This is a nice peaceful beach, but 75 years ago, different beaches were not a tranquil when some 156,000 Allied troops had landed on Normandy’s beaches to attack the German forces on D-Day. Instead of pretty colors reflecting on the sand from a sunset, the D-Day beach landings were bloody as the first waves of landing forces suffering terrible losses.
A Tranquil Beach
I have been seeing a lot of deer tracks in the muddy soil, even some tiny ones, although I haven’t spotted any fawns yet this spring. I did startle a doe the other day as we both were surprised with the encountered but she bounded off a lot faster than I could.
Surprised Deer
The rain today on saturated ground will cause more runoff and dry creek beds will be filled again with flowing water.
Flowing Again
This warm, sunny day in June is showing off more color from the irises starting to bloom this season.
Iris in June
In addition to the free fishing weekend, it is also the free state park this weekend so many of the parks had an increase in the number of visitors on this nice June day enjoying the scenery like this waterfall on the Willow River.
Falling for the Falls
This weekend in Wisconsin, it is the free fishing event which allows everyone to enjoy the sport of fishing without the need of a license. Although there is no cost, that doesn’t mean you have to catch only the teeny, tiny fish which are barely bigger than the bobber.
Tiny Fish
There was an air quality alert out today, due to the smoke from Canada and so sensitive people were warned to reduce heavy exertion outdoors. But work has to continue, especially on farms, and even critters and creatures carried on with their tasks. The bees were busy collecting pollen on this very warm day.
Busy Bee
The Bleeding Heart is not a native flower, but it blossoms say spring to me. As a kid, I would pull the outer pink petals off to reveal the inner heart. But one of its other common names is “lady-in-a-bath”, which comes from the shape when held upside down and the outer petals are only pull at a 90 degree angle and the two halves form the tub with the lady sitting in the middle. But since I never pulled them partway, it was not a name I associated with the flowers.
The Bleeding Heart
Birds and bees were active in the apple blossoms when the sun peaked out for a while today. Although some blossoms have started to fall already, creating a white layer on the ground but at least it wasn’t snow. Although it looked like it was snowing today with the fuzz from the poplar trees flying thick in the air.
Sunny Apple Blossoms
During the cold, wet raining day yesterday, my porch railing was filled with orioles trying to get out of the rain as they kept visiting the feeders. But among all the orange color of the orioles, there was a brilliant red bird too. He was a soggy but colorful bird and at times would look at me like it was my fault it was raining. The Scarlet Tanager forages mostly in tall trees for insects as well as nesting 20-30 feet above ground, so normally you only catch a glimpse of color high in the trees so it was unusual to see one perched on my porch.
Soggy Scarlet Tanager
