Musings

Big birds. A pair of sandhill cranes inspect wavy railroad tracks.

Small bird. Pretty sure it’s a spruce grouse. Eat many pine needles. Interesting choice.

Here’s the east side of West Bay, which I call Grand Marais Bay in my head. From ground level.

Here’s approximately the same direction/angle from Droney. In spite of some serious wind. Tough drone!

On the ground, the water-topping flowers are in full display.

And we found a swan family—four cygnets!—browsing.

And a solo loon…posing…or watching us back.

Posted at 6:15 PM | Comments Off on Big n small variants

Pink is not a color I gravitate to, however, today’s best photos show pink…here in a lupine.

And here in the sky…glorious sky! We ate out on the bluff, and stayed out watching the light change until the skeeters began to feed on us.

Posted at 9:52 PM | 1 Comment »

While out on a lunch/errand run, we stopped and the Guru sent Droney aloft.

We figured the weeks of rain have made mud in the swamps that drain into the river—this is the Manistique. At the water’s-edge, we could tell the level had dropped several feet in the last two days or so. These are changeable times.

Meanwhile, I braved the clouds of skeeters to get a few flower shots. When I finished focusing, I looked at my legs and smashed the critters front and back (shorts were a dumb move for this stop). I ended up with blood smears up and down. A quick wash and all I have to do is worry about nasty microbes taking up occupancy in my soft tissues. [Ick.] Moving on…this is bladder campion.

Posted at 7:35 PM | Comments Off on Mini air-adventure

I made a big rice salad for our contribution to the potluck Fourth celebration across the way. I used these garlic scapes among the many veggies I added.

Our hosts always supply brats and weiners grilled to full tastiness. And home-baked beans. Guests bring the rest. Extra yummy this year, I thought.

Great company, too. Always great fun to catch up with people we see just once a year.

No sparklers even, and we saw the fireworks on Sunday night…but I still thought about this being the anniversary of the founding of our nation while I chopped veggies…I find these strange times, and tried to be buoyed by the tendency of institutions to perpetuate themselves in much the same form.

On the way back to our place the moon seemed to reign over the orchard and the lake.

Posted at 10:00 PM | Comments Off on Fun and festivities

Busy, cute bee. Look at the subtle shadow of the wings on the petals.

Before the fennel fronds open, they look like tendrils searching for something to wind around. And this umbel looks like a praying mantis.

Posted at 10:28 PM | 1 Comment »

We’re in the summer thunder pattern of late-day pop-up storms, and it is booming outside. ’Shrooms that I think are cousins of these were in their prime three days ago, then gone. This is a new batch, but I think the same kind. Same habitat, anyway. Driveway cracks. Love how see-through the stalks/stems appear.

Posted at 10:45 PM | Comments Off on These are tiny

So, is backlighting analogous to time going backwards, in the visual realm?

Another figure flipped today, a figure that changes in one direction…as…it’s the b-day of a family member, not of this household…one of our dear June people…. Can I “say” this less awkwardly? Yes, just not tonight. Tippo’ the champagne glass….

Posted at 9:26 PM | Comments Off on Figuring

The wind (more than the rain) is bringing down the apple petals. They are reminiscent of snow on the grass.

This lupine is developing color, but still tight-closed.

Love the purple shades that develop in the blossoms. Some tend a bit toward lavender, and we have a small minority that are white or pink.

I just checked the lilacs, and ours have color but the buds are unopened. I smelled, and no scent yet. ;-(

Posted at 4:43 PM | Comments Off on Overcast, but springing

After days of a sheep-decorated landscapes, we just have to note: no sheep (here). Not a one. But here the trilliums are busting forth. Love me a trillium. So a carpet of them leaves me breathless.

I had not realized that the carpet of trilliaciousness* can be accompanied by an equally glorious showing of forget-me-nots. I am slightly more educated in wildflowers after today’s reveals.

I took both these photos are right by our northwest downspout. I didn’t have to venture into the woods, or even someone else’s woods, to obtain them.

Happy woods-wandering! Maybe you can find a floral vision that’s equally spellbinding….

* Made-up word.

Posted at 9:56 PM | Comments Off on No sheep

Cleverest traffic safety sign of the day (and poorest-quality snapshot): “Cats have 9 lives. You are not a cat. Buckle up.”

Compelling sunset; unenhanced, original color—so golden and rich.

Posted at 10:20 PM | Comments Off on No cats