Heron in Flight

 

Over the years, I've posted many photos of Great Blue Herons but I believe this is the first of one in flight. When I was fishing a great deal I'd often find myself sharing the water with them, and because we were there for the same reason I've felt a certain kinship with them. Generally, herons are less tolerance of our presence than we are to theirs, but I suppose this is understandable as they are in and around water for a more serious reason than we are. They're there for food; it's how they make their living.

Once when fishing the upper Potomac river, I encountered one who ignored me even though I was fishing close by. Normally, however, if I got within about fifty feet of a Great Blue Heron he would fly off and express his displeasure with a cranky-sounding screech. At the pond in the park the big birds seem to tolerate my passing by much closer but become uneasy if I stop. That's what happened with this one who flew as soon as I raised my phone camera to my eye.

Whether still or in motion they are magnificent birds.

Autumn foliage in the park

 

Two views of the pond in the fall

 

Halloween Trip to Bethany Beach

 The view from our room at the Addy Sea:

The beach soon after sunrise:

The Delaware coast had been hit by Hurricane Ian a month before. The storm there didn't cause the massive damage that it had in Florida, but the dune that was created to protect the town was partially eroded. This photo shows that erosion at the center of town.

The birds are undisturbed by the surf.

Halloween trip to Bethany Beach

 Here's Pam at the breakfast table at the Addy Sea Bed and Breakfast where we like to stay for short trips.

Here I am in a hospital emergency room after collapsing at dinner Friday night at the Blue Crab restaurant. After a number of tests it was determined that I had been dehydrated, and I was allowed to go without having to spend the night. All in all, it wasn't a terrible experience.

Autumn on the west end of the pond

 

I guess this is some kind of algae. I like the pattern it formed one morning a few weeks ago.

Fall heron photo

 Have been seeing them often. This picture was taken a couple of weeks ago.

Yesterday morning in the park

 I thought the autumn light was interesting, so I took some pictures.

The trees are beginning to show their fall colors:

Our new kitchen

 Although Pam posted on her blog about the kitchen remodeling project last January, I didn't get around to including it here. This is one vioew of how it looks now:

September Wildflowers

 

September Clouds

 

One more beach photo...

 Just before everyone left for home, Sean took this shot of the whole group:

Beach Week 2022- Honor on the Beach

 Sean and Honor arose early on the last day, and Sean took this picture of the sunrise:

Earlier in the week, photo by Pam (as were most of these):

Beach Week 2022- In Town

We went out for crabs:

 

The last night I took a picture of  the town of Bethany Beach:

Beach Week 2022- At the Beach House

 As always, the star of the week with a picture she and her grandmother studied daily:

The the last couple of days, Sean's brother Ryan visited, and here he is on the back porch with me, Rebecca, Sean, and Honor:

Here I am on the porch eating again with Sean:

Pam and Honor outside the house:

Beach Week 2022- On the Beach

 Nana (Pam), Honor, and Rebecca:

Sean and Rebecca burying Honor in the sand and shaping her bottom half like a mermaid:

The three of them in the water:

Clarence with tongue extended

 

More clouds

 

Around the Pond, East end

 I don't think the pond has ever before been surrounded by these wildflowers. This photo represents my best attempt at capturing the number of hibiscus plants that have bloomed this year. With my modest equipment (my phone), I could only get the east end of the pond, where the blooms are heaviest.

Pam's view of the pond

 Taken during a walk we had a few evenings ago:

Are these wildflowers?

 Pam tells me these are hibiscus flowers, and we first started seeing them on the floating islands in the pond where we believe they were planted. The flowers have now spread around the edge of the pond, but if they were originally planted do they qualify as wildflowers?

I don't know the answer to that question, but I know they are beautiful.

Clouds

 I never understood why people sometimes say, "What a beautiful day, not a cloud in the sky." Ever since I was a kid, I liked looking at clouds, and when I started taking trips by airplanes I was able to see them from both sides, like the Joni Mitchell lyric.

Here are some clouds from a few days ago:

More wildflowers in the park

 Although this looks like a black-eyed susan, Pam tells me it is actually a swamp sun flower:

Chicory along a hillside:

July Brooklyn Visit

 Greg joined us for the trip last weekend. Here he is with his niece and sister:

Here is granddaughter Honor with her father Sean:

Finally, two photos of Honor with her grandmother: