our backyard

we've been having the best spring ever now that we have our very own backyard.  there's nothing like walking the same little piece of land day after day and finding something new each time.  all these photos were taken on a walkabout in early may.  i found about thirty of these little gems hanging from my cypress tree.  they were rather pretty in a woodsy sort of way, but something told me they probably weren't quite right and i was right.  they are bagworms and will eat the foiliage off whatever evergreen they choose to hang on.  g and i cut them all off and threw them in the trashcan.  it's a brutal world.

we found this sweet little nest of birds on the back edge of our property.  i was hoping to photograph them several more times, but alas a neighborhood cat must have found them soon after.  i noticed the next time i mowed that the whole family was deceased.  sadly, building a nest three foot up in a four foot cedar is not the best idea ever.  thankfully, the birdies in my hanging basket of fuchsias are thriving.

i was forever chasing butterflies as a child . . .

now i chase them with my camera lens instead of one of my dad's dip nets.

common chickweed, stellaria media (this is a great flower identification website, btw).

everlasting pea, lathyrus latifolius

this one reminds me of my childhood in florida, southern yellow wood-sorrel, oxalis dillenii

growing on rocks in the hot sun!  what a survivor!  unknown

fake strawberries.  not yum.

have you taken a walk around your backyard lately?  there's so much to see out there!