"Gopher" That Heart!

Even the gophers seem to be 'hearty' around here!

Or maybe I should say - finding hearts is a 'dirty' business, but someone has to do it??? Snicker.

Knothole!

Today I am inspired by Lois of Tallahassee Daily Photo to go through the pictures I took during my recent long week of staying close to home.

I found this knothole in a piece of bark - in the woodpile right outside the front door!

There is much beauty to be found, when we would ordinarily just walk on by.

Thank you for the reminder, Lois!!!

The Last Roses of Summer

They hung on
After the frost.
After the rain.
After the cold.

They hung on
For me,
I think,
To find their heart.

To warm my own.

And yours.

Butternut Squash

With its vibrant orangy-yellow colors, this beautiful heart tasted as good as it looked!

'Feather Tree' Up Close

I stared out the window at this heart all day long, waiting for the sun to be just right.
Finally, it was.

It wasn't until I got up close that I noticed the heart within ...

From the Bottom of My Heart ...

I thank you all,
From the bottom of my heart

For your prayers, your thoughts
When my world fell apart.

God heard your prayers
And lifted the curtain

A true miracle occurred!
Of this I am certain.

A little while longer
I have been given

A gift, a wonder,
A heart-felt present.

Bughouse Hearts

We always called them "bughouses" - they hang from the old oak tree in front of the house. They start out hard and green, and end up dry and brown - and are a favorite snack bar for blue jays and pileated woodpeckers, who peck them open to eat the bugs inside.

I couldn't believe my eyes yesterday when I found not one, but two bughouse hearts. Hanging out together just over the sidewalk.

Three Leaves and a Bracken

I found these three recently fallen birch leaves nestled on a bed of bracken fern.

I'm glad I caught them when I did - the next time I looked, the wind had blown the heart away.

Another Orange Mushroom

Look what I found! Another orange mushroom heart.

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!

Orange Mushroom

I went for a short walk in the woods,
Now that the rain has stopped - for a few hours.

I found autumn.
Turning into winter.

Most of the colors were muted
greens, oranges, reds and browns.

I found this mushroom
In the middle of the path ...

Its color lured me first,
Then it's shape.

Concrete

With all of the rain we've had here lately, it was amazing to find this small patch of dry concrete. And guess what? It was in the shape of a heart!!!

Mud

It is slightly out of focus, I know.
But I couldn't resist sharing ...
How even the "dirtiest" heart
Has great beauty!!!

Birdhouse

This bird box was originally meant to entice native bluebirds back into our area.

The local squirrels, always on the watch for a warm comfy place to live, have altered the opening - into a heart!

Dried Puddle

Just a hint
Of a heart
Here in the gravel
Of the parking lot.

If I found it again today
It would be overflowing
Thunderstorms
Rain. Rain. Rain. Rain.

But yesterday
It was there
Waiting to be filled
With today's abundance.