Sometimes it is nice to head out the door and see what comes your way, no assignments. My neighborhood is rather ordinary – no parks, very little sidewalk, lots of empty lots with weeds/wildflowers, and a busy street. I take my lovable Labrador for a walk every morning and in the late afternoon, sometimes with my camera and sometimes without. We head down our side street, around the corner and onto the sidewalk to walk alongside two open lots. Right now if you don’t stop to look closely you would think there wasn’t much there to be interested in. But wait! Don’t judge too soon because you might miss a few interesting things.
Queen Anne’s Lace….in bloom….in November! Can you believe that? This is the latest I have ever seen with fresh blossoms in our neighborhood. I would have missed that if I did not slow down to look closely.
My neighbor has a fresh crop of chickory blooming as well and it is surprising to see it as late as this.
Now if my boys were younger we would take time to investigate this sign. Where does the water from our gutter go? The river is really far away and the creek is more of a trickle…is that where this water goes to? We will have to wait until the rains come again and try to figure it out. The gutter and sewer drain were put in last summer so this is something new to our neighborhood.
We have been on the look out for thistles and the lot has a whole field of star thistle. I was hoping to spot a purple thistle but no luck here in the neighborhood. We do know a spot along our walking trail that had thistles so we will need to hop over there one day this week to check it out. (Thistles will be this Friday’s Outdoor Hour Challenge.)
I love a good mystery and this flower is a mystery! There is a little patch of these growing on the hillside around the bend from the end of the sidewalk. Kona went four wheeling off the path and I stumbled onto these beauties. I really need to look them up in our field guide. See? It isn’t such an ordinary walk after all!
Heading back home I slipped the camera back into my pocket and we just enjoyed the sunshine and the time outdoors together.
Rounding the corner and into our drive, I smile at our front yard. Yes, it makes me smile every time I see it.
If you have been reading my blog for the last year you know we pulled up our grass in the Summer of 2010 and added drought resistant plants for a whole new look. Here is what our yard looks like today.
The star performers right now are the sage, the purple fountain grass, and the dogwood. Color! I love the feel and movement in this yard now that the grass is gone and the birds, butterflies, and bees have all moved in.
From ordinary to extraordinary in fifteen minutes! I challenge you to find something interesting on your next neighborhood walk. Comment and let me know what it is once you find it!
We found some queen Anne’s lace too as well as a wooly bear caterpillar and a huge maple leaf from a big leaf maple, Canada geese flying in formation overhead as we crunched through the leaves on the edge of the road.
Hi Barb! I love all your sightings! And your yard looks beautiful. I hope to check back in soon with some of our observations 🙂
I’m glad I read this today. We’ve been so busy we’ve been letting Fall slip right out from under us. It’s time for a nature walk! Love your yard! And love that you investigate the flow water – learning never ends!
Love your challenges!
I couldn’t even begin to describe all of the interesting things in my neighborhood! My littlest girl and I were together all week, last week, and our first nature walk of the week was just around the neighborhood. There is a river, a huge park, two hills to climb…it’s wonderful. And we live right inside the Old Town of a very old city!
Spalva,
I would love to come take a walk with you! Thanks for sharing your interesting things. 🙂
Hi, Barb,
Can you tell me what the order of the topics are for the November OHC’s? I saw you mentioned thistles for this week.
So glad I’m subscribed! You always keep us motivated.
My latest post at “Mother Robin’s Notes from the Nest”
Yes, You Can Compare a Pear
Such a good reminder to be open to new discoveries even in places which don’t appear to be inspiring and full of ‘nature’ on the surface. Just today we found, on our screen door, a grasshopper which stayed perfectly still while we studied him with the magnifying glass. And also a paper wasp nest which had been the subject of my son’s reading recently.
Everyday discoveries are sometimes the best.
Corrina,
I am so glad that you took the time to comment with your everyday find. I think you hit on two things that are important. First we have to slow down enough to notice something and then take the time to point it out or to take the time to be interested in what our children are finding. It is a way of being in the world…a way of life.
Thanks so much for sharing about your grasshopper and paperwasp.