Late Winter Scenes

A picture can tell a thousand words so we are changing the focus of this blog to more of a photo journal of the seasons. In the coming months we will feature some of our work as well as the work of other Naturally Native Squids and Zazzlers.

February in south Louisiana usually means early spring. While the rest of the country is experiencing late winter, we look forward to pairs of Carolina Chickadees, Eastern Bluebirds and Wood Ducks checking out the many nest boxes along the nest box trail that we have erected throughout our property. Pairs start scouting in late January and some have been known to start laying eggs in February.

Bluebird Pair Postcard by naturegirl7 on left

Flowers like Taiwan Cherry tree, Plum Delight shrub (seen behind bluebird pair photo above), native Red Maple, Daffodils, Narcissus, Violas (Pansies) and Camellias are blooming all around the yard. These trees and shrubs are used by wintering hummingbirds and the Violas and bulbs provide nectar for butterflies and bees.

St. Francis Among Pansies by lalagniappe

mgbphoto is a Senior and Naturally Native Squid, as well as a fellow Zazzler. She takes lovely photos of lighthouses and also natural subjects. I love this one of a herd of deer in a northern winter. Snow is not a sight that we see often in the south, so we must enjoy it through lovely pictures like the one below.

Peace at Christmas by mbgphoto

If you like nature and nature photography, you'll probably enjoy Nature at Its Best.

Holiday Giving - Donate to Animal Charities

Where does the time go? I can't believe that 2009 is almost coming to an end and that the holidays are right around the corner. When one thinks about the holidays, one can't help but think about gift giving, and in this poor economy about the less fortunate.

In addition to people, my thoughts go out to all the pets that have been abandoned nation wide. Locally, I mourn for all the wild animals that have been displaced when local contractors, who were high on the post Katrina building boom, bull dozed hundreds, perhaps thousands of acres of natural habitat. Today, because of the poor economy, much of this scarred and ruined land sits bare, adding to the flooding problems and to the water pollution of local streams and rivers. The land is now unsuitable as habitat for the wildlife and will probably grow up with invasive exotic plants that many of the animals can't eat.

As Squidoo lens masters, we have not only been writing lenses (pages) about nature and the outdoors, but we have also been dedicating a portion of each lens to organizations, like the National Wildlife Federation and the Humane Society, that help animals and nature. Other lens masters are doing the same and we have created some directories of some of the lenses and the lens masters who created them.

Senior Squids Animal / Nature Directory
As the motto says: Senior Squids may be older, but are no less bolder. When you look at the quality and quanity of the lenses by Squidoo lens masters who are 50 years of age or older, you find the cream of the crop.

This will be the first in a series of directories that list lenses, written by members of the Senior Squid group which focus on an aspect of Nature. This directory will focus on lenses about the Animals or Fauna of our beautiful Earth. We know you will enjoy the lenses that are listed here. They are a fine example that we are not getting older, we are getting better.

Fresh Wonders Nature Contest
Welcome to the third weekly contest and tutorial lens of the new Fresh Wonders of Ning. This week's contest will feature Animal and Nature lenses.

The Fresh Wonders Squid with the winning lens will be rewarded with the Wonder Squid Award, a Spotlight interview and a little write up on Fresh Squid blog. All Squids are welcome to create and submit a Nature lens during the week of November 2 - 8, 2009.

Senior Squids Go Buggy
The Senior Squids have been working hard all summer, so they have decided that it's time to have a little fun. They are all getting out their butterfly nets and mayonnaise jars with the holes punched into the top and they're running through the fields and forests because Senior Squids are going a little BUGGY with this Challenge.