Old Forgotten Fencing

This roll of dircarded fencing is in the woods between us and our neighbor...

not sure who it belongs to! In the summer it is almost completely hidden by vines and weeds.

From My Holly Bush

Red, green & white...would make a great Christmas card!

I took this one last week right after that nice snowfall we got.

I have holly bushes in front of my house; I love their glossy, dark green leaves.

AND the beautiful red berries!

A Snow Bird

Around here a "snow bird" usually means a retiree who heads to Florida for the winter! But this is a picture of another kind of snow bird...a junco. They are such a pretty little bird with a bright white tummy and the rest a dark charcoal grey. This could almost be a black & white picture again. I was so hoping for a cardinal but now that I see this I do like it. Hope everyone is having a love-filled Valentine's Day! For those of you alone today, here's a big (((hug))) from me!

Contrasts

A nice pile of fire wood

I like the color of the wood and the "curvey" lines some of the woodgrain produced.

It snowed several inches the other day...the contrast of the dark wood and the white snow

appeals to me. Rugged and soft, cold and warm...well, the wood will be used for heating!

I think the wood is apple wood so it will even smell nice burning too!

Shades of Green

Yes, this is a picture of poison ivy!

I love the huge variety of greens in this one picture!

Last summer we had a Bouma Family Reunion at our home and most of the time was spent outdoors. We knew there would be kids coming and wanting to play in our woods but we have lots of poison ivy inn our woods. So rather than walk around with a megaphone warning people I just took a few pictures of the poison ivy...so everyone could identify it...labeled it and printed it on several small posters. These I placed on wooden sticks and put them near large clumps of poison ivy along the driveway. I figured the parents would see them and decide if they wanted to allow children to roam around ...or not.

The reunion was a success, good attendance, beautiful weather, lots of yummy food...and no one got poison ivy!

Looking Up!

Taken in the summer of 2011 in the woods near Hungry Horse Campground, Wayland, MI

Newest Grandbaby: Calvin

Meet Calvin, the latest addition to the Lobbezoo family!

(and his mom, Emily)

Calvin was born February 2, 2012

Special Sunday

Hungry Birds

This picture was taken a week ago. Last Sunday we had an amazing snow storm! The snow came down like crazy all morning. Usually I would stay off the roads when it gets that snowy but this time I HAD to drive in it. We were on our way home from Emergency at about 11:30 AM and the driving conditions were the worst I have driven in in 20+ years! The evening before, my husband took a bad fall in his pole building while checking the woodstove. He landed on his back on the corner of a large tool box and broke a couple ribs. We had to wait until morning to go to Emergency because he wanted to be sure he was really hurt. Is that a guy thing or what? No disrespect intended! But, good grief...he could hardly move!

Anyway we made it home with a huge sigh of relief and I spent the afternoon enjoying the snowfall and watching the birds go crazy at our bird feeders. There were so many birds coming and going it looked like a busy airport! Some of the birds had to be in a "holding pattern" and sit on branches out a little ways waiting their turn. And if you can see them, you'll notice there are only female cardinals...no males (red)...because the males were absolute gentlemen and waited until later in the afternoon to come. There were also yellow finches, juncos, chickadees, and a woodpecker...a "Hairy", I think.

I love to watch the snow falling in our woods behind our house. When its a really heavy snowfall I ALWAYS think of the Robert Frost poem (one of my favorites!) "Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening".

Today was a normal, nice, quiet Sunday...church, dinner and relaxing. And my husband is feeling better but the healing process is going to be a long one...6 weeks + if he doesn't over-do. Over-do? Whatever do you mean?

Nothin' but blue sky...and a beautiful tree

Just a tree, but so fascinating! It looks both rugged and fragile.

And the Journal Journey Begins!

Today is the first time I am posting on this, my brand new blog! I wanted to call this blog "Everyday Beauty" but someone else already has that title so I added "Picture this:" which I felt was quite appropriate for a photo blog. I am so often struck by the awesome beauty I see in simple, ordinary things. For years I have been taking pictures of these "beauties" but never thought to share them until I stumbled across someone else's photo-a-day blog. I have Larry in Iowa to thank for this wonderful idea! So Thank you, Larry! I'm not sure I will be able to limit my ramblings as successfully as you...but I'll try! I too want people to just see the beauty in the photos for themselves and enjoy! And to God be the glory!

This is not  an exceptionally "good" photo, just a scene I really like. It includes several of my favorite things to photograph: trees, unusual lighting, trees, pretty sky colors, and trees! Yes, I love trees and you will often see pictures of trees (and leaves) in all their glorious variety if you keep checking back here this year!