Buddha Toad

14 Tuesday Aug 2012

Posted by Claire Eddins in Flora and Fauna, Frogs and Toads, Home and Garden, Inspiration, Nature, Virginia

Tags

Amphibian, Anaxyrus quercicus, animal conservation, Central Virginia, extinction, Flora and Fauna, garden, garden photography, iPhoneography, lifestyle, nature, nature photography, Oak Toad, summer, toad, Virginia garden, Virginia Herpetplogical Society, Virginia toad, Virginia wildlife

Every once in a while, you run into an individual who’s got that “It” thing going on. You know, the bigger-than-life types… the ones who exude confidence, awareness and over-the-top, in-yer-face personality. The ones with an undeniable energy. The ones who stake their claim to the space simply by being there.

And, in my experience, these It-Factor types occur with animals as well as humans.

And every once in a while, I run into an animal who just oozes It-Factor. Like my Buddha Toad here. I mean no disrespect to the followers of Buddhism, however, I do think he seems to have attained some sort of knowledge and enlightenment. Just look at him. When he sits back in my hand and looks out at the world (and scornfully at me), I am convinced that he knows far more than I do…

My research indicates that this little fellow may be an Oak Toad (Anaxyrus quercicus). According to the Virginia Herpetological Society, these little toads are quite rare in the state and require a “very high conservation need” as the species is at high risk for extinction or extirpation.

Photo note: I tried, tried, tried, to achieve a photo with Buddha Toad’s nose in the same focal plane as the rest of his body… however, my trusty iPhone camera was not so trusty on that day; Buddha Toad’s nose remains out of focus in a photo or two. But then, I figured his personality transcends all technical issues… so I’ve published anyway. I promise to find another It-Factor amphibian and try again!

All photos taken with an iPhone 4. © 2012 EddinsImages

Rainbows and Green Orbs

06 Friday Jul 2012

Posted by Claire Eddins in Flora and Fauna, Inspiration, iPhoneography, Nature, Photography, Summer, Virginia

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

apple, black walnut, Central Virginia, chestnut, countryside, double rainbow, farm, Flora and Fauna, green apple, green pepper, Inspiration, iPhonography, lifestyle, nature, pepper, photography, rainbow, rainbow photo, storm, summer, trees, Virginia, walnut, weather

It has been a week since the Eastern United States was hammered by a fast-moving, deadly storm. Here in central Virginia, after an eerie, silent stillness with no warning of what was to follow, we were blasted by a sideways, screaming wind. Nothing else… just wind. Then, the wicked, other-worldly tempest brought-on wild, non-stop lightning in the clouds above – as if someone was flicking a light switch on and off, on and off. The lights flashed all around us without pause. There was still no sound, except the roar of the wind. Later came lightning that was lower in the sky, accompanied by rumbles of thunder, downpours of rain, and hail. Throughout it all, most devilish was the incessant wind. Many likened the 70-plus mile-per-hour wind to the scary roar of a train.

We took the rampage seriously. After returning home safely during the first-half of the storm, my husband sat inside the house with the front door open, listening, for the sound of an approaching tornado. My son and I retreated to the far side of the house, opposite the ancient maple tree outside, wary that the tree would fall into the house. We learned after-the-fact that this unusual storm is called a derecho – a widespread, fast-moving weather event that features intense, straight-line, damaging winds and sometimes thunder and lightning.

And, sadly, for many in Virginia, that very scenario was a reality. Most tragically, however, is the fact that when it was all over, just an hour or so later, lives were lost, property was severely damaged, and, for a great number of families, power was out. Today, one week later, the clean-up continues. Many families remain without power. We’ve seen working power crews here from as far away as Texas. I am so very sorry for families who lost loved ones.

Even so, Mother Nature has a way of recovering. First, there was the double rainbow outside my barn. Even without electricity at the barn, seeing the rainbow brought me a feeling of hope.

Then, throughout the past week, I’ve been finding little fallen orbs of nature… beautiful trinkets dropped by trees and plants. And each is green.

Green, the color of nature. The color of rejuvenation. The color of life.

So, with these verdant little reminders of our future and all that is good in life, we rebuild, replant, and reclaim.

Live goes on…

My Beautiful Roadside Finds

24 Thursday May 2012

Posted by Claire Eddins in Butterflies, Flora and Fauna, Flowers, iPhoneography, Lifestyle, Nature, Spring, Travel, Wildlife

≈ 1 Comment

Tags

black swallowtail butterfly, butterfly, Central Virginia, clover, country flowers, dandelion photo, dandelion seeds photo, eastern black swallowtail butterfly, Eurytides marcellus, female eastern black swallowtail butterfly, flower photography, flower photos, groundhog, iPhone Photography, iPhone photos, iris, ladybug, Lepidoptera, macro photography, monarch butterfly, moth, nature photography, red clover, roadside flowers, snapping turtle photo, tulip poplar, tulip poplar flower, tulip tree, Virginia countryside, Virginia flowers, Virginia plants, white clover, wild rose, zebra swallowtail butterfly

For several years now, I’ve spent way too many days and nights sitting in front of my computer. After a young life of always being active and outside, my suddenly sedentary, middle-aged body did not fare well stationed behind the computer. A few months ago, I finally decided to do something about my unhealthy, inactive lifestyle and underused, overweight body.

I decided to briskly walk between two and four miles each and everyday. Now, of course, it goes without saying that I have not achieved my everyday goal. I knew that. But, I also knew that if my goal was to walk each day, I’d probably actually do it four or five days each week. And, I have been walking.

Better still, something quite unexpected has happened…

I’ve found myself stopping and admiring the beautiful things I find by the side of the road.

And, lucky for me, I’ve not once forgotten to bring my iPhone, the one with extraordinary little built-in camera.

Now, halting my brisk walks to stop and snap photos along the way has certainly not helped me to build muscle and loose pounds. No, not one bit. However, my country road walks, and the little discoveries that come with each trek, have proven to be the most exhilarating and pleasant part of each day. What I’ve accidentally accomplished has been well worth the continued struggle with my extra poundage.

My walks have helped me to rediscovered something I love: Photography.

I’m having so much fun, in fact, that for the life of me, I can’t figure out why I stopped making photos years ago. There was a time when I wanted to do nothing but make photos.

Today, the little things that catch my eye can be as simple as a common weed that I may drive by everyday. I just never take the time to appreciate it.

Or, it may be as elusive as a plant seed that falls to the ground only once each year. I never saw tulip tree seeds in New England, however, for a week or so, they fell all over and around our gravel country road.

One time as I trudged up the road, I stopped to watch a couple of eastern black swallowtail butterflies (Papilio polyxenes) frolicking and courting one another. Then, the joy I’d felt when I watched the two butterflies frolicking was replaced by sadness. Only one was left when I returned, left lifeless on the road, its wings blowing and blurred by the wind. how bittersweet.

On another day, I saw another beautiful winged creature, zebra colored with bright splashes of red, the zebra swallowtail butterfly (Eurytides marcellus) clung to the ground as the wind whipped its delicate wings. Surely, this precious creature was near the its bittersweet end.

Regardless of the bittersweet endings, what I’ve enjoyed most about my walks is the joy of seeing things anew. Taking the time to stop, observe and take-in all Mother Nature has to offer has awakened something inside me. I’ve spent too much time racing by life, as I drive absently in the car from one appointment, one errand to another. I now realize how I’ve missed much of the beauty and inspiration my world has to offer.

These days, I may not be loosing any weight. However, by getting outside – away from my chair and keyboard – and by pausing and taking the time to see, I’ve found a much more meaningful, beautiful, and inspired life.

I plan to embrace it.

Hearing grass and leaves rustling, I could not see what animal was near, or even where it was. Too much noise for a squirrel, and the wrong noises for deer, I’d just about decided it was someone’s hunting dog when… out from the tall grass popped Mr. Groundhog! © 2012 EddinsImages

Reinventing Claire

~ with Passion & Purpose

Tag Archives: Central Virginia

Buddha Toad

Rainbows and Green Orbs

My Beautiful Roadside Finds