Great Spangled Fritillary

Two thistle plants grew up next to the front porch this summer. We didn't pull them out as we (and most people) would normally do because we know the goldfinch love the seeds. We are hoping to get some good photos of the goldfinch when they come close to the porch for the seeds. A bonus to having the thistle there is that the Great Spangled Fritillary loves the thistle nectar and has been frequenting these plants. I finally grabbed the camera and took some pictures.

Young Turkeys

This year's young turkeys are now coming to the bird feeder. We've seen as many as 20, counting the mama turkeys that come along. In these pictures, there were 7 or 8. The mamas certainly keep a keen eye out for any danger while the little ones eat! They are fun to watch!

Fawn & Family

Okay, I know I'm overdoing the fawn pictures but I can't help it. It is so beautiful!! I love the pic with the mama, the young buck and the fawn. It looks as though they are protecting the fawn.

Raccoon Family

Mama brings her two babies to the feeder. She comes early sometimes - before dark - because if she doesn't, the food will be eaten by another racoon mama that has three babies.

Perseid Meteor Shower

Last night/this morning was the Perseid meteor shower. I set my alarm for 3:45 a.m. this morning and went outside with my blanket and pillow. My husband had set up the ladder so I could climb up on the garage roof (with the warning, 'Don't wake ME up!'). When I first went out, there was a mama raccoon and her little ones in our open-front garage, banging around. This unnerved me so I sat on the front porch for awhile until I knew they were gone. Then I went up on the roof. I laid back and watched the heavens. I saw 12 meteors, but I would have probably seen more if I hadn't been keeping an eye out for the raccoon family! I didn't want mama getting upset with me and climbing up after me! Although the likelihood of that happening was slim. I heard the coyotes howling and the barred owl hooting. I was outside for almost an hour and would have stayed longer, but, even though I was dressed in jeans and a sweatshirt, I got cold. The sky was rather bright, probably because of the light from the setting moon. Some nights here when the sky is black and the stars are out, you feel like you can reach up and pull one down. But last night was still beautiful, and awe-inspiring to be up that high under the stars.

I didn't take pictures because unless you have a special camera that shows the whole sky, any picture wouldn't have caught the fast-moving meteors.

More Fawn Pics

Fawn Pictures - finally

Finally! The doe brought the fawn around in the daylight. It was having a blast, chasing the doves, running from one doe to the other. Perhaps the other doe is a surrogate because it was going to both of them. It was so much fun to watch! It seemed like it was mimmicing mom, too, in the occasional stomping of the feet, the looking out for danger, etc. I took 115 pictures, plus a short video, and it was hard to decide which pics to post! They all turned out good.

Strange Formations in Nature

When I'm out in the woods, I look for startling and unique patterns in nature, such as in rocks or trees. Here are a couple that I found recently.

I felt as though I was being watched one day when I was sitting in our woods reading and on my way out, I saw the face on the tree! The other one I call the "owl stump."

The Birds and the Bees

We've had a lot of hummingbirds this season - more than I thought we would have when the season started out! I make 8 cups of food a day. The problem has been that bald-faced hornets have been visiting the feeders also, chasing the hummingbirds and making it scary for us when we refill the bottles! We figure they have a nest nearby. BUT, I read on the internet that they will not bother you unless you bother their nest. So we tolerate them at the feeders - what else are we to do? I tried a technique that someone suggested - using a spray bottle filled with ice and ice water and spraying them. It was supposed to paralyze them and make them fall to the ground, then you could step on them. It kind of worked on one, but he didn't fall to the ground. He just went to the chimes and kind of stuck there. Then I kept spraying the others and finally they started to get MAD at me and chase me, so I gave up on that idea! In the first picture you can see one of the hornets and get an idea of how BIG they are!

Intimate Moment

A child is always your child, no matter how big they get. This holds true for deer too. This is a mother doe with her "baby", a fawn that was born last year. She's cleaning his head, even his ears.

Turkeys and Racoon

We have a lot of wildlife that visit our bird feeder and it seems as though there is a code that they go by wherefore they don't bother each other at the feeder.

Angel Kitty

In her own way, Angel Kitty is a bookworm. She loves to sit on top of books, whether they are open or closed.

Fawn

Another fawn picture. I took this from inside the house. Later that evening my husband and I were up in our gazebo, away from the house, when we saw the deer family come to the bird feeder, with the fawn! The fawn stood right in front of our house where it would have been a perfect picture, but of course I wasn't there and I didn't have my camera. There'll be more opportunities, I'm sure!