Nature filled Saturday

March 2, 2025 4:04pm

We’ve been lucky in Atlanta that the tail end of winter and beginning of spring has had some really pleasant weather so far. Most days are cool mornings followed by temps warm enough for t-shirts.

I spent most of Saturday outdoors in nature, taking advantage of the weather.

Saturday morning was spent with Trees Atlanta helping to remove invasive plant species from the park in my neighborhood. The target was Carolina cherry laurel which is considered invasive in this area, but native in the Carolinas.

Later, I took the dogs for a walk around the trails of Mason Mill, which has some nice elevated boardwalks and trails that head off from it.

Here’s some photos of one of those trails that starts out running underneath the boardwalk.

A wooden bridge with visible support beams spans over a dirt pathway in a forest. The area is surrounded by trees with sparse foliage, and the ground is covered with fallen leaves and pine needles. The sky is clear and blue.

Then it winds off away.

A narrow dirt trail winds through a woodland area with tall, leafless trees and some shrubs showing early signs of greenery. Sunlight filters through the branches, casting shadows on the path. The sky is clear and blue.

Active freight rail passes through the center of the park.

A train partially visible through a dense thicket of bare trees and branches, with a clear blue sky in the background. The scene captures the interplay of natural and man-made elements.

Underneath view of a wooden bridge with beams and supports, spanning over a small creek. The surrounding area features exposed soil and vegetation with sunlight filtering through the branches.

This was my first time trying out these paths and it was fun to find two City Champion Trees, meaning they are the largest examples of the species in the greater Atlanta area.

A tall red maple tree stands prominently on a woodland path. Bare branches extend upward against a clear blue sky. A sign in the foreground reads “City Champion Red Maple, Acer rubrum.” Surrounding bushes and trees show early signs of foliage.

A large tree in a forested area with a sign in front. The sign reads “City Champion River Birch” with the scientific name “Betula nigra.” It lists measurements from 2021: 11’ 2” circumference, 72.7’ tall, 80’ crown spread.

A view from the boardwalk trail.

A calm, reflective pond bordered by dry, brown vegetation and tall, leafless trees against a clear blue sky. Sparse greenery is visible, adding to the winter landscape feel.

Later, we met up with a friend to walk around Murphy Candler Park.

Three people are smiling in an outdoor setting with leafless trees in the background. The person on the left has a beard and wears glasses and a blue cap. The person in the middle also wears glasses and a denim shirt. The person on the right has glasses on their head and is also wearing a denim shirt.

From left to right we have: me, my partner Beth, and our friend Shubam. (Hi, Shubam!)

It was a great day! I’m feeling content that I was able to spend so much time outdoors. Easy access to nature, even right outside my door, is one of the things that I really enjoy about living in this city.

February 25, 2025 9:32pm

Everyday 084

Auto-generated description: A tall tree with bare branches stands among smaller pine trees under a clear sky.

February 24, 2025 9:08pm

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A small plant with thin branches and several red and green leaves set against a blurred background of natural vegetation.

February 17, 2025 9:48pm

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A small plant with red and green leaves emerging from a thin stem, set against a blurred natural background.

February 15, 2025 12:42pm

Finished reading: Parable of the Talents by Octavia E. Butler 📚

I really enjoyed this series, but ended up preferring Sower over Talents. Very glad to have read the two books back to back, as I felt I may have bounced off of Talents if I had too much time between the two.

February 13, 2025 12:21pm

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Auto-generated description: A barren tree trunk stands beside leafless branches under a clear sky.

February 9, 2025 10:23pm

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A close-up of a yellow leaf on a bare branch, set against a background of tangled branches and trees under a clear blue sky.

February 8, 2025 10:07pm

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A monochrome image of a forest with tall trees. In the center is a tall, broken tree trunk, surrounded by bare branches and various types of foliage. The sky is clear in the background.

February 7, 2025 12:06pm

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Close-up of reddish-brown soil covered with scattered dry pine needles. Ice crystals can be seen in the soil.

February 5, 2025 8:28pm

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A black and white photo of a landscape featuring a large tree in the foreground surrounded by smaller trees and bushes. The backdrop displays a sky and a line of dense trees with visible branches. The ground is covered with scattered leaves.

February 4, 2025 12:01pm

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Realized I uploaded this one but never made the post! (Or the post got lost, haha.) So, it’s been backdated.

A broken white toilet lies among leaves and branches on the ground.

February 2, 2025 11:22pm

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A stone planter sits on a bed of dry leaves, surrounded by low stone walls and greenery. Trees are in the background.

January 31, 2025 1:08pm

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Auto-generated description: A forest floor is covered with a layer of fallen leaves under dappled sunlight.

January 30, 2025 9:44pm

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Auto-generated description: A small plant with green leaves is growing inside a hollow tree stump surrounded by fallen leaves.

January 30, 2025 5:58pm

Crazy weather this month: it’s snowed twice and now it’s 70 degrees! ❄️❄️☀️

January 28, 2025 8:57pm

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A close-up of a decaying tree stump covered with green moss and partially surrounded by dry leaves. The surface of the stump shows the lines of growth rings.

January 27, 2025 6:12pm

A forest scene with tall trees and numerous branches. Many brown, fallen leaves cover the forest floor. A large, fallen tree trunk with moss runs diagonally across the foreground, and small trees with brown leaves are in the background.

Sweetwater Creek State Park

January 27, 2025 2:40pm

Everyday 071

Auto-generated description: A stone gargoyle statue with wings sits among trees and gravestones in a cemetery setting.

January 26, 2025 8:30pm

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A cluster of green pine needles lies on a forest floor covered with dry brown leaves and pine needles.

January 25, 2025 9:10pm

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A dense pile of twigs and branches, with scattered leaves, in a wooded area. The background shows trees and sunlight filtering through. The image is in black and white.