Nice Fourth of July weekend. After working at Travelers' Rest State Park on Saturday morning, I spent the rest of the weekend at home relaxing, and comforting one of my dogs, who all of a sudden has decided she is afraid of firecrackers... Personally, I think it was nothing more than a means of getting the attention she craves so much. But she was happy that I was home and shadowed me all weekend, except for the times she had to run outside to bark at something...
Stayed up until almost midnight watching the fireworks around the neighborhood, and got some pretty decent photos of them. I was also very thankful that, for the most part, my neighbors were courteous enough to stop shortly thereafter so the rest of us could get some sleep.
Yesterday the weather was somewhat cool, gray and dreary with some rain and a few shots of thunder. Spent most of the day crashed on the couch watching a "Law & Order" marathon. In the afternoon I baked some oatmeal-cranberry-walnut cookies. I almost like them better than chocolate chip - it would be a tough choice.
Forecast last night was for 40 degrees! As a precaution, and since my furnace has been turned completely off since Memorial Day, I plugged the electric blanket back in. Fortunately I did not have to use it and I doubt it really got that cold at all.
Today is sunny with a few stormy looking clouds early in the afternoon, but nothing serious. It does look like a storm is brewing to the south however.
Watering the lawn for the very first time this summer, and the birds are really enjoying the water. The Starlings are... well... frolicking is the only word that comes to mind. They're fluttering their wings and bouncing up and down as the water passes over them. One is actually chasing the water across the lawn - I've never seen anything like it before. Too much of a shadow to get a good photo or video of it however.
The house finches are teaching their "kids" where the bird feeders are. It's so funny watching them follow mom & dad around and still beg for food. They aren't quite coordinated enough to balance on the rim of the feeders and will perch on top of the hooks, flapping their wings and chirping for food. And they are still being fed. This morning I watched one adult land on the edge of the bird bath, followed one by one by each of its chicks. One adult and four little ones. But even after mom stepped into the water to bathe, they did NOT follow her - apparently that was just one step too many.
The Goldfinches are already losing their beautiful bright yellow feathers and are molting to their winter drab green. The days are getting shorter, although you really can't see it visually yet. I am NOT looking forward to fall already, we're just (finally), getting summer!
No comments:
Post a Comment