Happy Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday

I am thankful to live so close to the reservoir, a lot of our walks with nature are right outside our door. On this day we walked on one of the many fire roads in our neighborhood. It was a 2.8 mile round trip walk. 

Some mornings I am up so early I can see the moon still high in the sky. The moon phase, waning gibbous is 93% visable. 

" Of all the paths you take in life, make sure a few of them are dirt." John Muir


A look down the fire road, we could take this dirt path all the way to the lake. That hike to the lake would be almost a 5 mile round trip.

Me and my shadow..

Some pretty clouds in the sky. 

Be like a tree.
Stay grounded, connect with your roots.
Turn over a new leaf.
Bend before you break.
Enjoy your unique natural beauty.
Keep Growing.   By Joanne Raptis

We hiked the pine tree loop off the main fire road.  It was a quiet peaceful walk.  

"The human spirit needs places where nature has not been rearranged by the hand of man." unknown

The forest makes your heart gentle.
You become one with it.
No place for greed or anger there. 

Some of the birds seen on our morning hike, the Cedar Waxwings, Eastern Towhee and a Great-crested Flycatcher.

We saw a flock of Cedar Waxwings, this one was nice to pose for me. This bird was perched in a tree almost right above two Yellow-billed Cuckoos. 

The most common and heard bird was the Yellow-billed Cuckoo.  In one area off the trail we saw 3 YB Cuckoos in one tree. I assume it was a Cuckoo family. 🌝🌝

I am not sure what this Yellow-billed Cuckoo is eating, maybe a grasshopper? I could see a lot of grasshoppers on the trail as we walked, the birds should be happy with the food source here. 

This Yellow-billed Cuckoo looks like a juvenile to me. 

I am thankful some birds came out in the open and posed for just for me, lol.
A thankful heart is a happy heart, my eyes are open to the beauty that surrounds me. 
I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday



Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Saturday's Critters #284

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!

Happy Memorial Day weekend!! Remember all those who sacrificed and died while serving our great country. 


If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!

These are some images from our walk at the local Hashawha Nature Center.  Canada Geese with some older goslings. 

Possible Great-crested Fycatcher?

Canada Goose with young goslings.

Eastern Kingbirds in nest, I can just barely make out the white at the bottom of their tail feathers,

Great Crested Flycatcher

Eastern Bluebird

I appreciate and thank everyone who links up their post and for all the wonderful comments !








Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the gracious host: Anni.

Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

Our World, My World

Happy Monday, 

I wanted to share some more photos from our getaway to Shenandoah Nat'l Park. We saw a Black Bear along the drive and took a short walk on Big Meadows and my favorite trail called the Limberlost Trail.  

The view from the Range View overlook on the Skyline Drive.

A Shenandoah Nat'l park bird mosaic: Top row are the Red-eyed Vireo, Scarlet Tanager, Hooded Warbler. Middle Row is the Indigo Bunting. Bottom Row is a female American Redstart, not sure maybe a Veery and last a Great-crested Flycatcher. 

Pink Trillium, a pretty wildflower found in the park. 

Some of the Shenandoah Nat'l Park wildflowers. 

A Black Bear seen along the side of the Skyline Drive.  

A view of the Limberlost Trail.  We watched a couple of Eastern Phoebe in this area. 

Not sure what this moth/butterfly is?  

The Indigo Bunting was a common bird seen in the park, they were everywhere we went in the park. 

Thanks for your visit today!  I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.


Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday

Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks for Yogi for hosting Skywatch Friday! 


Check out the links above, I hope to see you there. Thanks to the hosts today. Enjoy your day and new week.


As always I thank you for stopping by and as always I appreciate your comments.

Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday!


During our one night two day visit to the New River Gorge Bridge and National Park we visited the Sandstone Falls and the visitor center. They were working on the road back to the Sandstone Falls so it took a while to drive there. It was worth putting up with the road work to see this pretty spot of the park. Sandstone Falls is 1500 feet wide and is made up of a network of boardwalks and little islands.

Early morning fog was hanging around the mountains near the New River.

The Sandstone Falls at the New River Gorge Park. It was a pretty day for a hike at the park and waterfalls.

Sitting in the car waiting our turn for the road to open back up, I noticed a few Baltimore Orioles in the trees in from the car.

Some of the birds seen on the Sandstone Falls island walk. Great-crested Flycatcher, Chickadee, Cardinal and a Yellow-billed Cuckoo.

I watched two Yellow-billed Cuckoos in a tree top. I was only able to capture one in my photos. 

The beautiful Indigo Bunting. 

The boardwalk trail leads to several islands at the Sandstone Falls. 

Swallowtail butterflies were hanging about.

The Great-crested Flycatcher posed for a photo. 

Sandstone Falls is part of the New River Gorge National Park, we stopped at the visitor center for a quick visit. There was this pretty Trumpet Honeysuckle outside the visitor center. I like the display of stones with the message:

"Our Parks, our watersheds, they belong to us all. Each one of us must help to protect the watershed we live in."

I am thankful to all the people who keep their parks, towns and neighborhood clean. 

I am thankful to visit our National Parks, our country is beautiful. 

I am thankful for the road crews, they have a hard job. 

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 




Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday. 
Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday


Happy Monday, enjoy your day and new week!

Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Around the yard

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.

For this week's Good Fence and Skywatch Friday memes I am sharing some scenes with my backyard birds, sky and some fences from my neighborhood.

I can not do a post with out sharing some kind of birds. These are my backyard birds: top row Goldfinches, Carolina Wren, Great Crested Flycatcher. Middle Row is the Eastern Blueburd, Tufted Titmouse and a Blue Jay. Bottom row two Downy Woodpeckers, American Crow, Ruby-throated Hummingbird.

For my skywatch I am sharing some of hubbie's shots he took at our lake. I am still behind sharing images these are from June.

Sunset over the Pretty Reservoir

My mosaic of our neighbors horses, barn and fences.

For Tex's Good Fences I am sharing my Clematis Fence. The blooms looked beautiful this year. I hope you enjoyed my post and images. And as always thank you for visiting and for the nice comments. Have a happy weekend!

To see more pretty skies from around the world please visit  Skywatch Friday
and check for Fences from around the world check out 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..

Saturday's Critters #77

Saturday's Critters #77

Happy weekend, everyone!

It's the first Saturday in June and the first day of the Summer Solstice is June 21st. It has felt chilly here and we had some rain over the past week. I am looking forward to warm summer days. Ok, it's time to share your critters.  Any kind of critter will do, even a new or old post. I appreciate everyone who has linked up in the past and for those who are linking in on this week's critter party. And of course I always appreciate my blogging friends stopping by just for a visit.

For this week's critters I am sharing some of my yard birds and my grand puppy Nibbles. Soon we will be puppy sitting when my son takes a short trip to the beach, it will be like having a dog again. Some of these shots were taken back in May but I have not shared them until now.

My cute Ruby-throated Hummingbird, he is on guard watching his feeders.

A Gray Catbird has been seen around the yard.

The Indigo Bunting has been seen almost every day lately..

One of my all time favorites the Rose-breasted Grosbeak.

The House Wren is one of my loudest yard birds. It seems to be fussing at something all the time..

I've been hear and seeing the Great-crested Flycatcher around my yard too.

The view from my treadmill window..a bunny and a chipmunk.

Nibbles not quite 6 months old yet, she is a little on the wild side. I hope you enjoyed this collection of yard birds and Nibbles. 

Thank you so much for visiting and commenting and for linking up to my critter party. Enjoy your weekend!

An InLinkz Link-up

Thanks to Tex Theresa aka Tex, I was able to add this link up button and thanks to  Jennifer for creating my photo badge.

<a href="http://viewingnaturewitheileen.blogspot.com/"><img src=" https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3915/15299083201_9709303697_m.jpg" width="185" height="240"></a>

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

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