Thursday, August 30, 2012

August’s End

Coming to the end of the photos I had of our last cabin adventure really brought it home to me that the summer is about done.  Two of our children have their birthdays and the end of things.  Our oldest turned seventeen today…the end of the summer while our youngest ushers out the end of the year in December.  I usually find a way to feel kind of melancholy during these times…I think those that have kids understand exactly what I mean. The evenings have been rather spectacular.  I expect this is because as the season changes the light does different things at different times.  The late summer sunsets seem different to me…certainly earlier then they’ve been.  The awful drought and heat we’ve had means that most thunderheads are high and dry and the lightning is a threat that often carries through with lightning strike fires.  Knowing the danger this particular cloud looked ominous and rather like a blood dipped piece of fabric of some sort.  Our salamander does all he can to avoid the heat…can you spot him hiding in the hole he dug for himself?  We’ve lost several plants to the heat and aphids this year but still the pansies seem content and always bring a smile to my face.  Have you ever noticed that in tough times the more annoying of creatures seem to thrive?  This is especially true here.  The wasps have been giving the honey bees a run for their money by enjoying the nectar on the wild plants in the prairie.  Not all is dry and barren.  Some unusual flowers seem to be getting ready to burst from their pods…you know I’ll capture it when they do!  These pods are not only good sizedbut also plenteous and seemingly unaffected by the relentless heat and lack of rain…note the difference between the green plant and the dry brown background.  There have also been some little yellow flowers that don’t care about the drought one bit.  They weren’t very pretty at first and were actually quite sticky with some kind of sap before they bloomed but now they are quite delightful to see.  Just look at them thrive!  Our little pond has been doing well enough because it survives by leeching water from the nearby irrigation ditch.  We have a whole new crop of cat tails.  My little girl (no not the seventeen year old) enjoys breaking them off and saying they are scepters that ever queen needs to rule her kingdom.  There are so many scepters to choose from…which shall we pick for her majesty?  Some of the cat tails were showing signs of the march of the season…note the one puffing out.  The harsh sunlight has managed to bleach some of them.  I once again was drawn to the honey bees and realized I’ve got some work to do.  My daughter is having some friends over and a special meal..time to head back home.  Passing the delicate lavender colored blossoms once again.  Look this bloom is bugged!  I’ll leave you all with the last shot of the day before coming back inside.  Blessings to you!

21 comments:

  1. Happy Birthday to your daughter Joe!! Where has the time gone.

    You have captured some pretty flowers for us in your photos. Thank you!

    I bet that Lovely made a beautiful cake for your daughter. I will be watching for pictures.

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    1. Thank you kindly dear Beth, I appreciate that. I honestly don't know where time goes...they say it seems to speed up when you get older and I can believe that. We are going to have a meal on the deck this evening...I hope Danielle will like it.

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  2. Hi Joe,

    Enjoyed your pictures as always, the clouds and sunsets were spectacular and the flowers pretty. Happy Birthday to your daughter and hope you all have an enjoyable meal together.

    Blessings - Nita

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    1. I'm glad you enjoyed the pictures Nita, it's a therapy for me to do that. Thanks for the birthday wishes...time is ticking away. Bless you my friend.

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  3. Happy Birthday to your beautiful daughter today !!!! I loved the pics of the red sky that hovers over your kingdom !!! It is amazing how such pretty flowers can bloom and prosper while everything around it looks dried up and expired !!! I hope the young queen enjoyed the stroll thru the land surrounding her kingdom and the jewels that "her majesty" took back to the kingdom for all to enjoy !!!!


    such a wonderful post and i enjoyed all the photos Joe, thanks for sharing !!

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    1. This place has been kind of a refuge for me Beth, I think you know what I mean when I say that FB has never been that refuge and never will be. It's been a pretty stressful day actually which often happens. I think all in all it will turn out to be a good day if we can just get on with it. Her majesty went bowling with friends...it's her first time! Bless you my friend, it was really good to here from you today.

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  4. Summer brings beginnings and the end is but a hop away. The prairie plants have adapted quite well to harsh times. It is the water lovers like the cotton woods that struggle.

    Happy birthdays.

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    1. You're quite right about the prairie plants John, I actually have a great respect for their adaptability. Yes, the water lovers can struggle though I've not seen it too much in trees for some reason so far...boy am I glad. Thanks for the birthday wishes my friend.

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  5. Pansies are fighters Joeú call those cigars cat tails..lol
    we call them cigars Funny..I used to bring them in the house It was decoration in white spanish vase.
    And wish ur daughter a wonderful birthday
    Cheers i drink one on that.
    enjoy

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    1. I can see why you would call them cigars...LOL! They do make a wonderful decoration. Thank you for the birthday wishes my friend!

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    2. so Joe
      take those cigars and decorate the houseU take some and put them in small neck vase its awesome
      yep cigars No Havana/s Cohiba lol

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  6. Oh how beautiful. I so so so wish I could see them in person but seeing it this way is close to being as good. I love Cat Tails too by the way. I haven't seen them nor Pussy Willows since I was not much older than Gabby. What a treat that would be again.

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    1. Dear Carole, I don't think you'd find much to love in this barren landscape at the moment...it's an acquired taste that I've developed over the years and it can still take me some effort to love it especially when it's inhumanely cold or hot but I thank you for your kind comments. Gabby loves to go out and hunt for grasshoppers with me so we can feed our salamander...it's a different kind of life to say the least.

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  7. Time is going by so fast. Happy Birthday to your Daughter Joe. The drought you have is awfully bad by the looks of it still. It sure will effect everything . We has too much rain and I did have plants drowned. I love your photos of the sky. Your so right about the light changing and what it does . The fall light is so warm.
    The Sept. issue of Nat. Geog. is about weather , the effects and what its been like. Its interesting.If you havent seen it I hope you do. Mine came in the mail last week.
    Enjoyed all your photos once again. Sorry it took so long to get here. Life is too busy at times and sometimes I make it so. aww to find the balance .
    Have a blessed day

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    1. Time is moving quickly. I think that the strange weather didn't help that much. I don't like to see it sort of slipping through my fingers. I didn't see the National Geographic. I used to subscribe but don't any longer...they do have some amazing captures don't they?

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  8. Happy belated Birthday to your Daughter Joe. She has grown into a beautiful young lady. They grow up so fast. My youngest granddaughter will be 17yrs. old this coming Jan. Hard to believe. We had 3 birthdays in May, and 4 in Aug. Now it is time to start saving up for Christmas. It is not that far away. :)

    It has been very hot and dry here this summer with next to no rain and we have also been in a drought. Farmers have no hay for their cattle and many are talking about selling because they can't afford to feed them. We will all pay at the grocery store I am sure.
    I have never seen the water levels this low. A huge marsh area caught on fire because there was no water left in it ,and you could see it across the Bay. Record breaking water levels.

    Your photos are all so Beautiful Joe. It is amazing how the wildflowers thrive in hard times. There has to be a lesson their for all of us, don't you think. God is Good. Blessings to you and your family.
    Dianne :)

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    1. Thank you for the birthday wishes my friend, it's been a dry season but as you say there's a lesson there in the wild flowers that I always appreciate. It's really good to hear from you my friend!

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  9. You having are lovely your children their two birthdays time.
    You mind has being wonder seventeen 30th August. And December in soon.
    Your daughters having the meal time with a friends.
    I love your beautiful photos Joe.
    Be back to like more yes!
    Michiko

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  10. So glad to see you stopped by my friend. I am glad to share the photos with you!

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  11. I love when you go for a walk about in your area. There is so many beautiful things you manage to find. Again your mind wonders as well. The flowers with the pods can't be sunflowers as they have pods not heads with sunflower seeds. I almost thought the other yellow flower was a calendula till I saw it in a cluster. No wildflowers left blooming around place for sometime now. We are still having a heat way. Yes the evening skies are very calming now instead of that threat of thunder storms. Well on to you next blog.

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    1. Wow you got around today didn't you? I'm impressed! It got hot here today but evenings are downright cool if you ask me. Up and down is the routine at the moment. I bet you're glad to be free of thunderstorms. We had nary a one this year really...unlike last year, go figure.

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