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Wednesday, August 7, 2024

The Small Stuff

 

The last few times I walked around the lake I paid special attention to the "small stuff" - all the little and even tiny things for which we usually don't stop or even just look. This year I started to look closer, often in wonder about how deliciously beautiful nature is. I want to show some of this "small stuff" in this post, together with the "bigger stuff".

Like these Canada Geese. They are very reliable residents of the lake.


Some kind of bumblebee (I think) on the flower of a thistle who didn't mind me at all taking pictures.


Another little insect - if anyone knows what it is, please let me know - on Yampah (Perideridia). This plant has actually kept me in confusion for the longest time and I'm still not 100% sure that it is Yampah. It would make sense, though, since it is a California native and found in abundance here. But maybe I'm completely wrong and it is something else. Sometimes trying to identify plants that all look somewhat similar leaves me in bigger confusion and only shows me how much I do NOT know. It can be very frustrating.


Same plant with a big spider web - I hope you can see it.


And more spider webs - they are abundant at the lake.


Often fluffy stuff gets caught in them.



This is a favorite photo I took in June of what I assume is Foxtail barley (Hordeum jubatum) - beautiful, but invasive.


Talking about invasive species - this is a part of the lake, even though you can't see any water. It is completely covered by Common Water Hyazinth (Pontederia crassipes), a highly invasive plant. It does look beautiful - many invasive species do.


Thankfully the Water Hyazinth was limited to two smaller areas of the lake (and I hope they won't spread any further). The water was clear, sometimes I saw otters who are always way too fast for my camera. Branches were lazily floating near the shore.


The lake has beautiful views, that I will always enjoy - they never get old.


Don't get fooled by the glorious red color and don't get near this plant and NEVER ever touch it, or you will spend the next few days in agony over a terribly itching rash. This is Western Poison Oak  (Toxicodendron diversilobum) - beautiful to watch, especially when backlit, but only enjoyed from a distance.


Lichen can be found everywhere - on the trees and on the ground. This one is Oak moss. Isn't it beautiful?


I also love lichen on rocks.


There were even some very sweet faces to be found at the lake. The Park's vegetation management is back, on four legs and very hungry. Wildfire mitigation at its best.


One last photo of the lake with a favorite tree.





18 comments:

  1. The 'small stuff', Carola, looks great: the Canadian geese, the bee on the flower, the lichens on the rocks...
    The views of the Lake are very attractive!
    As for the poisonous plant, I wouldn't enjoy it even from distance.

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  2. The little things are HUGE in my world. Otters? My eyes are glowing green.

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  3. As you know, Carola, I am very fond of looking at the “small stuff”, the real engine of nature in so many ways. It is such a pleasure to read of the meanderings of your curious mind. Too bad we couldn’t go on nature walks together. We might never come home! Hugs - David

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  4. The nature sceneries are so fantastic

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  5. Your post beautifully captures the often-overlooked details of nature. The close-ups of insects and spider webs are stunning! I love the lichen photos and the contrast between the invasive Water Hyacinth and the Foxtail Barley. The Western Poison Oak looks fascinating but definitely one to admire from a distance.

    Thanks for sharing these lovely moments from your lake walks!

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  6. As you well know, Carola, that small stuff is often the most interesting yet often overlooked. I liked the "face image" of the Foxtail barley which was beautiful even if invasive as you noted.

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  7. Love your photos as always.. The invasive species are taking over massive amouts of territory here, too, which means that our natural species will die out. Have a great weekend, hugs, Valerie

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  8. I love that Oak Moss. The tiny details is where you find the best of nature, I think.

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  9. How many of us look but do not see? You have "seen" and the results you are are so very beautiful and a reminder to us all to look. And never stop looking.

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  10. ...beautiful small stuff make beautiful big stuff!

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  11. Liebe Carola,
    im Kleinen wie im Großen, im Nahen wie im Entfernten war es ein schöner Ausflug, zu dem du uns virtuell mitgenommen hast. Was das kleine Insekt betrifft, gehe ich davon aus, dass es sich um eine Mimikry-Fliege handelt - also eine Schwebfliege, die auf Wespe oder Biene macht (wie hier in manchen Beispielen gezeigt > https://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mimikry ). Zumeist kann man sie gut an ihren Augen, der Anzahl ihrer Flügel und ihrer Art zu fliegen identifizieren.
    Oh ja, Wasserhyazinthen sind hübsche Pflanzen - wir haben sie in Indien in großen Mengen in voller Blüte gesehen. Hoffen wir, dass sie euren schönen See nicht allzu sehr erobern können!
    Alles Liebe und eine feine neue Woche, Traude
    https://rostrose.blogspot.com/2024/08/weltreise-2024-immer-noch-neuseeland.html

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  12. I enjoyed your walk, Carola. I'd definitely stay away from the poison oak - I was very allergic as a child and imagine I still am. Love the leaning tree.

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  13. Estas pequeñas cosas me encantan. Que tal tu pierna, ya andas del todo bien. Yo hace tres meses que me operé y todavía no estoy bien, va muy lento. Un abrazo.

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  14. Liebe Carola, danke für deine wunderbaren Fotos deiner Touren am See. Mich begeistern immer wieder die Kanadagänse und du nahmst ein besonders schönes Fotos von ihnen, als sie wie eine Perlenschnur auf dem See glitten.
    Es ist so schön, jetzt draußen zu sein. Und ja, du sagst es, die kleinen Dinge zu bewundern bringt uns zudem die größte Entspannung.
    In dem Sinne :-) entspannen wir uns. YES.
    Eine Umarmung für dich.
    Viola
    p.s. ich habe deine Frage auf meinem Blog beantwortet. Wir waren einen Tag in Nordböhmen, welches an das Lausitzer Gebirge grenzt. Am Lausitzer Gebirgsrand wohne ich jetzt und Nordböhmen (Sudeten) ist in Tschechien.
    Alle guten Wünsche für dich.

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  15. Such a lovely post, Carola! I never tire of nature, big or small. Have a great week!

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  16. The small stuff of life is often the most beautiful and meaningful. Nature's details are so lovely. Love the lake photos.

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  17. I absolutely love this small stuff acknowledgement of the lake, the spider web is my fav, so amazing to see the things we often overlook! Hope you have an amazing rest of the summer!

    xoxo, MidoriLinea

    https://www.midorilinea.com/blogs/midori-linea/panda-village-koala-world

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  18. Stopping by Carola, to say thank you for your kind thoughts and condolences on Eddies passing.

    I do hope to get back to regular blogging soon.
    In the meantime, my thanks again to you.

    All the best Jan

    PS I enjoyed seeing your photographs.

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