Saturday Critters ~ 359 ~

 The weather has just been terrible here in New Jersey, 

fog, rain and wind...I can't remember the last time I saw the sun.

Still, when we have time, we take a ride to Lake of the Lilies, drive around the lake

and look for hidden critters to photograph!!

The Great Egrets are still here and I have been seeing them during each visit.

This Egret played with it's catch of the day for some time...

really torturing it...

before swallowing it whole, not very difficult to do!

It took off soon after, I was happy to get one decent flight shot.

There are a lot of Sparrows in the bushes close to the lake, this one is a Male House Sparrow.

This one a Female House Sparrow.

I think this is the fanciest fungi I have ever seen, definitely picture worthy!

Good thing I had a Pot Roast to cook on Thursday, 

it was the perfect weather day for it.

Cooked with this...

it went into the oven looking like this...

Plated...

I think this is this best thing to eat on a stormy day!

Do you have a favorite meal for an unseasonable day?

Sharing today's images with Eileen at 

Viewing Nature With Eileen 
for Saturday Critters

Our Town Turned Creppy

 For the first time ever, 

our home town is hosting a decorate your home for Halloween Contest.

The town posted a few pictures on-line along with the addresses of the homes that are participating.

I'm so bummed that I just found out about it,

I wish I had known sooner and had more time to visit the homes.

We went for a drive on Wednesday evening and saw some great decorations,

but it rained on Thursday and a lot of the homes listed said they would not be lit again until Friday.

Some of these decorations were amazing and there is one house we really need to return to.

These next 2 collages are from the internet!

We saw the last house but most of my pictures did not turn out well.

If it's not raining tomorrow, we'll go back.

These families sure do have a lot of Halloween spirit!

Jack O' Lantern Experience Part II

 Today, I am sharing

the rest of the pictures from the 

Jack O' Lantern Experience at Skyland Stadium

- If you saw my post on Monday, you can skip over this next part and head straight to the pictures -

Thursday, without too much planning, we decided to take a ride and see this 

Halloween - Pumpkin 

stay in your car, drive thru experience.

Similar to a drive thru Christmas light display but with pumpkins.

You needed to pre-purchase timed tickets, and all they had left for Thursday evening was 9 p.m.,

the weekend was sold out, and I thought that would be too crowded.

The hubs said no problem, once he got home and ate,

he would sleep and we could go after he woke up.

The only "tiny" - "this is not the perfect evening trip"...

it was a 2 hour drive from home!

I was fine with it, of course...and the hubs seemed fine with it,

so I pre-purchased the tickets on-line.

- it was not to disappoint -

Skyland Stadium in Frankford Township, New Jersey, whomever put this together did and awesome job!

And I am so grateful to people like this who are giving us things to do, 

that keep us safe and bring us joy!

An Egret & A Heron

 I continue to see Great Egrets...

A large, pure white, heron-like bird, much larger than the Snowy Egret.

According to my bird book, and my recollection, this bird migrates for winter.

I don't think I have ever seen them this late into fall!

Perhaps they are still here because the temperatures have been so warm, 

it feels like summer.

I spotted this one "hiding" in the grass, fishing I presume.

There is always that one blade of grass, branch or stick...always!

It spotted me right away and took off.

And because I am terrible at flight shots, this is what I got.

There was one Great Blue Heron, also hiding out.

Here there were so many blades of grass, I wished there were only one!

This gray-blue heron is large, 

with long legs and neck and a huge dagger-like bill that it uses for fishing.

And yes, that is the only picture I got before it flew off.

They are both so skittish...

compared to the ducks, swans and geese that could care less that you are there and barely move an inch.

I took these pictures when I was out this past Saturday at 

Lake of the Lilies

It's Finally Fall

It finally looks like fall.

I actually prefer calling it autumn...autumn sounds prettier,

and it is such a pretty season!

We've had so much rain, fog and gloominess, I haven't even acknowledged the change.

It was a gloomy, dark, misty day, no sun shine in sight...

but I knew if we did not get out to see this road soon, the trees would be bare, 

the leaves lining the street.

It is our favorite road to see during this season...

neither of us know the name of this street, we just call it "the pretty fall street, with the horses",

we both know what that means.

It is by Delicious Orchard, so we come here first and then visit our favorite market.

The colorful leaves were gently falling, it was magical and the view certainly did not disappoint!

This street is lined with beautiful farms and well maintained horses.

Afterward, 

we headed off to Delicious Orchard and filled our shopping cart with some delicious, fresh foods.

I have written several posts about Delicious Orchard, 

you can peak at those here, here and here...it's a great market in Colts Neck, New Jersey.