Laissez les bons temps rouler

🎜🎝You let the bon ton roula, you let the moolay boolay
Now don't you be no fool-ay, you let the bon ton roula🎝🎝

🎜🎜🎜🎜

Happy Mardi Gras!

Pokemon is everywhere

One last picture from Lake Lynn.  His name is Koffing.  Hmmmmm...?

Lake Lynn

After all the pictures of ducks at Lake Lynn, here's the lake itself.  It looks a lot more secluded than it really is.  All around it are apartment buildings hidden in the trees.  If I had to live in an apartment, I think this would be a great place, just walk out and down to the lake for a 2 mile round the lake.  At the far end of the lake there is a community center, playground and picnic area.  Something for everyone!

Another duck

Again, just before sunset at Lake Lynn.  No ripple patterns except from the duck.  The water was completely still for a little bit.

And more ripple patterns...

Just before sunset I caught this  Golden Eye duck swimming and diving in Lynn Lake.  

More ripple patterns

Took this one at Lynn Lake.  You might be able to see the turtle, just underwater on the left side of the photo.  I was aiming for the turtle, but got some reflections in the ripples that I liked better.

Wind and Water patterns

This was a sunrise with interesting cloud patterns.  Below, is a snap of ripple patterns in the sand by the Neuse River.  

Similar patterns through wind and water...

St Paul A.M.E. Church

St Paul AME church in downtown Raleigh was formed by the slave membership of Edenton Street UMC in 1848.  The present church, built by black masons, was finished in 1901.  The church is presently campaigning to renovate the 70 stained glass windows.  In the afternoon light with all the windows glowing it gives an awesome feeling.  The only thing better would be to hear the pipe organ playing Bach at the same time.

Old man of the Forest

Do they have Mr. Potato Head kits for trees too?  Does he glow in the dark? 

We found him in the same yard with yesterday's moose.  Someone has a sense of humor??? 

Moose on the Loose

Are moose native to North Carolina?  I doubt it.  This guy made medo  a double take.  He stands near an access to the Neuse River Greenway in a backyard.  

Bloom where you're planted

Found this little darling beside the greenway trail.  

Backyard Deer

We had a hawk visit one day, and the next a deer lay down and took a nap under a bush for most of the day.  She had a friend deer come visit, and they both took a rest.  Next we looked and they were visiting the neighbors.

We've thought about fencing the backyard but the deer use it as their private hideout.

Backyard Hawk

It was a windy day, and this hawk sheltered in the trees behind our house.  He sat and looked around for a while and then flew off to a more sheltered group of trees.  

I think he's the Red Tailed Hawk that has been screeching around in the tall trees.  

Old homestead another look...

Another view of the old buildings on the Neuse River Greenway, between mile 7 and 8.   Looks to be an old farm.  There are several other buildings in this group.

Happy Valentine's Day

Happy Valentine's Day!

So...Instead of candy and flowers...Hostess DingDongs???

Old homestead?

Between Miles 8 and 7 on the Neuse River Greenway, we came upon a small group of buildings that looked to be over 100 years old.  The property fronts on Louisburg road, and someone lives in a house in the front.  I wonder what the history is of this area?

Neuse River Greenway

A railroad bridge over the Neuse River and the Neuse River Greenway.  The Greenway goes all the way from Falls Lake dam to the Wake county line, 27.5 miles.  It's part of the Mountains-to-Sea Trail, a 1175 mile trail going from the Smoky Mountains to the Outer Banks.  No we didn't walk that far.  Our dog was dragging after 4 miles.

Springtime in February?

I know that winter can't be over yet, but some of the trees are already flowering! A welcome sight in February.

Symmetry number 2

Banana stalk section- JC Raulston Arboretum

I don't know if this one follows Fibonacci or not.  It's really hard to count the sections.

Natural symmetry

We found this agave at the JC Raulston Arboretum.  If you count you could probably see that it follows the Fibonacci sequence. The hard part is to see where each circle starts and ends in a spiral...

Fibonacci Sequence

0, 1, 1, 2, 3, 5, 8, 13, 21, 34, ...

Birch bark

This must be a special type of birch, I don't think you could make a canoe out of these little pieces of bark.

Melting tree

Ginko Biloba tree at the JC Raulston Arboretum

This tree trunk looked like it was melting and dripping down the side.  

Storage anyone?

Seen at a large big box store that starts with a W.  A full aisle and a half of the same gray storage tub.  Is this part of the after Christmas storage sales?  Or did they not have anything else to put on the shelves?

Downtown on a foggy day

It's eerie to see buildings fade away in the fog.

Mural (another) Durant Nature Park

Another Mural on an out building at Durant Nature Park.  This one shows the larger animals in the ecosystem. 

We haven't seen the snake yet, but the rest of them are easy to spot in the lakes.

Mural Durant Nature Park

Mural on one of the out buildings at Durant Nature Park.  All those creatures are living under the still water.

Hole in the sky

"I'm looking through a hole in the sky
I'm seeing nowhere through the eyes of a lie
I'm getting closer to the end of the line
I'm living easy where the sun doesn't shine"

I never thought I'd be quoting Ozzy Osbourne but it sure looked like a hole in the sky.  

Compass Rose Brewery

The Compass Rose Brewery is a small batch brewery.  The list of brews currently being served is posted on a chalkboard behind the bar.  It's kid friendly with games and room to run around.  They don't serve food, but they have a different food truck out front every night.