Thursday, June 25, 2009

June is Perfect

When I thought there was nothing left to share, I came upon a few things.

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This first sunset of summer is a view from my front porch.

June is perfect - a refreshing mix of a cool, invigorating spring, sizzling hot and lazy summer,

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and fresh colors that aren’t worn out and drab yet nor marked by Japanese beetles. Iced tea and bare feet.

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I had a recent discussion about the absence of my female hummingbirds with friend Sherry in Missouri and we came to the sad conclusion that they have perhaps found other feeders nearby. Yes, it's probable that someone else is feeding my hummingbirds. This realization leaves my heart very heavy but I accept it. I’ve only seen one female Ruby-throated since April, so I will continue to make the frisky males happy until they begin leaving in a few weeks. This is the most recent terrible photo I have. When I crave hummingbird happiness this summer, I’ll look at my posts from last year, especially here, and laugh at the little juveniles who visited all day long and made me giddy with delight to serve them.


This summer might not be hummingbird sweet, but there is still so much to admire…

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There are other birds with outrageous attitudes,

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and other beauties that float

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and flutter


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who will beckon

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and glisten in sunlight,

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buzz,

and hum.

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It will take all of this and more

to ease my missing the hummer squeaks and chitters I love.


54 comments:

Dawn Fine said...

OMGoodness Mary...
wow...fantastic..awe inspiring!
thank you for sharing such wonderful photos!
I hope u dont mind..but I am going to tweet this on twitter and facebook!

Dan Huber said...

Found you through Dawn, and I am in awe. Those pictures are beautiful. Thanks

dan

Anonymous said...

Great post, Mary! Love the photos.

Tina said...

Such a delightful series of photos...and sooo crystal clear and colorful! Wow! Very inspiring!! I am definitely going to attack that macro icon on my camera..and start to learn more about macro photography!

Kim said...

Love all of your insect photos! So alive!! The mocker photo is classic too.

Anonymous said...

I'm very glad that June did right by you. Absolutely, positively delightful photos. Every one.

jane augenstein said...

Mary, Mary!!! GORGEOUS pictures, WOW!
so sorry your little hummers are there, I haven't had very many here either. Not like last year! They will probably be back to see you, how could they not, you have such a beautiful garden!
:-)

Peg Wiggins said...

Is it possible that the female Hummers are incubating, Mary ?

Your photos are a visual treat.
Thnx

Susan Gets Native said...

Wondering about the drought from two years ago. Since then, the number of hummingbirds around here has dropped from 10 to just 3 or 4.
I'm calling it a downward trend...that will bounce back in a year or two. Unless we get another drought.
:)
A day with ONE hummingbird is better than ZERO, right???

KGMom said...

Susan nailed it--at least you have SOME hummers.
And all manner of other creatures on the wing.
Are you in the hot hot hot zone?

Beth in NYC said...

A very nice tribute to my birth month. Up here, it was mainly rainy and gloomy. You're really getting into a groove with that new(ish) camera. Really beautiful shots!

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Lovely June pictures, Mary. I have a few hummers that are showing up now, I sure hope they stay for a while.

Murr Brewster said...

Whoa! You can see the West from all the way over there? Gaw-geous. You're welcome to stay with me, my virtual friend, if you ever get out here, where the west is even closer.

We're not all birders: who is your bird with the attitude?

Lisa at Greenbow said...

We don't get many hummers at our feeder. Females are who comes in now.

Those sky picutres are beautiful as are the butterflies and other bugs.

Have a great weekend.

RuthieJ said...

Hi Mary,
Don't give up on the hummers, I'm sure they'll be back. And hey, I'd gladly trade a few of my hummers for some zebra swallowtails!
I love your mockingbird "exterminator"
I so enjoy your beautiful close-up photos and the sunset picture took my breath away.

Anonymous said...

Fabulous photos, Mary - you are amazing.

Kerri Farley said...

I thought that maybe the females were sitting on their nests. I had not seen any for a few weeks, but then I saw one yesterday.....hopefully they will be back soon Mary!

Your shots are amazing, Mary! A Most Wonderful Post!

Mary said...

Hi All,

A good friend in Ohio suggested the females are sitting on nests and relying on Japanesse honeysuckle in bloom... I know that's true, and June is typically a quiet month at nectar feeders; however, I always saw both females and males visit. This year is different with only one female seen many weeks ago. This is very odd. I'll keep watching.

Forestal and fieldguidetohummingbirds - thanks for the visit!

Mary said...

Murr, that bird is A Northern Mockingbird, the kings and queens of attitudes. Dramatic, boisterous, fun to watch. I have conversations with certain Mockers out back.

Balisha said...

Hummingbirds are scarce on my deck feeders too, but back by the woods they are enjoying the honeysuckle.

Wendy said...

Hmmmm, and I thought my hummers were snubbing my feeder just because it's broken. It fell off the window in the night (I think a strong wind pushed it, or maybe a squirrel)and 2 of the little perches are broken. There are still 2 good ones, and they'll do until I buy a new feeder. Since I can't tell the difference between male and female hummers....I don't know who's at the feeders. Just that there are not many.

Your pics are awesome! I love that sunset sky. Happy June!!!

BJ said...

Mary - your pictures are wonderful! I hope you all are having more sunshine there than here. Today is pretty so far....but we've had much rain and the last few days...humidity has crept in. You remember that, don't you?????

Hope all is well there. Keep taking those fantastic pictures. One is better than the next. You have it girl!!!!

Dog_geek said...

We haven't had as many hummers here as previous years either, or at least it seems that way. And they haven't been visiting our feeders as often now that the trumpet vine is blooming. They still like to buzz me when I'm working in the flower beds though - I think that is their favorite sport!

Dee/reddirtramblings said...

What wonderful photos! I often have more males than females in my garden too. I'm sorry that you won't have baby hummers this summer to enjoy, but you're right, you have so many other delightful creatures.~~Dee

Anonymous said...

I haven't seen many hummingbirds either. I figured they were all over at your house.

The sunset photo...wow!

Crayons said...

Hi Mary
I just stopped in and left a glowing comment, which got truncated as I was typing. Bloomin' Blogspot. Anyway, wonderful photos and text.

Anonymous said...

Mary, this is absolutely beautiful! When my eyes fell upon the page, my heart and soul followed, knowing there was another uplifting, wonderful feeling that would come....

Gorgeous photos...I'm looking so forward to seeing more and more of your wonderful blog!

JeanMac said...

Beautiful, beautiful! Hope your summer is great.

SaraG said...

WOW, all your photo's are just amazing!
Love your blog!!

dguzman said...

INCREDIBLE photos, Mary!

Just think--those hummers will be hungry soon, packing on the fat for yet another migration. Amazing.

Ramblings of a Villas Girl said...

Hi Mary! What a sunset. Very beautiful. Here in Jersey we have few female hummers too. Lots of males, but few females. Lisa

Heidi said...

That sunset is amazing! We don't get anything that pretty here - seriously!

I'm also thrilled at all the butterflies that visit you. We have a few occasionally, but not much variety. I'll trade you a few hummers for a few flutterbyes :)

Q said...

Dear Mary,
The girls will come soon with their kids!Right now the males are taking over.
I do love the bugs!
The Zebra is gorgeous.
No worries, the Hummers know your feeders are filled with fresh tasty food. Thanks for the link. I am over the moon for the Jewel Wings!
Happy July! Stay cool.
Sherry

Mel said...

Hola Mary,
It's been a while since I was able to sit calm and enjoy posts like this.
I believe your hummies will be back soon.
Besos,
Mel

Unknown said...

Beautiful series of images. I like the fact that you have posted large sized images for us to appreciate them. My favorite images are that "bird with attitude" and that "purple colored fly" on green leaves...Thomas

Cicero Sings said...

Great pictures as always!

Kathie Brown said...

Mary, your photography only gets better, if that's even possible! I love the speckled flower and the queen anne's lace! Sorry about the hummers but the mockingbird is hilarious!

Mary said...

Hi Mary
Sorry I havent been around for some time As always yor photos are fabulous. Hope you are well Mary

PJ said...

I might as well make this your 40th comment! I just wanted to let you know when I come to your blog I can sit back and relax and observe the little things that totally make life on earth bearable!

TR Ryan said...

Bare feet and iced tea indeed. That flower and the purple bee stopped me in my tracks. As did the dragonfly and the hummingbird and the butterfly and the and the and the!!!! My camera is tucked away in the cabinet - I am sick of toting it around. Some times you've just got to walk away and when the time is right - its even more magical for having been gone. Can't wait 'til the planet shifts and the tides change and you're back on the prowl.

Anonymous said...

Mary,
I miss you.

Mary said...

Anon, how nice of you. I'll be back way before summer's end.

Thanks to everyone for the sweet comments here!

Sherry at the Zoo said...

Love your pictures! Always a treat to swing by and see what's floating around your neck of the woods.

Hope the diet and exercise are going well and that you are having a great summer!

Susan Gets Native said...

I MISS YOU DAMMIT!

The Quacks of Life said...

saw this and thought of you!!

http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=2298236&o=all&op=1&view=all&subj=6366026879&aid=-1&id=701006133&oid=6366026879&ref=mf

Naturegirl said...

Mary this was an absolutely divine post to view! Oh my your photos warm my heart! So many of natures treasures all in one post!! sigh!
I'm limiting my time at the PC these days and am so happy I picked yours to visit today!!
I was not getting hummers for the longet time so out I went and bought 3 more feeders so I am busy now boiling their sweet water filling feeders and enjoying their visits! I'll try to capture a good photo for you!
Have a wonderful week viewing your world through the eye of your camera! hugs NG

Kathie Brown said...

Mary, are you alright?

Anonymous said...

Definitely missing Mary!
Going through Mary withdrawals. Need a fix lol.
Beginning to think along the lines of Kathiesbirds...

Mary, reading your blog is something I reserve as a treat with a cup of tea, it always fills me with delight, hope, a sense of peace and a feeling that I have found a kindred spirit.

Thank you for giving so much of yourself, I always appreciate it. Although I tend to be rather quiet when it comes to leaving comments.

Hope all is well,

Gaelen

Mary said...

Gaelen, I'm OK! I'll be back soon - in August, I'm sure. Thank you.

Carol Michel said...

Hi, Mary! I stopped by because I had not seen a new post here in awhile. Happy to see you left a comment yesterday so we know you are good. It's August, so come on back! I have a post on my blog that will surely make you laugh!

Take care!
Carol, May Dreams Gardens

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Mary, I have been so busy taking care of my m-i-l that I haven't been spending as much time on the computer. I just stopped by to see what you've been up to and saw that you haven't posted in a while. I hope all is well with you. Take care.

TR Ryan said...

Come back to the 5 & Dime Mary Dean, Mary Dean. We miss you!!!!!!!

Richard said...

Oh my god these pictures are really inspiring and truly an art of photography thanks for these...

___________________
Jack
Home Security Systems no CREDIT CHECK everyone is approved

JeanMac said...

Mary, I will never tire of your pictures - and words. thank you.