Schedel Arboretum & Gardens

We found many of these Bumbly Bees on a Rose-of-Sharon.
All completely covered with pollen...and very happy!

While sitting all alone at the very stormy Big Bird Day at Magee Marsh in May, I met Veronica, a great person from Schedel Arboretum & Gardens. I had never heard of this place and she invited me and The Doodles out for a visit(I also bribed her with some of my postcards!)

We finally made it out this past Saturday. The weather was great, a very sunny blue sky with a few big puffy clouds and temps in the upper 80's. Perfect weather for visiting and arboretum!

Please visit their web site for some of the fascinating history of the founders and their love of nature.

I appear a little out of place among this well groomed landscape!

This was one of our favorite sculptures.
The gardens are full of wonderful art work, with many for sale.

This was the home of the Schedels. It now serves as a museum and gift shop.
It sure beats the BirdMobile!

Another one of the lovely sculptures.
*photo by the Doodles...

I need a book on nests. I saw this hanging in a small tree.
Nobody home...

This may be a Crossline Skipper butterfly...then again maybe not.

They also had gorgeous water gardens with Water Lillies and a variety of fish.

They have an amazing variety of hot peppers growing in their kitchen garden!

This is a Cabbage White butterfly. I know this one!

This is the Doodles trying to take a photo of a Cabbage White butterfly.
They don't sit for portraits.
*Please note the said butterfly is ABOVE the Doodles camera...
"Where'd it go?"

It's so cool to find a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth!
This one had a number of admirers.

100 shots later...An Eastern Amberwing dragonfly...flying.
I got a little dizzy chasing him around...

A Widow Skimmer dragonfly taking a little break...

This is the closest I've ever seen a Great Blue Heron.
This guy apparently hangs around the garden pond and isn't too bothered by people.
He likes to play Peek-a-boo also...

Here he's doing the Heron thing...very skulky and impressive.

I thought about doing this too. It was very hot and this American Robin had the right idea.
Doodles told me it wouldn't be a good idea for me....spoil sport.

The resident Mute Swan pair.
They guard against Canada Gooseses...not that there's anything wrong with Canadians(hi Susan!)...

I heard the "Jaws" theme playing in the background as this beast got closer.
I left.

You never know what you're going to see!
This is a real old plane...and I was going REAL slow.
I'm surprised it didn't fall down.

This is not Bobb.
One day soon, Bobb will have an update on his happenings and hijinks...
and why his name now has two B's.