Summer days are full of joy if I just take the time to acknowledge all the beauty that surrounds me. Complaining about the hot humid weather is useless. Grayden and I are committed to taking our 3 mile walk every day. Considering how sticky it gets quickly, we choose to rise at 5 am and have a bite to eat before starting our walk. As I was waiting for my sweetie to get ready I gazed out the window and was astonished to see the Red-Shouldered Hawk perched in the maple tree out back!
I quickly picked up my camera that was on the hearth. I'm a window gazer and usually find when something interesting is outside, my camera is in the other room. This day I was lucky to find it nearby. This big boy was eyeing the bird feeder below, but we have stopped filling it due to the advice of the Audubon Society. There is something that is killing songbirds and they feel it could be spread by way of bird feeders. I personally have not had any dead birds on our property, but want to do my part in protecting birds. They suggest taking down our feeder and cleaning it with a weak bleach solution. Hopefully this issue will be resolved soon and we can once again feed our fine feathered friends. In our garden there are columbine and astilbe that has gone to seed that they seem to enjoy along with naturally occurring insects.
The daylilies are peaking and soon will be but a memory.
This year will find me dividing these dayliles. If you have them, you know every few years this must be done or they will not bloom as well.
The America Climbing rose allowed us to have a nice bouquet over July the Fourth. This climber is in its fourth year on the trellis and is really taking off now. It really takes a while for climbers to establish themselves in your garden, so patience will usually pay off.
Taking a little vacation to the beach brings joy like none other. The ocean has always called me. It probably began as a little girl when my family spent many happy days there.
The power and glory of the vastness of the ocean makes me humble and thankful for her richness.
Grayden took this photo one morning as the sun was rising above the Atlantic.
At dusk one evening we looked to the south to reveal a most joyous sight that took our breath away!
July joys are all around. I hope you look for them!
