Birds, Bees, Butterflies, and Blooms

 Every morning for the last few, I've made a mental note to get outside and take some photos with the "good" camera.  Although most of the photos that I take for the blog are done with my iPhone - and the quality of Apple's camera has vastly improved over the years - my better photos come from a Nikon camera.

The problem of late (not really a problem in the big picture, however) is... that by the time I have a bit of time to get outside and wander thru the gardens... this happens!

August is such a great time of year for colorful photography.  The gardens are at their peak.  The pollinators are busy gathering nectar.  

So much activity on a single blossom!

And, the hummingbirds are visiting the feeders almost incessantly.  All of nature is gearing up for the season ahead - gathering energy, scattering seeds, assuring species continuity.

We are experiencing a spectacular August here on the farm, largely in part to the almost daily rainstorms that interrupt abundant sunshine, just long enough to thoroughly water all of the plant life.

The garden, though neglected from a weeding standpoint (blaming puppy training) is chocked full of produce.  Slowly, each day, these light yellow peppers turn orange, then red.

We have so many cherry tomatoes... too many to just snack on, so I have been making this  roasted tomato pasta dish almost weekly.  Try it!! I promise you, you will love it!  

This year, something new peeks out of the garden foliage... a few tiny cantaloupes.  Our first.

Mushrooms abound - popping up just about everywhere.  

It's the perfect summer for us amateur mycologists!  I'm due for another wander into the woods, I think!  By the way, last week's chanterelles made the most delicious quiche!  Hopefully that can be an every summer tradition!

I wanted to share some of the wonderful color that fills our gardens this month... something to remember in the cold, colorless months of winter.

I'm loving dahlias this year!  Like zinnias - cut them, and they just keep giving!  Unlike zinnias, I will have to remember to dig them up in the autumn and store them correctly for next year.

Celosia...

Gomphrena... such a great flower to dry.  It retains its color for many years!

Calendula... each blossom gets cut and dried for use in calendula salve.  (I'll share that recipe, soon.)

As I had mentioned, our hummingbird feeders are a constant source of entertainment, as these tiny hovercraft flit to and fro, chasing each other away, then settling down for a quick drink.  Up until recently, our hummingbird feeders were quite quiet and we wondered if perhaps there were fewer birds this year.

Lately, however, there are many.

I noticed something about the photo above which was taken as a hummingbird approached (hence the blurry bird).  If you look at the sugar water, you can see the reflection of that same bird in this space.

Lastly, a scene that just makes me smile... most mornings, while the horses are supposed to be in the front pasture, Ollie and Red sneak into the pig/sheep yard because (of course) the grass is much greener there!  Faith and Ginger seem to enjoy the company.  It's also not unusual to see a flock of guineas there as well... and of course a dog or cat, or more!

Also... the scene at the Post Office, yesterday:

Ok, one last curiosity...

I noticed, in this photo, that the sky and clouds are reflected on the back of this bee. (if you click on the photo, you might be able to see it in a larger format).

I hope we brought a smile to your face today.  Despite how one can sometimes feel... it's a big beautiful world out there, and we are lucky to be a part of it!