Squirrel

This afternoon a squirrel was both relaxing on our bird feeders while trying to figure out how to thwart the "squirrel-proof" feeder. I'm pretty sure he got it figured out, though the pole was slippery and he didn't get too many sunflower seeds. Still, he proved that our feeder isn't actually squirrel-proof at all. 

I suspect that the phrase "squirrel-proof" is less a statement of invulnerability than it is a challenge to squirrels, a challenge which they inevitably take and win.

Fort Yargo State Park

Today we went to Fort Yargo State Park for a few hours. These are some of the pictures I took while we were there.

This is the (relatively) new visitors center

Inside is the gift shop, which is pretty good, but kind of dominates the visitors center

Anna texted me this picture of the fort when she and Elyse were walking around it.

This is the fort as seen from across the lake, through a 200mm lens

The two figures walking on the trail are Anna and Elyse

Anna and Elyse walking back across the bridge to the visitors center, where J. and I waited for them

Sunbathing Squirrel

This guy has been taking a nap/sunbathing on our back deck for a while now.

Pollen Tanka

At this time of year
Pollen collects in our lakes
– and on our cars, and
on our sidewalks, and even
on us if we remain still!

Another Morning Walk at Tribble Mill

Four Pictures From a Morning Walk at Tribble Mill

Scenes From a Morning Walk Around the Lake at Tribble Mill Park

Today I went for an early-morning walk at Tribble Mill Park. These are some of the pictures I took while I was there.

Bees in the Backyard

Bees don't pose. In fact, they didn't seem to care one whit about my attempts to photograph them at work.

The State Botanical Gardens of Georgia in Athens

This week is Spring Break for all of us. Because of the continuing pandemic, we didn't plan any overnight trips or far-away excursions, but we did want to go somewhere exciting, so went to the State Botanical Gardens in Athens--a pretty interesting place less than an hour's drive away.

Here are a few of the pictures I took:

We couldn't quite muster the energy to see the whole thing--but that does mean we have more left to see another day!--so after walking around for only about an hour and a half, we left and got some food to take home from Subway.

When I notice them: A Haiku

When I notice them

I'm delighted they're up there--

When I notice them.

Ten degrees cooler: A Haiku

Ten degrees cooler

In the shade: the humble tree, 

Just doing its job. 

Modest pumpkin patch: A Tanka

Modest pumpkin patch:
It pleases us so to see
Your first summer blooms!
We pray you survive the heat
From now until Halloween.

Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary

Today we went to the Yellow River Wildlife Sanctuary, the recently-opened and much-improved (and under-new-ownership) version of what used to be called the Yellow River Game Ranch. The family who bought the property two years ago after the DNR shut it down has done a great job of improving it. Much of it is the same, but the improvements and additions are significant and much-needed; it feels better maintained, and the animals seem well-cared-for.

Here are a few of the pictures I took while we were there:

(It isn't all a petting zoo, as you might assume from these pictures; I just didn't get any good pictures of the parts that aren't.)

Here's Elyse taking a selfie among the bamboo:

One of my favorite parts of any such place is the gift shop, and theirs is pretty good. I didn't buy a T-shirt or coffee cup, but I plan to on a future visit; we did buy a unicorn cookie for Elyse (also some rock candy for Jessica, but I didn't take a picture of that).