When one tree in the garden is sick, you have to care for it. But don’t overlook all the healthy trees. — Thich Nhat Hahn
– Thich Nhat Hahn
— Thich Nhat Hanh, The Heart of the Buddha’s Teaching
Everything has beauty, but not everyone sees it. — Confucius
A superior man is modest in his speech, but exceeds in his actions. ~ Confucius
Spring at the William Harris Homestead
This spring I had the pleasure of being called back to the William Harris Homestead to take more photographs. It was a treat for me because I was able to photograph the log house in a different season. (You can view Autumn at the William Harris Homestead here.)
This is my favorite photograph of the log house. I love the early spring foliage on those tall, majestic trees.
I was hired to do three jobs this time. I took photos of the log house and outbuildings, including their beautiful new pavilion. I photographed another field trip, and I also got to take some staff photographs. The people who work at the homestead are talented, knowledgeable and warm-hearted, and they give the kids on the school tours a real treat. I’m going to include some photos from all those sessions in this one post, so I hope you enjoy them.
A view of the barn, the salt house and the log house in the background.
up close view of barn walls, corn crib and log house and smokehouse
log house and pavilion
The staff at the homestead are very happy to have this new pavilion which is used for various events and rentals. It has nice bathroom facilities for guests too.
Field trip. Students get a tour of the log house and learn about the early Harris family and how they lived in the 19th century.
Inside the log house
A Civil War reenactor teaches kids what daily life was like for a soldier in the Civil War. Here one of the students is inspecting a soldier’s boot.
Students also receive a blacksmith demonstration (pictured above), a hay ride, and view artifacts that have been excavated at the homestead.
The excellent staff at the William Harris Homestead. Pictured left to right: Robby Mitchell, Dixie Hamilton, Melissa Basta, Margaret Parker (seated), Doc Watson, Tanya Parker, and Butch Dover
Just the ladies
Have you ever been to the William Harris Homestead? If you live in Georgia and haven’t been yet, I highly recommend you stop by!
Downy Woodpeckers
One morning I was sitting on my front porch and reading aloud to my boys when these two downy woodpeckers flew into a nearby tree. I was so glad I had my camera with me.
At first we thought it was a male and female courting each other, but we never saw a red patch on the back of either head, which would indicate a male. They looked like two females, and one of them was fussing at the other.
Could it be a mother and a juvenile? Juveniles have red crowns, but they will fade as they mature. Perhaps this mother is trying to tell her offspring that she won’t feed it anymore? But I took this photo on March 24th. Hmmm. Do they nest that early?
Could it be two females fussing over a nest site? We just don’t know. If you have any ideas, please leave a comment!
Downy woodpeckers are the smallest woodpecker in North America. We see them a lot in our yard, and we love them.
What birds have you seen lately?
Shelli Pabis Photography 