Hanging On

The leaves are off most of the trees and it's starting to have that bleak winter look. I did find this bit of color today in West DuPage Woods Forest Preserve.

Mushrooms

Mushrooms popped up everywhere in the last day or two.

Toad

I went with two friends to Franklin Creek Nature Area today. One of our finds on the hike was a toad in a tree stump.

Feeding

The bees and butterflies were out in full force this afternoon at Cantigny Park.

Spring into Summer

This has been an odd year for weather. In March, as Spring arrived, we had a week of 80°F temps. Trees started to bud, but cold weather followed and the budding process stopped. Now that summer has come, the tree in my yard is only half leafed out. Near the trunk it's pretty full but there are many branches that are completely bare.


Update: 3 August 2012

This morning I discovered they cut this tree down yesterday. I've seen other trees with the same problem this tree had but I didn't think this would be reason to get rid of the tree. 

Update: 26 September 2012

It seems the tree was probably taken down to fight Emerald Ash Borer. Many trees throughout the subdivision and local towns have been cut dow to prevent the spread of this tree disease.

Fresh Mown

I love the sight and especially the smell of a freshly mown lawn.

Lilacia Park

The Lilacs, Tulips and Daffodils were in all stages of bloom. Some were finished and others just peaking.

 

 

Purple

Lilacs in bloom as sunset approaches.

Leafing Out

I love when trees start to leaf out. There is something about the bright green color and the "mini" leaves that just shout "Spring is here." And with it comes longer daylight and warm days. 

Bluebells

It barely got to 51°F today but I kept finding flowers in full bloom.

Apple Blossoms

These pink apple tree blossoms were at the height of color today.

Violets

White

The warm windy Spring weather came back today.

It's tricky getting a good photo when the wind is blowing but the evening sunlight on these tulips was nice and I kept trying.

Tulips

Red

Daffodil

More Spring color.

Spring

I came back from Asia to find Spring in full color. I can't ever remember everything being in bloom in late March. Essentially, it's a month ahead of the normal timeline. 

Redbuds

Drop

I found this raindrop in the late afternoon sun. 

Ocean

Here's the fish tank in the home of the family I'm staying with in the Philippines. Not only were the fish in the ocean, so were many of the corals, worms, anemones and cleaner shrimp. It a beautiful display of God's creativity.

Lotus

I found this beautiful flower in an out-of-the-way location along a dusty lane in Chiang Mai, Thailand. Isn't God's creation amazing.

Lichens

What is there to photograph on a dreary, overcast, February afternoon. Not much. But when I stepped out on my 2nd floor balcony in the drizzle and looked down I saw the lower branches of a tree. I went outside to see if I could get a better, closer shot of the lichens growing on the branches. What do you know? None of them can be seen from ground level. You have to be above looking down to see their beauty. It reminded me that God sees the beauty in me even when it's not visible from the ground.