Up North

If you're visiting Duluth and are looking for an easy trail that's just as pretty as its brethrens up north, then the Chester Creek trail is for you. Plus, it starts across the street from Burrito Union. You can't beat that. 

Alice would like the mushrooms here. 

Even cats like it.

This sparrow is thinking, "If only I was eating rice at Chipotle. Those were happy days. Woe is me."

Hawk Ridge was counting migrating birds and doing a release party of Hawks and Kestrels. At least those were the birds on the menu that day. 

"You talk'in to me?"

"Caw. That's the spot. Caw. Now I eat your fingers."

Duluth's Rose Garden in Leif Erikson Park.

And of course stacked rocks. I heart Duluth.

Do you want to take a bizarre nocturnal pilgrimage with me? Then head over to www.thechorusofthecrows.blogspot.com

Saturday's Critters

Bird d'Pot

Wild Bird Wednesday

My World Wednesday

Image-in-ing

The Signs of Fall

Dragonflies are dragging their feet about leaving.

The red berries are ready for migrating birds.  (although I have no idea if they eat these)

 Mushrooms are exploding onto the scene.  This one was the size of a dinner plate.

 People heart Fall.  

We're all talking turkey.  (And eating.  Hee, hee.)

Yellow leaves sparkle in the sun.

There are so many mushrooms you could say they grow on trees.  

Now if we could just say the same about money. 

The wild flowers lose their petals.

The views are tinged with rust and gold.  Just like life.  

All these photos were taken at Westwood Hills and Spring Lake Park this Fall.  For more birds visit Wild Bird Wednesday

And for more turkeys......take a gander below.

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Happy Thanksgiving everyone!

Shiny

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I did this illustration way back in the day.  And I thought the light beams shining through the trees would be perfect for the www.illustrationfriday.com theme.  Not that I think this painting is perfect.  Far from it.  But I still love the magical mushrooms and the washy green grass.  The big mushroom on the far left is definitely worthy of a fairy tale.  And my little fairy Petunia is still kind of cute.   

Creature Feature

The trail cam captured a beautiful moment in black and white. The deer is posing in such a graceful way.

And since I'm wrapping up my trail cam photos, I've added a bonus piece of art to accompany today's pick. I painted this piece back in 1998. It pairs perfectly with all the creature features that have been popping up over the last week or two. But don't forget to check in tomorrow for one more photo and a little Halloween surprise. Spooky...

Kenny 365

I've been participating in a really fun community photo project. 365 photos of our neighborhood. One photo every day for a whole year. I thought it was a good time to post the photos I've submitted so far since there is a change of seasons going on. Sniff. Soon the photos will reflect cooler temps, Fall leaves and maybe some pumpkins popping up around the neighborhood. There are 17 Kenny photographers snapping shots. It all started on June 1st and will keep rolling until the end of May 2012. I bet I don't have one blog visitor that would like to visit the website to see ALL the photos taken so far. But here's a link anyway! http://www.kennyneighborhood.org/

Hawk Ridge. Part of the magical mushroom tour.

This Kestrel was captured as she passed through Duluth's, "Highway in the Sky" Each year 100,000 raptors are spotted from Hawk Ridge. Lake Superior creates the perfect flyway. It forces migrants reluctant to fly across large bodies of water to head Southwest along the scenic North Shore. The last photo was taken just before the bird was released to finish her journey South. http://www.hawkridge.org/

After watching the hawks (and the beautiful view of lake Superior) we started our own journey. 2010's magical mushroom tour. Check it out.