Went for a walk on our nature trail yesterday.  Some highlights:

- monarchs flying around us

- two monarchs resting in a pine tree

- squeezing "milk" from the milkweed pods

- opening the milkweed pods to see the hundreds of seeds perfectly arranged like the layers of a pine cone

- the deep gold flowers on the goldenrod plants

- the swollen stems of some of the goldenrods

- seeing a deer bed

- feeling the wind rush past my face and hair as I stood with my eyes closed in the sun

- grasshoppers jumping at eye level

- exploring the bluebird nest - the woven grasses, chicken feathers, and weeds

Earlier in the week:

- eating fresh plums from the tree

- noticing the apples turning a deeper shade of red

- picking flowers and hosta leaves to create flower arrangements

- canning eight quart jars and one pint jar of organic tomatoes