Thankful Thursday

Happy Thankful Thursday, 

May the New Year bring joy, peace and happiness to you and your family!  Happy New Year! 

I am sharing some of my favorite photos and some happy memories from this past year, some from our time in Florida and some travel photos and some from Maryland. I have so many favorites, it is impossible to share all of them. 


January 2017, Flagler Beach, Florida sunrise

January 2017, a favorite Florida bird the Roseate Spoonbill.

February 2017, a pair of Pileated Woodpeckers seen at the Circle B Preserve, Lakeland Florida.

February 2017, my favorite ducks, the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.

March, 2017,  a pretty beach at Sand Key Park, near Clearwater Florida.

March 2017, the Barred Owl couple at the Circle B Preserve, 

Lakeland Florida

April 2017, back at home in Maryland I started watching my backyard birds. The Red-bellied woodpecker is a favorite.

May 2017 Washington State trip, the Deception Pass Park and bridge. 

May 2017, Hoh River and Olympic National Park. 

June 2017, Yellow-crowned Night Heron chick and nest in Baltimore, Md

June 2017, our neighborhood Great Blue Heron nest. 

July, 2017 A small Black Bear seen on the Skyline Drive, Shenandoah National Park.

August 2017, our hike on the Maryland Heights trail Harpers Ferry, Md

September 2017 Lake Erie Pennsylvania

October 2017, Big Meadows Shenandoah National Park. 

November 2017, Sunset seen at Sunset Beach, North Carolina.

December 2017,  I was happy to capture this Chickadee in mid-air.

My thankful list
I am thankful for my family. 
I am thankful for today and I am happy to be soon starting a new year. 
I am thankful for all your visits and comments this past year. 


Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday


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

Nisqually NWR

Happy Thursday everyone! 

I still have some May photos to share, promise these are the last. These were images from the Nisqually NWR near Olympia Washington state.  This was our second visit to this wildlife refuge the first visit was Nisqually NWR 2015

The Nisqually National Wildlife Refuge has some nice trails, this boardwalk trail takes you to Puget Sound Overlook and the Nisqually Estuary. Along the boardwalk are several observation platforms. The trail (part grass/dirt and boardwalk) can be as long as a 4-5 mile walk from the visitor center. 

We saw lots of Canada Geese families. The goslings were so cute.

From the boardwalk we saw a couple of seals, they found a resting spot out of the water.

The sky was beautiful during our visit and walk on the Nisqually boardwalk trail.

For Tom's Barn Collective I have a couple of photos of the Nisqually twin barns.

The trail takes you past the twin barns. These barns are part of the wildlife refuge. 

Some of the birds we saw during our walk at the wildlife refuge, the Hooded Merganser, I believe the top middle are a couple of Gadwall, Great Blue Heron with some Gulls, Ducks, Song Sparrow, Cormorants, Sparrow, Barn Swallow, Tree Swallow.

A view from the boardwalk, gorgeous sky and view of the refuge wetlands.

I am thankful for places that protect wildlife and nature. I hope you enjoyed our walk at the wildlife refuge. I am always thankful for your visits and your comments.

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday
Thanks to Tom the host of The Barn Collective

Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments. Have a happy day!

Quinalt Rainforest, Washington

Happy Thankful Thursday, enjoy your day!


It was time to leave the Quiluete Resort and head south toward Ocean Shores Washington. We made a few stops along the way, some overlooks to see the Pacific Ocean and lots of Surf Scoters way out there. Also the scenic drive to the Quinalt Waterfalls, these falls are seen right from the road.



This beach was seen from one of the overlooks.  The photos do look nicer if you click on them for a larger image.

All those black tiny dots on the top left  are the Scoters and maybe a few other ocean seabirds and ducks. The sky was somewhat cloudy but at least it was not raining. I linked up some of my Scoter link   photos, so you can see up close what they look like.

Merriman Falls, Quinalt Rainforest

Below is the Bunch Creek Falls, Quinalt Rainforest. Half way up the waterfalls is a man climbing around he spooked a couple of Dippers that were next to the water.

A view of the river and Olympic Mountains. I saw a Dipper in the river, but just when I snapped the photo, the bird dipped into the water.

World's largest Spruce tree, Quinalt Rainforest. The old growth forest in the Pacific Northwest are awesome.

These scenes below are from our walk on the Quinalt Rainforest Nature loop trail which was .09 miles.  Best bird seen was the Pileated Woodpecker.

I am thankful for all things nature related, like the old growth forest, beautiful views of the mountains, oceans and rivers.
I am always thankful for your visits and your comments.


Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday


Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments. Have a happy day!

Ruby Beach, Olympic National Park

Hello and happy Thursday, 

Ruby Beach located on the Pacific Ocean and is part of the Olympic National Park. Hubby and I love the Pacific Northwest, the coastline in Washington state was one of our favorite places to visit. 

The view of Ruby Beach from the trail. 

A Chestnut-backed Chickadee seen off the trail.

A view of the beach, a lovely place for a walk during the low tides.

An arch in the sea stack.

A Wilson's Warbler was one of the common Warblers seen during our walks.

Not sure if this is a female Wilson's warbler or a Yellow Warbler, my field guide says the female Wilson's has the black cap but not as noticeable?

The Bald Eagle was another common bird seen along the Washington coast.

More coastline and sea stacks.

A look back at the ocean while walking back up the trail.

My thankful list for today:
How could I not be thankful for these beautiful blue skies and lovely views of the ocean. 

I am always thankful for your visits and your comments.

"I am awake, it is a beautiful day and I am thankful."

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday

Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments. Have a happy day!

Third Beach, Olympic Nat'l Park

Hello and happy Thursday,

MY thoughts and prayers are for all the victims of Hurricane Harvey  in Texas.

I am sharing some images from our Washington State trip. For 4 nights in May,  we stayed on the Pacific Coast at the Quiluete Ocean Resort. The resort is located right next to the Olympic National Park and we had an ocean front room on First Beach. The resort is operated by the Quiluete Tribe, there are no TV's or Wifi in the rooms. This was our second time staying at this resort they are very reasonably priced for an ocean front room.

Sunset on Pacific Ocean

This is a Pacific Wren or in some places known as the Winter Wren.

A scene from the trail to the Third Beach, it is a 1.4 mile hike one way.

Pink Trillium was seen all along the trail to the beach.

 Hike to the Third beach, there is a pile of  driftwood or more like a wall of tree trunks to climb over when you get to the bottom of the trail on the beach.

Third beach and Waterfall

A view of the sea stacks and ocean

Outside our room I was able to watch the White-crowned Sparrows and Gulls begging for food near the picnic tables.

A view gulls from our balcony.

A cloudy day sunset.

A map showing the Olympic National Park beaches. La Push is the town where the Twilight movie series was filmed.

"Collect moments, not things."


My thankful list for today:

I am thankful to be able to travel, it is a gift to be able to enjoy visiting beautiful places.
I am thankful for my hubby who shares my travel dreams.
I thank you for visiting and your comments.

I hope you enjoyed my post and photos.  Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments. Have a happy day!

Thank you Michelle for hosting. Thankful Thursday

Thank you to the hosts of   Skywatch Friday