great swamp wildlife refuge Archives ⋆ Polka Dot Cottage

Posted on September 10, 2018September 10, 2018 by Lisa Clarke — Leave a comment

Moody Swamp

Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge Droplets and leaves in a web

This weekend,the 15 year old and I went to the Great Swamp in the rain. His idea. “Bring the camera,” he said. It was wet, unsurprisingly, and we had the entire place to ourselves. I don’t think that has ever happened to us before. It was nice. And a tiny bit creepy.

Read More: Moody Swamp

Posted on June 7, 2016June 7, 2016 by Lisa Clarke — 2 Comments

Birds, Flowers, and Mud. So much mud.

A month ago today, we walked through a muddy forest and took pictures of birds, flowers, and more. NJ can be beautiful, even in the rain.

Read More: Birds, Flowers, and Mud. So much mud.

Posted on February 4, 2014April 27, 2016 by Lisa Clarke — 9 Comments

Wintry mix

I found a few things to love about winter today.

Read More: Wintry mix

Posted on October 9, 2011 by Lisa Clarke — 2 Comments

Sunday in the Swamp

Today was a beautiful and warm October Sunday. My children were content to spend a lazy afternoon in their PJ’s playing video games, but me? Not so much. So I grabbed my camera and went solo to one of the prettiest places I know: The Great Swamp Wildlife Refuge. Do you see the frog in […]

Read More: Sunday in the Swamp

Posted on October 3, 2010October 3, 2015 by aidan — 13 Comments

The Swamp Trip

[This post was written by my 10-year-old son, Aidan, aka Boring Office Guy. Enjoy! –Lisa] I am my mom’s son (obviously) but my point is Lisa is my mom. Anyway this is my first post and it is about this swamp trip. Here are the pictures my mom inspired me to make. By the way […]

Read More: The Swamp Trip

Posted on October 3, 2010June 12, 2013 by Lisa Clarke — 9 Comments

Mother Son Swamp Trek

I got an itch to wander through the Great Swamp today with my camera, and Aidan decided to come with me. Having lost his beloved flip video camera on Friday night, I suggested he borrow my old Canon S3 – it doesn’t zoom anymore, but everything else about it works, including the video functions. We […]

Read More: Mother Son Swamp Trek

Posted on September 11, 2010September 10, 2010 by Lisa Clarke — 8 Comments

Swamped

I followed-through on my idea to spend some quiet time in the swamp by myself yesterday. If you have the chance to spend an hour by yourself, seeking out beauty and listening to the lush sounds of nature do it. I was there for just under an hour. My only regret is that I didn’t […]

Read More: Swamped

Posted on September 10, 2010September 10, 2010 by Lisa Clarke — 6 Comments

Friday Photo Love

You can tell how much time I’ve had for play by how many photos I’ve had a chance to notice: Only six? Yeah. Kind of busy this week. I spent Thursday so tightly wound, I thought I might snap. This summer-to-fall transition is really just as hard for me as it is for the kids, […]

Read More: Friday Photo Love

Posted on May 30, 2010July 4, 2010 by Lisa Clarke — 7 Comments

Memorial Day Weekend

Memorial Day Weekend. For so many families in this area, it’s a time to hop in the car and spend a few glorious days at the Jersey shore. For us, though, it’s always a relaxing weekend at home; a chance to anticipate summer and revel in some of the simple pleasures of life. Yesterday morning, […]

Read More: Memorial Day Weekend

Posted on April 5, 2009April 5, 2009 by Lisa Clarke — 5 Comments

Birth days

Yesterday the youngest Clarke turned six. Partying was done, fun was had. And today we have the dishes in the sink to prove it. What a beautiful day it is, today. We’ve got Spring Break this week, but if the weather report is to be believed, much of it will be chilly, rainy, and gloomy. […]

Read More: Birth days