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Autumn beauty in our own back yard

Yellow leaves on the oak tree

This morning there was a thick fog here, lasting for quite a while.
I stepped into the back yard and looked around. 
These are some of the views I was blessed to see.
Moisture on fallen leaves
In the hush and quiet of the morning, the dampness touched every surface.
Droplets on pine needles
Nothing was left dry. Pine needles. Spider webs…
Jeweled web
…highlighting details we normally would not notice.
Brilliant even in the fog
All of this magnificent beauty…in our own back yard. 
It was wonderful to take a break from the work in the house
and just enjoy the colors.
Tell me, dear friend, have you taken that kind of a break lately?
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Owls and Other Raptors

All technical difficulties have been resolved here, and now I can share the treasure of those beautiful owls and other raptors that I recently photographed.
Not far from where I live there is a place known as a Black Swamp Raptor Rehab Center, and all the raptors shown here are from that center.  This was an awesome
experience, to be able to get that close to these amazing creatures, and
then to have them still enough that we could photograph them.  Our
photography club here in Lima made the arrangements for this event, and
donated money to their cause.
barred owl
 Barred Owl
barred owl
 Another Barred Owl
Red tail hawk
Red Tail Hawk
American Kestrel
American Kestrel (a kind of falcon)
screech owl
Screech Owl
The little pair of owls that I showed you a few days ago are each blind in one eye.  Many of these other raptors have broken wings. One of them had a bad leg.  It was sad in a way, but I’m very appreciative and grateful for the dedication and hard work that the rehab center does. 
It occurred to me that we humans are not so different.  We get broken here and there, and rely on others to help us, to keep us safe. 
 
 Have a great weekend!
–Deb
 
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Fiddlehead Fern

 Fiddlehead ferns

We have an Ostrich Fern growing in the flowerbed in front of our house.  As they are coming up in the spring, the fronds unfurl as you see here.

Fern frondsThe shape of those fronds give the plant it’s other name of Fiddlehead Fern.  This was the first year I heard that name as Mark mentioned it one day. 

I read this article and learned that these are even edible, that they might taste kind of like asparagus. 

I would be interested to know if any of you have ever tasted these!   As for me, no, I’d rather watch them unfold into ferns.