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Naturalists and photographers, even amateur “enthusiasts” such as the two of us, know that being outdoors early is the key to success in seeking our subjects. Birds – well – even children know “the early bird gets the worm“. Blooms are more likely to be fully open as the early rays of the sun glisten on dew drops among soft petals. Bugs typically follow the peak blooming of the flowers for access to that sweet nectar.

Yep. All of the above is what motivates us to spring from our comfortable beds and rush out the door while it’s still dark. The “Golden Hour” awaits.

So, there we were at one of our favorite patches – in the middle of the afternoon.

No, we didn’t oversleep (although that has been known to happen). It was just one of those “Hey, feel like a short ride before supper?” sort of moments. “Sure!“. —>Is there any question why I love her? (That would be – “nope“.)

Our expectations of encountering much to observe with that sun so high in the sky were not keen. But the mere anticipation of “getting out of the house” and looking at lakes and fields and trees had us excited nonetheless. One of my favorite quotes is “a short visit to the natural world is better than no visit“. Okay, I just made that up, but it should be a famous quote.

Wrong time of day. Not much time to spend. Low volume of wildlife activity.

What a wonderful time!

A messy mass of weedy stems. Closer inspection reveals a multitude of bright white and yellow blossoms. Prairie fleabane (Erigeron strigosus). Not really sure if it’s a bane to the fleas, but those flowers certainly made us feel better.

A fungus among us.

Our activities did not go unnoticed. I know that birds don’t express emotions but the look from this Eastern Towhee sure seems like one I’ve seen from some humans who would prefer to be left alone thank you very much.

Jam, jelly, preserves. Berries shall soon replace those dense clusters of white flowers. Elderberry (Sambucus nigra subsp. canadensis). I heard stories that Grandma kept a bottle of elderberry wine on the top of the tall tri-corner cabinet in her kitchen right next to the old wood-burning stove and could be reached by standing on a chair and stretching my 8-year old arm as far as — or, at least that’s what I thought maybe I heard ……

Common in pastures as they follow browsing cattle which cause insects to move out of their way and “gulp“, Cattle Egret appreciate the food-finding service provided by their bovine namesakes. Handsome in flight, too.

We came across a patch of White Sweetclover (Melilotus albus) dotted with colorful Lantana (non-native but with its extensive commercial landscaping use, has become common in many natural areas). The section of clover was about 20 feet wide. I stood in one spot for several minutes happily watching about a dozen hairstreak butterflies sip from the small blooms. A bonus, a nice-looking moth larva. Interestingly, the butterflies never visited the Lantana. Three different species of hairstreak in one spot. What a great day!

Once again, we prove that even a short unplanned visit to the Natural World can provide immense enjoyment. The Golden Hour is quite special, no doubt. Being out there – at any hour – is always “lucky“.

Enjoy your search for a natural place and come back for a visit!