June 15th was mainly a fair weather day for us.
By late afternoon though, a front moved in.
In early evening, as is often the case, a warm glow bathed the far hill.
What followed I regard as the aquatic effect.
Glued to the window, I captured birds in flight
Great waves seemed to be plunging over us
For most of my life, it was rare for me to be enthusiastic.
Because I was so detached from Nature.
So now, I get a bit carried away.
This morning, a change of hue.
Occasionally I stoop to pull a weed which is what caused me to come face to face with this tiny bloom that I may not otherwise have noticed.
It is my conclusion that there is more grass in the flower beds than where it is actually supposed to be.
Now that Grant is invested in some of the plants, I heard him mention weeding as a possibility, once we can establish what is and isn’t a weed.
I wonder if his approach to weeds will be the same as his approach to flies:
“There’s a fly”, I said. SPLAT. There was a fly.
Many “weeds” are quite good-looking and those I relocate, offer them a sporting chance elsewhere.
Gaillardia is Grant’s proud and joy. Yesterday he was indignant:
“Something pulled heads off and threw them aside!”
That was me. It’s what you do when the blooms pass over, to make room for new ones.
He seemed unconvinced but I remember Mum doing it.
While I was checking on Gaillardia, I noticed a moth clinging on for dear life in the stiff breeze.
“Oh, you’re posh” I said, “photo?”
“Fine but hurry it up, I’m getting nauseous.”
It was obliging enough to offer a couple of poses. But I cannot identify it.
Perhaps it isn’t even a moth.
Could be a stinking stinging insect.
Surely such a handsome chap would not assault me?
The milkweed brings all kinds.
It will be a relief when the blooms are over.
Bees and Monarch butterflies are all very well but I’ve worked out that this is the source of flies that keep inviting themselves indoors. I lost count yesterday of how many I ushered back out.
For some reason, I had never noticed before, but it has a heady scent. Quite pleasant in small whiffs, a bit like frangipani.
Is it me, or does milkweed look like the biological image we keep seeing of Covid-19?
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This “Candy Floss” Cotinus tree is not in my garden.
We stopped briefly beside the Hudson yesterday:
Spotted St John’s-wort, below
Crown-vetch on left
Daisy flea-bane.
Getting down the bank was no problem
Wild morning glory on left
It was little steeper than I realised, so I had to reverse and wind myself up a bit.
Sometimes it’s good to be a little challenged.
Just to inform oneself of what one can still manage.
Not much, these days!
Though I can still plant my hands flat on the floor with my legs straight, despite the gloomy predictions of a creepy spine doctor I once consulted.
He told me, without compassion, that I had the spine of a “very much older woman” and that surgery would make it impossible for me to move.
Nice man. Not the two words that came to mind.
Standing beside the river, watching the swift current and listening to the rush of water over a nearby hydro-electric dam was very peaceful.
The geese and ducks were on a day off but never mind.
So peacefully lovely, Carolyn! How I needed today to borrow a dollop of your happiness! Thank you.
Joanna
Sigh. Wish I could share it.
You did! Thank you.
Joanna
I’m impressed that you can put your hands flat on the floor with straight legs. Is that with legs together? If so, I am very, very, very impressed!!
Oh yes!
Definitely good to embrace nature. I didn’t do that for 60 years, but since moving here 10 years ago, I do it every day.
Best wishes, Pete.
How beautiful is the different colours of green in the fields. And wow, just look at those lilies – I defintely got excited when I saw that photo ☺️. Yes, how strange it may sound, one do pull the flower heads off once they’ve bloomed … just for the new ones to bloom all over again = Grant: 0, Carolyn’s mother: 1 😄.
Lovely shots of the river – and does have a calming effect … even by just looking at the pictures.
You mean you can stand with your hands flat on the floor with straight legs …. oh my, I can’t even pull that off! Hats off to you!