Wordless Wednesday...

foggy dew...

Yesterday was quiet and still...



The weather was soft and crept over the landscape like a sheet of gauze...

Light rain gave the world depth and muted the sounds all around us...

It brought the deer out of the forest and into the field...

I spotted them first, like ghosts hovering in the wet grass...

...and then they spotted me...

Keeping watch through the mist, and me trying to reassure them with my own stillness...

Until they felt safe and went back to the business of grazing...

I love days like this, the spring rains that keep our landscape green and mossy.

Knowing that in a short time, we'll have our hot, dry days and the deer will

seek the solace of the woods for shade and the comfort of a cool place to lay.

For now, I gaze out as if through squinted eyes, soaking up the

atmosphere of the shroud enclosing me...

House Hunters...

"Well sweetie, how's the nieghbourhood look from there?"

"Looks pretty good, honey...lots of trees, lakes and ponds close by,

I think I could see us living here...have a look at this place..."

"Well, it's got a lovely view, sweetie, but I'm not crazy about the 'open plan' idea...

come and have a look at this cute little place..."

"yeah this could do nicely, honey...let me go up and have a look at the roof..."

"Looks pretty solid...what about the age, honey?"

"oh, you know me, sweetie...I love these old charactor places...come have a look inside..."

"Your'e right, honey, it's really cosy...what about the nieghbours?"

"Well the one over on this side is quite musical..."

"...and the one on the other side is very colourful..."

"what about that furry four legged dude?"

"oh, I think he's really nice, sweetie...he just sit's around and watches stuff.

Once in a while he barks at people coming and going but pretty quiet otherwise.

The only trouble we might have is with the little guy with the white on him..."

"oh, I don't know, honey...he looks alright..."

"Sweetie, don't let that innocent face fool you.

He may be small but I see something in him that may be trouble..."

"Yeah, you may be right, honey, but if we keep to ourselves

and watch the kids closely, I think we could make a go of it..."

"Looks like we found ourselves a summer home then!"

 

Happy house warming swallows!

 

Song for Friday...feel good...

We've had some beautiful, summery weather which put me in mind of some

beautiful, summery music.

Michael Franti never dissapoints in this department.

Have a great weekend
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KqgHosrqJ8o&feature=relmfu

Wordless washday Wednesday...

Industrious and dangeruos...

I've been down  with a wicked sinus infection.

I'm sure as soon as I walked in the door of my nieces and nephews house,

the virus bugs rubbed their evil little hands together and declared me 'fresh meat'.

The other drag of this is that the weather has been absolutely gorgeous.

In fact I am sitting on the porch with my tea as I write, looking out at all of

the new growth, green and vibrant, watching and listening to the birdsong.

Yesterday morning I managed to pull my sorry butt out to the garden to

have a look at all of the weeds coming up.

Every time I bent over my head just about exploded so I decided

to clean out the little greenhouse a bit.

That's when I noticed it.

An industrious hornet working on the beginnings of it's nest.

Look at those amazing markings!

Normally, if this was going on away from a place where I don't walk in and out of, I wouldn't mind.

In fact I would welcome the opportunity to witness this marvel of architecture...

The amount of work which goes into making a nest of any kind is huge.

Chewing off bits of woods, munching it up into pulp and then constructing near

perfect chambers for which to provide home to your offspring.

Without thumbs or tools!

Unfortunately this one will have to go and find a different spot.

Hornets can be aggressive and my greenhouse is very small.

Hopefully it will find a new spot to build.

Then I went over to my deck in the garden where I have a large bell hanging and I

heard muffled buzzing inside.

A yellow jacket wasp flew out and instantly I knew what was going on here.

Up inside the bell is a tennis ball sized nest being built...

This tenant is not very welcome here either.

A yellow jacket nest can house hundreds of wasps and this being one

of the principal places I spend time in the summer, well you get the picture.

I think I will wait until the evening and put a bag around the whole thing and move

it somewhere where I can watch it's progress from a distance.

Some industrious creatures I do welcome as close to the house as possible.

Birds.

On the way back into the house, I heard the stressful call of a mother robin.

I knew that the enemy must be close by...I had a look around and discovered

him safely napping in the house...

So back out I went by the laurel bushes to have a peek...

Well hidden beneath the boughs, in the shade I spotted them...



So well hidden it was hard to get a picture but here's a few snippets of the new babies,

probably only a week old.

 Mama bird was not far away keeping watch before

she flew in with lunch...

Keeping watch for the many dangers.

...and I thought babysitting for a week was work!

Happy Mothers day...in many ways...

Today I want to wish all of you a Happy Mothers Day.

Not only to mothers of children born but to women who nurture

and sisters who are there for others.

To daughters who care and even to fathers who now have to be a mother as well...