Thursday, December 31, 2015

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

Goodbye 2015, Hello 2016

I am linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences
I hope you can join in on the fun and share your fence scenes and pretty skies.

Wishing everyone a very Happy, healthy and prosperous New Year!



It is hard to believe it has been a year since I retired Dec 31st 2014. During this
past year we went on many day trips and overnight trips. We took a trip to Florida and Washington State. We visited many local Maryland parks, some new and some all time favorite parks. I found some new life birds to add to my list, which is at 455 birds.

I guess you could say we are having the times of our lives doing what we want when we want. Since I have so many photos to share I posted smaller sizes you can click on the image for larger viewing.


Hubby and I started off the year 2015 visiting Atlantic City, New Jersey


January 2015, an overnight trip to New Jersey stopping at one of our favorite spots the Barnegat Lighthouse & beach. We found some Savannah Sparrows which are also known as the Ipswich Sparrow.



In Feb 2015, we took a drive to Maryland's Blackwater NWR, I enjoyed watching this Harrier hunting for food.


Febuary 2015, a sky shot taken at Port Mahan in Delaware.


A March 2015 mosiac showing our snowy street and trees.



March 2015, my snow covered backyard. A reminder we do have cold winters and snow in Maryland.




April 2015, I posted about our visit to Saint Augustine Florida.




April 2015, we spent some time at the beach on Florida's space coast.


April, 2015 my favorite Black-bellied Whistling ducks were seen in Ocala Florida.


May 2015, a daytrip and walk on the C&O Canal Trail.



May  2015, we visited Chincoteague Island Va and we celebrated our 25th wedding anniversary.


June 2015, looking for warblers we took a walk at Centennial Lake in Maryland.


June 2015, the Prothonotary Warblers were seen at the Susquehanna River in Maryland in June.


July 2015, the Great Blue Herons juvies leaving their nest and were being seen around our neighborhood. This was our neighbors fence, the nest was across from his driveway.


July 2015, we went on an overnight trip to Cape May NJ and Atlantic City NJ.



Aug 2015, a walk in the local Hashawha Park.



Aug 2015, a daytrip to Cecil County Maryland and found this covered bridge called the Gilpins Falls.


Sept 2015, I did a post on our birding walk at the local North Point State Park and the Tri-colored herons that were seen.


Sept 2015, a daytrip to Shenandoah National Park.


Oct 2015, we visited Washington State and the Olympic National Park.


Oct 2015, we took a walk on the Dungeness Spit. It is a wildlife refuge in Sequim Washington.



Nov 2015, I posted about our walk in a local Maryland Park called Cromwell Valley. The bluebirds are one of my favorite birds.



Nov 2015, we took an overnight trip to Ocean City Maryland.


Dec 2015, we took walk on our local fireroad to the lake.


Dec 2015, a favorite local Maryland park North Point State park  to see the Red-headed Woodpeckers. We have many memories of the past year and I am happy to post some of the highlights. I hope you enjoyed my recap of 2015. I thank you all for your visits and comments over the past year. I am looking forward to visiting your blogs and I hope to see you visiting me in 2016. I wish you all the best in 2016, a very HAPPY, HEALTHY & PROSPERPOUS NEW YEAR!!

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check for more fence shots at Tex's Good Fences

Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences this past year it has been fun looking for fences for my post. Also, thank you to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for doing such a great job at hosting Skywatch Friday.    I wish everyone a happy day and weekend ahead..

Sunday, December 27, 2015

Piney Run Park


I have a list below of memes I am joining for this week, and to save time I am doing one post for all. They are all fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun  and check out some of the participating posts. Special thanks to all the wonderful host and their memes, I hope you have some time to check them out.

I hope everyone has enjoyed their Christmas and this holiday season. I want to thank everyone who has visited and commented on my post over the last year. I wish everyone a very happy healthy New Year.

It was a foggy morning during our visit to the Piney Run Park in Eldersburg, Md. We walked along the trail near the lake shore in both directions. We saw the Tundra Swans, various ducks and a huge flock of Canada Geese flew in while we were there.


Tundra Swans, Canada Geese and some Mallard Ducks


Tundra Swans, Mallard and a couple of Ring-necked Ducks.


The Piney Run Lake and park in southern Carroll County Maryland.


Way across the lake and in the middle of my photo I could see a horse farm with a nice barn for Tom's meme The Barn Collective.



Thru the fog, I was able to zoom in for a close look at the barn and stables.


A view of the farm and Canada Geese in the lake.



Just part of the trail along the lake at Piney Run. I hope you enjoyed my post and images. As always I appreciate your visits and nice comments. Thank you! Have a happy day and new week ahead!

Thanks for visiting my post and as always I appreciate your comments.

Thanks to Tom for hosting The Barn Collective
Thanks to Judith our  host of Mosaic Monday 
Thanks to Monica for hosting NF Trees
Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday


Saturday, December 26, 2015

Saturday's Critters #106

Saturday's Critters #106

Wishing you a Happy New Year filled with New Hope, New Joy and New Beginnings! May peace, love and prosperity follow you always! 

Happy Saturday, I hope everyone had a great Christmas. It's time to share your critters post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.



A pouty looking female Cardinal.


A Dark-eyed Junco


The Downy woodpecker


A Tufted Titmouse and a Chickadee


A piggy squirrel empties the feeder.


More peanuts please!  I hope you enjoyed my backyard birds and critter..

As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!




To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-BirdinThanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Thursday, December 24, 2015

Merry Christmas!

I am linking up with Skywatch Friday  and Good Fences
I hope you can join in on the fun and share your fence scenes and pretty skies.

Best wishes for a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

Just a short post for today, it's Christmas Eve..A pretty sky and a cute Carolina Wren perched on my fence and one of my moon photos.


The sky seen from our deck on Dec 7th. The vultures fly back to our woods near the sunset. They roost in the trees at night and move on to another spot early in the morning.


Back at home on our fence I found this noisy Carolina Wren.


My moon shot taken on Dec 15th. I hope you enjoyed my post.

Thank you for stopping by and most all for the nice comments. Have a happy day and weekend ahead and most of all Happy Holidays to all.

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check for more fence shots at Tex's Good Fences

Thanks to Theresa @ The Run*A*Round Ranch for hosting Good Fences and thanks to Sylvia, Yogi  and Sandy for hosting Skywatch Friday.    I wish everyone a happy day and weekend ahead..

Sunday, December 20, 2015

Merry Christmas 2015


I have a list below of memes I am joining for this week, and to save time I am doing one post for all. They are all fun memes to participate in...I hope you can join in with the fun  and check out some of the participating posts. Special thanks to all the wonderful host and their memes, I hope you have some time to check them out.

I wanted to wish Merry Christmas to all who celebrate.  Wishing you peace, joy and all the best this holiday season has to offer. Best wishes to you and your family.


The Cardinals just remind me of Christmas, the middle photo was from last Christmas.


This year I am going with less is more when it comes to decorating. I did not decorate much around the house but I did put up the Christmas tree.



Recently for my son's 23rd birthday on  Dec 7th I created this mosaic of Brian during our various trips while growing up. The mosaic brings back many happy memories of trips and fun times with our son.

I hope you enjoyed my mish-mash post and images. As always I appreciate your visits and nice comments. Thank you! Have a happy day and new week ahead!

Thanks for visiting my post and as always I appreciate your comments.


Thanks to Judith our  host of Mosaic Monday 
Thanks to Monica for hosting NF Trees
Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes
Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!
Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Saturday, December 19, 2015

Saturday's Critters #105

Saturday's Critters #105

Happy Saturday, it's time to share your critters and post. Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post.. I appreciate everyone who is linking in with this week's critter party.

In case there are some bloggers breaking, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy Healthy New Year!


During our good weather times, hubby and I try to take a walk or go somewhere to enjoy the outdoors, birds and nice weather. On this day we went back to the North Point State Park in Baltimore County, Maryland. It was a great spot in the summer to see the Little Blue Herons and on this day we saw the Red-headed woodpeckers.




A mosaic of some of the birds we saw at the park top row: Red-headed Woodpecker, American Goldfinch, Brown Creeper. Second Row: Northern Flicker, Red-bellied Woodpecker, Great Blue Heron. Last row: another Red-headed Woodpecker, Mourning Doves, American Robin.


American Goldfinch on gumball.


Red-headed Woodpecker


On this warm December day we saw a Black Rat snake was on the trail. At least I think it is the Black Rat Snake.


Northern Flicker


Another look at the Red-headed woodpecker on our way back to the car. I hope you enjoyed my birds and critter post.  As always thanks for the visits and the nice comments. I also thank everyone who is linking up and sharing their critters.. Happy Saturday, have a great weekend!






To see more beautiful birds and cute critters, check out these two memes below.

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-BirdinThanks to the gracious host: Anni.  Also check out Camera Critters. Thanks to Misty for hosting this fun meme.

Saturday's Critters # 568

  Welcome to Saturday's Critters!  Hello and Happy Saturday!  If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about ...