Taken on various walks around my property, these are some of my favorite pictures.  You can click on them for a larger view.

My hope is that these pictures inspire you to feed the birds, plant some flowers, sketch a tree, take a picture, gaze at the stars...whatever you'd like...just get outside and enjoy our wonderful natural world!
Inspiration
Birds!  Birds!
Ye are beautiful things with your
earth-treading feet
and your
cloud-cleaving wings!
- Eliza Cook
Do you have pictures you'd like to  share?  Feel free to e-mail me your favorites, and I'll add them to the Customer Photos page for all to enjoy! 
email me
You ready?  Let's take a walk...
Now, please go outside (or at least look out your window!)
Viburnums...food for birds!
A flock of American Robins makes short work of these berries!
311 Freeport Road
Blawnox, PA  15238
Phone 412-828-5393
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A beautiful moment captured in time...these glowing morninglories greeted us as we pulled into the driveway one day. The seeds, a treasured gift from a friend, were started indoors in Spring. How can I ever view these beautiful blooms without thinking of her kindness? Go ahead...make a wish and blow!These colorful hydrangeas are straight out of a friend's garden...a gift! Now they're dried and ready to appropriately adorn a bookshelf loaded with gardening and nature books, providing a lasting memory of her thoughtfulness!Hello Spring!Morning coffee was better than ever the day we got to watch this lovestruck pair of American Goldfinches mate-feeding.Laying in the mulch to capture this shot of emerging Lily of the Valley, the sweet smell of damp Spring earth enveloped me.Hummingbird Clearwing Moths love the fragrant honeysuckle vine!Fruit feeding is fun (even when a Gray Squirrel steals the meal)!The cascading blooms of our Snow Fountain Cherry are a welcome sight after a long Winter.I was grabbed by the stunning colors of the Weeping Purple Beech as the evening sun illuminated its new leaves.Here is a perfect of example of a phrase I often use, "Birds don't always follow the rules." On this particular morning, this male Baltimore Oriole preferred sunflower seeds for breakfast rather than the typical nectar, grape jelly, or orange halves that I had set out for him. He's a rebel!Pine candles (new growth) decorate all the pines in our yard in Spring, including this Mugo Pine.This Baltimore Oriole, obviously more of a traditionalist, chose the orange half.The grouping of clethra near the front walk perfumes the air and comes alive every August with bees and butterflies.How do you refer to this Buttercup? A noxious weed...an invasive...a non-native species...a beautiful bloom...take your pick.I can't take credit for this shot. My son photographed this beautiful male Luna Moth on our front door one night. With a 4 1/2" wing span, it certainly caught his attention! Adult Luna Moths live only for one week - just long enough to mate; so seeing one is quite a privilege! The pale green Crab Spider crafting its web on the vibrant red Japanese Maple creates a striking image. The Spider worked for hours...see the silk?I just love our windowsill visitors!Spring migrants like this handsome, male Rose-breasted Grosbeak often show up in the crabapple tree.Isn't she a beauty?This first of a series of three shots shows two Gray Squirrels who emerged from the owl box one morning in quite the frisky mood.I wonder what she has on her mind.What a treat it was when this American Tree Sparrow showed up! Although the photo was taken through a window and is a bit blurry, it still serves to remind me of the surprise visit.The sweet song of a Song Sparrow is a highlight of Spring! We feed Song Sparrows both at home on the windowsill (pictured here) and at the feeder in front of the shop.The fragrance from the Dappled Dawn Lilacs wafts through the front yard each Spring, and the green and cream-dappled foliage looks pretty all Summer!Notice the Pine Siskin's heavy, brown streaking and yellow patches on the wings and tail compared to the American Goldfinch on the right.If food sources remain strong, sometimes Pine Siskins remain in their Winter territory to breed. Could we be so lucky?Like Pine Siskins, American Goldfinches are fond of seeds from hemlock cones.The male American Goldfinch is changing into his bright yellow breeding attire...a sure sign of Spring!Pine Siskins, like American Goldfinches, have the unique ability to feed upside-down!Columbine draws Ruby-throated Hummingbirds to its uniquely-shaped flowers; but, unfortunately, rabbits are drawn to its tasty leaves. A Springtime walk on our woodland trails reveals mayapples galore. I photograph them before the deer devour them!One of our Spring migrants...a Chipping Sparrow. It's funny how certain birds bring back memories...this is the first species my husband identified using a field guide years ago.It's molting time.Bandit with birdseed on his nose.Black Swallowtails are attracted to Common Milkweed. These flower-clusters smell heavenly.Red Admirals are very territorial. This one dive-bombed me repeatedly as I tried to photograph it!One of Spring's many pleasures...the return of the Baltimore Orioles!One more to go!And then there were three...yes, there are three in there!American Toads in the Spring...can't you just hear the trilling?The perfume of our blooming fringe tree wafts through the front yard.Coffee splashed out of my cup as I jumped up to quickly run for the camera when this pileated woodpecker arrived!Almost ready to go.Hummingbird magnet.Do you know what his cheeks are full of?Worms for breakfast...yum...uh-huh.Green Frog and water mint.Hungry, shimmering koi eat from our hands!Cardinal eggs......cardinal babies!Fowler's Toad at the pond.Oak leaf boat.Surprise at the pond.Just hanging 'round.Someone needs to tell this House Sparrow that this is a Bluebird box.Hummingbird? No...Hummingbird Sphinx Moth.Nature's charms.Brrr...The iridescent plumage of Common Grackles reminds my daughter of carnival glass. This Carolina Wren fledgling just emerged from its nest in the folds of a quilt!Still life.A beautiful sunrise from the upper porch.Winter afternoon visitor.Giant Leopard Moth.Monarch caterpillar on common milkweed.Can you find two snakes? Yes, there really are two.Someone's been busy...a Pileated Woodpecker.Sea thrift rambles along the edge of the stream.Carolina Wren's first view of the world outside his nest in the bird bottle.Morning sun illuminating a petunia.Beauty and the beast.Ruby-throated Hummingbirds dance from flower to flower in my hosta garden.If you could see this Io Moth with its wings open, you would be surprised to see big, bluish-black eyespots - a defense mechanism meant to frighten potential predators.Marley wonders why all the birds fly away when he taps on the glass. Don't they know he just wants to play?Goldenrod ball gall after a visit from a woodpecker.Although this butterfly's name is "Milbert's Tortoiseshell," it is certainly not slow like a tortoise. This butterfly is one fast flyer and tough to photograph!Dandelion delight.This Baltimore oriole took a liking to our peanut feeder!Queen Anne's Lace...beautiful any time of year.Parsley never lets me down...swallowtail caterpillars appear every year.Water lays like quicksilver on velvety Lady's Mantle leaves.Twelve-spotted skippers hunt from astible perches around the pond. This strawberries-and-cream-colored moth is a Rosy Maple Moth, which feeds mainly on...you guessed it...maples.Close-up of 1/4" tall moss. Love that macro lens!Carolina Wrens will nest just about anywhere.Icy winter waterfall.