9th Blog Anniversary

Happy Thankful Thursday!

It is not only Thankful Thursday, but my 9th blog anniversary.  I started blogging July 13th 2009.
It has been great meeting bloggers both in person and virtually from around the world. A couple of bloggers  I have been able to meet in person,  Linda in Pennsylvania , her blog is  The Beauty Around Us and Mary in Kentucky and her blog is  Red Shouldered Hawks of Tingsgrove.  I may slow down occasionally but I could never stop blogging. I love  reading other blogs and  seeing photos from around the world. .

I am sharing some of my favorite images, hikes and birds from the past year.

July 2017, I am sharing a Veery off the local fire road near our home. 

Aug 9th 2017, we went on a hike to Maryland Heights overlooking Harper's Ferry. A hard hike but worth the view.

Sept 28th, a trip to Western Pennsylvania and  Erie Pa. We met blogger Linda at the  Kinzua Bridge State Park.

Oct 14th was my 200th  Saturday Critter party and post. A cute Field Sparrow seen at the Big Meadows Shenandoah Nat'l Park. I do not see the Field Sparrows often so this one was a treat.

From Nov 13 2017 a look at the moon from my sister's place in Ocean Isle Beach, NC

On Dec 4th 2017, I posted this cute Carolina Chickadee mid air. 

On Jan 4th I posted one of my favorite winter visitors the Pine Warbler.

Feb 18th, during my Great Backyard Bird Count I had a pair of Bluebirds checking out one of my birdhouses. 

March 2018, we visited Assateague Island National Seashore. Always wonderful to see the wild ponies. 

April 2018, Hubby and I enjoyed an overnight trip to Shenandoah NP. We stayed at the Skyland Resort. It was nice to be the later in the day to see the sunset.

May 2018,  We went on a road trip to Ohio, Kentucky and West Virginia. I met blogger Mary in Kentucky.

June 2018, I saw a Summer Tanager off the local fire road. 

I am thankful to meet some bloggers in person and all the bloggers from around the world I have met virtually thru the internet. 

I am thankful to go on our getaways and road trips.

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 

Thank you Michelle for hostingHappy Monday, enjoy your day and new week! 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!

Shenandoah National Park

Happy Thursday, wishing everyone a great day!

On Jun 15th, hubby and I went on a day trip to Shenandoah National Park. These are some photos from along the way and at the park and on the Skyline Drive. We hiked the Limberlost Trail, walked on the Big Meadows and stopped at a few overlooks along the Skyline Drive. 


On the drive to the park I was riding on Rt 340 just outside Berryville Virginia I looked over and saw a Roseate Spoonbill. A rare sighting for Virginia, I had to turn the car around and go back for some photos. Looks like a juvenile Roseate Spoonbill was hanging out on a flooded field with a couple of Mallards. 

 The White tailed deer can be seen along the Skyline Drive, usually early in the morning and later in the evening. Do your two deer, one is a little hidden. I wonder how many bike riders have seen bears along their rides, they could be surprised unexpectedly having a bear pop out on the drive. 

A few Shenandoah Park birds, the top left I am not sure of it's id, the top middle bird is the female Eastern Towhee and top right is the male Eastern Towhee. Bottom left is a Cedar Waxwing, middle bottom row is a Song Sparrow and bottom right is a Blue-headed Vireo. 

Columbine seen along the Skyline Drive.

Skipper on the mountain laurels. 

A couple of sky shots taken at the Big Meadows, Shenandoah.

Some flower on the Big Meadows. 

Black Bear seen along the Skyline Drive in the Northern Section of the park. 

We were first to see this Black Bear along the Skyline Drive. I was glad not to have a line of cars in front or back of me. 

I am thankful for the wildflowers, what a lovely sight. 

I love seeing wildlife, I was thankful to see the Black Bear. 

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 

Thank you Michelle for hostingHappy Monday, enjoy your day and new week! 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!

Thankful Thursday

Hello, 

Happy Thankful Thursday, I try to rememmber there is always something to be thankful for.  I may be away from the internet but will catch up as soon as possible. I am sharing the second day of our Shenandoah trip, since staying the night at Skyland we were up early to watch the sunrise.

We woke up early to see the sunrise and then went back to the Skyland lodge for breakfast. 

A cloudy start to our day but we still have a great day in the park.

Deer along the Skyline Drive.

This deer looks like it has a sac it is licking , maybe a baby deer being born. 

A Downy Woodpecker

"Take a quiet walk with Mother Nature, it will nurture your mind, body and soul." unknown

Dark Hallow Falls.

A Louisiana Waterthrush at Dark Hallow Falls.

An Eastern Towhee

Some deer on the Big Meadows. 

"The wildlife and it's habitat can not speak, so we must and we will." Theodore Roosevelt

More deer along the Skyline Drive. 

I am thankful for the simple pleasures like watching the sunrise.

I am thankful to have made this trip to Shenandoah NP.

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 

Thank you Michelle for hostingHappy Monday, enjoy your day and new week! 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!

Happy Thankful Thursday!

Happy Thursday, everyone! I hope you all have a great day!

Recently hubby and I went on an overnight trip to Shenandoah National Park. We stayed at the Skyland Resort in a nice room with a balcony. 

This is a view from one of the overlooks on the Skyline Drive. We started the drive at Front Royal and drove down the Skyline Drive to Skyland, Big Meadows and a little past Big Meadows. 

We walked on the Big Meadows, a little windy but it was a warmer wind.

We spent the night at the Skyland lodge and hotel. Our room was on the second floor and we had a great view of the valley from our balcony. 

There were Robins all over the place. 

 We saw lots of deer later in the evening and in the early morning 

We did see a lot of wild turkeys along the drive and in the woods. 

We took a walk the first day on the Limberlost Trail. Along the trail we heard and saw some Blue-headed Vireo's, Hermit Thrush and Juncos. 

Till this trip we missed seeing the sunset/sunrises at Shenandoah NP. We went on many day trips and left way before sunset to drive home. Years ago we went on many camping trips to Shenandoah NP, my days of camping and sleeping on the ground are long gone.

I am thankful to see the wildlife, like the deer and wild turkeys.

I am thankful for the beautiful sunsets, a simple pleasure I enjoy.

I am thankful for all your visits and comments. 

Thank you Michelle for hostingHappy Monday, enjoy your day and new week! 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!

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!