Nature Notes Along Country Roads

The morning dawned with blue skies dotted with fluffy white clouds. The sun beamed brightly overhead. With temperatures being forecast in the mid-sixties it seemed the perfect day to explore country roads. My first stop was the local Amish farm to pick up some bags of French Vanilla Cappuccino and a little Swiss cheese. That had been my major errand for the day and with it out of the way I was free to roam hill and holler to my hearts content. Fields that not long ago were brown and bare were green again and here and there farmers had turned over the earth to prepare for planting season. All along the road the Red Bud trees were blooming.
Glancing beyond one farmer’s pond I thought I couldn’t possibly be seeing what I thought I was; but sure enough a Blue Heron stood at the edge of the woods. Thinking my camera wouldn’t zoom in enough to tell what it was I took a few shots anyway.

My photo isn’t clear and far from perfect but I can add it to my bird finds just the same. It really wasn’t the photo so much as the
moment I
experienced finding the unexpected.
Sometimes spaces between the trees gave way to far off vistas. Spring is only beginning and there is only a hint of leaf color on some of the trees but the air was fresh and the sun warm on my shoulders as I stood and took in the view. Looking down at my feet my eyes caught a glimpse of purple. The periwinkle was popping up through brittle brown leaves and another unexpected find left me smiling. Coming off a rather bumpy dirt road it was time to head toward home. Nature had one more surprise for me as I glanced at the creek flowing alongside the road. A lone goose lazily paddled along the creek bank as the rays of the late afternoon sun glistened on the water.

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