Day 326

There has been a large amount of soft green moss growing in the asphalt cracks and along the wooden beams of the pathways.

This of course is a squirrel. While a wren bopped around too fast to photograph nicely, I noticed this watchful squirrel in the holly tree.

Day 243

Today Alex and I went to Colonial Williamsburg, VA to test out a history game they put together for families. It's a beautiful place, so while wondering around the grounds I took some photos.

Moss growing on a stone wall

Mushroom growing in one of the backyard gardens.

Crape myrtle

Ivy growing through a grate of a house

Yellow Tiger Swallowtail butterfly on a marigold

This is male, because it's yellow. The females are almost black, but have the same details.

The sun was high above us all day with a heat index of about 108.

Day 198

Today I went to the house of two close friends, to celebrate the birthday of one of them. Before starting to drink the Lambic that my husband bought for the lady of the house and I to share, I took some photos of a tree.

Day 196

Today, I took photos of a pine tree.

Day 177

Today we woke to a thick fog. After a few hours, the fog started to lift.

This is at about 9:45am.

Since, rain ruined our fun yesterday, we headed back to Brookgreen Gardens today. We focused on the garden area.

Ferns are growing on the break of the oak trees.

The squirrels here are larger than the ones at home.

These flowers varied in colors.

Lily

I love how the thick leaves of this plant cradled the water from the rain and created rounded drops.

These vines were growing through each hole of this wall.

Ivy was growing all over the bottom of this tree meeting the Spanish moss from the top of the tree.

There was a whole section of trees like this.

Moss growing between the stones of a walkway

Many fountains and pools of water had water lilies and pads growing in them.

Last year, we visited in August and there were HUGE grasshoppers there, called lubbers. This year, we visiting in May and the lubbers were still tiny. However, we found them in large clusters.

Daises

Lizard trying to blend into the leaf

A baby lubber and a few pals

Bubbles occurred naturally from a small waterfall.

There were several turtles on this circle. I liked the turtle with it's feet dangling and the one with it's feet tucked in. John and Alex let me take lots of photos of the turtles, close to the pond, before reading the "Beware of alligators and snakes" sign. Thankfully, we saw none of those.

Dragonfly on lily pad

Day 176

This morning, we woke in Myrtle Beach, SC to a bright sun shine over the ocean.

We decided to go to Brookgreen Gardens, to see their beautiful landscape, butterflies and animals.

Monarch caterpillar chewing on the stalk of a milkweed plant. Only one leaf remained, of 30 plants.

Monarch caterpillar

Moss on one of the oldest oak trees

As we were about enter the first aviary with our guide, he pointed out a copperhead snake that was trying to escape us. I was surprised at how non-violent this very poisonous snake was.

In and outside of the aviary were many of these regional birds. I like the reflection this one casts on the water.

In the butterfly house, were a few butterflies. They were not very active, because by the time we got there, the rain had started.

This is a freshly emerged Monarch butterfly next to it's cocoon. If you look closely at the other two cocoons, you will see wings.

Male cardinal

Female cardinal

Storm clouds over the ocean