making hay

After a long hot summer, the neighbor has finally begun to cut hay. Usually he cuts hay at least twice in summer, but this year let it grow as high as an elephant. Hiking through that kind of growth makes me feel like I need a machete. Because I am allergic to chiggers, which are small insects that burrow into the skin and form blisters that itch madly, I have to wear heavy clothing when I go walking in this thick grass. It's miserable in the hot humid days we've had recently.

So I was overjoyed to find the grass being mowed for hay as I approached the top of the hill this morning. Two flocks of ducks flew over--I couldn't identify them. Pine warblers and white eyed vireos sang from the fence row.

September

orchid madness

It's hard to pass these beauties up when the price is so cheap.

just a hint

A small cool front was pulled in by the great hurricane to the east of Texas hill country.

The early morning light reveals a promise of fall color.

migration begins

The hordes of hummingbirds start the great trek south. 

a lot to see

Sometimes there's a lot to see in a single flower..

the great American eclipse

So anticipated, didn't disappoint.

The day was clear and warm, so I set up my telescope that I've had since a teenager. However, it's always difficult to focus at the sun through high powered lens without burning out the retina. At this age, my retinas aren't in great shape anyway.

I did use the sun filter though to take a few photos through the cell phone camera, and I was pleased with them.

Crescent shadows were everywhere as the leaves acted like pin hole cameras and painted them across everything-- a beautiful effect.

The postal service issued stunning 

 sheets of stamps that change when exposed to heat. 

Venus and the crescent moon

Up early to see if I could capture this stunning duo in the eastern sky--so pleased that my iPhone got it!

it's a jungle out there

When I awaken each morning and walk to the window to assess the day I am greeted by these crying windows. The condensation runs down in rivulets and green algae is beginning to grow on the corners. It does no good to wipe and clean them for it will be soaked again tomorrow. It's been a long,   hot, wet summer. The weeds and vegetation are out of control, and it's been a daunting task to keep up with it all. It feels like a jungle "out there".

butterflies love zinnias

Zinnias are always a favorite of mine. I love their
less formal growth and range of colors. When summers are hot and dry, they are champions, but this has been a wet, humid summer. The zinnias have struggled and succumbed to molds and fungus. I do have a few surviving and have been rewarded with swallowtail butterflies.

fire in the sky

After a dreary, rainy day the sky exploded in colors.  Almost like an aurora the clouds and light danced and changed from moment to moment, and it was hard to pick just a few photos for the blog.

chasing the magnificent frigate bird

A few weeks ago tropical storm Cindy meandered her way to the Louisiana shores bringing winds, rain, high tides, flooding.......and many, many magnificent frigate birds.

When reports of a 1000 frigate birds flying up the Mississippi River made it to bird bulletins I could stand it no more, I had to see some for myself. Lake Pontchartain is about an hour from my house so I figured some had to be there ---and they were!

I have no photos to show, but the silhouettes of those birds against the stormy skies were thrill enough for me.

It was difficult to reach many places because the lake was overflowing and pushing water over all the approaches to the lake, but the birds cooperated and made some flights over land near the lake.


One of the neat videos that a birder managed to get:


https://youtu.be/3k33K0qiA4E

just a test

Testing  new ways to blog --unable to use blogger from my iPhone because they have decided not to update that program.
It was so handy since most of my photos are on my phone now.

This is a photo of my heirloom phlox that I've had for 50 years. No idea what its name may be.

a walk in the woods

The Sandy Hollow Wildlife Management area is only 10 miles from my home, but I had  never been there!

Reports that the Bachman's sparrow was being found easily there finally pushed me to make the drive  and add that bird to my life list. I was pleasantly surprised to find the trails accessible and easily walked. The sparrows were singing all around me, and wildflowers carpeted the open pine woodlands. 

I can't believe I waited so long to visit this treasure!

catching up

What a chaotic few weeks it has been!

On our California trip my husband and I caught a flu/virus which lingered for weeks and now seems to have damaged my husband's heart putting it into an abnormal rhythm. He has had to be careful with  activity and suddenly I am overwhelmed with worry, chores and responsibility.

Life can change quickly.

I walked a bit this morning and took a few cell phone photos.

along the way

As we travel this familiar highway I am amazed by how busy this once empty desert is becoming. There are miles of dairies. How is that feasible in the desert? Water has to pumped up from deep wells that are draining the aquifers far below the surface.

Wind turbines are springing up like mushrooms and great expanses of solar panels stretch as far as the eye can see.

Lots of sun energy to be collected here, but at great cost to the natural world. I do wish they would include them instead into roofs and highways that already cover so much space on planet earth.

road trip

It was time for a trip to see the California grand daughter. So we drove across the country enjoying scenery and anticipating the visit. The return was not so pleasant though because we caught a virus type flu somewhere and were so sick that we scarcely remember the trip home.

We are still not clear of it yet.

things that go bump in the night

Some mornings I find entire rose gardens eaten to the ground, lawns overturned as if plowed, and bird feeders destroyed. Usually I can figure out the culprits, but now I have evidence😉

A new game camera has been busy taking "selfies" of the visitors.

The most worriesome for me is the monster feral hog that probably represents only a hint of the huge numbers multiplying in

the countryside.

Last summer we caught 5 that had torn up the yard.

The buck, too, is only one of many deer that come across here each night.

There are also photos of raccoons, opossums, armadillos, and rabbits.

It's very busy "out there" at night.

 

skywriting

On a recent sunny day I was treated to my own private sky show. A neat little stunt plane appeared right before me and began to roll and dive. After a few stunts he turned on the smoke and repeated the show. Well, it didn't seem to spell anything, but the show was still a treat!

bobcat

A few days ago I discovered this large track beside the road where I walk . I was was pretty certain it was made by a bobcat because of its shape and lack of nail prints.

This morning while drinking my coffee I looked up to see a large animal running behind my house. It came very near the back porch, stopped and sat for a moment---long enough for one photo through the glass of the back door.

He's a beauty--a stout fellow!

a report from the garden

I took a machete to the rose bushes today, chopping off new growth that popped out after the last freeze. It certainly didn't seem right, but I was told they would do so much better with a big cut back. Later I will fertilize and supplement as weather warms. I almost mowed all of them down last summer when it all got of hand in the heat and rain. I'm going to start again and try to keep up with it this year.

The sweet peas which I planted in pots this year look good, and I am hopeful about having at least one fragrant bouquet. They were a big favorite of my mom and grandmother, but mice and rabbits eat mine as fast as they grow when they are in the ground.

The pansies and violas a are making a comeback after the big freeze--planted in pots, too, because of the rodents.