“Take a look at what surrounds you. You’ll find natural wonders at every turn.”
~author unknown
It’s sweetness in July as a precious white-tailed deer fawn grazes under its mama doe’s watchful eye along the Saucon Rail Trail, Hellertown, Pennsylvania.
“The world’s favorite season is the spring. All things seem possible in May.”
~ Edwin Way Teale
~ 1899-1980
~ American naturalist, photographer & writer
~Teale’s works serve as primary source material documenting environmental conditions across North America from 1930 – 1980. He is perhaps best known for his series “The American Seasons,” four books documenting over 75,000 miles (121,000 km) of automobile travel across North America following the changing seasons.
It’s a beautiful Saucon Valley spring as the evening sun dapples upon the historic Heller-Wagner Grist Mill, located just off the Saucon Rail Trail, Hellertown, Pennsylvania, in this HDR image I shot on the first day of May.
The Grist Mill dates back to the 18th century and operated into the 1950s. The Borough of Hellertown took ownership in 1965, and nearly two decades later it was turned over to the Hellertown Historical Society. The Grist Mill is now an historical museum and a portion of it, the Tavern Room, may be rented for private functions.
The grounds include The Wash House, the smallest stone structure overlooking the mill chase and ponds. Built in the 1700s, it most likely served as housing for early millers and their families, along with a portion of the Grist Mill. It is now referred to as The Wash House, because after the construction of the Miller’s House in the 1800’s, it was utilized to wash sacks for the grain and possibly as the family’s wash house.
The Grist Mill grounds also include The Miller’s House, home of the offices of the Hellertown Historical Society; and the 1860 Walnut Street Pony Bridge and a barn across the street.
“Ballet in the air ... twin butterflies until, twice white, they meet, they mate.”
~ Matsuo Basho ~ 1644-1694
~ Japanese Haiku
Mating white butterflies seem to do a delicate dance alighted on a leaf on an April afternoon along the Saucon Rail Trail, Hellertown, Pennsylvania.
“For the winter is passed. The rain is over and gone. The flowers are springing up. And the time of the singing of the birds has come.”
~ Song of Solomon 2: 11-2
I spotted this painted rock, which paints the hope and joy of spring with a canary songbird, nestled in a bird’s nest on a mid-March afternoon along the Saucon Rail Trail, Hellertown, Pennsylvania. With spring just around the corner, the winter is almost passed, hooray!
I’ve been lucky to see a good number of painted rocks along various trails, but I’ve never seen one so creatively presented in tangent with its meaning as this one, placed in a bird’s nest!The sight harmonizes perfectly with the words from the Song of Solomon 2: 11-2 in the Holy Bible.
This painted rock is likely part of the The Kindness Rocks Project, which was founded by Megan Murphy of Cape Cod, Massachusetts, who wanted to spread encouraging messages to strangers by writing them on rocks she found on the beach. The practice spread and launched similar projects across the United States.
The grassroots project encourages people to leave rocks painted with inspiring messages along the path of life. People are encouraged to take one, share one or add to the pile. You can see just how much impact she’s made when looking up #TheKindnessRocksProject. Learn more about how to join the movement at http://thekindnessrocksproject.com.
