.....Lazy Sunny Summer Sunday

Sunday Morning found me outside early.

The sun was just beginning to break

over the top of the trees along the field...

~

...hitting

just one small spot in the garden

at first!

~

I had been having the last part

of my breakfast under the gazebo...

~

when the brightness almost

over-whelmed me!
~






But...
the sun's brightness slowly softened...
illuminating the drive...






and the flower garden...
with soft morning sunshine!

The lower end...

seen here earlier in full shade...
actually gets most of the morning sun!

The light strikes the Red Bud tree

at the edge of the woods first!

The tree hangs heavy with seed pods!

The Lanceleaf Coreopsis

loves the sun...

and blooms all summer!

(if you dead-head them)

This Bee Balm is a double header...

one bloom grows on the top of another.

Here it is later...in full flower!

The shaggy Shasta Daisy is a favorite

of mine!

This Balloon flower...which I thought died...

has surprised me with blooms!

The sunny morning has been full

of bird songs too!







After listening to the song fest...

I decided to cross the bridge

to the field!

From the bridge...

I notice my shadow...

in the early morning sun!

The early sun

shines on the peach tree too...

hanging heavy with fruit...

This butterfly

is in a less sunny spot

in the field...

...and Miss Bernie Bluebird

is back and in the top

of another peach tree!

I think she's ready

to start a second family!

I take a quick look into

the woods from the top of the hill...

and...

take a short walk along the edge

behind the garden in the field...
to an area where...

Grandson Grant had camped out

Friday night.

He didn't know I took a photo

early that Saturday morning!

After...

walking back home...

Granddaughter Katie dropped by.

Before coming in...she

ALWAYS

checks the 4 leaf clover patch!

Katie found 50 of them!

They went in the clover journal!

Later...

Granddaughters Alivia and Amanda

rode their bikes back!

Amanda is leaving for Ireland

on July 2nd!

She was selected by her college

to work with children there

for 7 weeks!

Alivia will miss her greatly...

while she's away...

as we all will.

Amanda is a senior and

straight A student!

In the Fall she will

intern as a reporter

at a local city newspaper!

After...

they rode home...

I checked the small garden...

behind the house...

only...

saw a Redbird on the fence...

no squirrels...

Most...

may remember...

last year the squirrels stole

a lot

of the green tomatoes.

I then went in to fix lunch!

I made cornbread with

red and green sweet peppers!

Crumbled some into a pasta salad

with bacon bits...

...and had peach shortcake for dessert!

It was Father's Day...

and our daughter and two sons

were here together that evening!

The day was a...

lazy-sunny-summer Sunday!

But...

the very next day

was a different story!

That will be my next post!

I'll leave you with a small heart...

found after the rain!

♥...Wanda

......Andrew's Birthday

This is my grandson Andrew...BUT...years ago.

Yesterday was his Birthday!

Andrew

was always a mild mannered

sweet child.

He and his brother Dylan...

...and sister Katie...
spent every weekday
at Gramma's...
during the summer...
while their parents worked.

During the school year
they were brought over very early
and we would later take them to school.

Andrew
would always manage a quick nap...
even while sitting up!
Note his shirt...even then
he was dreaming about motocross bikes.






Andrew
graduated from a regular bike
to a dirt bike very early!










He's always been a very helpful
and responsible
young man!






He's gone with me on many walks
in the woods....
Guess what he found here.
~






These claws!






This is Andrew and brother Dylan
clawing their way to the top
of the hill from the creek bed below!







Andrew turned 14 yesterday!
He still comes over to visit
and ride his dirt bike!

Of course...

he has graduated to a much

bigger bike!

I believe...

he's going to need a bigger helmet soon too!

HAPPY 14th BIRTHDAY ANDREW

WE LOVE YOU !!!

......Welcomed Visitors?

I like the scalloped petals made by an insect

...on this pink rose

The center of the clematis...

almost...

looks like an insect!

~

The Moonbeam Coreopsis

is always...

a favorite of the honey bees!

~

Thought I would hide this snail

here between the flowers...

since hiding is his

usual routine!

~

The Coreopsis also attracts

odd winged moths!

~

This Stella de Oro lily...

was seeping nectar early one morning!

~

One afternoon...

while having a lunch of

potato salad...baked chicken and iced tea...

with a green onion from the garden...

I spotted our resident...

Red-shouldered Hawk...

in the Tulip tree at the edge of the field.

~

He flew away as I approached...

my goal was to

deter him away from baby Wrens

in the vicinity

and

to check this nest in the...

Forsythia bush!

Apparently...

I didn't need to intrude...

the baby Wrens...

and

the nest-making Song Sparrows

were not what Mr. Hawk

was spying.

~

(be prepared please)

~
It

was...

a

Black Rat Snake
(they are friendly though)

~

"but scary"

if you almost step on one!

~a very lonnnnng one too!~

I 'think' he may be welcomed....

but...

guess where it went?

Straight up my favorite Oak tree!

as you can see...

I left quickly...

to go tell Herhusband...

he's my problem solver!

~

Another day...

while having a lunch of

olive salad over noodles...

green beans and carrots...

&

vegetarian sausage...

in my "Quiet Room"...

a little streak of yellow...

outside the window...caught my eye.

I knew it wasn't one of the numerous

American Goldfinch that visit.

It was much smaller and slimmer!

It was a welcomed...

first sighting for me of a

Prothonotary Warbler!

This...

was a first sighting for me too...

Hummingbirds

...mating on the front porch!

Very early one morning....

I opened the door to find this...
usually very shy Wood Thrush.

Their

song has a flute-like sound.

Anytime I walk in the woods...

I can hear them...

but hardly ever see them!

I've never been able to get

such a closeup photo.

He is welcomed back anytime!!!

Someone else...

that can come back anytime...
and often does...

is granddaughter Katie!

She is drawn to...

this little plot of clover...

that we leave untrimmed...

until after her visits...

....and her harvest of...

~4 Leaf Clovers~

~Thirty one 4 Leaf Clovers ~


Katie

may be good at finding
her clovers...

but...

I'm good at finding

turtles.

These are different ones

I've found......starting back in April

All their shell designs are different!

I'm going to keep track of them...

all season this year!

Some are smaller than others...
like this one...

...almost as small as my cell phone.

Most of them are found in the woods...

this one was crossing the field.

Something else

running across the field...

was this skunk.

Not too sure he's welcomed!!!

Found this broken heart

in the creek and brought it home!

~Two for one~

But...

I'll end with this heart...

growing on a stepping stone...

and...

the Fawn...

resting in the open garden shed...

in the field.

He and You are always.....

~Welcomed Back Anytime!~

♥...Wanda