Great Herp Week!

Today there were Northern Leopard Frogs and Toads singing. I found another wood turt.  Found 2 Northern Water snakes. Some Spotted Eggs in the vegetation at the pond.  None in the Vernal Pools....we need rain!  Skunk Cabbage leaves have opened, tree buds are popping

Happy Spring!

I decided to take a quick ride past a birding spot on my way home from my hike, and this was the surprise waiting for me on that road.  Never question your inner voice.  I found her crossing the road, and was able to get the on coming car to stop and not hit her.  She was safely crossed to the wetlands.  Look at the intelligence and trust in this beautiful girls eyes. She has been around a really long time, she is a mature female, the largest I've ever seen.  What a start to my reptile Spring already!
First Garter snake down by the water where I put the spotted.


Went to the tipi and laid looking up at the sky, thanking the universe for my incredible life. I have been trapped by all the wrong things for a long time. In the last few days I feel as though my world is coming back into focus. I'm feeling a sense of joy that I haven't felt in a very long time. Nature = God for me. I need to get up and out there as often as I possibly can.

It's been an amazing day so far! Happy first day of Spring, it came in at 1:14am. Today is also my youngest sons 18th Birthday. I can't believe that 18 years ago I gave birth to my fourth and final child. He is a total blessing, whom I completely adore. My intense parenting duties almost finished I am now free to spend my time as I like.  Today I spent many hours hiking and opening my senses back up to the natural world. I was hyper aware today, all senses working at top speed. Monty and I were able to walk up on a flock of 25 turkeys feeding in down in a gully. We watched them for quite a long time before one spotted us. I'm hoping to head out again later to enjoy this amazing day. 

Cloud Paintings

Pretty evening walk with the pup.  It was thundering the entire time.  No planes, guess they were avoiding the lightening.  Forest was full of the sounds of birds and Spring Peepers.  The air got cooler and smelled like Spring.  I felt truly alive.

Reptiles

So happy to see some reptiles out again.  I missed them during their hibernation. 

sayings

Buds

Nice hike this am. Stuck with the Stay in the moment meditation. Went even further with it enjoying all the scents and sounds of the forest. Today's notables, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers, male Phoebe singing his little heart out by the pavilion. Lots of wood frogs and spring peepers calling.

Meditation Walk

I decided that today's hike would be a meditation walk. Mental therapy rather then physical. I posted this saying on my FB wall this morning: If you are depressed, you are living in the past. If you are anxious you are living in the future. If you are at Peace, you are living in the moment. by Lao Tzu. As I set out on my hike every time I would find my mind either going forward to the future or backwards to the past, I worked really hard to bring myself back to the glorious 55 degree day I had before me. It wasn't easy as I have a lot on my plate right now, but I managed to walk in complete awareness.  I completely enjoyed every moment of my time in the woods with my boy.  It was like a mini mental vacation, I'm feeling so peaceful right now. How different the world would be if we all lived in the now. How much less stress and sadness could we save ourselves from each day? I am going to print the Tzu saying and keep it close so I remember to live in today. 

Today's notable nature notes, first Phoebe singing!  Flickers.  Lots of wood frogs and Spring Peepers at the pond and vernal pools. Too little rain overnight to bring out the Salamanders.

Foster girl gets her dream human!

She is at her new home!  She hit the jack pot....a single police officer with no other pets.  I can sleep again at night.  I'm so happy for this beautiful girl who stole my heart in such a short time.  May she now live a long uneventful life full of love and fetch!  Oh and lots of good food, but not too much! LOL

Flying Squirrels

On our property we put up 2 wood duck boxes.   This winter Flying Squirrels have taken up residence in them, I don't have the heart to kick them out.  I haven't seen any wood ducks on the land for 2 years, so I guess the squatters can stay.  They are pretty cute.

Spring Peepers

Dozens of Painted turtles out on all the ponds. Spring Peepers at the Co. Park in 70 degree weather this evening. On the home front at least 5 woodcock peeting outside at dusk. Love this time of year! 

Great walk with my hubby and Montman what a way to end the day.  Grateful for this special dog who is so easy to love and live with. 

Trail Run

Today I did my first trail run in a really, really long time. I couldn't run fast, nor for very long, but I pushed myself, something I haven't done in years. Afterwords I found what I've been missing, its that high you get after a good work out. I loved being in the wood for 2 hours in 70 degree weather. I also did a bit of thinking about my new Spring resolution to stop all spending, I'm committed. I truly want to SIMPLIFY my life before another moment goes past. I'm looking forward to seeing just how little I can spend.  I'm also ready to get back to basics, see how much happiness I can bring to my life just being. 

On the nature front, lots of Blackbirds continue at my feeders. Still a few sparrows and Juncos. Up in the park I had a Mourning Cloak Butterfly and some Wood Frogs singing!

Yup....it's officially Spring here!

Later on took Monty for another walk up at the park where he met up with about 20 different dogs.  Glorious evening for all of us who made the effort to get our beloved canines out. 

Simplify

Tonight I spent some time online looking at Life is Good T-shirts. The simple images on the t-shirts remind me of the life I originally wanted for myself some thirty years ago. Hubby and I started out on a path in our marriage wanting a simple life full of time out in nature. We had plans to backpack and hike all over the country for vacations. Some how after we became parents we got off track and ended up in another world full of too much stuff. Our daily lives have gotten far too complicated. We are now on a path to get back to our original dream. Time is slipping away from us at a rapid rate and before we know it, we are going to be too old to live this old dream of ours. I'm on a quest to SIMPLIFY my life. I plan on cleaning out and down sizing everything I own. The only way to get back to basics is to clear the clutter. I'm done buying anything except essentials. I am personally on a spending freeze. Life is good, but soon it's going to be great!