Theme Day: My Favorite place in Town

Annie Louise Wilkerson Nature Preserve is my favorite place in town.  

At one time it was outside of Raleigh, the favorite get away for Annie Louise Wilkerson, a prominent doctor in Raleigh. It was a working farm when she owned it, and she used it to get away from the city.

When she passed away, she gave the land to the city to be used for education and preservation.

Her old farmhouse is now the education center.

 

Happy Halloween

I didn't know Jack Skellington lived here.  I don't know how he fits in the door.

 

Pumpkin season

I can't tell if he's happy or sad, but this pumpkin is ready for Halloween.

 

Boo

We found this little ghost sitting on a stump off the lake trail.  He's number 7.  I wonder where the rest of his friends are.

 

Sneaky

Mr. Heron was hiding out in the shade.

 

Neuse River

Down by the river on a quiet day.

 

Nut?

This interesting fruit is filled with air.  

It's a Bladdernut.  The fruit is like a balloon with seeds inside.    (see here)

 

How hot?

This table at the farmer's market came with a warning.

They didn't give out taste tests.

 

Bird?

This, I believe, is an American Bird Grasshopper.  Indeed when it flew past I thought it was a small bird. (see here)

 

Pearl Crescent

I think this is a Pearl Crescent...but all the Crescent butterflies look alike to me.  (see here)

 

Blue

The blue jays were loud, and busy thrashing in the leaf litter. 

 This one looked like he was listening for bugs.

 

Green

It looks like a green lawn, but no.  It's a green pond.  I wouldn't go swimming there.

 

Common

The Common Buckeye is an uncommonly pretty butterfly.  (see here)

 

Dog fennel

The dog fennel was head high.

 

Beautyberry

The Beautyberry bushes were loaded.

 

Mockingbird

Mockingbirds like to sit on the highest point and observe their territory.  This one posed for me for a long time.

 

 

Sleepy Orange

I think this little guy is a Sleepy Orange butterfly.  (see here)

How did it get a name like that?

 

Peek a boo

It's grasshopper season again!

 

Bees

The bees were busy in all the yellow flowers.  A carpenter bee snacked on a yellow crownbeard.

A honey bee in the goldenrod.

 

Goldenrod season

The prairie was filled with goldenrod.  None of us sneezed though.

 

River

A peaceful afternoon on the river.

 

Ready to fly

This milkweed looked very orderly.  

 

Neuse River

Another view of the Neuse from the greenway.

 

The Bike Guy

The Bike Guy rents bikes on the greenway.  Probably not the old ones he's got hanging up in front.

 

Neuse

The Neuse river looks quiet today.

 

Exploring

Picking flowers maybe?

 

Fishing

Net fishing on the Neuse river.  He did a lot of throwing, but not a lot of catching.

 

Blewit

We found these little beauties growing in the neighbor's grass.  I've never seen a purple mushroom before, but I think it's a Lilac Blewit.  Great name too!

 

Mushroom

October is mushroom season.  This one would make a perfect elf house.

 

Across the lake

Every body of water in North Carolina seems to have a heron.  We had to look closely for this guy, across the lake enjoying the view.