Fall "Surprise"

I don't know why I keep thinking things are going to slow down soon.  Just about the time I think I'm going to be able to take some real time for myself, something else pops up to put me back on that never ending treadmill.

Yesterday, I had fully intended to take advantage of a nice day and mow the lawn.  Don't ask me what kept me from it, but I managed to be busy until well after sunset.  Knowing the weather forecast and my schedule, that meant this morning was the only time I'd have to fit it in; so much for sleeping in a little.

Several days ago I had noticed some buds on a couple of my daisy plants.  I'd forgotten they were the type that bloom in the fall and had written them off for blooming this year.  It was a very nice pick-me-up to see a couple in bloom and LOTS of buds when I headed out to the garage to get the lawn mower.  It was nice enough that I headed back inside to grab the camera for just a few shots.

Even though it was a slightly overcast morning, these daisies certainly brightened up my day and my mood (which is pretty amazing since I am in no way, shape, or form, a morning person).

Look at all of those buds just waiting to bloom!  It's going to be a fall full of smiles for me!  Love my daisies (and the Daisy they remind me of).

I get a kick out of the way the buds open and the petals bloom . . . sometimes they seem to open perfectly all at once, while other times they seem to open in stages.  It would be interesting to watch on time lapse photography, but I'm not ready to do much more than consider it ever so briefly!

Now that it's after 10 p.m. and I'm posting, I'm enjoying the sunny disposition of the daisies more than I did this morning!  I spent several hours at our local high school football game selling tickets (actually, I only sold 3 tickets; I spent most of my time telling people they can't smoke on school grounds or directing traffic).  I do enjoy it, but this was the 5th home game, and the 4th one where it has rained.  I went prepared w/ large golf umbrella and poncho, so I wasn't much more than a little damp, but it certainly was dreary and very nice to get back home!

To see these happy little flowers again is the icing on a pretty darn good day.  I think I'll have to refer to these as my Daisy daisies since they cheer me up when it's dreary, just like the Daisy they remind me of.

Lovin' Bloom

Yes, the title is intentionally grammatically incorrect.  It's also a bit of a pun.  In my little world (which you are now visiting), a pun trumps grammatical incorrectness.  Usually we hear the phrase "Love in bloom."  Well, I'm loving the blooms in my backyard (and what that brings along with it), so if I figure my love is in bloom for the blooms . . . and lovin' bloom is much more poetical than bloomin' love!

Yes, you will be subjected to some photos from the good ol' SW Ohio backyard.  Actually, I poached a couple of shots into a neighbor's yard.  They have enough bird feeders that I would bet they go through 40 lbs. of bird feed at least every other day.  They also have squirrel feeders, and are the same neighbors that feed the feral cats (and for you newer readers, they also trap new feral cats, have them neutered/spayed, and checked by the vet before releasing them).

It's been a muggy day, raining off and on, or threatening to at times.  It's been cooler than normal, which is a welcome relief, and the rain is desperately needed.  I figured my best opportunity to photograph much of anything in any form of comfort would be to hit the back yard again.  I wasn't disappointed.

I didn't realize how hardy verbena was or I might have planted some before this year!  I love the color, and it's handling the dry summer very well.  If only it were a perennial.

I don't have a clue what this is, but it has popped up next to the clothesline post with the trumpet vine vining around it.  Since I've had several suet feeders hanging nearby, I'm assuming it's a volunteer plant from one of the seeds from one of the suets.  Heaven only knows which one!

I'm more in love with the mandevilla than I am the verbena.  Part of that might be that it's a perennial, but it's also offset by the fact that it probably won't make it through the winter unless I dig it up and bring it inside in a pot.

I love the look of this piece of clematis that had died.  It has an ethereal quality to it.

I am anxiously awaiting the blooming of this daisy plant.  It's growing like crazy, but I haven't seen the first bloom on it yet this summer.  I don't remember if it's a late summer bloomer, but I'm hoping that's the reason for no blooms as of yet!

This is the pic where I "poached" my neighbor's yard.  Can you blame me?  How gorgeous are these birds??

I know this has to be a weed, but I found it absolutely fascinating!  Once again, it was a situation where I didn't see half of the detail when I took the shot, and was thrilled to see it "up close" on the computer.

And I waited outside again for one of the hummingbirds.  I guess if I want to catch a photo of the mature male hummingbird, I'll need to be out there around 11:00 a.m.  That seems to be when he likes to show up.  And I know it's a male because of the bright red gorget . . . it's a good thing that I've been inside when I've seen him because I have a tendency to gasp at how brilliant his colors are!

This is what the sky has looked like an awful lot today.  Either this, or bright sun.

I'm assuming this is one of the goldfinches preening, but it just looked so odd from where I was standing that I had to get a shot.

I think the hummingbirds are getting used to hearing the shutter on the camera - they don't fly off when they hear it, but they do stop feeding and sometimes hover instead of perching.  I'll just have to make sure I'm out at their feeding times to get them adjusted to hearing it.

I'm enjoying the challenge (and discipline required) of getting shots of the hummingbirds.  I haven't had to wait very long for one to show up (I try to be outside at least 10 minutes before the time they showed up yesterday, if that makes sense!) but I really have to remember to use the bug repellent!  I'm also going to have to get the camp chair out of the trunk of the car because it would be nicer to be at least a little more comfortable while waiting for them to arrive.

It's more than a bit ironic that I'll wait an hour or so to try to take a picture of a hummingbird, but can't stand it when I'm stuck behind someone driving under the speed limit, or someone who doesn't have their act together in the checkout lane at the store.  Hmmm . . .

And since you've made it this far, I'll give you another chance to enter the raffle for my 100th post.
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Backyard Bliss

I was out enjoying my backyard again the last couple of evenings.  Yesterday, it wasn't so much enjoying it as sweating over it - mowing was overdue by several days!  But, it looks so much nicer, especially with the new bird feeder and new clematis.

I had seen on Pinterest how easy it was to take a globe lighting fixture and turn it into a bird feeder, but I didn't like it being all white, so I added strips of Duck Tape (I know you are all agape that I use Duck Tape).  I'm beginning to wonder if I used the wrong pattern because the birds don't seem to like the feeder . . . I've seen a cardinal at it a few times, but that's been it.  The squirrels haven't bothered it either; it's still almost full of feed.

I bought a new clematis plant this year, only because the one I planted last year seemed to have had a problem with a late frost or freeze.  I'm hoping it comes back next year, and I'll have two twining around the post.

The sunny daisies are blooming, bringing memories and smiles every time I look at them.  I have other daisies planted, but they haven't started blooming yet.

One of the trumpet vines blooming away.  It has a TON of blooms on it, and I've cut it back a couple of times.  The one I cut back more severely hasn't started blooming yet, but it sure has some LONG vines.  I'm trying to "train" it over the top of the clothesline, so we'll see how that goes.  If I'm successful, I'll post a picture; if I'm not, I'll be doing some more major pruning!

I'm not quite sure what flower this is; could be a coneflower, or it could be any number of perennial wildflowers . . . I planted a mix of seeds last summer, but it was so hot and dry that none of them came up.  It's been nice enough so far this season that a few of them have started.

Trying to keep these guys hanging around - keep one feeder for peanuts just to lure them and the woodpeckers.  I also have a couple of the suet feeders with woodpecker suet, but haven't seen the woodpeckers for a couple of days.

Haven't seen much of the hummingbird lately.  I've been changing the feeders every other day, making sure they get a good cleaning.  The little thingamajig I bought to keep the ants away has worked wonders, but it doesn't help with the bees.

I'm hoping in the next few days to be able to take a little time and relax in the back yard.  So much to do lately that I feel like I'm always on the go.  I may end up taking a day or two to just veg out.  It's so nice to be able to walk out the back door and feel like I can soak up the atmosphere and relax.  I'm trying to be out back reading, with the camera handy, to catch Bella for her evening visit to the hummingbird feeder.  The time spent out there has been wonderful, regardless of which feathered visitors there are (or aren't).  I like having this little piece of backyard bliss.

Bloomin' Backyard, Redux

I am SO completely enjoying this mild winter and spring!  One of the trumpet vines is just about exploding with blooms, but not the one I pruned WAY back (but it is growing like nobody's business).  That's OK - maybe I can keep ahead of them this way??

Just a couple of the blooms open and ready for the bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds, not to mention the ants.

Trumpet vine buds before they open - hard to imagine all of that flower contained in those little buds.  Oh so many of them on this particular plant, too.  C'mon little hummingbirds, your nectar bar is OPEN!

More of the beautiful daisies in varying stages of blooming.  I love it when most of them are open at the same time - simple beauty at it's best.

The yucca plant is also pretty much in full bloom.  I wish it would bloom more often - unfortunately, it's only pretty about 1 or 2 weeks out of the season.  But it is pretty, and difficult to get rid of, so I'll hang on to it!

I'm guessing these are coneflowers.  I'd planted a bunch of wildflower perennial seeds last summer, but it was too late/hot and dry for them to do much then.  I'm reaping the benefits this year though.  Not all of the plants are coming up, but a couple here and there are, which makes it interesting every time I check!

The primrose had already bloomed, and I thought was finished.  Looks like I'm gonna get another round out of them!

I don't know what this plant is, but I found it hiding and had to grab a shot of it.  Love the purple!

And the reblooming lilac looks pretty ready to bloom again!  YEAH!!!  Can't wait to see those little pinkish blooms, and smell my favorite fragrance.


Now, with all of this beauty just in mostly my back yard, it's surprising when something not quite so beautiful intrudes onto the edges of my sanctuary.  Yesterday, I had left home to pick Mom up from church when I saw something in a neighbor's yard.  I kept thinking it was the weirdest dog I'd ever seen.  When I got close enough, I realized it was a Turkey Vulture enjoying it's noon meal (probably a squirrel).  EWWW.  Yuck.  Not near my little bit of beauty and rest, please.


I sat outside for a while today watching the birds enjoy what was left in the feeders.  Several of them empty out pretty quickly because the squirrels have learned how to tip the food out of them since they can't get into them anymore.  There are a couple though that the squirrels haven't yet gotten the better of, and they tend to remain filled a little longer.  That's good 'cause 20 pounds of seed doesn't last very long in my back yard!  I've been searching for the 40 pound bags on sale, but I can't get stocked up.  Every time I think I'm going to have one in reserve, I empty the previous one.  These fine feathered friends are greedy little buggers.


But, they are worth it.  I love sitting outside and watching them.  The last couple of days I've been watching them when a group of them are balanced on the telephone wire and a couple more add to the group.  It's sometimes a bit comical watching them try to balance with the swaying wire or shift of weight.  Every time I sit outside and watch the birds and squirrels, I feel so much more relaxed and calmer about life in general.  And if I close my eyes and just listen to the sounds, it's another level of treats for the senses.


My pretty blooming plants, the feathered friends, and the entertaining if irritating squirrels are part of my little backyard island of solitude where I can go to recharge my batteries and relax.