herbiehancock

I went for an early morning walk today before time for church.  It was warm and humid, but at least it wasn't raining.  I saw several bunnies.  Must be a good year for them because I have been seeing them everywhere lately. There is a lot of mud everywhere and standing water in a lot of places still.  I saw some irises in the park.  These yellow ones weren't doing too badly, but the purple ones all had their heads beaten down by the rain.  The colors were pretty, at least. This brick pathway had standing water over the whole length of it. No kids were playing on the playground.  A moat of water was around the equipment, and no drawbridges were lowered where a crossing could be made. The weeds have taken over the ground under the big trees in the park.  It has just been too wet for the parks department workers to get the mowers in there to mow.  Quite a few spots have big puddles of standing water. They did mow this one section of the park, bu...

The last several days here have been absolutely gorgeous.  The sun has been shining, the skies have been blue, and the temperatures have been mild and pleasant.  Although the leaves on our trees and most of the ones on our street are still green, I found a few spots of color around town and in the park to share with you.  These pictures were taken two or three days ago.  Since that time many more trees have started to change. I liked the way these dark branches and tree trunks stood out against the yellows and oranges of the leaves behind them.  This is a row of trees along the edge of the soccer fields in various stages of changing to red. A few evenings ago, I noticed they were cutting down some of the trees where the buzzards like to roost.  I imagine it was the buzzards roosting in them that caused the trees to die, at least in part. I wondered if maybe the buzzards had already gone farther south, but then saw dozens of them roosting in the pine trees a...

Buzzards on Branches At dusk they look like big black shriveled prunes, stuck to the dead branches of the tallest trees as they settle in  to sleep. But in early morning, when the light is new, they remind me of wrinkled leather hats that have been carelessly tossed on the hooks of a coat rack. A sudden noise lifts them, sends them swirling,  as if they were caught up in a strong gust of wind. They circle around and settle back in and down, slow and graceful, patient, choosing the perfect branch to perch upon, talons curling and clutching, locking them on. T he rustling of their wings as they spook and return sounds like an old umbrella  opening and closing. Up and down, out and back. From their vantage point high above all,  in the branches there, they are sentries, keeping watch, on guard. They keep me company, and remind me that we,  all of us , have a purpose.