Joy: Little blessings of daily life........

I am besotted with nature and the miraculous changes accompanied with the rotation of seasons thrills me. The fascinating observations recharge me and rescue from the humdrum of quotidian life. Here, I will document the fun findings of the day...It's spring and the---

The vine tangled-wooden pergola adjacent to the swimming pool and spa in our apartment complex is bursting with clusters of lovely red-orange trumpet flowers. What an ocular treat it is to gaze at the vibrant shades! I could not resist relaxing on the chair, set under the shadow of the drooping canopy and read a book.

The fox squirrels are not as commonly spotted this time of the year. Food is scanty now, what with all acorns, sweetgums and pine cones depleted. In autumn, I happened to see them almost everywhere, on our porch, roof, balcony, fence, sticking to pine, cedar, sweetgum,Callery pear and palm top etc. I learned that in early spring the females prefer to be drey-bound for breeding. So, yesterday on the evening walk, when I discovered this fuzzy chap gnawing on a dry sweetgum ball, I could not help photographing it. It was fun to watch the cute rodent rolling the fruit endlessly and scraping its teeth, to prevent the incisors growing too long.

I was surprised to see the Holly berries withstand the long winter months and gracing the bushes in spring. What a persistent fruit! Most of the autumn fruits have long been shed. Good for us though, it  offers such a delightful view.

Autumn is the peak mushrooming time. So, I was surprised to see several mushrooms sprouting under the sweetgum tree in mid spring. I wonder what prompted the fruiting bodies to emerge this time of the year.

The seeds I had planted sprout into saplings..........

The adorable fox squirrel nibbles on the bread scrap I offered....

The birds visit my bird feeders..........