Good Planets are hard to find

update in front: our general title for saturday's post came from a song by steve forbert titled, of course, good planets are hard to find.

Again we have been absolutely blown away by the beauty in the photographs that people have sent to us. We feel so lucky to be able to share their sights and insights with you.

Kathryn writes:
"The mushroom photo (which I call A Toad's Perspective) was taken in central New York (near Syracuse, where I grew up) at a nature refuge called Beaver Lake."

"The jellyfish photo was taken when I visited the Monterey Bay Aquarium."

Beth in Pensacola Florida sent this blooming bay tree down by the stream bed.

Miriam B sent us two photos from her visit to Vancouver Island:
A narrow opening in the Plumper Islands, as seen from Weynton Passage.

Resting group of orcas in Queen Charlotte Strait near Malcolm Island.

Dawn sent a photo of this Douglas Squirrel, one of many in her backyard.

Susanne wrote to us from Vienna and sent us this photo from Nepal that she calls "Joy."

"So rarely do the pictures that make us smile contain humans. Most of my screensaver pictures meant to induce feelings of peace and harmony at work are coastlines and ocean ... all devoid of human beings. But this is one that I took in Nepal 3 years ago - by chance I walked past a house that had a fairly newborn calf - on the lap of a young girl who was just soooo thrilled with it - she fairly beams with joy."

RCWBiologist sent us this photo of a red-cockaded woodpecker. He wrote:

"Another shot from my work. I consider myself to be one of the luckiest people on earth as far as my job goes. Of course when I first started as a biologist I wanted to be in the field all the time. As I have matured as a biologist I realize that what ultimately saves species are the laws that are written that we all must abide by. If it wasn’t for the Endangered Species Act, so many more species would be extinct today that aren’t, and many more would be in peril. I am lucky enough in my present position to write some policy regarding threatened and endangered (T&E) species.

This picture is of a just banded endangered red-cockaded woodpecker or RCW as we call them in the southeast. This is one of the T&E species I am so fortunate to work with. I love this picture as it symbolizes to me the paper work (including laws, science, data collection, etc...) that must occur to save all species in peril. The picture was taken in South Carolina at a State Park I worked at in Cheraw."

Kathy A sent us these two photos.
She photographed the young crow, not yet ready to fly.
Her husband photographed the Desolation Wilderness in the high Sierra.

Pam of Tucson sent us this photo of a butterfly. She wrote:

"Can't imagine why this incredibly beautiful and definitely un-plain butterfly is called a Plain Lacewing, (aka Cedthosia penthesilea methypsea). The photo was taken last year at Butterfly Magic, a seasonal exhibit in the tropical greenhouse at the Tucson Botanical Gardens."

Seavu sent two photos:
The first is of orchids at Longwood Gardens, a former DuPont Family estate about an hour outside of Philadelphia, PA.

The second is the Maine coast at Ogunquit, taken in August, 2005.

We love having this opportunity to showcase photographs taken from around the world. If you like these, please consider contributing to our gallery next week. A deep heartfelt thanks to everyone who sent photos. We do live on a spectacularly beautiful planet. Thanks for reminding us.

Photos have been displayed in the order they were received.

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this post was assembled by the wondrous robin while i was braving the broiling sun to paint trim and fashion flashing. i survived. the trim is white. the flashing is installed. the pictures are great.

tomatoes tomorrow!!