Monday, April 30, 2012

Red Admiral Butterfly

It's been a little harder coming back than I thought it was going to be. It's a busy job being me right now. I got all of my things from Michigan, but I've only barely begun unpacking them. The great new format of Nature Center Magazine is also keeping me a little busier than I thought it would. I also have to make time to go out and actually have these everyday adventures that I love talking about so much.

I'm sure you've guessed from the title what kind of butterfly I have here today for you. That's right, it's a red admiral butterfly, the first I've ever seen. I found this at the beginning of the trail at Five Ridge Prairie Preserve. I happened to see another one a few days later right in my backyard.

The really good news is that I made it back to Five Ridge and got to see very many new things I'll be bringing you in the next several days. I'm beginning to love that place very much. I can go on short hikes there if I want, and I can also go there for very long hikes. Flat land or hills. Forest or prairie. It has everything.

That's not the only good place I've been in the past few days though. There are nature parks all around me where I live now. Being here is a dream come true for me. Any nature lover would be in heaven living here. I used to think all there was here were cows. I was so very wrong, but we have those too.

Just wait 'til I tell you about my slightly terrifying adventure with Isabella. It came close to being a nightmare, but we both got out of it fine. It ended up as only amusing though. I'll bring that one to you as soon as I can.

A question before I go today. I recently signed up for a Google+ account. Google+ is like Facebook, which I don't have. My question is, what is it for? I read that I could use it to help promote my blogs, but it seems like I would have to write in it as if it were another blog. I don't want to do that. I already have blogs and I think I like blogging more than stuff like Google+. Am I missing something? Is there something fun there that I'm just not seeing, or are things like Google+ and Facebook just extra work?

Monday, April 23, 2012

Getting Back To Normal

It's hard for me to get back to writing again for several reasons, but here I am. I never intended for my little break to last so long. I got all of my stuff from Michigan, but I'm still not settled all the way in yet.

About the time I got ready to begin writing again my computer decided to choke on me again. Another computer of mine that I was counting on went poof and is now dead. There is some good news though. I'm using my newest computer, a laptop, to write this post. But I'm used to my main computer and its comfortable keyboard. I'll just have to manage.

Anyway, I'm back! The long break has left me unaccustomed to writing, so that is a small fading problem right now too. But as you might be able to see by the picture above, I've had a few adventures in my blogging absence.

I'm featuring Five Ridge Prairie Preserve today. The old road in the picture above is actually the nature trail. it confused me at first. I walked down this road for quite some time looking for the trails before I realized I was already there.

This is probably the biggest nature park I've ever been in. A person can get very lost in here. What an adventure! It's only about five miles from where I live, which makes it close enough for me to have plenty of time to find my way around.

I may have shown you some of this from my first trip here, but I can't remember so I'm showing it to you again. There's more green here now anyway. I haven't seen much in the way of wildlife yet, but I hear there is a lot, maybe even some buffalo!
 
They keep the road barred shut, so the only way in is this little walkway. I still found myself watching for traffic every once in a while anyway. I'll have at least one more post from this trip before I'm off to another adventure. I'll have something a little fun to show you.

In other news, Nature Center Magazine is now undergoing a huge change for the better. You can read all about it on the main page there. I'm sure everyone is going to be happy with it.

So, was this post okay today? It was a little difficult getting back, but hopefully my writing and everything else will return to normal as the days go on now. See you next time.


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