Visions of Autumn in August

When I walked outside this morning I realized our summer is looking like early Autumn, in a way. Soft birches are dropping yellow and brown leaves. You can hear them fall when a gentle breeze graces us. Hard wood leaves are drooping.

We crunch through dry grass and leaves. No rain - for what seems like an eternity.

Garden hoses don’t help much to sustain life after weeks of extreme heat and blazing sun without rain clouds. This once beautiful young willow kicked the bucket. It's death might be a result of disease and we’ll work on it when the heat subsides. Farmers are losing livestock and I feel sad for them. My positive side thinks we’ll have some rain in a week or two and maybe some Canadian air! The forecast for the next week is 99, 99, 100, 99, 101, 99, 102...chance of a T-storm on Thursday.

I've lived through droughts before and experienced similar weather patterns. This summer has been hard on me because I'm older and can't withstand heat like I could as a younger chick and also because I've worked hard to maintain new gardens this year.

Looks like Jack Frost arrived! The pink zinnias are suffering but the orange ones are doing just fine.

It’s kind of depressing here in the southeast. We all pray for relief. I often sympathize for those who have too much of what we need.

I'll quit whining now (until the next post) and make the best of it!

Amidst all of this, there is an invincible summer to enjoy...

Home grown tomatoes!

Sunshine we crave in January!

Long days and the night sounds of crickets! Just a few, actually...

No mosquitoes this year!

Butterflies are in full force lately! I think of Sherry at Q's Corner when I'm zooming in...

I don’t have my field guide yet and don't feel like looking them up on the internet. Enjoy the view.

Splashes of color remain - through it all.

I realize I just posted hummingbirds two days ago but I couldn’t resist sharing what the little hummers did yesterday.

Earlier this summer, I wasn’t able to get a decent photo of a male ruby-throated. Well, lookit what visited yesterday! I was thrilled, for a while. He intended to stay and dominate the yellow feeder. For four straight hours, he guarded “his” nectar and fought relentlessly. My laundry piled up in the laundry room, dirty dishes sat in the sink, and the bed didn’t get made until bedtime. I had to watch the little King of Nectar…

"Mine!"

“Mine!”

Five hummers in action. He’s sat atop the hanger for four hours. Whenever I'd go inside the house, there were at least ten. He fought hard without rest. What a sight! I really need to learn about posting videos.

Some played it safe and watched the war from afar.

I thought I was getting a photo of two hummers in flight! How about that butterfly! How cool is THAT?

He was shaded under the overhang of the porch roof and I took about thirty photos to get a little of the red glow. I stood right under him and we talked about his behavior (yeah, ya’ll know I’m a fruitcake). This little guy was so determined to own the feeder and that I could have easily reached out and touch him at arm's length. I didn't. There was no need to spoil a relationship.