Friday Fotos - New Adventures with New Friends at the Pond

Hello Everyone...I am posting this for Friday Fotos...and it may get posted on Thursday night since that's when I am writing it! But most of you won't look at it until tomorrow, so it's for Friday! Does that make sense? I hope so!

Every day seems to be a new adventure here on "Still Waters Pond".  Spring time is bringing new visitors to the pond almost every day. This is a wonderful time for us, as we have only lived here since late last summer, and so we have no idea who or what to expect in spring time!  Actually, we saw our first young deer running along the shore of the pond early one morning this week. However, he saw me just as I was opening our blinds on the deck, and he made a very quick about face and ran in the opposite direction like he had seen a ghost!  I know I don't look all that wonderful first thing in the morning, but really...that was a little insulting!  Ha Ha!  I was actually very excited to see him even briefly,  as we have not seen any deer since moving here, and I was missing them. Sadly, I didn't have a chance to grab my camera before he was gone!

However, today was a different story and a different kind of critter! Beware: Excessive Photo Alert!!

 Many of you will remember that I used to enjoy watching the Sand Hill Cranes in our previous neighborhood, and there are many past posts written about their lives, nesting, raising their young, etc.  Since moving to this neighborhood we have not seen very many of these interesting creatures up in this area, and I must admit that I was also missing them much like I was missing our frequent deer sightings. 

 But today gave us hope that things are looking up here in our neighborhood! The Sand Hill Cranes have found our Still Waters Pond!

 Maybe they are checking out that new bluebird house that we just put up yesterday in hopes of attracting Mr. Bluebird and family to nest here!  I do believe this kind of "nest" would be a bit too small for the Crane Family!!

 They did give me a good looking over as they passed by, and they hurried on along the shore hoping to put some distance between us real quick like!

Then they decided to venture into the water a little further...

  And further...

 And this one decided to head back along the shore...

While the other braved the "deep" waters of the pond to head toward the island...

Again, this one stayed close to shore...

 And the other kept heading further out to "sea" and made a bee-line toward the island...

 There he goes, right up the bank to the island.

He's the bold one...going where no man has gone before...

Oh, but eventually they both ended up on the island...perhaps they are checking it out for suitability for nesting???

Looking every direction...

 And then they decided to head back down the bank and around the bend...to see what they could see...

Kind of reminds me of the little song, "The bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mountain, the bear went over the mountain, to see what he could see...to see what he could see, to see what he could see...  (have you heard enough yet? Are you singing along?)

And so this one decided that things look better back over on the other shore...

And decided to test the waters again and head back in that direction...

There he goes (which is actually heading back toward our shore beside our house).

The other one put one toe in the water and decided to stay put on the point of the island, and wait for her partner to do the exploring...(she's the NOT so bold one!)

She stood there waiting so demurely...

But before I knew it, they both spread out their huge wings and flew away around that bend to the other side of the pond, never to be seen again, at least not today... Of course they flew before I could get my camera up and ready to capture the flight of the Sand Hill Cranes, which would have been a marvelous grand finale, but you will just have to imagine that you can see them flying away:

The End.

Well, maybe not "The End".  Let's hope it will be a new beginning for many more happy moments captured on film for us to enjoy. Every day is a new adventure. We just have to open our eyes and pick up our cameras and start snapping!!!

I also learned something else in watching the crane literally walk through the water all the way to the island. Our pond is not more than two feet deep between our shore line and the island. I could literally walk over there myself and never get in water above my knees!! SO....I am thinking that I may have to get some high rubber boots and go on a little exploration adventure...but I will probably wait now until after my surgery...unless someone wants to get me some boots tomorrow...Nah...I'd better wait...but what if the rains come and it gets too deep?  Maybe I need to hurry and do this now...well...maybe I'm not really THAT adventuresome!  But I sure would love to go stand on that island and see what is on the other side!  Some day...

Okay, Good morning if you are just waking up to read this...

What kind of adventures have you been having lately? Are you the "bold one" or the "not so bold one"?  I tend to be more bold than I should be for a woman of my "age". But life is too short to just stand on the shore and watch everyone else having all the fun. Sometimes we have to get up our courage and jump in and enjoy the adventure that God has placed before us!!

Psalm 16:11  (NKJV)

11. "You will show me the path of life;

In Your presence is fullness of joy;

At Your right hand are pleasures forevermore."

Let's go find God's Adventure for us today!