Wonder #19

As I said before, I am overly excited about the arrival of spring this year.  The trees, the flowers, the joy of my compost pile, and the 80 or 90 degree temperature...  OK, so it's feeling like summer already, but regardless - I have to add one more thing to that list.  The robin's nest in my back yard!  Check out my new little buddy....

What a melon on this one, right?  There are three babies in all, and they are growing up so fast!  I found the nest just two days before this picture.  In such a short time their down has doubled, and all three have the "pigtails" (look to the back of the head on this one).  

I'll be keeping an eye on the nest daily.  My dogs already know they are there, so when it's time to leave the nest, I'm sure Max and Napoleon will be waiting.

Hope your day brings lots of wonders!  Ta! 

Wonder #18

I suppose I'll have to post double time, since I haven't had an update in two weeks. The good news?  Scratch that - great news?  I finally got my compost pile up and running! After several trips to local nurseries, one trip to a local farm, and about five hours researching composters online - the break down has finally begun!  Here's my new baby...

In my research, which of course I had a ton of fun with, I learned a lot more about marketing than I did science.  Here's what I found out...  You can find a slew of compost tumblers and black box tumblers online.  Everyone from HGTV to Planet Natural to Sam's Club sells them.  Even Oprah had an episode on worm composting recently.  Literally EVERYONE is willing to tell you how to compost, especially if you are planning on using the compost starter they are marketing, which of course makes it ridiculously easy to start and does the extra bonus of breaking down your compost in 14 or 21 days.  The problem I had?  Four basic walls of recycled plastic and a locking lid cost $200+.  It just didn't seem right, so I held off.  Then I found a super inexpensive one at Sam's Club last weekend - $40 bucks later and it was mine.  Which of course is my wonder...  How did I find one for 20% of the average cost?  

Like I said, I learned more about marketing than I did about science!  Ta!

Wonder #17

I decided to hunt down a new preserve in the area.  In the last week, everything is in bloom, and I don't have too many forest shots yet.  So I found Ryerson Conservation Area in Highwood.  The hike started out well (mostly because I didn't yet feel like it was a hike).  I got a few good forest interior shots - like the overdone birch tree forest posters, but good none-the-less.  

There were quite a few trails, leading off in different directions, so I was lucky to find a good one to start, but it was really rather short.  I now have a new definition of what a "good" trail is - dry and sandy or paved.  (Wait for it...)  

So after doubling back on my good but short trail, I decided to check out the log cabins I'd seen when driving in.  Cute, but other than the weird wiccan Council Ring, I got better macro shots of the cabin.

And what should I see but a barely there trail, leading to a boardwalk system not too far off.  Thinking this would be better than the witch ring, I took off toward the boardwalk system.  Couple of cool shots later, I pass the boardwalk... and suddenly realize that there's a reason they put a boardwalk in a conservation area.  Because it's muddy, no let's call it downright wet.  In fact, let's just call it swamp, because that's what it really is - a swamp on the edge of the Des Plaines River.

Being the optimist that I am, I decided that it can't be this bad the whole way through, so I decide to plug on.  Twenty minutes of leaping gracefully over mud puddles, from one side of the (quickly-disappearing) trail to the other...  I suddenly find myself unbelievably mired in swamp - no nice pile of leaves anywhere around for me to jump to.  As I stand there, slowly panicking about the new shoes I am sure to have ruined, and dropping the camera that literally keeps me sane, I realize that the swamp is quickly forcing it's way into the sides my cute Pumas.  Alas, I had lost the battle!

So what do you do when you realize that:

- You were nuts to wear cute shoes into a preserve you'd never been in,

- You should have turned back at the small puddles in the middle of the sun at the start of the trail,

- The witchy ring was probably just a childrens' nature classroom,

- The longer you wait, the more swamp makes it into your Pumas,

- and that you're really glad no one is hear to witness you squeal at the toad that just jumped in front of you?

Well, if you are me, you say, "What the hell?"  and start leaping straight through the swamp, mud-in-the-Pumas and all!  Because there is nothing so wonderous as being able to laugh at yourself...

Wonder #16

Lately I have been rather obsessive about the arrival of spring.  Although, when you live with six month long winters, you tend to get like that.  So over the weekend, I decided to take a trip over to Lake Bluff Park, a small local beach park right on Lake Michigan.  I took quite a few shots of the coast and the water.  Maybe I'll post a couple later.  For now, I have to tell the story of my cute little ladybug friend, above.

As you walk onto the beach at Lake Bluff, you are undeniably reminded of an ocean beach.  If you've ever seen Lake Michigan, you know that all you see on the horizon is horizon... nothing is visible on the other side.  I grew up in southern California, and I miss nothing more than the Pacific Ocean, so Lake Michigan is always a welcome site. There are short little jetties dotted along the coast with boulders at the end.  Believe it or not, it gets insanely windy on Michigan, so I'm assuming they are protecting the teeny-tiny coast.

I decided that the closest jetty would be a great spot to get a few shots (and it turns out it was - yahoo!).  But as I was climbing around on the rocks and taking pictures, I realized I had lady bugs on my hands and camera.  After a quick scream - only because I can be as skittish as a reclusive cat, for some reason - I remembered that lady bug landings are good luck.  Plus I just love them, so I carefully moved this one from the top of the lens to a nice spot in front of it.  

Turns out that they are good luck, because I got some great shots Saturday, ending with the daffodils below.  That was all I could have asked for (and more than I anticipated since spring was barely upon us), so I'll look at it as a win.

Ta!

Wonder #15

It's unbelievable what you can find wandering around a volcanic island, especially when roads were only introduced there within the last 150 years.  The question you have to ask yourself?  How do you get to the ocean from atop a cliff without scaling the lava rock?  Easy, you painfully carve steps out of the lava.

These jungle stairs lead to the Wai'anapanapa (glistening waters) Caves at the state park of the same name, on Maui. Here's the Legend of the caves...

Once upon a time a Hawaiian princess named Popoalaea fled from her cruel husband, Chief Ka'akae.  She hid on a ledge just inside the underwater entrance to this cave.  A faithful serving maid sat across from her fanning the princess with a feather Kahili symbol of royalty.  Noticing the reflection of the Kahili in the water, Chief Kakae discovered Popoalaea's hiding place and killed her.  At certain times of the year, tiny red shrimp appear in the pool, turning the water red.  Some say it is a reminder of the blood of the slain princess. 

In case you want to see the shrimp, you need to visit in spring.

Ta!

Wonder #14

This lovely flounder - dare I say the most terrifying fish in the ocean - is from our trip to Bonaire.  The flounder was near shore, right by our hotel.  I think this was the first or second dive with the camera, so I was incredibly proud that I was able to: #1 See the flounder, #2 Focus the camera, and #3 Frame the flounder.  Add to that - I'd never seen a flounder, so I was positive that the water we were in was toxic, and that this poor fish bore the brunt of toxic waste.  

You have to be able to laugh at yourself, right?  

Ta!

Wonder #14

Time to go back to the world traveler in me.  This is another of my all-time favorites.  Bonaire was an incredible trip, made more incredible because it was the trip I first tried underwater photography.  Oh, the things we saw on that trip!  OK, so most of it was very normal, but NOT the normal we are used to... Parrot Fish like this one, loads of turtles, and many gorgonians!  

Drift diving is never better than when you walk out your hotel room door and drop in.  You have to love the local regulations about keeping the island (especially the surrounding reefs) pure.

Ta!