Natural landscape

Nature is the best landscape designer.

 

Cormorant takes a break.

We saw him high in a tree, croaking away.

 

Ugly duck

Muscovy ducks must be the ugliest duck around.  (see here)

They're not native to this area, but have made a home around many of our lakes.

 

Mayapples

This is a shy little forest plant.  Mayapples look like little umbrellas.  You have to look under the leaves to see the flower. (see here)

We found a colony in our local park.

 

Dogwoods!

Seemingly dead trees come to life with white flowers.

 

Rock humor

I found this rock in a grouping of painted rocks. 

 I followed directions.

The other side: you just listened to a rock how'd u feel?

Well, a little bit silly actually.

 

Little Brown Jug

 

Little Brown Jug is a native plant (see here)  It's named for the shape of it's flowers.

And here they are!  Right at the base of the plant, these little lumpy things are the brown jugs that the plant is named after.  These are the buds. 

They're hard to see and usually covered with leaf litter.  I wonder who pollinates them...