Green!

I'm amazed at how quickly the colors change in the spring. It seems that the trees went from sporting empty brown branches to showing very young green leaves overnight. Bright flowers have emerged, and ferns are unfolding.

Painting the sky

Pulled by the ocean

It was a cool sunny day, a day where I needed to heed the call of my bicycle, but one where I also felt a need for an ocean visit. If the temperature had been warmer and the wind had been less, I would have combined my two desires.

A ride in the sunshine, fighting the wind, enjoying the sights around me...

A drive to the coast...

A walk along the narrow beach at high tide, conversing with birds, listening to the ocean...

The dog has the keys

Smiles in the morning are good things. I was driving to work when I saw a woman and a dog walking down the road. At first glance they looked perfectly normal, woman walking, dog walking, attached by a leash. But then, something made me look a little closer...

The dog was happily prancing along, firmly gripping a key fob of some sort (in his mouth). What appeared to be house and car keys were at his command. What a good morning smile.

Liquid mirror

It was a sunny spring day with a decidedly summer-like temperature. Mid-80s, wow! I headed out for a ride after work. It was going to be a ride, not photo play, but somehow my camera jumped onto the bike with me.

Ah, some magic, reflections in wavy water, a liquid mirror of sorts...

Rabbit, rabbit!

I'm so glad this rabbit agreed to pose for me again. I stayed far enough away not to intrude on his space. He (she?) kept munching on grass as my camera clicked and clicked.

Images in pink

Owned by birds

I visited a place today that is owned by birds. Really!

I needed to do something different today. I haven't walked along the moving water for a while, and at first I thought I'd head for the New Hampshire coast. But different had an appeal of its own; it was time to consult a map. Parker River National Wildlife Refuge jumped out and insisted that I visit. The wildlife refuge resides on the southern three-quarters of Plum Island, a barrier island near Newburyport, Massachusetts.

And yes, it is owned by the birds. From the Parker River National Wildlife Refuge brochure:

"Parker River National Wildlife Refuge was established in 1942 primarily to provide feeding, resting, and nesting habitat for migratory birds."

It has an Atlantic Ocean-facing beach that is closed from April 1st through at least July and sometimes into August. Why?

" To provide undisturbed nesting and feeding habitat for the piping plover."

Much of the refuge is protected, off-limits to human presence. I walked the Hellcat Interpretive Trail, a boardwalk to sand dunes and through a marsh. It was beautiful, even though the marsh was still decorated with the remnants of last year's plants, dried and brown. I can't wait to see it again, next time hopefully when the marsh is clad in green.



More photos can be seen in my Parker River gallery.

Two wheels rolling, two eyes looking

It was an early spring good weather week. Today was warmer than predicted, sun shining, a good day for riding. I'm still at early season short distances, but even with short rides I'm rolling past places that I haven't seen since in a very long time.

Rolling down dry roads feels good - even though I need to keep an eye out for very big holes in the pavement. And somehow the sights of spring still manage to jump out and cry "look here, look at me".

Trees in wood clothing

The trees are marching down the road clad in wood clothing...

New sidewalks and granite curbs are jumping in to place. I suppose the wood slats around tree trunks are protection from construction equipment. The sight struck me as somewhat odd though. It's a bit funny to see all of the tree trunks along this stretch of road wearing "clothing".