Sylvia's Simple Shots

The Siberian Squill are in bloom in the neighborhood.

Several front yards have these tiny beauties.

Beautiful blue color hanging on this delicate stem very close to the ground.

I have not see the white ones this year. 

I squeezed getting my taxes down to the last day.  It really did not take as long as I anticipated.  

Now, that I have retired there a very few pieces to collect and plug into the calculations.

I did manage to get to the bank to pay the bit I owed.

It's been a good week for photography.  I have visited several of my regular water spaces to see what I could find for birds and flowers.

Here's are a few shots from Beaumaris Lake.

The Ruddy Duck with it's bright blue bill.

The Golden Eye which in the sun shimmered its green head.

The Red Wing Blackbird which is a staple of many wet places.

The Common Grackle was showing off its blue head and yellow eye.

The St. Albert Botanic Park was starting show color.  The Pasque flowers are always early bloomers.  The pink flowers are apple blossoms and the small purple flower was very close to the ground.

It's that time of year.  The waterfowl have arrived and trying to sort out a place for a nest and raising the next generation.  

The American Avocet is always a treat to see. We are on the northern edge of their breeding area.

The Beaver was very curious to see what I was up to and then went on it's happy way.

The Canada Geese were defending territories and there was much posturing, chasing and honking going on.

The Lesser Yellowlegs were scoping the area for food.

The Northern Shoveler duck was there showing off his bright head.

Sylvia's Simple Shots

It rained over night so all was wet and dewy this morning on my walk.  I headed to the park and community garden.

I found wet chrysanthemums in this gorgeous shade of purple.

I needed a jacket this morning which I have not worn since May.  The times they are a changing.

I found ducks on the pond at the park.  Mostly Mallards but there was this one that was different.

It is a Greater Scaup female.   I did not see the flashier male version this morning.

A large duck comparable in size to the Mallard.

The smooth head is a characteristic that identifies this one as a Greater than a Lesser Scaup.

Nice find this morning.

The leaves are turning color! This is a Virginia Creeper vine on one of the apartment building on my walk.

It is a perennial vine that stages stunning fall color. Blue fruit adorns the vine in fall.

Some leaves have not decided to change yet so it was nice to see both colors in this vine.

Come Thirsty by Max Lucado.  

Physical thirst is familiar to all of us.  A tall glass of water works wonders to help with the need.

Spiritual thirst is also a life threatening condition. It comes with a quick temper, worry, guilt and fear, hopelessness, resentment, loneliness, insecurity and isolation.

God provides refreshment for dehydrated hearts. Come to the WELL and take a deep drink.

Our spiritual lives need tending just as our physical bodies.  We need to spend time being quiet, hearing the small voice, processing our days, reflecting on our experiences and doing self awareness work.

Great book!

I have been truly blessed this summer and fall to be gifted good food.

This is apples I received from my aunt who picked them at her grandson's acreage.

Beautiful red apples with a red tinged flesh on the inside.  

Here, my snack is a wedge of Brie cheese with a beautiful red apple.