The Quiet Neighbor
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thequietneighbor.bsky.social
The Quiet Neighbor
@thequietneighbor.bsky.social
140 followers 260 following 110 posts
Snippets of a life
She/They
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thequietneighbor.bsky.social
She is full of wisdom and enchantment
A Burr Oak tree silhouetted against the last of the sunset. A narrow strip of lake stretches behind, mirroring the glow and effectively doubling the orange glow.
November 14, 2025 at 9:40 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
American Beauty berries glistening with morning dew. I saw this bush for the first time about 3 years ago in Arkansas and fell in love. Thanks to the MDC plant sale each Sept, I now have 2 dozen on our property.
Close up of an American Beautyberry stem with pom-pom like clusters of purple berries and green leaves. The morning dew glistens on them like a sugar or crystal coating
September 11, 2025 at 4:14 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Creating a cozy fire pit area. Everything but the fire pit (almost 10 yrs old) has either been free or thrifted. We'll install wire for the lights this weekend.
A woodsy fire pit area illuminated by string lights.
September 11, 2025 at 1:39 AM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Our grandog Gatsby had the best day ever hanging out with his grandad Sunday - today was a vet day and while exciting, it was also confusing so he's more reserved today
A young, red, golden retriever looks side eye into the camera while happily chewing a freshly split stick of firewood Gatsby, the grand dog, a young golden retriever lays excitedly near a log splitter while his grandad, (the coolest guy on earth" according to Gatsby) works to split the log build up from last season
July 10, 2025 at 1:22 AM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Dandelions are both beautiful and incessant - I kinda love 'em
Photo in portrait orientation. The frame is filled horizontally with the white seed puff of a dandelion, the upper and lower edges are a blur of green, with smatterings of purple and yellow from ground ivy and dandelion blooms. The center of the photo, mostly behind a veil of white, is a dark sphere which, when examined closer, is made up of tiny dandelion seeds, each in formation with the others, ready to parachute on a mission to discuss and conquer this lawn. Fly high soldiers, fly high!
May 1, 2025 at 2:35 AM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Busy garden, busy gardener
Closeup of a black ant resting on a green leaf next to a cluster of aphids along a wild plum tree branch. The ant was milking honeydew from the aphids. Macro shot three honey ants searching for nectar on a still tightly closed peony bud. The ants are a smaller variety with vaguely striped bodies. The peony bud is mostly green but has a wide swath of pink peaking thru
April 28, 2025 at 12:11 AM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
A Mourning Cloak Butterfly resting on forest detrius. False garlic blooms against a blurred background Eastern shooting star blooming in the middle of a trail The tiniest little oak sapling working for its place in the forest A group of 5 tiny red leaves reaching for the sky. The edges are frilly and the whiteish midveins connect in the center giving it a starburst vibe
April 16, 2025 at 3:23 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Took a long weekend to camp, bird watch, paddle and hike around Pomme de Terre in mid Missouri.
The earth is still living, doing its thing and it's marvelous.
A Black Rat Snake meanders by our lunch spot on the forest floor. This guy was noticed about 30 feet down hill and we watched quietly as he made his way right by us and into a hollow stump just past this tree. A Black snake slithers thru a smattering of tiny wildflowers next to a tree trunk. With it's head slightly lifted, the white underside is just visible Toadshade in bloom sharing space with what might be false garlic that is not yet blooming. A close up shot of bonfire moss growing on a charred spot of the forest floor. A nugget of black charred wood is visible in the foreground, tight, tiny, green growth on the ground give way to numerous tall slender stalks with tiny bulbous heads. You could imagine it is forest scaled for ants A freshly worked cavity on a standing tree trunk. Rough greyish bark surrounds a hole that is edged in the golden brown color of the exposed inner bark layer
April 16, 2025 at 3:07 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
This guy was doing his part a few days ago to stand out, my phone zoom wimped out a bit though
April 3, 2025 at 6:51 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
No idea what's going on here, just happy to be playing outside

#artplay
#getoutside
#alfrescoart
March 26, 2025 at 8:32 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Turkey Vultures have been back for a couple weeks but I'm finally getting to enjoy evening cocktails out back and watch them surf in the spring winds.
#BirdWatching #TurkeyVultures
Turkey Vulture soaring directly above with bright blue sky behind and a rogue tree branch in the bottom left corner
March 23, 2025 at 10:35 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Nelson Atkins Museum of Art, Survival of the Fittest.

A stunning show - the detail, texture and colors are jaw dropping.

The featured artists fed society's desire for real conservation efforts. Their approach, while not perfect, was an important step that got us moving.
#ArtOpensDoors
A large open exhibit space, two large paintings flank a wide opening into the next series of works Close up of artist's signature on an exhibited painting "Rich Friese 99" Tiger with Antelope by Rich Friese Exhibited in the Nelson Atkins "Survival of the Fittest" special exhibition Close up showing part of the painting, Wanderers Above Timberline by Carl Rungius
March 22, 2025 at 10:59 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
So let's leave some blue up above us
Let's leave some green on the ground
It's only ours to borrow, let's save some for tomorrow
Leave it and pass it on down

-Pass it on Down -
Alabama
#WeekLforLyrics #AlphabetChallenge
A young child hangs out a car window to take a picture at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge. Out the window lies well flooded wetlands housing one of many muskrat dens and further afield thousands of migratory geese, swan, and ducks.
March 20, 2025 at 3:54 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
A naked dust devil passed thru my yard today announcing itself with the rustle and twirl of a few fallen leaves. As it passed behind me, I took it as an invitation to dance. It was soul soothing to be enveloped and then take a twirl. I watched it continue on and thought, now I can too.
#natureheals
I came across this seed pod splayed open while cleaning up the garden today just after my dance with the naked dust devil. After my dance with the wind my soul was soothed and I was ready to start seeing again, seeing the beauty that nature offers continuously if we look Pictured is an unknown seed pod, splayed open like a flower, it's contents was dropped to the ground or a bird's snack.
March 8, 2025 at 11:04 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Conservation at work

Controlled burns are a vital part of that work, keeping the area habitable for wildlife and safer for humans nearby

Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge March 2021
#WeekJforJobs #AlphabetChallenge #BlueskyArtShow
Photo of the sky, water and smoke during a controlled burn at Loess Bluffs National Wildlife Refuge in 2021. The sky and water fill the frame with only a very thin line of distant golden brown marsh vegetation denoting the horizon just below mid frame. On the right, a large plume of smoke rises to mid sky and is then blown to the left eventually out of frame. Smaller trails of smoke are visible rising between the horizon and the main smoke trail. All of this is reflected on the mirror still water below
March 3, 2025 at 2:43 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
The Elder

This tree impressed on our hike today. While doing a quick search for species (maybe white oak ?), I stumbled onto the term 'Wolf trees' and am enamored with the idea. Trees that predate the surrounding forest, true living legends.
#getoutside
#becurious
Brown winter woods full of bare trees are backdropped by blue sky, a faint trail leads away from the viewer and passes by a large branching tree that fills the frame. This tree is obviously well more mature than the surrounding trees and stands impressively, as if both the commander and comforter of the first. It's limbs directing all corners of the woods and while also offering a place for respite
March 3, 2025 at 2:52 AM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Nobody's home
#WeekIforInside
#BlueskyArtShow
The inside of a decaying log fills the frame. The lines of the renewing wood extend away from the viewer to a small bright spot in the center(ish) of the frame.
March 3, 2025 at 2:12 AM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Ooh! I love ferns! This reminded me of my stumble upon of their reproduction habits on a hike in the Illinois Ozarks. Curiosity piqued!
The backside of a fern frond fills the frame. Each tiny leaf is dotted with a brown spore sack that is about half the size of the leaf, and bulges with the hope of new life. *Terms are descriptive only, botany terms for this process are still unfamiliar to me
February 28, 2025 at 12:45 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Hyperspace
#AlphabetChallenge
#WeekIforInside
Spiral stairs photographed from underneath resemble the whorl of a snail shell. Small light orbs inside long rods hanging from the center of the ceiling and tiny twinkle lights on the spiraling stairway give a celestial vibe and blue to the space Photo was taken during a holiday light festival inside a barn silo that is converted into a viewing tower.
February 26, 2025 at 2:54 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Our girl likes tiny tastes of the backyard. When outside she is timid and painstakingly considers every paw plant, but today she settled for a bit and I caught a glimpse of her wild side.
A white cat with black markings on its face and back stands behind blades of grass peering into the camera with yellow eyes rimmed in black
February 26, 2025 at 2:41 AM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
#Caturday is for naps
The head and shoulders of a sleeping cat is photographed lying atop a cozily crumpled, orange throw blanket. It is on its side with a single paw tucked under its chin. The cat is mostly white with black marking above its left eye and on its ear. The perspective is from above and the cat faces left of frame
February 22, 2025 at 7:07 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
The Quiet Years
#BlueskyArtShow
#Abandoned
A red-orange, mid 70's AMC Pacer photographed head-on sitting in a field. Where it's hood and engine used to be now grows tall field grass and flowers. It's headlights give the feeling of resignation or sleepy contentment. It is framed on each side by more tall field weeds, a sunflower and hints of neighboring vehicles that share the same resting spot
February 22, 2025 at 2:07 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Falls Park
Sioux Falls, SD
December 2020
#WindowWednesday
Portrait orientation photo. On the right is a portion of an old, single story, weathered wood building from a long ago shuttered mill operation. A river enters on the left and disappears behind the building. The mill has two windows facing upriver and one facing the viewer. It sits atop a brick foundation that has lost parts of its facade layer giving it a pockmarked appearance, this brick foundation is constructed with an off center, low, open archway and sits atop another foundation constructed of large stones. Just beyond and below this building, a river flows over and around large rock outcroppings creating a single fall (probably 10 foot or so tall) that is split into three trails of white as it falls to the continuing river bed below. In both the foreground and, in lesser amounts, among the rock outcroppings are groupings of grass and wildflower vegetation, all in various shades of golds and reddish browns. Beyond the river is an expanse of winter brown lawn dotted with bare trees and farther off is a low hill covered in more, less discernible, winter bare trees. The sky is mostly light gray with wisps of lighter and darker clouds and a hint of blue.
February 19, 2025 at 5:37 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
Birbs! Birbs! Birbs!
Sketchbook open to a page drawn with a bare brown branch save for two black-capped chickadees (of unexplained size variance other than lack of artistic aptitude). The two chickadees are drawn in a loose style with black marker. Under the branch, a third chickadee (drawn in the same style) flies by with wings in a downward posture. In the top right corner are the words "Birbs! Birbs! Birbs!" sitting on their own miniature bare brown branches.
February 19, 2025 at 3:19 PM
thequietneighbor.bsky.social
A virtual walk in the woods to cleanse the heart is in order. There are so many good things in this world. The bad is everywhere too but we can't let it get to our core
February 18, 2025 at 5:24 PM