Canopy complications
I’m lost in hot, green, steamy woods. Messy leaf and pine needle tangles that bounce sun around. I don’t even know how I got here; which gaze pathway got me to which photo. I know I stood at some spot in the yard. But when I go back to search out exact views, I can’t always find them.
Pine and sweetgum jamboree
Everyone’s looking towards fall and Halloween. Not me. Summer is the only time of year the storms don’t usually spawn tornadoes. A few pack high winds and loads of lightning, though.
OK OK Bud, here you are, with your byline as Editor.
This post edited by: Bud, Editing Cat Extraordinaire
We’re getting close to completing our book project, but Bud cat still fumes every time I dash out because I see the exact glitter I’m looking for through the window. He who has the purest concentration and can lock his gaze on a bug or lizard or an Othercat paragraph, is sputtering, “Dang, girl! We feline editors take in six times the light as y’all humans do and we don’t get distracted every time that light brightens or flickers!”
Long and leafy forest views:
Southeastern sky and forest
Birds and squirrels can make their way through
The piney edge almost looks like wall paper
Extreme leafy calm
All of these pictures could use some tweaking in a photo editing program. I like the effects from that, but just can’t do it right now.
The pines are my favorites.
Pine dance
Evershine pine
Afternoon
The curtain is falling.
Sweetgum in summer
We’ll see y’all later! Hopefully soon, with pictures of flowers and skies and birds from the summer that will leave us, eventually.
I live near a creek in a forest, in close observation and awe of the wildlife outside, as well as the domestic animals of the household. I'm writer Leah T. Alford. I was "catwoods" on this site Catwoods Porch Party, Itchmo Forums for Cats and Dogs, and a few other sites that may or may not exist now. I have now published a book, and the publisher wanted it called Catwoods. I never expected the book title to be the same as my username, so for now I've changed the username to Leah. For more info, click the "About" button above.
Catwoods Porch Party 
all the photos are very good — but the 3rd one below the cat is VERRRRRY Escher-esque !
Thank you betunada! I’m happy you liked the pictures!
I’m with you when it comes to hanging on to summer as long as possible. It’s a short season in Maine.
I always have a sad feeling when summer is ending but OTOH the light is turning more golden here. Those New England autumns always look so glorious; I’ve never seen one but I always see the spectacular photos!
I’m afraid I’m one of those who relishes the idea of fall and Halloween. Here in Phoenix, Halloween is usually the point where we leave the heat behind for a few more months. I certainly hope you are tornado-free!
LOL Candace, I know I’m probably the only person, in any location, who is sorry to see summer go, even with the heat. We are tornado-free for now, but I’m worried about the places that saw tornadoes recently.
Great photos!! Thanks for visiting me so loyally! xo
Thank you, I’m happy you liked the pictures! My pleasure visiting your blog, I always enjoy it. xo in return!
Well you be lookin’ gawjus. What great fotos. Is dat really your backyard? What lush greenness and huge trees. Altho’ we have huge trees we would gladly get rid of, so we feel ya’ there. MOL Have a great weekend.
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
Bud and I thank you, Dezi and Raena! That’s really our yard, the front yard actually. We decided a long time ago to live in the woods. There are lots of challenges, and lots of perks in terms of scenery. All the best!
Yeah, we have a big woods behind our pawrtment and what seems like a woods in our front yard with 6 big oak trees. All mommy sees is lots of dead leaves and bugs. MOL
Luv ya’
Dezi and Raena
Fabulous post, Bud 😉
Bud and I are happy you enjoyed the post!
😀 x
I especially like Pine Dance and Pine and Sweetgum Jamboree! And The Bud, of course!
I’m happy you enjoyed the pictures, Sondra! And the Bud cat is very pleased that you mentioned his picture, too!
I really like the photos! I have been taking nature photos lately myself, and am amazed at the angles and details revealed by photos. I am not a photographer by trade, but I do know how to work Photoshop and even the enhancements on my phone. But I prefer not to. I’d rather see if I can take the perfect picture with the light and angle at hand. You did a marvelous job.
Thank you Claudia! I really appreciate your kind words. I’m far from being a photographer, and had only begun to learn a few photoshop techniques when I became so busy I had to do other things. I was a painter, can’t paint now, so I snap a few pics instead.
I love that your curiosity and creativity continues to grow! There’s so many doors to open out there!
Thanks Claudia! 🙂
Your photos, as always, are stunningly beautiful. They are the highlight of my day. I’m so glad I found your blog.
Thank you so much for your kind words, I’m so glad you enjoyed the photos! I always enjoy your posts and I’m glad I found your blog, too!
Lovely shots, Leah. I love the new growth on the pine trees, too. This summer has been too wet for me to truly enjoy it. K x
I’m so glad you enjoyed the pictures, Kerry! You know, these pictures were mostly taken in July, we’ve had rain showers every day here in August, too. We seem to be getting a break today. Here’s hoping for better weather everywhere, and soon! Hugs from Bud and me!
Hugs back from Toffee and Zhenny and me. 🙂
Bud is adorable. Cats are masters of concentration only rivalled by Tibetan lamas but those leaf photos made me very glad you were distracted. Just beautiful.
Bud and I thank you, angela1313; and he says you are so right about the feline powers of focus! Thank you for your kind words about the photos, I’m glad you enjoyed them!
What beautiful summer foliage. . .it actually reminds me of my childhood home in upstate New York.
Bud looks very assured and up on his game.
Good to see you posting!
Thanks Lauren, I’m glad you like the pictures! I have been ultra busy lately but now have a bit of break for a few days …
The forest looks similar in Virginia and Maryland to me. I’ve never spent much time from New York and father north but I did see the New England forest from a moving train once. All very similar except for the birch trees with white bark, which we don’t have here. Very lovely woods up that way! Bud says hey!
Effie heys back!
Yes, birches are a lovely accent to the Upstate NY woods–re, Robert Frost, “One could do worse than to be a swinger of birches.” We had white pine and at least a couple of other pine varieties–some were intriguingly gnarly.
Lauren, I think we have longleaf pine, but don’t hold me to that as pine identification can be perplexing!
No worries; my childhood memory isn’t that trustworthy either. I remember being told we had white pines, and which trees they were, because my Dad showed them to me in our yard and I learned where they were, and so I could identify them by their locations in our yard. But I couldn’t go into the woods and tell you, “This is a white pine!” I’m just not that visual!
Ah, lovely photos Leah! Just looking at them makes me yearn to get back to our cabin in the woods (actually, we’re going there soon). I”m so glad to hear you’re getting closer on your book–what great news! And glad to see you’re still blogging. I deleted my blog. It made me really sad to do so, but I just had to take myself out of the blogosphere once and for all so I could get some of my other writing done. I’m also working on a grant to teach nature writing at a cool site where Gene Stratton-Porter once lived–have you ever heard of her? She was an amazing woman. Well, I’ll keep in touch. I’ll be reading your blog as you post. Give a big hug to Bud for me 🙂
I’m so glad you liked the photos! I completely understand about the time drain, but I’m sad about your blog being gone, I always enjoyed it so much! You are such an adventurous and exciting writer! You will be perfect for teaching nature writing. I had never heard of Gene Stratton-Porter until you mentioned her to me in another comment somewhere. I’m looking forward to reading her when time opens up. Please do keep in touch – I still have your email although I haven’t been good about corresponding with anyone. Let me know whenever something you write is published. Spend lots of refreshing time in the woods, and hug that C-dog and those kitties for me, too. Bud says, hey!
I enjoyed the lovely leaf shots!
Thank you weggieboy, I’m happy you liked the photos! I enjoy your kitty pictures every day!
Cute editing cat! 🙂 … and i’m glad he’s not in Shrodinger’s Box! 🙂
Bud and I both thank you – he likes for people to notice he’s cute, and thanks also for making us laugh!