Change Is Hard

…but change is certain.

Tag Archives: Lake Harding


by 33 Comments

Favorite Alabama images

It’s been two, maybe three weeks since I was in Alabama. And you know that I took a few photos while I was there.

Arriving after 2 days of driving.

Maybe you’d want to see a few of my favorites?

Every morning I’d take a picture of the lake. Most of the time it was so quiet.

Of course who really defines the term “few?”

That red soil is a dead giveaway you’re in the South.

As it turns out most of the images I took this time revolved around birds. Why do you think that is? And are the birds much different in Alabama than they are in Michigan?

Maybe a king bird, maybe something else. Was sitting at the top of a young oak tree on an island in the lake.

But we weren’t always birders, we also took a couple boat rides on my brother’s lake. One in the middle of the day where we saw the bird above and one to see the sunset.

Sunset from behind the mimosa tree

And on our boat rides we did, of course, see birds. This was a big bird. This is the Osprey that builds a nest every year in the very tall power towers on my brother’s lake.

Osprey parent taking a sunset break from the demanding babies up in the nest.

There were very noisy babies in residence when I visited. They cried all day for mom or dad to feed them.

What are you looking at, lady?

And there was a bluebird couple remodeling the nest for their next brood, hovering around just over our heads as we sat on the back patio.

I keep telling him it’s a total gut job.

They didn’t seem worried about us at all as long as we didn’t move too quickly.

I think it’s fine the way it is. The kids will just poop all over it anyway.

And a brown thrush singing away and then scuttling along the lake shore looking for something good to eat.

I’m pretending to be a speedy roadrunner bird!

And, back at the cabin’s lake, we climbed the mountain and then the fire tower to view the large expanse of Lake Martin.

A small part of Lake Martin.

Actually, you can, even at that height, only view a small portion of this giant lake.

A fisherman was having a quiet moment when suddenly jet skies zoomed by.

And of course I went out in the kayak a couple times, not going too far, just down to the end of this bit of water, or that bit over there.

I spent a long time in the kayak trying to get these two glowing trees.

We have martin gourds at Lake Martin and this year the birds have taken up residence in at least one of them.

Incoming!

Babies there too.

You’re not my mama!

So all in all it was a good trip. I’m glad I went and I’m hoping to get down there again before this summer is over.

An orchard oriole in my brother’s back yard.

We’ll see.

Home away from home.

Oh…you ask…on my trip back to Michigan did I see anything interesting?

Well…what do you think?

Mom! That lady’s looking at me again!


by 31 Comments

The heron baths

Have you ever seen a great blue heron? (I feel like I should capitalize the heron’s name, anything with “Great” in it’s title seems like it should be capitalized, don’t you think?)

Do you see him out there?

We have lots of them around here, and I’ve taken you out to Kensington to see the heron rookery more than a few times, so of course you’ve all seen a Great Blue.

Here’s a closer image.

But have you ever seen one take a bath? (I think this would make a great children’s book title; Have You Ever Seen One Take a Bath?)

I wonder if he blows bubbles or holds his breath when his head is under water.

I was sitting, a couple of weeks ago, on my brother’s patio looking out over his lake. He has a wonderful view down the lake, but what I was focused on was the tip of his peninsula where a heron appeared to be standing or sitting up to his chest in water while flapping his wings. Or her wings I suppose. But I’m going to assume this was a he.

Coming up for air.

I had my camera in my lap so I started shooting pictures, trying to figure out what he was doing. Was he fishing? Was he caught in fishing line? Was he dancing to some song only he could hear?

There was much flapping.

No, he was taking a bath! Unfortunately many of my images are terribly out of focus, but I’ve found you the best of them so you can enjoy what we wittnessed.

He was a very enthusiastic bather.

He flopped around and preened in the chest deep water for quite a long time, and then he moved over to a sunnier spot and did what all well behaved herons do.

He’s a very proud and regal bird.

He stood, spread his wings and dried himself in the sun.

Because there’s no nicer way to end a warm bath than to dry off in the evening sunshine.

A little grooming never hurt any heron.


by 17 Comments

Happy Birthday United States!

Shaping up to be a pretty night on the lake.

Last night I got to enjoy a wonderful show of colorful fireworks from a boat floating on the warm waters of a beautiful lake. We left the house about an hour before sundown, but the sky was already turning the thunderclouds pink.

Pink clouds herald what’s to come.

And as we motored out to join hundreds of other boats the pink just kept getting deeper…

Lots of boats already out there.

…and deeper…until this was the sky we floated under as we waited for the man-made show to start.

Nature’s fireworks competed with anything man could shoot into the sky.

Soon enough the sun slid below the horizon, turning the sky midnight blue. Hundreds of people sitting in softly rocking boats settled in to wait for the show.

Blue hour on the lake.

I don’t have a lot of fireworks images. I was in moving boat with little light. Plus it was just so much fun to watch without trying to capture it all.

This was the clearest image of the few I took.

You can use your imagination to fill in the big booms and the bright lights.

A windy rainstorm was blowing in and above the bursting fireworks pinkish heat lightening was showcasing the clouds in huge arcs. In the middle of the show, over the boat’s radio, came a severe weather alert warning of strong winds and possibly hail. We began to consider heading for home.

Abstract photo of boats heading home after the show. Taken from our rocking boat.

We were lucky, though, the storm held off for a couple of hours. The fireworks were able to finish with a grand finale, and we made it back to the house with time to eat pie on the back deck before the rains poured down.

Heat lightening filled the sky after the last of the fireworks faded, and boats began scuttling for home.

It was a lovely evening and I thank Captain Carl for taking us out to see man and God’s lights fill the sky.

Happy birthday America!


by 19 Comments

A February boat ride

Leafless trees, evergreens, mountains and clouds. Breathtaking.


February and boats don’t generally mix up where I come from, unless you’re in an ice boat skimming over a frozen lake. I’m sure that’s fun, but when I’m in a boat I’d rather worry about sunscreen than frostbite.

Saturday morning, the sun bright in a blue sky filled with puffy white clouds, was perfect for a little boat exploration.

Let’s go mama!

The boat traveled under a few bridges and then up a creek, looking for the resident eagle. It was a beautiful day, and it turns out there was a fishing competition going on. We came across several father/son teams tucked in the backwaters of the lake. We slid by them as quietly as we could.

Spending time together.

The creek narrowed, and I moved to the front of the boat looking for the eagle. Katie kept a close eye on me from the other side of the wall.

Whatcha doing mama?

This was her second boat ride ever, but she wasn’t too concerned about the engine vibration or noise. She likes being outdoors, and she’s always up for an adventure.

The creek winds through beautiful country.

Eventually we were as far as we could go up the creek. We hadn’t found the eagle, but a bit further was a low waterfall making lovely splashing noises, and more fathers and sons were fishing from kayaks. We dropped anchor to listen to the water and enjoy a biscuit breakfast.

Water running over the rocks just up there made such nice background music.

Then we turned around and slid as quietly as we could back down the creek to the larger waters of the lake. The clouds were piling up in the blue sky.

Couldn’t have had a more perfect day!

Out in the open water Captain Carl throttled up and Katie and I enjoyed the wind in our hair.

Mama! We have the same stylist!

She’s a very brave little dog and enjoyed every bit of her boat ride adventure. I did too.

Can we do this again soon mama?