Weekend of Camping and Photography

Path through the woods leading to my camp site.

Friday night I spent the night in the woods, by myself except for my dog Duke.  I, the 'fraidy cat.  It was really dark out there.  The bugs were loud, and some lights kept going off -- bright enough to shine through the roof of my tent.  At first I thought it was a plane going overhead, but it was really fast.  Growing up on UFO stories, that was my next fleeting thought.  Yep!  Then I realized it was only lightening bugs, and a lot of them.  Wish I would have thought to try to photograph them.  

Anyway, this was my first experience camping alone, and I wanted to do it somewhere safe. So I asked my parents if I could borrow their woods (unknown to them, if I got scared, I could make a five or ten minute run through the dark to their house!  Except they let me borrow their chuck wagon that has headlights, so the trip wouldn't have been so long or so bad).  Really, I wanted to make sure I was in a semi-familiar area where it would be okay if I forgot something. And yes I forgot something -- my bug spray!  It fell out of my bag in the car, and today I am feeling the after effects.  Ouch!!  I think the next time I go camping I'm going to have to pack an air mattress.  I kept tossing and turning, but I did sleep.

Yes, I really camped here.  By myself.

Camp site in the woods.

My camping buddy, Duke.

One of the benefits of camping at my parents' place is feeling safe to walk through the woods.  There is no chance of getting lost back there.  And although they have seen coyotes, foxes, deer, turkey and bob cats, it's still relatively safe.  Unless you want to count the snakes we've seen (Mom and I killed a big one earlier this year -- I held it down and she killed it).  Hence, my dog/warning system.  Unfortunately, because of my dog there was little chance I would see any wild life, but that can be saved for another time.

Beautiful weed in the woods.  So -- who determines if something is a weed?

Along the edge of the woods.

Tissue thin mushroom in the woods.  Perfectly pleated.

One of the things I enjoy most about my parents' place is being able to take and share photographs.  I can take pictures of the woods, the fields, and the flower beds around the house, as well as the pond and the creek.  The choices are almost limitless.  And early Saturday morning that's just what I did.  You know, I find it hard to understand that some people believe everything happened by chance.  When you are out in nature it's quite obvious that there is a master design going on!  As an amateur photographer, all I do is try and capture what He designed.  

There was a path of morning glories growing in the woods.

Love the design -- perfect star shape.

Morning glories.

In the woods.

Mushrooms growing in the woods.

Fungi growing behind a tree, alongside the road.

Saturday morning I took my grandmother (who will be 85 this fall) for a ride on the four wheeler.  We had to stop for a gaggle of geese crossing the road.  She pointed out the geese on both sides. There were forty or fifty geese spread from the field, across the road and into the neighbor's pond.  My dog soon found the geese, and off they flew.  Too bad they don't come with a warning system to tell you they are about to fly away, I would have loved to have gotten some better pictures!  

My grandmother and I saw this gaggle of geese.  So did my dog...

This is the result.

Thunder storms had been predicted for Friday evening and again Saturday evening.  And although we didn't have any, there was a lot of cloud cover.  Which made for beautiful skies.

Clouds equal a beautiful sky.

My mother is an excellent gardener.  She likes fullness and variety, as evidenced below.  She takes after her grandmother who was also an avid gardener (she always saved strawberries for me).

Lantana, salvia, and roses.

Mom asked if I had any butterfly pictures.  I told her I didn't have many because the butterflies flew away too fast.  She made a suggestion, and this is what followed:

Butterfly in the lantana.

I can't get over the color of these day lilies!  I love them mixed with the mini roses and grasses.  The best part is that when it's time to divide the day lilies, some of them go home with me!

Mom's day lilies, with mini roses and grasses.

My parents know the importance of taking a break every once in a while.  This is one of the shady spots they created by Daddy and my brother's building the arbor and hanging the ceiling fan, and mom's use of plants to make a cool, inviting place to relax.  It was nice to sit here and work on the computer some.

Wonderful place to relax anytime of the day.  Here in the steamy hot South, it's better with the ceiling fan on!

Hope you had a wonderful weekend yourself!

Reese