~ Ralph Waldo Emerson
I am a nature enthusiast, and would much rather spend time outdoors than in a shopping mall etc. My hubby knows that he never has to buy me jewelry or chocolates or expensive gifts, but if he is willing to join me in hiking, cycling, or going out for country drives , and be patient with me when I see a nature/photo opportunity, these are some of the best gifts he could give me. I have always loved taking photos and with this blog I am finding myself seeing the world around me through the camera lens more often. In the past few weeks as I have keenly observed signs of Spring unfold around me, I have captured it with my camera.
You can identify the wildflowers using this wonderful website, Wildflowers of Ontario.
I was so excited on Sunday afternoon during our nature stroll, to see that the official emblem/flower of Ontario, the trillium is out in abundance, both in white as well as deep burgandy:
Marsh Marigold:
Crab Apple Blossoms:
Wild Strawberry:
Colt's Foot:
Bloodroot:
Blue Eyed Grass: (although I am not quite certain about this flower's name)
Forget-Me-Nots:
Jack-in-the-Pulpit:
I have also collected nature books and journals over the years. Most of these are on my bookshelf at home, but some I have taken out of our local library numerous times:
"We need to find God, and he cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature - trees, flowers, grass- grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence... We need silence to be able to touch souls."~Mother Teresa