I was going to write about my great time at the Plein Air Festival this past weekend but I have had so many wildlife and nature experiences lately I thought I would write about it instead. I did take some neat pictures of the festival. I will write about it later.

The first picture is courtesy of NASA and the Cassini spacecraft. It is a picture of the earth as viewed from Saturn. I love it and it called out to me. NASA did a public relations stint called Wave At Saturn. The picture itself was taken on Saturday. I love this picture ad I loved the pale blue dot taken years ago as the Voyager spacecraft took a picture of the earth as the spacecraft itself passed by Pluto on it’s way to the outer reaches of our solar system. Sometimes just looking at the picture reminds me how precious everything is and how my issues, worries and concerns can be put into perspective.

Sunday I came home briefly after being away for three weeks and was shocked when I went to enter my apartment I was hit in my forehead by a hornet. He did not sting me but let me know if I was not going to be here he was going to build his home. I’ve never been head butted before by a hornet. He and a partner had just started building their new home. I knocked it down and hopefully they are building elsewhere now. I took the message from the head butting to pay attention to myself and my home. The hornet would have been great in a V-8 commercial smacking mr on the head.

I took the second picture at sunrise on Sunday morning though it may have been Saturday, the dogs where I was pet sitting had me up earlier than I am used to and sunrises were my prize. Besides it was coolest then with last week’s heatwave. I am a confirmed night owl so sunrises are a stretch for me. I admire them, enjoy them but I am most active late afternoon to late into the wee hours of the morning.

At another pet sitting job the people have a beautiful garden that attract a multitude of butterflies. The tiger swallowtails are very accommodating to be photographed however the painted ladies are very skittish and bolt when I try to get a picture of them. I really like butterflies. Their life cycle amazes me and the distance some of them travel is impressive. Sometimes the swallowtail would fly about and look as though they were going to land on my shoulders. Some got in my face as I think I got into their personal space.

I took the bottom picture while on the dock one morning this past week. I did not realize until tonight that I captured all the snails in the picture too. They were everywhere on the grasses and mud in the shallows of the river.

My most intense experience with nature took place Tuesday afternoon. I came home to drop off my stuff before heading to my night job. As I drove up I saw a turkey vulture sitting on the fenceline by my backdoor. I drove up slowly so as not to frighten him. He calmly watched me drive up, get out of my car and gather some of my things. I was eye to eye with him as I approached the gate. I asked him to move over a little so I could enter my apartment. It was almost as if he was waiting for me as he reluctantly moved over two fence sections to allow me to head into my apartment. When he looked into my eyes he pierced my soul and I felt a sense of protection offered by the vulture. He hopped off the fence and walked across the drive to the field all the time keeping his eyes on me. I know many people are frightened or repulsed by vultures but I find them fascinating. I love to watch them soar on the thermals and never flapping their wings. On the really windy days when they go streaking through the skies dipping high and low. I feel animals and nature are filled with meaning, signs and have provided me with many amazing connections. Without sounding too crazy it really felt like the vulture was waiting for me. Since I was a small child I struggled with connections with people and turned to nature and animals and found a deep connection. I learned to communicate with animals long before animal communicators became popular. I think it helps me out when I pet sit.

Have you ever had an experience where you felt an animal or animals were communicating with you or nature inspired you?

Enjoy your Wednesday!