Nature walk at the In-laws Ranch...

Fred decided after last week that I needed a quiet walk in the woods with my camera so we went to visit his parents at their ranch today...

This is a plant my Mother in law has that I love, the blooms look like little butterflies...

Crablike spiny Orb Weaver...I almost walked into it's web, Ekk...I think they are so cool!

I always check out this Old Oak to see if anything is hiding in it and nothing today. The woods were really quiet today, not sure if it was due to the oppressive heat or maybe there was something bigger out in the woods?

It was definitely quiet until I found the family of noisy Green Jays...I have so wanted to see and get a photo of a Green Jay and I was able to do this today...Yea...But I was disappointed as the lighting wasn't the greatest and I am totally NOT liking my telephoto lens either...but I reminded myself to enjoy the jays and I did...There were two juveniles and their parents. I was watching them from a distance and trying to get a good photo through the trees when the youngsters spotted me. They came right over and perched above my head and chewed me out noisily and were also scrutinizing me and the camera...I couldn't help but laugh at them. The parents stayed further away but were watching...

My photos do not do them justice as they are beautiful birds, with green/yellow bodies and black and blue on their heads...The juveniles were kind of scraggly looking as their adult feathers were just starting to come in...

Ekkk...I didn't see this on my nature walk but back at the ranch house, lol...Grandpa bbq'ing his delicious Brisket...

Thank you for stopping by and taking a peek...