July 30th., Another Flutter

July 29th.

It promises to be another sunny, hot, humid day. It was so hot yesterday that by late afternoon the two of us were laid back on the chesterfield like two beached whales with sweat pouring off us. It didn't improve much during the evening. Got a cold shower but that only helped for a short time.

Went to a hardware store, the nearest one being about 14 klms away, and picked up a gallon of paint to do the eaves and window frames. At one point I saw more Dragonflies than I've ever seen before at one time. No chance of a picture though as they were all flying about. Got home and checked around the eaves and found another wasps nest. Argh!!!!!

I've been trying to get a picture of the adult woodpeckers feeding the young. There have been so many around lately. I'm not at all happy with these pictures but am putting them on anyway.

Young one waiting to be fed.

Mom comes with the food.



Little cutie once again. Just can't resist that face.



Anyone know what these bugs are?

July 27th. Attack!!!

I was saying to some friends that my life seems quite boring compared to what I read on other peoples blogs. However, occasionally something funny does happen. Early yesterday morning I asked Roger to put the long ladder up against the roof of the house. Out he goes, naked except for a sarong around his waist. I'm standing on the deck watching him and as he puts the ladder up, it bangs against the eave.... all of a sudden his arms are flaying all around his head. I'm thinking he is batting at a fly, but no WASPS!!! They were swarming him. He comes running, falls on his belly into a flower bed and then rolls down the bank and ends up banging into the wheelbarrow not far from the flower bed. There is a nest in the eave and the ladder banging against the house disturbed them. He ended up with four or five stings to the head, said it felt like his head was on fire.

No choice now but to get rid of the nests. I told him that before dark he would have to go and take care of the situation...."Not me", he says. lol, can't say I blame him. When it came time last night, he relented. Said he would help me. I don't know if we did the right thing but, we covered ourselves from head to toe, got the hose, set it on strong spray, knocked the nest down that was in the greenhouse, ran around the back and took care of the one in the eave then took off running back into the house. Will have to go out this morning and check it all out.

The weather has been marvelous. Suppose to be sunny and hot all weekend...yay!

Blessed Thistle in Bloom.

July 26th.

I was in the greenhouse just before supper last night tying up some of the tomato plants when I happened to look up and saw to my surprise, a wasps nest. Needless to say, I suppose, I ran in for the camera running past Roger who was watching TV. He asked "What's wrong". I say, "There's a wasps nest in the greenhouse and I want to get a picture." He says "You're mad." When I got back a wasp had appeared and started working on it again. When I had taken it off I emailed the picture to my daughter, who, I must admit, has a terrible fear of wasps but thought she'd appreciate the beauty of the nest itself. Excuse the language, she emailed me back in bold letters saying "Are you f-----g nuts." I nearly fell of the chair with laughter as she's not one to swear much. She phones me minutes later asking me what I'm going to do about it.

There in lies the problem. Do I take it down and destroy it. Don't want to really as I don't like killing things. However, I've heard that the beasties can get very territorial and I do have to get in the green house to get the tomatoes when they ripen. I may just leave it there and see how things progress.

I took a couple of pictures with camera on the regular settings but they didn't turn out so well, then set camera on macro and got within a few inches of the nest and think I got a pretty good shot.

July 25th. Hot and Sunny

The weather has once again turned to summer. Very warm and sunny. Yesterday afternoon, at the spur of the moment, Roger decided to go visit an actor friend who is doing plays in Trinity for the summer. He spent the night there and returned home at lunch time. Said they had a good night filled with laughter. I on the other hand had a good night as well, TV off, radio off, just the sound of the wind making the Aspen leaves sing. Twas wonderful.

I might have company coming in a week or so, depending on the weather. My grandson is flying into St. John's on the 1st. of August and he and his mother may come out for the Seafest weekend here. Also, my brother is flying in from the states on the 2nd. of August so I am hoping he can find the time to come here for a visit. Then a friend of ours from Nova Scotia may come in September for a few days. Looking forward to seeing all of them.

I've finally come to the conclusion that I can't water the flowers and take pictures at the same time. I say this because every time I water I see bees and butterflies, etc., drop the hose and go running for the camera. Come dashing back and creature has gone. I'm not going to do it again, it can get exhausting, lol. I did get a few pictures today, not with hose in hand mind you, just wandering around checking on what needed to be done.


Young Woodie, waiting for parent to bring food. I did take a picture of the parent pushing food in the young ones mouth but was so excited that my hands were shaking and it was a complete blur.

Spider again.


A Rose


This is a little squirrel. I expect it's one of this years young.

July 23rd. Flutter

Whoo Hoo! Am I excited, got pictures of another Butterfly. Was out dead heading plants when it came around and he was kind enough to hang about until I ran in and got the camera. Again, I don't know what kind it is, so, if anyone knows.......

July 21st.

The weather hasn't been great this past few days. Can't complain though, it's feeling very tropical, breezy, very humid and very warm. Overcast with showers off and on mostly. The tall heavy plants are hanging low with the weight of the rain on them. Other than that everything is looking very green and lush.

I had one exciting moment yesterday. I got a couple of pictures of a spider with a fly.

Looking down on his back.

Then he turned around and I got a shot of his stomach.


The rest is just bits and pieces.

Rose bud and Foxglove with raindrops.


Oriental Poppy..seed head forming.

Painted Daisy

A place for contemplation.

July 19th.

Yesterday it was a gorgeous day, sunny and hot. Last night friends dropped by and we sat on the deck having coffee. It was a perfect evening, it had cooled down with a lovely warm breeze blowing, all of us wishing this could go on forever. Lapses in conversation had us looking up at the sky sniffing the air. It was heaven! The forecast was for sun through the weekend but now it has changed to showers. With any luck it will change again. Was in the twilight zone of sleep last night when I was awakened by a series of gunshots. Don't know what that was about. Praying that someone wasn't shooting at some large animal.

Yesterday afternoon, just before supper, I was watering the garden for the third time that day when I saw a butterfly land on a flower. At least I think it was a butterfly, don't know much about flutters. I drop the hose and rush into the house for the camera repeating over and over in my mind "Don't go, don't go", as though through some mental process the creature could read my brain, lol. Rush back out and take a couple of shots then realize the camera is on the wrong setting. I'm panicking now for fear the butterfly will take off before I get the camera set the way I want it. I fear that I'm just a wee bit obsessed with getting these shots. I know people who fall in mud, crawl through tall grass on hands and knees and find them selves surrounded by cows to get shots of insects so guess my little scenario is pretty tame. It's all so funny in retrospect. Thankfully, I did get a few shots. If anyone knows what kind it is please let me know.

July 18th, 2007, Hot and Sunny

The weather has been marvelous lately. Hot and sunny with a lot of humidity which makes a body feel wiped out by mid afternoon. Not complaining mind you. We will be back into cold weather soon enough. It's been a very uneventful summer so far, few visits from friends and family. Lots of tourists around though.

The caplin are in on the beaches to spawn now. People are there with nets and buckets scooping them up. Call me crazy, but I won't go on the beach while this is happening as it upsets me. Why can't people just leave them alone....sigh! Big trucks have been going down the road at all hours bringing the fish that the fishermen catch to the plant for processing. The males get thrown out as, I think, it's the Japanese, only want the pregnant females. What a waste.

On to nicer things. My rose bushes are blooming at the moment so here are some pictures. Also the squirrel for Jan, lol.

July 15th. 2007

I was outside early this morning walking around the gardens and was brought back to my childhood. I remember back then when walking through the grass and wild flowers all manner of insects and bugs would come up to say hello. Unfortunately, with people using insecticides over the years many of these creatures have all but disappeared, to say nothing of the microscopic life. I have, over the years, been doing my best to make this place friendly to all creatures by having areas of natural wildflowers and planting for bees and butterflies and the like. Now, back to where I began, while walking around this morning, all kinds of insects and bugs were about, more than ever before. I think I have finally achieved something here.

I know I am also attracting, shall we say, the bad bugs, but the plants are all quite healthy so nothing ever gets destroyed. However, I have a huge Alder in front of the house and the leaves are all being eaten by Wooly Aphids and I do believe Flea Beetles. I think this is because I cut it back to much last summer and stressed it out. I had to do this because we couldn't get up to the front door and branches were hitting the living room window. I'm thinking that stress is the problem because the rest of the Alders are in good shape. I googled this problem and most of the sites said to leave it alone and their predators will be attracted to the garden. I'm hoping this will be the case. I simple won't use an insecticide to destroy them.

The garden is starting to bloom now. We have had some hot, sunny days lately. While there is still a lot to bloom here are pictures of some of the things in bloom at the moment.

July 12, Jays

I think I have the camera problem solved. If not very close to solved. Am I happy, lol, you bet. I've actually been losing sleep over this and there is very little I lose sleep over. I've become far too attached to this camera and picture taking. So I went to town taking pictures of Jays and some of their young.




Still getting some fuzzy pictures at the furthest distance like this one.