"Open your eyes, and see what you can with them before they close forever.”
This quote from the wonderful novel All the Light We Cannot See
by Anthony Doerr is one of my favorites.
I remind myself all the time to open my eyes and see.
During the past few days we have had beautiful fall weather,
and I have been walking along Piney Creek taking in all the sights.
I'm delighted to be home and to have the time to wander,
to say "Hi!" to my favorite trees and to search for animals.
Juvenile Cottonwoods Surround Their Likely Father
(the big dark trunk in the background)
Along Piney Creek, Aurora, Colorado, USA
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Here are some things I've opened my eyes to see:
Alert Mule Deer ~ Don't you love those ears?
(near the entrance to the park)
Aurora, Colorado, USA
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Cottonwood Tree
(near the entrance to the park)
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Milkweed Seeds
I've been watching the milkweed slowly spread along Piney Creek for years.
Along Piney Creek, Aurora, Colorado, USA
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
My "Upper" Pond
There are many, many ponds along the length of Piney Creek,
but there are three along the east side of Heritage Eagle Bend where I live.
Along Piney Creek, Aurora, Colorado, USA
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Common Mullein Stalks Are Everywhere This Fall
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Old Man Cottonwood
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Old Man Cottonwood is my favorite tree in "my" section of the park.
I've been photographing him for many years.
I like to visit him to see what's new, touch his branches, and talk to him.
I feel vindicated in my actions after just finishing an amazing book,
The Light Eaters by Zoƫ Schlanger, last week.
Some of the Lovely and Rooty Textures at the Base of Old Man Cottonwood
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Leaves Caught in a Crotch in Old Man Cottonwood
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Old Man Cottonwood
Here you can see how he's toppled over exposing his base in the left background.
This is why I call him old ~ He's fallen and he can't get up.
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
I remember asking one of my high school science teachers, Jerry MacLean,
if he thought that trees could communicate.
He told me I'd be better served, if I stopped looking out the windows
and paid attention in class.
I hope Mr. MacLean has lived long enough to read The Light Eaters!
If you read it, you will never look at plants the same way again!
Till Next Time, Old Buddy!
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
I encounter lots of people along the trail following Piney Creek.
This guy blew by me peddling his recumbent bike
with Van Morrison blasting "Moondance" in all directions.
Simpatico!!!
I like to roam off the path searching for less obvious life
The Last Dandelions of the Year
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
A Damselfly
What bright blue eyes and a long body you have!
October 22, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Prickly Pear Cactus Hides in Dry Areas
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Asters Still Bloom in Scattered Spots
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
A Ruddy Darter Dragonfly
October 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
The park is very quiet, its life preparing for the coming winter.
I never tire of seeing bullrushes, leaves against the sky, duckweed blanketing a pond
or a path with with leaves to shuffle through.
Fluffy Bullrushes aka Cattails
October 22, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Almost Gone
October 22, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Leaves Resting on a Duckweed Blanket
October 22, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
It's Impossible to Resist Shuffling Through Leaves
October 23, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
And if you're lucky like I was today (Thursday),
you might chance upon some wildlife you've been searching for.
I was pulling a U-e on the way home, and there were the deer beside a house:
Mama, her two almost grown fawns and a fourth unfamiliar deer.
The moment I hit my brakes and rolled down my window,
Mama and her offspring were moving away while the fourth deer looked on.
Serendipity!
October 23, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Mama and Her Fawns
October 23, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
Mama and Her Fawns by Our Driveway
July 21, 2025
© M. Louise (MacBeath) Barbour/Fundy Blue. All Rights Reserved
May you see wonderful things in your corner of the world!
Have a great weekend!
Till next time ~
Fundy Blue
Standing Into Danger https://selkiegrey4.blogspot.com
Copyright ©2025 – All rights reserved.
My next post will be
Friday, October 31, 2025 š¤
On a completely different topic ~ The world recently lost a member of the Moody Blues.
John Lodge, the legendary bassist, singer, and songwriter for The Moody Blues died on October 10th.
I've loved the Moody Blues and their music since I was a young teenager,
and I was fortunate to see them perform at Fiddler's Green in Greenwood Village in the late 1980s.
Sadly only Justin Hayward remains.
Here is one of my favorite song of theirs "Isn't Life Strange" written by John Lodge.
The Moody Blues ~ "Isn't Life Strange"
Filmed at Red Rocks, Colorado in 1992
Isn't life strange?
A turn of the page
Can read like before
Can we ask for more?
Each day passes by
How hard man will try?
The sea will not wait
You know it makes me want to cry, cry, cry
Wished I could be in your heart
To be one with your love
Wished I could be in your eyes
Looking back, there you were and here we are
Isn't love strange?
A word we arrange
With no thought or care
Maker of despair
Each breath that we breathe
With love we must weave
To make us as one
You know it makes me want to cry, cry, cry
Wished I could be in your heart
To be one with your love
Wished I could be in your eyes
Looking back, there you were and here we are
Isn't life strange?
A turn of the page
A book without light
Unless with love we write
To throw it away
To lose just a day
The quicksand of time
You know it makes me want to cry, cry, cry
Wished I could be in your heart
To be one with your love
Wished I could be in your eyes
Looking back, there you were
Wished I could be in your heart
To be one with your love
Wished I could be in your eyes
Looking back, there you were
Wished I could be in your heart
To be one with your love
Wished I could be in your eyes
Looking back, there you were
Wished I could be in your heart
To be one with your love
Wished I could be in your eyes
Looking back, there you were
Source: Musixmatch
Songwriters: John Charles Lodge
Isn't Life Strange lyrics © Johnsongs, Halesouth Ltd., Sparta Florida Music Group Ltd
You know you're getting old when people you listened to as a teen start to die.
ReplyDeleteI envy your trails and all that you can see there!
Thanks for pointing that out, Alex! š My Grandmother MacDonald told me once, "You may see an old woman, but inside I'm 17." Inside I'm 29 forever!
DeleteHi Louise, your photos are absolutely stunning. Beautiful views and gorgeous animals ❤️
ReplyDeleteThank you š so much for sharing, dear friend.
Thanks, Linda! I'm glad you enjoyed them! Sharing our amazing world is why I blog. Happy weekend to you! ❤️
Delete...Louise, living in Colorado, you struck gold! Enjoy the remainder of your Outstanding October.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Tom! I was thinking of you and your Sweetie when I was hunting with my camera. All the best to you both! ❤️
DeleteAll these fall photos make me feel so cozy! I love all the deer too!
ReplyDeleteMy FFO: https://essentiallyash.blogspot.com/2025/10/friday-face-off-sass.html
Ash @ Essentially Ash
Want to follow me on Bookstagram, booktok, add my snapchat or check out my photography?
Fall is a great time to feel cozy, Ash. I really enjoy this time of year. I've been watching the mule deer in this area for over 20 years. The deer are beautiful creatures. Enjoy your weekend!
Deletebeautiful photos. Nature is so beautiful. Have a wonderful weekend!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Maria! I love sharing my Piney Creek photos. I wish you a wonderful weekend too!
DeleteWonderful photos, Louise -- so many of them capture the light so beautifully!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Debra! I always think of photography as painting with light. I hope your eyes are healing well! Take care, my friend! ❤️
DeleteOMGosh what a fabulous post. I so enjoyed exploring nature with you. I have tried get some milk weed here but for some reason no one carries it, except at the Butterfly Pavilion. They get started plants in at spring time. But it is a long way from me and the one time I went to buy some they were sold out. I said all of that to say, I love the photo of the milk weed. Wonderful photos of the deer, and all of the trees. A very nice place you live in. Thank you for sharing with FFO and have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteHi, Nicole! The milkweed along "my" section of the creek appeared before the pandemic with just a small patch near the Upper Pond. Slowly but surely it has spread north along the creek, and I'm finding it all over the area. I'll see if I can find some pods with seeds and collect them. I'll have to dry them for about a week. Then I can mail them to you. You never know. It might work. I'll run down to the area this afternoon. Wish me luck! You have a great weekend! ❤️
DeleteHappy weekend, Fundi
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking to AFFF
Much♡love
Thanks, Gillena! I had a busy, but very nice, weekend. I hope your weekend was good too! ❤️
DeleteLovely photos -Christine cmlk79.blogspot.com
ReplyDeleteThanks, Christina! Have a happy and fulfilling week! ❤️
DeleteMule deer are the least skittery of all. Had one walk not ten feet past me when we lived in ABQ.
ReplyDeleteCan tell you are a photographer. We notice the details.
Yes, we do notice the details, Diane, and we're richer for it. I've actually walked among mule deer, although I don't do it often. They are wild animals. I hope that you had a great weekend! ❤️
DeleteThe Light Eaters is one amazing book. I studied biology in college but it still blew my mind. And you have really lovely photos this week. Welcome autumn. The cooler days have even been slow coming here in New Hampshire, but they are here now. And those mule deer do have huge ears, but I don't think they're quite so skittish as the the white tail ones. I hope you enjoy your walks and continue to have a lovely autumn. hugs-Erika
ReplyDeleteHi, Erika! How cool that you studied biology in college. I considered it, but dropped the idea when my lab instructor pithed a frog. Rocks were less distressing. I loved "The Light Eaters," and I will read it again. It is mind-blowing. I've just finished a book, "American Wolf" by Nate Blakeslee. It's about the reintroduction to wolves in the American west, especially in Yellowstone. The book shows both sides of the issue while following the lives of wolf packs and wolves in Yellowstone, especially a female O-6. It too is amazing. The weather is turning cold tonight, but I enjoy all the seasons. Hugs to you! ❤️
DeleteI'm glad you opened your eyes because I just love every you "see." From gorgeous color to deer to all the details. Yes, I was sad about Lodge too. Such music.
ReplyDeleteHi, Jeanie! I'm late replying. It was a busy weekend! I'm glad that you enjoyed my pictures. I have so much fun taking them. The Moody Blues were special, and I'm glad that I can watch their videos. The world is full of incredible music. Wishing you a great week! ❤️
DeleteThey look like they can fly with those ears haha
ReplyDeleteSure plenty signs of fall showing along your trail. The old man must be really old to have things on his crotch lol
One of the kids' teachers tried to tell the class that trees weren't alive recently. I was just like wtf are they then? Then we just went down the rabbit hole and ended up on that they are alien projections.
Hey, Pat! Where you're at! I can forgive Mr. MacLean for what he said 60 years ago, but a teacher today saying trees aren't alive! Wow! Maybe earwigs are messing with her brain. š Do I sense another book in the works about alien tree projections??? You and I can't resist rabbit holes. Some of your books are like rabbit holes which makes them fun. All the best to you, my friend!
DeleteI enjoyed tagging along on your walk and 'seeing' so many CO things I don't get to see any longer. We loved our mule deer - we have some great pictures of them...in our yard!
ReplyDeleteThank, Dreaming! Colorado is a special place! Muleys like to visit our yard too. I often think of your horse Boomer. I was thrilled to see him in the Parker Christmas Parade. Wishing you a great week!
DeleteLouise, your photos are so beautiful - perfect for autumn. Cottonwoods are among my favourite trees. I find it interesting that you refer to them as "he" - for me, trees are female I refer to them as "she". Interesting. I am convinced that trees can comunicate with each other, not in a spoken way, but in different kinds of "language". You might be interested in the book "Finding the Mother Tree" by Suzanne Simard, a fascinating read. "The Light Eaters" have been on my list for a while, maybe now it will wander into my library. Your wildlife sightings are lovely as well. Where I live we have a lot of wildlife, including in my habitat garden. You are so right in the importance of opening our eyes, may I add, opening the ears as well. Some birds I would have never spotted hadn't I heard them first.
ReplyDeleteLovely post, Louise. I thoroughly enjoyed it.
Thank you, Carola! I'm so glad that you enjoyed my post! I know that Old Man Cottonwood is a he. That's because cottonwood trees are dioecious, either male or female. You can tell which sex a cottonwood tree is by its flowers or catkins in the spring. Male catkins are typically red (more like a burgundy shade), while female catkins are green or yellowish-green. Only female trees produce the fluffy white cotton containing the seeds. Over the years I've learned the sex of my favorite cottonwoods. Old Man Cottonwood sports beautiful red catkins. š I will look for the Simard book for sure. It's lovely that you have a habitat garden. If I had a garden, I would certainly enjoy having a habitat one, especially for birds, butterflies and bees. Opening your ears is as important as opening your eyes. One of my favorite sounds is meadowlarks in the spring. Enjoy your work! ❤️
DeleteI mean week!
DeleteI enjoyed reading "All theLight We Cannot See" several years ago and the music of the Moody Blues has also been a favorite since high school. Your photos are beautiful and the light is perfect.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Jeff! I have a Moody Blues concert playing on my tv right now. I think the video I had in my post is a clip from this Red Rocks concert. I just finished an article in National Geographic about canoeing the Northern Forest Canoe Trail. It goes from Old Forge in upstate New York 740 miles to Maine (with a lot of portages). I was thinking about you and wondering if you had kayaked part of it. Have a great week!
DeleteHi Louise! Oh the fawn are just so beautifully adorable...and that cottonwood tree is stunning. I agree, we need to walk through this life with our eyes wide open! ♥
ReplyDeleteThanks, Rain! There is so much beauty and wonder in our world! Hugs and love to you!
DeleteWhat lovely photos! And I am so very happy that you have that lovely song written by John Lodge! Dear Louise, I will go back and read it again, but have you made an error and you have it as being written by John LOCKE? I know you will correct this if someone gently points this out to you. I don't always notice autocorrection either, I know what I type! It is in that last line, where you said it was one of your favorite songs. Mine too! xxx
ReplyDeleteWell, damn, Kay! I better open my eyes! š. I've had John Locke on my mind because I have been reading philosophy a lot lately. Thank you for gently pointing out my mistake! This Lodge song has been in my mind constantly this past week, even in my dreams. My big problem with my computer is that my "s" isn't working properly, and it's driving me crazy. Happy Halloween! Have a great weekend! ❤️
DeleteNice captures! I love the fall time of year! We're just now beginning to see colors in our part of east Tennessee. Nothing brilliantly outstanding due to not enough rain and cool nights. It's still nice and it's signaling us that change is coming. :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Cathy! Today almost every leaf is gone in my area, although there are drifts of them on the ground to shuffle through. Happy Halloween and happy autumn change to you!
DeleteYes indeed, pertinent queztion "isn't life strange'
ReplyDeleteThanks for linking to Art For Fun Friday
Much♡love
Beautiful photos. Happy November! May your November be a happy one. May your weekend be a happy one too.
ReplyDeleteI follow your blog. Greeting from Indonesia. :)
Happy November! Have a wonderful month!
ReplyDelete