One of my favorite things about tall pine trees is the unique sound the wind makes while blowing through them. The clichéd phrase “whispering pines” is very appropriate.
All posts by Jonathan
Looking over the grasshopper’s shoulder
The other day I discovered a grasshopper hanging out on my clematis plant.
He was trying to get some sun, but once he caught me looking over his shoulder, he got a little anxious and started moving around.
Fireweed blossom
Pine drops
Rainy days bring their own unique beauty to nature. Like these rain drops I discovered hanging from pine tree needles.
Fiery sky over Trout Lake
Pine cone spider
I saw one of the weirdest creatures while hiking last week. At first I thought I saw a small pine cone moving along the forest floor. A closer look revealed this spider, about a 2/3 of an inch in size.
The combination of that pine-cone-like abdomen, the eight legs sticking out, and those freaky multiple eyes… I’m surprised I haven’t had spider nightmares.
Update: I think this is probably a a female wolf spider with spiderlings on her back (see comments below). I still like the “pine cone spider” name I gave it though.
“Secret” places
I spent last week camping in Wisconsin’s Northern Highland-American Legion State Forest. One of my favorite things about that area, are all the secluded, “secret”, places that are just a short distance off of bike trails, hiking trails, and roads.
If you get off of your bike while riding on the trail near Crystal Lake, you’ll discover this above scene just a few dozen yards away (along a short hiking trail). Yet hardly anyone stops to take in its beauty.
Summer evening sky, a study
When it’s too hot to take pictures during the day, wait until the sun goes down, and point your camera up.
A cool place to sit
The warmest heatwave of the summer so far has just begun. Rather than get all sweaty by shooting some pictures outside, I decided to keep cool by staying in and looking though some winter photos. Wouldn’t a seat on this bench feel good right now?
Feeding monarch
Another example of nature’s beauty at Olbrich Gardens: a monarch butterfly feeding on flower nectar.