Not A Heron This Time

The pond was our final destination of a late afternoon farm ATV drive-around.

Feeding the catfish was the last chore of the day.

As we neared the pond, Glenn was ahead of me.  He stopped on the dam and motioned me to look toward the pond dock.

A magnificent Kingfisher was resting on a bench post.

 

 

 

I tried to sneak up closer which on a loud and noisy ATV is not an easy task.

 

 

female Belted Kingfisher

 

The Kingfisher stayed for several minutes before we proceeded closer to the dock.  She flew off into the nearby tree and watched us from her ‘safe’ distance.

A fair trade…wouldn’t you agree?

 

Garden Harvest - Better Than I Expected!

After more rain than normal, as experienced over the past 25 years, the garden is surprisingly starting to produce.  I had real doubts. The harvest is much better than I had anticipated - yippee!  In overview, to date…

The potatoes are large and flavorful; but, the onions are small and soft.

The 20th+ time Glenn harvested this season's cucumbers!

The cucumbers are prolific; but, the butter squash vines are dying.

 

The banana peppers and green peppers are big and plentiful, enough to can and freeze respectively.

 

The sweet corn, what remained after losing some pre-ear development stalks that fell over in the soggy ground, is perfect - sweet, tender and abundant enough to eat daily at the moment with surplus to freeze for winter use.

The pole beans have been sparse due to the zealous Japanese beetle invasion. Those that we do harvest are delicious. And, it looks like there will be more to come.

 

 dried the grapes for sweet raisins

The fruits did not fare as well as the cherries were a total loss, the strawberries produced less than our usual harvest, the grapes developed only a minimum crop, the blueberries were normal, and the apples are still growing.  The raspberries have been ripening regularly all summer long.  Some have been used as an ice cream topping, some have been frozen and some have been dried.  The raspberries also produce well late in the season, so I am expecting a good final tally.

Fortunately, my early season prediction of garden yield was not totally accurate.  We ended with more bounty than I projected.  

And, our taste buds and stomachs are well satisfied and will be throughout the dormant season due to our preservation efforts.

Note:  As I was drying a few dishes, I happened to hear a desperate crying.  I looked out the window in time to see Buddy starting to walk away with a small bunny in his mouth.  I yelled, ‘Buddy,’ at which he dropped the small creature that immediately ran back into the same garden bed for hiding.  Buddy walked away with a short-lived sadness.  Minutes, later, I heard that same distressed cry, looked out and saw that Buddy was back in that same garden bed hunting that same bunny.  I saved that bunny twice. But, I did not know how long my luck, rather that bunny’s luck, would keep him safe and alive.  I went out to try to chase the bunny away, but I could not find him.  He was hiding extremely well under the lush foliage of my leadwort ground cover. Unfortunately, I do not have the same sense of smell as Bubby to aid me in my search. This bunny is on his own. 

 

Other garden creatures are not lucky...

one of our pets (cat or dog) is doing their job...

Some garden nuisances, like this dead mole, is better to me and my gardens on the deceased side.  I have included the photo only because the fly looks interesting…check out the colors!



Can I ever stop taking photos of butterflies?  Probably not!

 

The Fish I Swim With

I just thought you might like to take a gander, up close, of the fish I swim with in our farm pond.

Yep…big, ugly catfish - much bigger than they were last summer, too!

 

There are others hiding out in the water such as blue gill and bass, but these guys are the ones that come to eat when Glenn throws out fish pellets.

 

Why does Glenn feed these fish?  I do not know. Aren’t they huge enough already?  I think so.

 

The up side is that once they have eaten all the pellets, they disappear to pond parts unknown…by me.

 

 

And, I can continue to peacefully float stress free - relaxing and soooo refreshed!

Ember's Manicure

Clipping Ember’s hoofs is not an easy task.

 

That is not my experience, but Glenn’s as he was always the one delegated for this necessary, periodic job.

 

Did you catch the word WAS? 

 

Now, Becky’s friend has willingly (we did not have to beg too much) taken over the backbreaking, painstaking chore.  Just imagine…lifting a horse’s leg to clip a thick, solid hoof using every bit of muscle manageable all the while having 1000 pounds or so lean against you for the effort.  Then, repeat the exercise three more times.

 

Glenn is ecstatic since he no longer has to abuse his old bones.  Ember is ecstatic since she gets attended to on a more regular basis.

 

And, Colby… not sharing his comments.

A Jungle or a Yard

The yard is a jungle.

 

With our wet spring continuing through… well now, most every green growing plant (fruits and veggies excepted) has over excelled during this growing season.  My lawn, my perennials, my shrubs and even my trees are abundantly lush.  The weeds…you can imagine!

 

I decided that I needed to trim back some of the vegetation. 

 

I enlisted Glenn to help with the trees.  After all, he is the expert with the chainsaw.  In reality, I have not used a chain saw in years.  I know all too well that I would not even be able to start the beast without straining/injuring what arm muscles I might possess.  And, I do not possess many that actually are dependable in my aging body.

 

Two evening ago, Glenn finally was motivated to do a bit of trimming.  After a quick sharpening of the chain on the saw, we walked about the garden determining our victims:  a few stray walnut trees started by squirrels,  cutting off the lower branches on the towering white pine  to clear my path when I mow the lawn, a few branches off the sweet gum - again, a danger while mowing the lawn - I always seem to clunk my head on those pendulous  seed balls which are small but have sharp spikes that down right hurt, a branch off the dogwood so that the bird bath is more accessible to my feathered friends, and remove  the lower course of branches off the hemlock - another mowing hazard. 

 



Bird bath now visible and accessible.



No, those are not short shrubs, those are the trimmings from some of the trees.

OUCH!

And, that was only the start.  There are plenty more trees to prune.

 

To think, we planted all these trees over the course of the years we lived here on the farm.  They provide shade, beauty, and more work than we had anticipated when they were all only 12” seedlings.

 

The results are wonderful - a bit more open and airy and safe - more like a yard under control than a wild jungle.

 

 I think we will continue with the remaining trees in the yard…not today, but soon!

Deer Crossing

Today was quite a deer sighting day.  I saw a fully spotted fawn, a no-spot yearling, three more fawns and a few more does in our woods and along our farm road.

 

But, I was missing my deer shots all day…camera shots, that is.

 

yearling running into hiding

Then, success…one big (big in my eyes) buck, six-point antlers in full velvet…




same buck, different views - don't you just want to stroke those antlers?

GORGEOUS, MAJESTIC, ENCHANTING!


 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

More Summer Color

The mornings have been cool so I am able to leave on my walks later and later.  And, my bonus…brilliant rays of the rising sun piercing through the forest canopy.

 

The butterflies continue to flutter about my gardens constantly.  This year the swallowtails are abundant.  I can be in the garden almost any time of day to enjoy these beauties.  Most times, these butterflies fly so close to me that I can gently swirl my hand to catch a brief quiver of their delicate wings.

 

This morning I saw a small, very yellow butterfly. A Sulphur.  In trying to focus in to get as much detail as possible, my camera was directed to a stem filled with aphids instead…surprise, surprise!

 

My poor eyesight combined with sun shining into my eyes, I sometimes never really know what will be the resulting picture. 

 

 

 

And, that keeps my life very interesting!

cleome - my Grandmother called this the 'spider' flower on her garden

a late bloomer - this wisteria is a spring blooming plant



notice the bee at the bottom - another surprise for me!