May 15, 2013

Never a Dull Moment

So here I was, minding my own business at work, when I was told there was a big snapping turtle in the field near our office. I had to go see it. Here it is. It looks like he has moss growing on him! Look at his meaty tail sticking out in back (partly hidden by the grass).




Some of my coworkers started talking about how they'd like to catch him and eat him. I thought they were kidding, but one guy went out and caught the turtle for just that purpose. He simply grabbed the turtle by the tail. He says he is going to feed him food like hot dogs for two weeks so the turtle won't taste so wild when cooked. Ummmm, I hope he doesn't share the finished dish with us.
In the picture below, you can see how big the turtle is compared to a human hand.




My coworker put the turtle on the scale which is usually used to weigh tubs of mail. 
The turtle weighs 15.5 pounds.




Boy, he is one MAD turtle! I'm keeping out of his way!


May 6, 2013

Seen on the Way to Work

LOL!

Nothing Gold Can Stay

Spring this year was more delightful than ever since I paid close attention to it—all the different shades of colors, the different blossoms, the developing greenery. I particularly love how the trees develop an almost imperceptible pale green "fog" at first, then pale green "lace," and finally darker green leaves. The change is very fleeting—it all happens so fast, and then it's over.

As I drove to work every day last month, I constantly thought about one of my favorite poems that was archived way back in the dusty attic of my mind. It is by Robert Frost. Here it is, with photos taken on one of those morning drives: 



Nature’s first green is gold, 
Her hardest hue to hold. 



Her early leaf’s a flower; 
But only so an hour. 



Then leaf subsides to leaf. 
So Eden sank to grief, 



So dawn goes down to day. 
Nothing gold can stay.

And indeed, most of this flowery finery is has already disappeared in favor of more prosaic green grass and green leaves....

***************************




Here are some more photos of spring. Under some of them I've put snatches of other songs or poems that they brought to mind: 

"The road goes ever on and on....." (I think I remember Gandalf singing this) 
I love our winding, hilly Kentucky roads! 



On the lands belonging to the Abbey of Gethsemani







An old abandoned nest surrounded by signs of new life



"I said to dawn, Be sudden; to eve, Be soon;
With thy young skyey blossoms heap me over
From this tremendous Lover!"
Francis Thompson, The Hound of Heaven


This is my favorite tree ever. I don't know why, but it just totally fills me with delight every time I see it. There's just something about its shape. Here are a couple of other pictures of the same tree in the winter, starkly silhouetted against the sky: 





More flowers, flowers everywhere:

"These are a few of my favorite things...."







A fairyland of white










Both of the above are approaching New Hope, KY. You can see the church steeple poking up through the tree branches. What you can see of the town is almost all there is—seriously!



Here is the view from my window at work



Of course, I had to bring some of the spring cheer inside!