Pond with those floating islands.

Excuse me while I talk about my iPhone camera and not the shot above (my house is barely visible in the far right behind the trees). I took this picture at about noon and I didn't adjust the colors at all. The blues look almost too blue but I don't want to argue with my phone. I think the camera is better than my Canon, but that's not a very big challenge.

I'm eating too much candy. We had only 1 group of 4 trick or treaters on Friday night. Wha? Weather was good, front light was on, what gives? Unfortunately, we bought candy based on history. Which means I have 6 or 7 bags of Reese's Peanut Butter cups, Trix, etc. Giving away most of it tomorrow I hope. Not all. Just most.

I can plainly see what these are -- floating flowers and plants -- but I don't know why they are.

 

These islands of plants appeared in the pond next door earlier this summer. My husband has asked park employees what their purpose is -- aesthetic? to aid some wildlife? -- and has gotten unhelpful answers. Each island has an anchor so they are not technically free-floating I guess. Although the one at the top was on the shoreline so I don't know what that means. Any ideas on their purpose? I'm happy to have them, no matter why they're around.

Bullfrogs. Lots and lots of bullfrogs.

 

I took this video last weekend when the bullfrogs  (I think they're bullfrogs) in the pond next door were having a spring orgy. Turn up the sound to hear them singing. Since they are said to be a bio-indicator species, I guess the pond is in good shape, despite all the poison some of my neighbors apply to their lawns and that runs into this pond. I'm not one to nag neighbors about the harmful things they do in their yards, but my family sure has to listen to me complain about it.

This is the pond in February or March, with a couple of ducks on the left standing on the thin ice.

What's this tree? And look at the babies next door! I don't get too attached b/c nature some times gobbles one up. (Update: Kitt's right, it's a horse chestnut tree.)

The pond next door. And goslings!

Photo credit: Doug Jones.

The pond at sunset today.

Still mostly frozen over despite warmer weather all week. No sign of the otter today.