Musings

When the Manistique River is high this time of the year, the lake it flows from must be high, too? Roight? And it is. And it has been. For years. We go from drought years to this in, what?, just a few years…and this high-water has been with us for, what?, a decade?

The lake it flows from is a shallow lake, big and shallow, and the speed boaters always had to take that into account…like anchor their boats well off-shore (takes some depth for those big motors) and take a dingy in, and the like. Well, those folks like the high levels. The rest of us watch our property wash into the water and disappear. Not happy-making.

In short, Lake Michigan is high. The feeder rivers that flow into it are high, and everything upstream is water-filled. Welcome to climate change, this local version right at present.

Today’s official palate-cleanser flower….

Posted at 8:32 PM | Comments Off on Water! Essence of life.

I have to say that I tend to enjoy drippy rain. White-noise drippy rain. Today’s lasted, off and on, until about 5:30 pm, when the sun came out and the temp began to elevate. I hear even more bird calls now. And, as you can see, the rain barrel is full…plenty to last us a few days until the meteorological report predicts sprinkles, as I only have to water the basil…and mint! Peppermint! This summer’s science experiment (thank you, Sweet, Kind Neighbor, who induced my snippings to send out roots after I had failed to do so).

I see a stand of goldenrod (Solidago spp.) has pushed well above the grass head near the garage. Only they’re not yet golden. Time, magic time, will change this.

Title refers to a common phrase around here that goes something like…if you don’t like the weather…da da da.

Posted at 7:25 PM | Comments Off on …wait ten minutes

Knowing the heat was coming, I got out right after coffee for a bit of pruning, then we went to town for a few groc necessities. I suspect this is an Asian honeysuckle that escaped from the great-grandmother garden, and not a native species. This branch survived the pruning.

Late in the afternoon, we walked across the road to visit with the neighbors at a social distance (plus), and to pick some of their lettuce—lovely and tasty.

Between these two, I just soaked in the heat, from a seated and decidedly un-lively position. [I call that afflicted by the heat/humidity combo.]

Posted at 7:19 PM | Comments Off on Afflicted

I still don’t know what this sapsucker was up to with the wing held sideways. S/he eventually stuck the beak under the wing in a normal manner when preening, then flew off, but s/he held the wing-out position for maybe two minutes without paying attention to it. Not hurt; a yoga stretch, perhaps?

I called these harebells the other day, but I think they’re garden bluebells gone wild.

First photo: not a woodpecker; second photo: not a harebell. I’m living and learning. 🤨

Both photos qualify as snapshots and no more. The first was through the screen/window, and the second just would not expose better.

Posted at 5:37 PM | Comments Off on Not a…

Green as in: well before harvest time. Green apples.

Green grapes.

Okay. And a fine view of the blue sky, white pouf-clouds, and the grey-turquoise lake. With red chairs.

We are lucky living in this colorful place.

Posted at 5:10 PM | Comments Off on Green season

Mighty tasty black raspberries.

Lovely lake. Open sky.

Winsome woodchuck. [But a big eater. S/he moved on from the lawn to nab flowers. Rrrrr.]

Or maybe it’s more the images than the adjectives.

Posted at 8:10 PM | Comments Off on Power of adjectives

It’s not sunrise. Or sunset.

It’s not wisteria, like I first thought. Just some tossed lilacs. Memory photo.

Posted at 6:48 PM | Comments Off on Not what it looks like

I was heartened when I saw SOME overcast.

Turns out it was ephemeral.

And loaded with humidity.

Today, I’m in love with air-conditioning.

Posted at 8:25 PM | Comments Off on Shafts and beams

Now, I got going PRETTY early, but not SUPER early, and when I was in my first ten minutes and ramping up the ol’ heartbeat, I saw the sun was up enough to be in the rays, and I knew I had to head down over the ridge into no-rays territory, as in: no rays so just a WEENsie bit cooler.

No-rays means MOSTly no-rays: see! Ray action! And at the foot of the tree, a helpful marker. Aha: paperbark maple. Never recall seeing that name before. Must have, and it just didn’t register…too darned many darned plants out there to remember the names.

Posted at 9:20 PM | Comments Off on Working the angles

From a distance this group of petunias was beige, tinted beige, but beige. Now that I look closely, the flowers are quite interesting. [Self: don’t jump to conclusions.]

Look what I spotted on the window. Ten minutes after her/his photo session with meeeee, I looked, and El Moth had departed. Life in motion. [More beige variation.]

Posted at 9:03 PM | Comments Off on Look closely