A new project

These photos were from about a week ago. I just haven't had much time to look through my 'stuff' with so much on my plate.

There was quite the racket outside on our Hickory Tree. I got out my long lens and figured out what all the noise was.

A young red headed woodpecker was clinging to the bark of the tree and 'crying' 'begging' and making a huge racket until the parent showed up to feed it from insects on the bark or from something it brought from the bird feeder 20 feet away.

Below is a young Grosbeak ????? Maybe???? I didn't catch it in the bird bath splashing around, but I did catch it in the pine tree shaking itself off.

This goldfinch was pilfering sunflower seeds. Actually, I planted them there so the goldfinches would come and eat them. They are fun to watch doing antics as they pick out seeds.

I imagine they may even reseed for me.

I had to remove the Oriole feeder a week ago. The oranges attracted bees. Not the nice kind of bees that I want near my porch. They are still around and I imagine they will be migrating very soon.

This was a lazy shot. I was watching out the window to see the bee activity when I thought I'd try a shot through the window and screen.

I like the 'soft' filter it gave to the blue bachelor button. It was like adding an Orton Glow to the photo without any post process.

So as I was going through my shots from over a week ago, I glanced up and saw our Grandbaby Rory on our Frameo. She was looking at a big beautiful purple flower.

20 years ago I made a little book for Ariel with drawings, colors, plants, and flowers. A very simple to read book.

At that time I just used a printer and then put the pages in a binder. It was a great project for me.

And boom.

What about one for Rory? Flowers, insects, and birds? Wouldn't that be fun?

I mean I could do it for myself too. I did little books for my other grandkids with the adventures of Morris who they interacted with quite a bit.

If nothing else, it would be a great project to put together as I am also doing one of hubby. 

I use Blurb as my project books for photos. There may be cheaper places to do it, but so far I've had really good luck with using Blurb.

Spiders, Stars, and stuff

Happy September.

Things certainly have changed as far as daylight is concerned. In a way, I do like the way the hours are arranged right now. The daylight is just about perfect as well as the temperatures for the past two days.

I won't complain. 

Oddly enough, I don't miss the trees that got taken down. This morning while it was still dark, I had an unobstructed view from the porch of the stars in the sky. I was able to see Orion's Belt clearly. The photo is taken with my cell phone using Night Sight on my Google Pixel phone. I imagine that the better models take even neater shots. But I am happy with this.

Yesterday morning started off with Olive showing up and supervising me changing my tire to a donut errrr, spare. We pulled two shards of metal out of the tire and I'll take it to a tire shop on Tuesday to have it fixed. I learned a couple of things. Have a real Universal Lug Nut tool. What comes with the car is a wimp. The jack worked fine and I got hands on experience through the whole process. Now I am confident that I can change a tire. 

Olive spent 3 years driving her car on back roads delivering mail. She said she'd have to change a tire at least every few weeks and repair it. It was so nice of her to spend time teaching this old dog a new trick. 

I decided to take Saturday OFF. I have 15 t posts to drill back into the ground and replace hotwire. But since the mules were happy with the meadow out back and access to the forest, I didn't worry about it.

I did my morning fence check out back.

And...even the wildlife was taking it easy.

In my garden, I was delighted to find Crab Spiders everywhere in my yellow cosmos! If you want to see a larger size of the spiders, then click on the photo and it will show you a larger size!

These guys are ambush spiders. They don't build webs, but wait for prey and then grab them. They are not harmful to people.

Aren't they pretty?

I have a volunteer Sunflower that grew about 4 feet tall on the edge of the porch. Here is a female goldfinch visiting the sunflower. 

I have one porch window that I keep spotless and without a screen to serve as a 'blind' so I can shoot through the glass and not disturb the birds.

A bit later we had several Titmouse visiting the Sunflower. These two were not in the sharing mood.

The Merlin Bird app sent out a message that Migration has now begun. The large Sandhill Cranes are moving along with so many other large birds. 

I knew migration had begun as I've kept note of those birds who have left.

Now, IF I can get my fence done and a few other things out of the way, I can get on a bike trail that runs through Richland County and follows a river and some marshes. What a great way to see migrating birds!

Happy September 1st.

Enjoy the weather.

Today it is cool enough for Charlie and I to enjoy a nice long afternoon walk.

Happy Morning...

First...

there was

the morning trip to the mailbox heavy fog that lit up the forest.
It looked bejeweled...

I came around with my packages and mail to the back door and got to see 

the first of the many sunflowers 

bursting forth with happiness and hope.

And then on my news feed an interview with Kamala Harris and some kids came up from 4 years ago.

I watched it and played it for hubby. 

Maybe it is my hope for our children, grandchildren, and our great grandchildren that struck me soooo much.

Kamala said this:

If you are interested in the interview here is the link:

I did want to be a teacher when I grew up because I believed in children. I still do. I believe in children and a good education.

This video set my tone for the day and I spent the rest of it happy and content.

I want kindness and hope for our nation not hate speech and negativity.

I feel hope...

We won't go back...

Flowers

There are a few flowers I grow because they bring me particular joy and they are really quite easy to care for.
That would be Zinnias and 4 O'clocks.

It is the 4 O'clock that brings me the most joy because of their sweet evening scents that they wrap the house in. In the morning, I can enjoy them before the sun closes them up for the day. My grandmother grew them in her small garden. Before summer's end, we'd collect the little black seeds before they dropped and save them for the next summer.

Now these flowers come in multiple colors. Pink, white, yellow, and a bright red. If you collect the seeds for several years, the flowers will start to become multicolored as they cross pollinate. 

Their scent is heavenly. did I say that already?

I noticed that one of the plants on the west side of the house has bright red blossoms that are tinged with a yellow edges. 

The Zinnias that I tossed into the dirt and raked about are going gung ho. They aren't as tall as I've seen them in the past but I heard other flower gardeners say the same about some of their plants. 

I will collect seeds from the Zinnias this year.

Most of these Zinnia seeds came from a seed exchange with Aurora. So I have her to thank for the beautiful array of colors.

I collect several vases of them each day and fill a section of my countertop with a mix of vases and jars to hold them.

This is the time of summer that I am the happiest with a riot of colors to see and enjoy. 

In my wildflower garden which was just a patch of bare dirt in the middle of the yard, I have Bachelor's Buttons and a variety of pink flowers, along with some sunflowers that are getting ready to blossom. 

In front of the house on the east side, the few sunflowers I planted are blossoming. I planted some of the tall ones and some ones that are only supposed to get to 2 feet tall. 

One of the shorter ones just budding out!

I didn't have much luck with the red sunflowers, but I see a short one budding on the porch garden.

The goldfinches are happy as are the bees. Today I took out a chair and just watched the fun while sitting in the shade.