While in howarth park, I spotted these beautiful birds swimming around with the ducks --probably looking for one of the guests at howarth park to give them some bread--. They were in a group, and got pretty close to us; they are probably really used to people now from everyone feeding them.

Right outside of our house, there is this stump of an old tree we cut down. When I saw it today, it seemed bigger, but then that was when I noticed it looked bigger because of the fungi that was growing around it. I tried to look up what type of fungi it was, I'm guessing some sort of mushroom, but I can't figure out what type it is...It almost looks like the fungi you would find in the rainforest.

Me and my aunt were walking around Lake Ralphine and saw this blackberry bush. It did not have any blackberrys or buds on it yet, but it was for sure some sort of blackberry bush, and it wasn't planted there, because it wasn't even a home area. It was a hot day, and the soil was mostly made up of dirt and dried leaves.

While walking threw howarth park, me and my aunt spotted some leaves ground in a large clump on the ground. The leaves were pretty big, and they were low to the ground. They weren't too spread out and came in groups in the same area. I believe it looked like some wild cape ivy, or some type of ivy.

While walking on one of the trails in Howarth park, me and my aunt spotted some bright yellow little flowers. it was a nice hot day out, and they were half in the sun, and half in the shade of the other trees. The soil was mostly bark, dried leaves, and some dirt; yet they were doing just fine.

In howarth park, there were some clovers on the ground. They were not far off the path, but they were surrounded by other species of plants. The clovers came in a bunch, growing out of some soil that was mostly dirt and dead leaves. They were in a nice spot, also, where they could get some sun.

Me and my aunt were walking around looking at plants, and we found a plant with very small flowers on it. The flowers clumped together at the top of different shafts, and were bright yellow. The ground around it was hard, but there was some very short little grass coming up all around it. It was located in a pretty open area, and was getting a lot of sun

By some blackberry bushes I saw, I found a spinney type of plant. It had a purple flower sticking up, and was pretty tall. Not as tall as me of course (I'm 5'3"), but it at least came up to my chest. The weather was warm outside, and I was walking threw Howarth park.

When walking in Howarth park, I was looking for plants, when I saw a plant that I was hoping not to find; poison oak. I remembered the saying "Leaves of three, leave 'em be". Well, now I know to be cautious of where I walk in Howarth park.

While walking threw howarth park, I noticed tons of these oak trees. Just some common oaks, but they must really enjoy howarth park, since there were so many of them. Most of them had some lichen growing on them, or poison ivy crawling up the side of it. The soil was mostly dirt with some dried leaves and sticks and stuff.

When walking through Howarth park, I noticed some plant that brushed against my leg. It kinda tickled as it did, from the thin little flimsy spikes that stood out from the blossom. The soild was made up of dirt, dried leaves and sticks, and it was a nice warm day outside. Other plants laid around this one, so I guess it had some competition for water.

I was walking up this hill that leads to Lake Ralphine, and I stopped by this fern. I do not know exactly what type of fern it is, bu the ground around it was rocky, and dusty. It was mostly in the shade, but some of it was in the sun. The hill wasn't all that big, but this plant did lay at the top of it.

I heard a flicker like sound go past my ear when I was going up to Lake Ralphine, and when I went up to where the thing had landed, I saw this grasshopper. When it flew, it looked yellow, but when it was on the rocks, it blended in and looked a greyish-brown color. It was fast and is was hard to get a picture while it was still.

Going up to Lake Ralphine, I spotted ton of this lichen stuff hanging from the trees. It was hanging in big clumps, and in small clumps. The size had a varied rage to it. it was mostly in shaded areas though, and on a lot of oak trees

While walking to Lake Ralphine, I saw a very pretty lizard. His belly shone in the sun a lovely iridescent blue, and his back was slightly shining a yellow color among the brown. He was on a rock, doing push-ups in the hot sun, luckily the rock he was on was in the shade. Another lizard was also there, a huge northern alligator lizard.

I do not know if this is the correct identification for this frog, but it looks an awful lot like a foothill yellow-legged frog. I saw him in the pond in the back of my house. We never put any type of life in there, besides plants, but this year we have seen these frogs hopping around in the pond. He is a medium sized frog. I'd say that if I held out my hand, he would fill up most of it. We have also seen bunches of tadpoles in the water.

At howarth park, we were down by the lake and saw these ducks come right up to the shore of the water. I think they were probably hoping to get lucky for some food, since so many guests there feed the birds. They were swimming around with the geese, and getting pretty close to them. It was also a very hot day outside.

While walking threw howarth park, I saw bunches of this lichen on the trees. It peeled off easily, but was everywhere. It also covered whole branches of trees at a time. It was a warm day out, but I believe that lichen has been there longer than just today. It has probably seen all sorts of weather, yet survived.

While walking past my pool house an a hot day, I spotted a long skinny bug; a mayfly. He didn't move at all as I took pictures of him. He was pretty high on the wall, but not high enough for me to not get to him. The sun was directly on him.

Out by our fountain, there is some bright purple flowers that these honey bees just love. I see them swarming around here a lot. Today there was like 4 of them. the day was warm out, and the flowers are not in the shade.

We have this bin we keep our pool supplies in, but since it has been winter lately, we haven't been using our pool much, therefore, we haven't opened that bin in awhile. Today I opened it up to see what was inside, and I found this spider nest. I do not know what type of spider it is, but whatever it was, by the time I saw it, I think the spiders had crawled out.

In howarth park, I stopped by this tree that had a smooth redish trunk. The trunk was colder than the air temperature, and on the leave, there were tiny green buds hanging off. the soil was made up of dirt, and dried leaves, and it was growing in a shady stop.

In my backyard, I found a funny little worm crawling around. When it crawled, it would curve its back up, then stretch out forward, then curve up again and stretch forward, ect... It was crawling on a rock when I saw it, and the day was a nice warm temperature. I call these little guys inchworms, though, I am not sure what moth they turn into.

Out in my backyard, i saw this bumblebee resting on one of the steps that lead up to our backdoor. He wasn't moving at all, even when I got close to him he stayed still. It was, however, a hot day out so maybe he was just hot.

In my backyard, there is this this pot we have had upside-down for a long time. It is placed by our pond. Today I decided to flip it over, and when I did, there was a whole ant farm! With ant eggs and ants crawling everywhere. I didn't see any queen ant, but I'm sure she is a little ways underground.

While walking to Lake Ralphine, I heard a rustle in some leaves. It sounded so big, that I thought it was a rat! but then I saw it scurry up onto a rock. This is when I realized it was just a huge alligator lizzard. His head was greenish-yellow, and his body a greyish-brown. He had to be a little less than a foot long, but he was huge. I could only get one picture of him before he ran away. But there was also a blue-belly lizard by him.