Day 219 - 6th August 2013 - Fog, Cobwebs, Dragonflies, Hermit Thrush

A chilly morning, +11, but feels nice. Well the long weekend is over, time to go back to work today. Guessing it will be a busy day. Up a little earlier than I need to be but that's fine, I'm feeling rested and ready to tackle the day. Forgot to thank some special friends the other day for the lovely chocolate and book with beautiful photos of their homeland they brought us. You can't go wrong with good chocolates, I stretch them out as long as I can, eating only one at  a time every so often. Chocolate is my definite weakness, could go without a lot of things but not that.
What a lovely day off I had yesterday. Weather was spot on, warm with a breeze just the way I like it. I really don't need that 30+ degrees to be happy, that just makes me want to do nothing. I was a little sad on my first jaunt of the day. Hadn't gone far and saw one of my little Hermit Thrushes dead on the side of a driveway - maybe he flew into a car. He had been a bit shy but often I would at least see him peeking through the bushes at me. Once in awhile I could snag a photo of him. Such is the delicate balance of nature. The morning improved as I continued my walk, not a lot of birds in sight but it was still nice to get out around and watching the fog rise and sunshine. Lexi roamed with me a couple of times, but she wasn't in a mood for bird watching. Too much going on. I did do some housework in between our treks and enjoying the birds at the feeder in the yard. I looked once and there was a Mourning Dove and Song Sparrow, when they moved behind them was a chipmunk, guess everyone was getting along. I've not seen Harriett and her crew of Grackles the last few days, maybe they've moved on. Chickadee was at the feeder after supper, haven't seen them for a bit.

 Heavy mist rising off of the lake in the morning.

 Lots of cobwebs - a sure sign of a fine day.

 Another Hermit Thrush along my route.

 Myrna's sunflower is in bloom too.

 Quite sure this is the Red Eyed Vireo, usually I get more of his belly since he likes to sit high in the trees.

These two were not sharing at the feeder.

 And what a beautiful afternoon view.

Dragonflies - they are harder than birds to catch sometimes.













Enjoy your day!

Day 218 - 5th August 2013 - Birds, Ducks, Sunflowers, Clouds and a Butterfly

Back to Monday, Larry's off to work this morning but I've got the holiday, so Rah for me! I'm happy to have an extra day home this week, Lexi and I will do some work around and roam the hood. Sounds exciting but really it's all I ask for - simple things in life are the best. Sometimes I forget to be grateful for all I have, but I am - family and friends. Thick fog out there but it should clear, chance of rain with thunder/lightning this afternoon but we won't hold our breath on that one.
I'm really more partial to the weather we've had this weekend, cools off in the weekend but sunny and warm during the day. Sunday was a great day, we hung out around home, worked inside and out, except for a few jaunts around the hood by me. A lot of my regular places were quiet, but I headed to a spot I haven't been for a week or so and found some young birds as well as lots of robins and woodpeckers. Seems that everywhere I looked today were woodpeckers. Cooked up a nice supper, love having fresh veggies from the garden - red potatoes, burgundy beans and yellow beets (Larry likes a colorful garden) with smoked haddock and egg sauce.

 There's always a song sparrow around to start the morning off.

 The ducks at Myrna's were hanging out on and under the deck.

 Another little song sparrow.

 Have decided this is a juvenile female Myrtle Warbler. I'm having the hardest time catching on to the  young birds!

 And this would be a 1 year old Common Yellow throated Warbler. His little black mask has not quite developed yet.

 Some kind of a bug Larry found for me.

Thanks to the birds or squirrels we have a few sunflowers, this one is just starting to open.

 Lovely fluffy clouds last evening over the lake.

Butterfly - love the eyes all over his wings.

One of the many Woodpeckers I saw. At one point I think I could have reached out and touched one. Such a cool feeling to have them so close.
















Enjoy your day!

Day 217 - 4th August 2013 - Cobwebs, Foggy day, Nightshade, Away and Back Home again

I'm up a tad bit early for a Sunday morning, but will enjoy the peace and quiet and me time. The last few weeks have been hectic so it's nice to have an hour or so to myself. I can watch the sun rising from the deck with my coffee shortly, it's not quite as early as it used to be. Another sign that summer is passing way too quickly. Looks like it will be a sunny day, so I'll probably spend a little time roaming around the hood. The birds have been pretty quiet these last few days, perhaps the sunshine will draw them out. Larry I'm sure will spend some time in the garden or wood pile - his normal sunday.
Saturday was busy, we left for Freeport and Tiverton (NS) around 9:30 am to attend a funeral in the afternoon getting back home around 7:30pm. So it was a long day of mostly travelling, but good to see our friends even if it was for a short time and not a happy occasion. When their company all heads back and things quiet down I think they need a trip to our end of the country for a weekend of chilling out. I did get a chance to spend a few minutes down by the mudflats, mostly gulls today, some appeared to be young ones as they were begging for food from adults. On the way home we stopped for a quick bite to eat in Weymouth at the Weymouth Diner - we won't make that mistake again. Larry had some time after we got home to dig some potatoes, well I shouldn't say dig since they are planted in eelgrass and are really easy to harvest.

 Cobwebs in the morning.

 Waiting for the ferry to come back to East Ferry, we roamed around - thick fog.

 Couldn't actually see the ferry arrive until it was almost docked.

 Bittersweet Nightshade.

 Not so much fog on the Tiverton side.

 Lots of gulls at the mudflats in Freeport.

In the centre you can see one feeding the other.

 I think this is a Least Sandpiper but it might be a Semipalmated Sandpiper.

 The Ferry is returning to Tiverton and home we will go.

For just a few seconds the fog moved in front of East Ferry and you could see the tree tops, but not for long.










Enjoy your day!

Day 216 - 3rd August 2013 - Lake, Water Lilies, Woodpecker and Boats

Yes I'm about 15 hours late but you can thank the wonderful folks at Eastlink Rural Broadband - they have a 1-888 number if you are interested in calling and complaining to them. Since they are giving showers tonight with thunder/lightning chance, I probably won't have any again tomorrow.
Friday was one of those days at work that you wished would go away, just horrendous or at least it felt that way when it was happening. If someone ones help why don't they listen to you. A  "group" of people all talking at once is a group too many to be researching together. Over and done, thank goodness. Rain showers in the afternoon. Ran and picked up a few groceries on the way home since we were going to be away on Saturday. What a joke shopping at Sobeys is, didn't spent much money since they didn't have much of what I wanted. I soon need to make a trip out of town to stock up on things. I can't blame the people that work there they get their orders and deliveries from some idiots in a head office.

 The sky was kind of strange looking Friday morning, lake was really calm.

 So I lied, we do have white waterlilies, wonder why I never notice before or maybe I forgot.

 This guy was too busy with breakfast to be bothered with me.

 Found something!

 Very serene on the harbour as well.

 Damsel or Dragonfly.

 A few beads of water from the rain shower.













Enjoy your day!

Day 215 - 2nd August 2013 - Fog, Hermit Thrush, Astilbe and Eagle

We've hit Friday and the end of the work week. Long weekend for some of us. Rah! I know, I shouldn't be wishing time away, but the week does go by pretty quickly. As child we alway thought I wish I was old enough for this or that, and time flew by and we were. Now it seems that the days and weeks go quickly and I don't have time to get things done that I want. It's alway good to take that time to do what's important to us, you never know what's around the corner. It's all about enjoying life, family and friends.

Had a good Thursday, people in, not as much accomplished as I would have liked but sometimes that happens. So William, Kate and the Royal Brood were back and I've missed them - the disadvantage of being at work. I hit the hood after supper (skipped exercise - promise I'll be in full swing again Monday) but no luck, now that they can all fly it's a little harder to track them down. I did come across the Eagle flying through the cove behind us. Still not a great photo, but they are improving, eventually I'll get a good one. Gave Larry instructions on fixing the washing machine, another reason I stayed home. I know, too many excuses.
Grandmother's Journal:
2nd August 1974 - Very hot foggy morning early. Home early. 4:30. Fran up for weekend. Mary Jane and family came today. Fran over for supper. Mike up for weekend. 
3rd August 1974 - Very foggy. Rain showers most of day. Hard afternoon. Worked all day. Visited with Fran in afternoon. Very Tired. Fran over for supper. Mike has been a big help with dogs and helping Bob. Weather is awful. Bob and Mike watered trees today. 
4th August 1974 - Humid and damp. Windy southeasterly. Bettie, Bobbie and Kim up for Mike. Mary Jane and Jimmie up for a short visit, Bobby B. here this afternoon. 

 Another foggy morning on the lake.

 This Hermit Thrush is really getting friendly, comes right out when I call.

 Looks like he might be a young Robin.

 Not sure what this is, but the berries are really a beautiful color.

 Here's our resident Eagle in flight.

 My Astilbe is looking good.

Thinking this might be one of Harriett's kids.












Enjoy your day!

Day 214 - 1st August 2013 - Sunrises, Birds and Flowers

Another nice day rolling in. My kind of days, cool in the morning and warms up as the day goes on. Back to work, with lots to do. Oh to be home again, but that's not how life works and would probably be pretty dull anyway. Don't get me wrong I like my job (most days) but I also like roaming around with my camera. Guess I can't do that all the time. I'll head off early this morning and see what I can find. Overall I've got a pretty good life and I'm happy with it. Things always work out the way they are suppose to.
What a way to end the month. Yesterday was wonderful. Sunny, slight breeze, everything you could ask for. After catching the sun rising over the lake I threw the notion of early housework out the window and headed with my camera around the hood at 7 am, returning at almost 9am. Wow, there were so many birds around, they were flitting over my head, although with all that activity I got a little excited and didn't get many photos. But it was well worth it, just to see and hear them so close. Guess I'm moving past my bird fear which is great. They are all little ones though so they don't seem to be as bad, still can't quite handle pigeons too close. So I did manage to get a little work done in the house, the washer had water under it, so I know how to fix it and will get Larry to do it when he comes home - I'm not partial to breaking a nail if I don't have to. Nice to have part of the supper coming from the garden these days, potatoes, peas and swiss chard to go with roast chicken. Sure can't beat that. Took another stroll around after supper but not a bird in sight other than a few ducks in the lake. Wonder where all those birds went from the morning?

 I love the silhouettes of the boats in front of the sunrise.

 Hard not to have a good day when it starts of with this.

 The first of several Hermit Thrushes I saw.

 Female Yellow Warbler.

Thistles and Butterfly.

 Black and White Warbler.

 Female American Redstart.

Brown-Eyed Susans stretching toward the sun.












Enjoy your day!