ESCAPE TO THE TROPICS

Message from the Jungle

with yellow orchids

with a mixture of many beauties

with serene depth of dark leaves

sending you a message with the warmth of the ever lasting

SUMMER.

********************************

At the very same time

it is possible

to take a few minutes ride

( not a long airplane trip)

to escape the snow

and winter misery!

( Sometimes one has to be lucky!:)

because

ONCE UPON A TIME THERE WAS A VERY RICH MAN WITH HIS FAMILY LIVING IN THIS AREA: COLLED

THE GOLD COAST.

AMONG MANY NICE THINGS THIS HUGE HOTHOUSE WAS ALSO BUILT AT THE TIME WITH HIS CASTLE.

BECAUSE EVERYTHING WAS SO BEAUTIFUL OVER THE YEARS THIS ESTABLISHMENT SURVIVED THE PRESSURE OF THE "DEVELOPERS" TO DESTROY IT AND BUILT SEEMINGLY MORE PROFITABLE LITTLE HOUSES.

THE WORK OF THE

NEW YORK STATE GOVERNMENT

THE ENTIRE LAND

AND BUILDINGS WAS DECLARED AS

NATIONAL MONUMENT.

BLESSED BE THOSE SMART MEN

WHO WITH THEIR POWER

WERE ABLE TO SAVE IT

FOR MANY GENERATION TO COME

ALL THE BEAUTIES

WHAT THIS ESTATE IS OFFERING

TO THOSE WHO COME FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

(Photographs by @Blue Bird)

ONLY ONE MORE MONTH

But for now the ALL WINTER pattern

for this morning

here again

just for:

Yak...:(

The Cardinal looking the feeder full of snow
where yesterday
was a set table
with all the favored food



From above the tree may be
he could spot
a break in the snow
where some food is hiding



But was snowing with all power of the winter anger

Coming down with full blast

to cover again

those springy spots

we were gathering

the past week

A pair of dove

talking :

"how can anybody think about

Spring around the corner?"

Yet there is a world

on this Earth

where the warm air

let the cactus thrive. :)))))))
and soon

will get here too

and the cactus will move outside! :)

**********************************

Yes dear Friends:
March 21 is a month away
the date for
EQUINOX
when in the calendar
officially is stated
the beginning of
SPRING!!!

Photos hot from the press today by:
@Blue Bird

BE MY VALENTINE

It is real: genuine melting snow on a parking lot

Truly getting better every day

A little leaf looking for a Valentine

Serious obstacles to passing through

Arriving in the store is much friendlier

cheerful with colors

for Valentine decorations

"We all are looking for a Valentine

to share our sweetness"

It's a balloon for you

"Be my tweetheart"

as it goes in these days

photos @Blue bird

temporary problem

Have some PC problem, under constaruction, posting in Vaumau blog till NatureTalks again. Thanks

Winter is holding on

May be the winter sky looks a little friendlier in this sunset

Yes, it is friendlier.....to me anyway

But the landscape

is covered with

sheet of ice!

To walk and drive is a little tricky on these grounds

now days!

He will be very big,

his name is Mac,

but only with couple of weeks of age

he is transported with

utmost loving care.

Just had to stop this Lady

but she was happy

to take a photo of

her precious possession!

Photo: @Blue bird

Valentine is coming

The pineapple is the symbol of friendship.

On St. Valentine's day

not only the sweethearts

are celebrated

but all friendships as well

Flowers are coming to the stores

from all over

mostly

from South America.

Decoration

with hearts

tells you about

the coming celebration.

Delicate tulips

cut down

for this time

All kinds of vivid colors

to cheer

for the day

The Sun is still wintry
and it can be very cold,

can have a snow storm: it is

only the middle of February.

This mess is not from this year!

Today the mountains are so high

that you would not see

the top of the trees.
The worst is about

the reduced parking space:

if no parking:

just go home

come later or very early.

Shadow or not shadow?

It's about February 2, when it is crucial if the groundhog comes out or not? But some places like in Europe it is the BEAR to watch on this day

Winny-the-POOH

( a very famous bear)

telling the other bears

that on February 2
Shadow or not to shadow?

This is the question!

Shadow is no good,

because only in sunshine can a bear see his shadow
which means

a nice day.

That is only to fool you

because winter is

not over

and will go back to sleep

for 40 more wintry days! :(

We used to play

shadow making with hands

on the wall

when light is coming from the back

What is it?

A shadow of a....?


All right now: this is a
barking dog
to let you know
he can see his shadow!
______________________________
This year in 2011 in our region
was such miserable day
that no animal would
want to come out
but certainly was no shadow to see
of anything or anybody.

Somehow for TV show
in New York and Pennsylvania
they dragged the poor animal out
asking the question
but went back to sleep
exhausted after the show.
Fallowing night was the coldest night
of the season.

What else than?
"give me an other storm.."
as it is going on here
perhaps 40 more days!
wow! That is wow
and the shadow game
is not a science
that is the trouble.
:(((((((((
Shadow or not to shadow
is not the answer
just wait and see
and shovel the coming more snow

February 2, 2011

THE DAY OF ICE FOR GROUNDHOG

Ask the tree

how

does he/she feel the heavy ice

on the delicate needles?

First was snow pulling down the branches

now the ice is even worse

Somewhere the ice is sitting on

the top of the snow

The solid stuff is suffocating

a breathing tree

Many people are not aware

how harmful

is a frost

on the living trees

even when they are dormant

in the winter.

Some thoughts on a memorable Groundhog day.