Unexpected Things

I know that I may have let some of my fellow bloggers down by not writing about my fun and crazy adventures with mules.
This year I haven't ridden any mule since March.  Most of my free time is spent taking a little breather while hiking with my cameras.

I hadn't even been on PeeWee's most of the summer.  I went for a stroll last weekend and decided to try another 'corn tunnel' shot.  
I was happy to find just the right spot and take this shot.  
PeeWee's is now so horribly overgrown that it is very difficult to hike through. 
I've had to go elsewhere to get hiking in.

Thank goodness for our wonderful county parks and nearby state parks!

So yesterday I was doing chores when I came across several little surprises....

I found these little mushrooms popping up overnight after a 1 1/2" rainfall.  They lifted the acorn right off the ground.
I noticed these while feeding the hounds and went back to my house to grab my camera with the micro/macro lens.

I was fortunate enough to catch a couple of shots of the King Solomon's Seal after the rain, the berries are black under this graceful arched plant.

The bright morning light was diffused through the oak canopy and I couldn't resist squatting under the plant to catch a shot of the wet seeds.

I sort of wonder why I haven't noticed them before this spring.  Perhaps I was always too busy getting ready to go do something else and not really looking around at things behind the shed.
After all that portion of the property is pretty unexciting.
Well, until the other day!

This time of the year is fairly busy for unexpected guests in the form of ground bees and other interesting insects.  I found this guy pretty content to sit on the side of our trailer and let me try to get a decent shot of him.

However to get a look at the ground bees I used my long lens.  Normally I just avoid these aggressive bees, but they are occupying a hole in the dirt right under the south side door.

I guess one of the things I really dislike about September is these horrid little fellows.

If you leave them alone I guess they will eventually go away.  They are using a mole or vole burrough to build their nest deep underground.  These little nasties are yellow jackets and will sting you with a vengeance if you disturb their nest.

I was able to sit very quietly and adjust my camera to grab a few very quick shots of these going in and out of the hole.