Gardens, flowers, birds

 I'm really enjoying my flower gardens around the house. Yes, all the way around the house. Each little garden has flowers that will flower at different times all summer which provides me with joy and colorful subjects to admire.

My short sunflowers are getting ready to show off their blossoms. The blue cosmos have overtaken the zinnias but the zinnias will preserver and have their time to show off also.

In front of the house we have our Oriole feeder and it is getting quite busy with both Orioles and their fledglings and other birds. I think these are house finches and it seems the sparrows have found a taste for oranges also.

The hummers and more interested in the Borage, Forget me Nots, Bee Balm, and Hosta flowers. Each day I gather a few flowers to bring inside.

I guess having to stick around the house all of the time has made my gardens cleaner and prettier. At least I think so!

The birds continue to entertain us at the feeders. Here is a 12 second video of birds at the Oriole feeder. Note that sparrows, Grosbeaks, and Orioles use it. Not shown is the hoards of house finches [?] that are swarming the feeder at different times also.

The Orioles are bringing their fledglings to the feeder too and feeding them. I haven't caught that in a photo yet, but I'll try.

I did do a still life...with dried mushrooms I found in the yard and garden Phlox petals.

This is for Miss Merry:  [It started raining this morning! Again!]

Wednesday was fishing day and adventure day. We both got worn out but had a great time...I might even write about that adventure later....

Now to enjoy the rainfall because that means I can take a nap and not worry about mowing the yard that is too soggy.

Why I wake early

In the summer, I wake up without an alarm or even a nudge from anything else. My eyes open and my body says 'Wake up'

On these hot hot days I'm generally out the door as soon as it thinks about getting light out. Sometimes Charlie and I take a walk to on the gravel road to greet the day.
In some ways I think this is the best part of the day.

At least it is right now. It is cooler and the Air Quality Alerts aren't so bad.

Olive's Flower Garden

Mary Oliver says it quite well so I don't have to.

Why I Wake Early

Hello, sun in my face
Hello, you who make the morning
and spread it over the fields
and into the faces of tulips
and the nodding morning glories,
and into the windows of, even, the
miserable and the crotchety---

...
Watch, now, how I start the day
in happiness, in kindness.