Musings

Variety is spicy

Red white lily

I was thinking about an all-lily post, but this one is the most eye-catching, and it’s from today, so no lily-posey, just this one.

Mushrooms under logside

These ’shrooms are just too…precious?…not to preserve….

Yellow plus feather

And this feather, in the middle of the path to the beach…hmm, goldfinch? Such brilliant yellow-gold, and relatively small.

With love for light

Seney refuge full summer

A storm came in from approx 12:15P to 1:15P, a mere hour, but what can be wrought in an hour.

Canada goose family snwr

We dodged reality (possibly, maybe), and headed to the wildlife refuge (vroom vroom) to see the post-storm critters. And found this Canada geese family on the fishing loop (do not ask if you do not understand—apologies if this sounds harsh).

Lily from above

And a near-poifect water lily. Maybe one word. I have intermittent connectivity to the wider internet-world, so give me a break.

Orchard after storm

And after our return to orchard/farm heaven, the sun returned, and…geeze, it gets complicated. So, the wind/rain changed the orchard, and vertical has a new meaning.

Detroit scissors

Orning fog field

This morning’s fog kept the sun from punching through until sometimes shortly after, maybe?, nine? Loved that it obscured the woods….

Detroit scissors chives

Foraged in the long grass for chives. I’ve been using them frequently…local farm-to-table produce, I guess….

Dodging deerflies

Sub tundra waterway

We passed “Pavement ends” and took one river road and two truck trails around the west side of the wildlife refuge, exploring a southern lobe of sub-tundra. Love the vertical evergreens and the marshy lands they sandwich.

The day was warm and humid, and we opted for the AC, thereby locking out the buzzing deerflies. They clouded us in the open areas, and abandoned us when we climbed onto deciduous hummocks. I had hoped for a photo of the lichens and ferns below the deciduous trees, but deerflies.

Marking the day

Apple tree dawn

I came downstairs to yawn and make coffee pretty early in city terms, but not at all early by northern summer country standards. I looked out into the orchard and the light was diffuse awaiting the sun. Then, poof, direct light came over the woods and lit the trees and grasses. Here’s a view through one of my favorite apple trees….

Vetch trio

In mid-afternoon I found this vetch climbing up the brome to get to the level of the elevated seed-heads. These flutter-bye are loving the blooms—a bunch had already departed in front of my fumbled camera, so these are the tolerant ones.

The pulse of this land

Rest stop rhodo

I flapped my mouth about the season for rhododendron blooms, and, it turns, out, I was a bit off. We did find some rhodos abloom…at a rest area.

Removed landslide

Here’s where a recent landslide-that-became-a-road-block has been removed. The cement barriers along the pavement remain…maybe the job’s not quite finished.

Sun buffet

We caught the Sun Buffet in the process of becoming the Dusk Buffet….

Astronomical notes

Morning moon

Yeah, we’ve just had the summer solstice, and when I was out early this morning I saw the moon in a murky sky…

Sunrise twilight

…and later, the sunrise twilight in a slightly cloudy sky.

By chance, I also read an article this afternoon about spiral symbolism among prehistoric southeastern North American peoples…related to sunrise/sunset, east/west, and other astronomical aspects.

I don’t usually think about the skies other than “that’s pretty” and “rain’s coming” superficial thoughts……although even with this circumstantial proving you likely won’t catch me learning constellations and so on.

Light = heat

Early light

I was out early this morning—another day predicted to get into the 90s (which became a fact). Not a good situation—this heat plus high humidity—for exercising…. So this is the morning sun getting ready to make air conditioners busy.

Visual light

Leaves against darkness

Inspired by the Guru…leaves against darkness. Love the concept…I think his version is more eye-catching….

Color contrast garden

Look at the color contrasts in this garden. It’s on a lot that someone bought and emptied of the house that was here, then turned it into a garden. A gift for us all; don’t know what the taxes are on an empty lot on this street-corner…thank you, stranger(s).

Leaves of notgrass

Now this is sheer visual pleasure. Enjoy these leaves of not-grass.

Lighting (lesson) trio

Fire station no 19

Neighborhood landmark. [Good to be home.]

Blackbird mosaic

Blackbird art.

Pink hibiscus backlit

Hibiscus silhouetted against the sky, and backlit.