Winter in the Backyard
March 16, 2019
Nature
Winter fascinates. From the metallic dimpled icy plating laid over the back deck over night … to the newly minted deer paths (more like highways – some serious hoof work) in all that vast whiteness down there … Leaving a weak, waning sunset, colder, to complete the day …
Pond – Late Spring, Early Summer
June 28, 2018
Nature
Catching up, since last fall. The Minnows made it through the winter. They patrol the pond, and are busy breeding under the water lilies – you see ripples coming from the edges of the lily pads. Haven’t seen a blue gill yet – hmmmm. Of course, there are frogs, toads, etc. And flying birds. And snakes. And turtles. And fishing birds – Herons. The odd duck or two – they never stay. And beauty. So much so – I hadRead More
Water as Smooth as Glass – A Pond in Early Fall
September 11, 2017
Nature
Photos of a pond. Our pond. Taken in still water – water as smooth as glass. In early Sept of this year. The water lilies are still robust. Water level is down about 18″ – was a dry summer, and we haven’t caught up yet. And it’s drop dead gorgeous. Reflections to boot.
Yard and Pond – Late August
August 28, 2017
Nature
Catching up – haven’t posted for a while. Some pics from Jerie’s gardens and my pond. In late August. Been a balmy summer here. A bit spoiled now. We are.
Life Underwater – What a Minnow Sees
June 1, 2017
Nature
Wanted to see what the minnows breeding under the water lilies saw. So, I stuck a GoPro onto the end of a long slender board (inside a waterproof case), started up the camera, turned on the video – and shoved it underwater. Just to see if there was anything worth filming. Had to shoot blind, as there was no feedback from the GoPro. This is the result – somewhat edited. In the first scene, there are two minnows, swimming underRead More
By the Side Door
Some of the pretty things Jerie has growing around our side door ..
Muskrats – the battle begins
Down at the pond, this morning … I found some muskrat tells … 3 lily pads, separated at the base of the stem, from the tuber. Meaning it was likely done by a muskrat gnawing on the tuber. They were all in the same spot – the NW corner, where I’d found a single lily pad 2 days back. So – I called the trapper – leaving a phone number this time. And, he called back. But … he’s outRead More
Summer Pond – the Video
Set your resolution to either 1080p or 720p. Else it’s not worth watching … Best bits from some pond videos. Shot in the summertime. In our backyard. On some simply gorgeous days. Nature is simply too stunning to ignore. Vids made with two craft: 1) a Phantom 3 Professional 2) and a custom built drone sporting a Hero 3 Black camera. All done in 1080p 60fps.
Winter Spring Pond Diary
Tue May 23 Nice Last night … there were 5 new water lilies just breaching the surface with 1-2 pads. Here’s a couple of those … No signs of decimation in the existing lilies. Looking good. Two different views … Saw a minnow. And – always seeing activity under the lily pads. That’s either the minnows or blue gills. Pretty sure it’s the minnows though. But the surface is so occluded with stuff from the surrounding trees and shrubs that visibilityRead More