Frog Buddy

One afternoon last week it was lightly raining when the sun came out. That being perfect rainbow weather, I grabbed my camera and ran outside hoping to see one. The rain had mostly stopped when I got out there, so no rainbows. But I did see this awesome little frog hopping around in the backyard. He spent some time in front of the garage door, before he hopped along onto some very important frog business.

Summer Beach

It's been hot-hot-hot over the past few weeks, so a great time to hang out near the water. Here are some views from one of the many beaches around here, later in the day, after many people have been through to cool off. Even when there are lots of tourists, it's still a very peaceful place to be.

Corn Field: May vs. August

I've been walking regularly, so throughout the summer I have seen the surrounding farmer's fields come to life. During the 30x30 challenge in May, I took a photo of a newly planted corn field. Now it's August and the corn is fully grown. Beautiful visual of the passage of time.

May:

August: 

Park Life

One of the best things about summer is reading a great book outdoors, and I've found a nice new spot to do just that. There is a park that's a twenty minute walk from the house, and it is big, green, and beautiful. I've been down a few times since I discovered it and unless there is a day-camp full of kids, it is pretty much empty. A great place for reading and relaxing. In the evenings there are baseball games, and I had a fun time watching adult fastball one evening last week.

There is a big hill on the eastern side of the park that allows for some scenic views. The following three photos show the left, middle, and right sides of the park (view from the hill).

I found a shaded bench where I can relax and read or watch baseball if there's a game on. The following are some views from the bench.

And lastly, this is a photo of my new favourite bench. It has seen better days, I'm sure, but otherwise a great place to sit and enjoy the summer.

Dragonfly Buddy

There are many insects that fly around in the backyard, some more pleasant than others. I could live without mosquitoes or black flies, but bees and dragonflies are nice to see. I caught this dragonfly hanging out by the flowers.

(Light) Sky Rainbow

There was a pretty rainbow effect in the sky on my walk the other day. It was far more vibrant in real life, so this photo doesn't really do it justice. But if you look closely you can (sort of) see the colours.

Side of the Road Stories

I happened on these two separate side of the road finds and I'm not entirely sure what I've found.

A different shade of green, hanging in the trees caught my eye. Is it a kite? Or maybe just a random green object that was placed in the tree? If it's a kite, sorry to the kid who lost it.

Along the side of the road I spotted this bag of goodies: Pool noodles in a garbage bag. I can't decide if a family lost their noodles on the way to the beach/cottage/etc., or if someone just chucked out their unwanted pool noodles on the side of the road. I think it's a safe bet that one might store pool noodles in a garbage bag (they get wet, right?), so I'm leaning towards them being lost by accident. If so, sorry to the kids who lost them.

30x30 Nature Challenge - Complete

We're near the end of another May, which means the end of the 30x30 Nature Challenge. I am very happy to say I made it outside every single day! Yay! The weather has been fantastic and on the few days it rained, I made it out for my half hour of nature time without getting too soaked. The majority of my outdoor time was spent walking, but I also enjoyed some time outside reading under a tree, enjoying breakfast, or listening to the game. The next step is to keep going with the outdoor time all summer. If the weather is as good as it has been, it'll be easy to maintain these outdoor habits!

Field, Clouds, and a Power Line

I've seen some pretty views over the last month, as I've been spending more time outside. This is a shot of a neighbour's farm that I pass on my daily walk. I love the clouds and the Canada flag peaking out from the right side.

Finally Blooming

The weather has fluctuated from really cold (with frost warnings) to super hot, so these flowers have really taken their time getting here.

Trilliums

Spending time outdoors leads to lots of photos of flowers. Here are some trilliums along the edge of the woods.

The View From Here - Two Weeks Later

It is amazing how quickly nature blooms after the winter. Reading under the apple tree a few weeks ago, my view was mostly brown branches. Now it is full of blossoms and green leaves.

Looking up:

Looking up and left:

Looking up and right:

Tree Blossoms

Noticing lots of blossoming tress on my walks. This is a very pretty time of year.

Lilacs (Various)

Walking daily over the past few weeks I have noticed the seasonal growth of many plants, trees, and flowerbeds that line my route. I'm not brave enough to snap photos of my neighbour's gardens, but take my word for it, I am surrounded by some very gifted green thumbs.

I did snap some photos of a few lilac bushes that line the road. We had a number of lilacs on the farm where I grew up and I just love them. They have such a beautiful smell that always reminds me of home.

Storm Rolling In

There was a risk of thunderstorms yesterday, but I sat outside with a book, wanting to maximize my time in the sunshine before the storm hit. When there is a risk of a storm coming, it's a good idea to keep aware of one's surroundings, as weather can change suddenly.

Looking up from my book, I saw beautiful blue skies and sun, and no reason to want to head indoors.

But then looking over my shoulder, I saw some menacing clouds that made me rethink where I was sitting.

Victoria Day Book List

It's a holiday here in Canada, and I'm spending it with the five books I have out from the library. I only had a few out, but then some interlibrary loans came in, so now I'm making my way through the pile.

Hope you are having nice weather where you are! I plan on reading outdoors 'til it rains.

Bee Buddy

I started reading The Beekeeper's Apprentice by Laurie R. King yesterday, so it was fitting that I spotted this little guy while I was outside reading. He was very photogenic and didn't mind me getting into his personal space for some photos.

Daffodils Progress

We got a nice helping of rain on Sunday, Monday, and Tuesday which allowed for a big burst in growth from many of the outdoor plants.

A patch of daffodils that I forgot about was suddenly blooming, and it was nice to see them again.

Our small patch in the backyard has made a lot of progress. I snapped a photo before the rainstorm and another the day after and the rain really made a difference.

The day before the rain:

The day after the rain:

 They will be blooming soon.

The View From Here

Some days I spend my outdoor time reading under the apple tree. It's a great place to get some shade and hear the birds sing. I took a few photos of my view looking up -  it's a cozy place for reading.

Looking up:

Looking up and left:

Looking up and right:

Outdoor Breakfast

Part of the 30x30 Challenge is to spend more time outdoors. One way to do that is to move something I typically do inside, outside. My normal breakfast routine sits me in front of the computer, but while having a sunny morning breakfast outside, I can read a book or just listen to the birds sing. A great way to start the day.