual sights and enjoying the solitude only found in the mountains. The mountain streams have a soothing and relaxing music this time of year with the waterfalls running full force. A big tree makes a great backrest and the waterfalls can clean all ill thoughts that clog the mind, and I certainly have a need to cleanse my mind.
There is something about the rain and clouds in the mountains that I enjoy. They seem to help the soul and bring rest and a feeling of solitude. The critters seem to welcome you and the birds start to sing their favorite songs. In the background you catch the sounds of the "Bully Bird" (crow) as he agitates some poor critter.
You can hear the sound of thunder off in the distance as it rolls through the valley and finally reaches your tree. You hear the droplets of rain ever so slow as they touch the leaves and cleanse the dust from them. Off in the distance a "Rain Crow" starts to sing and the rain drops make rings in the stream.
The nighttime brings sounds of the Hoot Owl as he sends messages to his friends across the way and the frogs croon a deep throat melody. Life slows even more and sleep comes easy with dreams of experiences of the day and good thoughts of tomorrow's adventures.

Just the Wind Blowing

I love spring, but not the wind! Wind is only good for flying Kites and I own no kites. The march winds are now in April and they have been for the past few years. Educated people say their is no climate change and want us to follow their thinking.All one needs to do is walk outside and watch what is going on in the outside world. One cannot see the changes from inside the four walls of their adobe. One reason Muir and his com padres knew so much about the seasons and nature was they spent their lives out in the natural surroundings, watching and learning.The outdoor world offers so much education if only we would look and listen. Some spend their time sitting in front of the tube watching wildlife shows and claim to be experts on the subject. A person needs to hear, smell and taste the wild to be in a position to expand on the subject.
With the wind blowing so hard today I noticed that the geese from the pond behind my house did not fly, they remained on the lake and I could hear their chatter all day. I noticed only one cardinal at the feeder and his stay was short.The weather has to warm considerably before we see hummingbirds, however, I am ready for their company. They seem to signal that flowers are blooming and the new generation of wildlife has arrived.
Yes, being in the outdoors is the place to be, fresh air, sounds of natural things and clean, clear thoughts.
Thank You God for nature and the wilds.

Wishing and Waiting

Springtime is here, so they say. However, I want warmer weather and time to ramble the boonies in comfort. I look forward to the return of the Mississippi Kites so I will have company when I have my morning coffee on the patio. Yesterday I heard a woodpecker or a sapsucker banging on a tree, a good reminder that spring is moving this way.
I am getting the hummingbird feeders ready and in place around my new "cook shack" so I can enjoy their antics this summer. I still have some Canadian geese that do a fly over each morning. I love to hear them as they approach the lake behind my house. The blue jays are here and scavenging the neighborhood like a bunch of "Hell's Angles" arriving at the local bar.
The bluebirds are fewer this year and I hope they increase. They are so much fun to watch as they feed the little ones. Nature brings a feeling of freedom and rest to me and I love to hear the mountain streams in the spring.
Enjoying nature should not be a marathon through the wilds. It should be enjoyed slowly and in seclusion from all other two legged animals.Sitting beside an old tree listening and watching for  whatever decides to make itself available.These moments are great to sort out the garbage clogged up in the head. Rational thoughts come easy and simple solutions are made.
Wild critters are smart, they avoid humans because they know that two legged animals bring disaster  to their world as they do to ours. People are afraid of animals and for no good reason. The critters will flee to avoid contact with humans.
I had an Uncle that had a special bond with wildlife. He always had wild pet animals,but never caged. They roamed the wild and would come to visit him when he called. It was not unusual for him to have a King snake in his pocket or a baby rabbit he was feeding.He was a very special person to me and I think this is where my love of wildlife started. He had a one eyed dog named Cricket that was always by his side. He spent so much time with Cricket that whatever he told her to do she would obey, however, I never heard him raise his voice or scold her.
A surprise thunderstorm just arrive and the sounds of the thunder is music.It could only be better if I were in the mountains in a cabin with a tin roof.

Photos: Pre-Spring Wandering

Today's trip was a spur of the moment thing. We made the move from our comfort zone and traveled to Pond Creek W M A in Arkansas. The hawks were plentiful today and we spent some time with them on the way up to Pond Creek. The photographing started out slowly but started to pick up with some deer sightings. We checked out the usual gator holes since it was a warm day, however, the gators were hold up out of sight. The deer sightings increased with twenty-five plus sightings. We then started finding smaller critters (possum, raccoons, armadillos, etc working the water filled ditches searching for insects and crayfish. The young armadillo decided to take a mud bath and I spent some time engrossed in it's activities. Soon afterwards the young possum emerged and was strolling along the ditches. I missed a couple of photographs of a huge hog and a couple of large coons.
It was great to be outside and in the presence of wildlife and nature once again. During the day we crossed paths with no other humans or heard the sounds of boom box music or sirenes. This is the live I love so much and wish to enjoy more of.

"Just Thinking"

“Simply with Nature”

By Dennis Waters

Life is a gift that should be treated as such. One should live each day as if there is no tomorrow, for there is no promise there will be another day.

My dream is to live a simple and honest life with no bickering and back -biting. I would enjoy living a more secluded life surrounded by mountains, streams and an abundance of wildlife. “Society speaks and all men listen, mountains speak and wise men listen (Muir)”  I would like to walk the back trails and along the streams with my camera and pups looking for no certain thing, just wandering.
On rainy (what some call bad days) I would kick back and study about all my wildlife sightings and write about my experiences in the woods. I guess one could say I would like to be like Muir and his associates (joined with others on an equal or nearly equal basis). I do not see it as such, I only want to be myself and follow the roads I desire to travel.
We spend life working, wanting, and wishing but never adventure away from an alleged security zone. We surround ourselves with people we refer to as friends, not truly knowing what the definition of “friend” really is. We lock our doors in order to be safe from other humans (friends and neighbors).
I once was ask why I enjoyed being with nature, my answer was and is; “Four legged animals have more ethics and morals than two legged animals.” If one spent time with the simple gifts we were given they would learn many great lessons of life and living in harmony with others.
However, we follow the yellow brick road that others have dictated we must travel in order to fit into the molds of a successful society of robots and experts. I would rather have simple knowledge than be that of an egotistical bastard that knows of only one subject. Life was destined to be simple, however “we the people” have taken charge and determined that we are the superior one and have far more knowledge than the one “what created us and the earth.”

Nature Happenings: Winter Rain

Nature Happenings: Winter Rain: This has been one of the coldest winters in some time. The rain seems to come every other day and the other days it is so cold that one can...

Winter Rain

This has been one of the coldest winters in some time. The rain seems to come every other day and the other days it is so cold that one cannot venture far from a fire. I have a new Mule side by side and have not had the weather to break it in. I purchased it to use for the wildlife photography.
We went to Pond Creek last week but the viewing was zit. Hopefully some good weather will drift in soon and the wildlife will start to move.