Neighborhood Walk

Today I went for a walk around my neighborhood.  I was surprised at the amount of yard art I saw.  Here's a bicycle similar to the one I used to ride years ago.

I like the bicycle a lot.  Not sure I can say the same for the lacquered wood beaver ....

This pump was interesting.  I have actually used real one likes this long before they became yard ornaments.

I thought these were real at first.  We have a lot of deer in our neighborhood.

This yard has the most eclectic items in our neighborhood - that is why it is my favourite. 

See that dog in the background of the above picture?  Here is a closer view.  There are some real advantages to having an ... unreal ... dog like this! 

Only about two blocks away I came across this house.  The metal sculptures are great.

Here is a closer view of the ant you can see in the above picture.  Notice the sunglasses!

This robin is real.  And he was having a "real" good time finding worms since we have had so much rain lately.

Thanks for stopping by.

Lilacs

It has taken a while for spring to arrive in the Midwest.  But finally .... I think it may be here.

One of my favourite flowers is lilacs.  There is a lilac arboretum in Des Moines that I like to visit every spring.

The park and its well known lilac bushes have been around for over 100 years.  In the past few years the park has been greatly improved.  Many volunteers have gotten involved to donate such things as park benches or to sponsor individual lilac bushes.

The day I was there I saw many people just walking slowly among the lilacs and enjoying the day.  People always reach over, pull a lilac close to them and smell it.  The lilacs are extremely fragrant.

I also noticed the redbud trees were in full bloom.  They are usually associated with regions south of Iowa but we are now seeing more of them. 

For some reason I did not take a picture of a redbud tree but you can see a couple in the background of this picture.

In addition to the lilacs, I came across an apple tree that was in full bloom.  Apple blooms are quite beautiful.  In my opinion, an apple blossom is the very essence of spring.

I saw some daffodils that were still in bloom, though they were almost at their end.

Mother Nature is truly the world's greatest artist.  After a long, cold, dreary winter she puts on quite a show before we settle into summer.

Tulips. Tulips, Tulips

I drove to a small town this weekend that celebrates a tulip festival every spring.  I got there very early so I could see the tulips without other people around.

The tulips were everywhere.  Though they are always in large groups I find it most enjoyable to look at them individually.

There are so many different colours of tulips.



I am partial to red ones.  You can see the windmill in the background of this picture.

 

These tulips were different but I liked them.

There are several buildings as part of a museum.  This is the side of a church.

This bronze statute is of a man with his bicycle.  Notice the wooden shoes.

He is packing his pipe.

Seeing all these tulips and the pride this community has in them was refreshing. 

I enjoyed seeing them and taking a few pictures of them.

State Park

I recently went to a state park not far from my home.  It was a nice afternoon and in the middle of the week.

I was surprised that the road into the park was closed.  Later I learned the road was covered by water in six places due to the heavy spring rains.

The flooding was not massive but it was enough to close the road.  There is something special about moving water.  I liked watching it come through these blocks.

I was surprised at the number of people who left their cars behind (as I had done, too) and ventured into the park.  If you wanted to get across the flooded areas you had to carefully walk over blocks like the ones shown above. 

These two hikers were carefully stepping across the blocks.

To be honest, even though the water is not deep it still gives you a bit of an uneasy feeling to walk across.  The top of the blocks are a little wet and slippery so you have to be careful.

You also have to be careful when you hike up the steps that have been provided if you want go up the trail.

The hike up starts very gradually but eventually when you look back you see you are actually getting pretty high up.

Here is another view of the trail.  It is actually well maintained overall.  With the railing and level walking area it is very user friendly.

Of course hikers are reminded to stay on the trail (just in case they might have other ideas).  In this spot where a rail is broken away, it is a long ways down though it may not look like it in this photo.

Sometimes the best things to see are the smallest.  As it is still very early in the growing season there is not a lot of colour - but this very small flower caught my eye.

Just getting out in the fresh air and walking is good.  However, I am looking forward to seeing more colour soon.

Birds, Birds, Birds

This morning I went out towards a wooded area near where I live.  I wanted to see some birds.  I saw this blue jay at a feeder.

But he flew away.

Then a downy woodpecker flew over but he seemed more interested in the bottom part of the feeder.  Wonder why?  It is just .... wood.

I looked up and saw a goldfinch.  This is Iowa's state bird.

Suddenly a rose breasted grosbeak flew in.  These birds do not like company and the others left - in a hurry.  Notice the beak on this bird!

They are a very attractive bird but certainly have a "leave me alone!" look about them.

This red wing blackbird stopped by - but only after the grosbeak was gone.

Up in a tree I saw a traditional red headed woodpecker. 

Finally this little guy was around to clean up anything the birds might have knocked to the ground.

I saw these birds, the squirrel and more in less than 30 minutes.  Mother Nature is quite amazing but you have to be willing to stop and look. 

Gatsby

One of my favourite books is F. Scott Fitzgerald's The Great Gatsby. 

As you know, the story takes place during the 1920s.  This was a time of great excesses, materialism, changing values and rebellious behavior.  The prohibition against alcohol only made drinking and the party lifestyle more attractive to people.

A new Gatsby movie has just been released.  This one stars Leonardo DiCaprio and Carey Mulligan.  It is in 3D.  Some critics have said it creates a dizziness effect.  I am trying to keep an open mind.

I will go see it.  Why not?  Who could resist seeing any movie version of such a great story?  I confess I will have reservations since I do not like seeing a great work turned into a special effects movie - but hopefully that is not the case.

I remember how much hype the 1974 Gatsby movie got.  That one starred Robert Redford and Mia Farrow. 

I remember that movie as being disappointing.  I suppose that given the excellence of the book, the cast and the heightened expectations, that was a lot to live up to in 1974. 

This newest release will be the 5th Gatsby movie made.  It is very hard to capture on film how you think characters look as you read the novel.  I have always felt that Shelley Winters looked exactly like the Myrtle Wilson character when she made the 1949 movie version.

She looks deliciously decadent in this image -- an image I am sure Fitzgerald would have approved for the theme of his story.

Alan Ladd and Betty Field were cast as Jay Gatsby and Daisy.  Many have argued Ladd played the best Gatsby.  Perhaps the 1949 movie was the truest to the book.

My guess is that the 2013 movie will be fun to watch - lots of visuals and sounds and as fast paced as you can make the story.  Certainly the 3D will add a new dimension (bad pun intended). 

Here is a photo of F. Scott Fitzgerald and his wife, Zelda.

If you are interested in such things, you know about the relationship of Fitzgerald and Zelda and can see how that would have inspired The Great Gatsby novel.  The parallels are striking.

In any event, I am looking forward to seeing the new movie.  However, no matter how good the movie may be, it can never replace the book.

No movie can compete with the power of the human mind's ability to create images and scenes.

Antique Store

There is a saying that goes "one man's junk is another man's treasure."  Today I was in an antique store and thought about that.

I saw this old metal can as I stepped in.  Interesting ....

Then there was this cookie jar that got my attention.

When I saw this guy I wondered where his white horse was? 



Then there was this mask from Sri Lanka.   I doubt many people have one of these.  I was tempted ....



I liked this sign.

Who could resist this guy?

These almost came home with me - but I am not sure why.  Or even what they are.  But I liked them.  I think.

And guess what?  Each of these photos was taken with my iPhone!  Someone told me my phone can even be used to make a call.  Imagine that ....!