Longhorns, chilling at the ranch. As they do.
The return of summer
I’m sure we all have our signals that summer is truly here. Now that we have a pond and waterfall in our backyard, I’ve decided that summer is heralded by dragonflies. I’m delighted that they have returned and are enjoying the plants and water as much as we are. No doubt you’ll be seeing more dragonfly photos – as long as they stop long enough for me to take them! This one is perched on the tip of a nearly-about-to-bloom obedient plant (that’s its name, honest) that we recently planted in the shallows. He looks to be the same as the first dragonfly I ever posted (still one of my favorite photos).
Mmmph?
Another goldfinch showed up for a meal, and seemed a tad put out by all the photography attention.
Scene while walking: June 12, 2013
About a quarter of a mile down my road is a center-pivot farm. This is the kind of farm you get when irrigation is always required – from the air the plots are large circles. A massive irrigation arm comes out of the center and has motors that push it slowly around the circle so everything gets watered equally. It’s really quite impressive.
Scene while walking: June 10, 2013
The only thing that turns me into a five year old squealing “BUNNY!” faster than seeing a bunny is seeing a BABY BUNNY. And this one let me get close. Then he gave me the side-eye before heading into the brambles.
SQUEEEEEEE!
Scene while walking: June 7, 2013
In the canal by my home, there are a couple of duck moms who appear to have banded together to share the duties of caring for their large number of ducklings (see one adult on each side of the group of kids). You’ll need to click for the larger version, and even then the mom on the right side is well camouflaged. There are FOURTEEN ducklings!
Scene while walking: June 5, 2013
I found a trail that lets you walk right up to the shore of the Columbia River (it wasn’t all that hidden, admittedly, I just hadn’t taken that trail before). It was lovely.
Scene while walking: June 3, 2013
I don’t know who placed these river rocks into the dead tree alongside the Columbia River, but I bet we’d get along great.
Golden!
A while back I got, on a whim, a sack of birdseed that supposedly finches love. We have a lot of finches around so I hung it and waited for them to flock towards the feast.
This did not happen.
After a while I decided to hang it in a different location. And finally we spotted a finch on it, snacking away! And dang if it wasn’t a truly truly GOLDfinch. I squealed like a small child.
Scene while walking: May 30, 2013
I was enjoying a brisk walk down by a ranch, when I felt I was being watched. I turned and saw the most odd looking cow. A cow mime, I believe. Thankfully, it didn’t attempt “walking into the wind” or “stuck in an invisible box”.
@KellyOSullivan 