Lazy, Hazy, Crazy…
By: Anne Corke
Tags: birds, cedar waxwings, daylily, gardening, Lakeland terrier, landscape, nature, Photography, turkey vultures
Category: Gardening, Ontario, Photography, Rural Landscapes, Rural Nature, Terriers
| Aperture: | f/3.3 |
|---|---|
| Focal Length: | 4.1mm |
| ISO: | 80 |
| Shutter: | 1/0 sec |
| Camera: | DMC-ZS3 |
Ah, those summer days! I have been most negligent of my blog but I’m not beating myself up about it. It’s summer, after all. Summer, that languid season, when doing nothing becomes a daily pastime! Although both of us are retired, we rise early every morning. Of course, this may have something to do with two little Lakies who are up with the sun, wanting out for the call of nature. Lakies notwithstanding though, we would still be awake at first light. Some people love those hot summer afternoons baking on a beach, but, to me, the best part of any summer day is the cool, quiet morning. Last summer, Gary was recovering from major surgery. He was weak and still very ill and the summer was gone before we knew it. So this year, we are taking full advantage of our mornings, sipping tea on the deck in the soft early light, watching the first rays of the sun slowly spread across the lawn to illuminate the daylilies in the back garden. We note the progress of the shadows which seem to creep away to hide from the light. We share our interpretations of the shapes which appear as the clouds drift across the sky, morphing and shifting as the high level winds push them along. We marvel at the hummingbirds who stop by our hanging basket for an early breakfast. Flashing emerald and ruby, they buzz and chirp about the yard as they visit their favourite flowers. Other birds come and go whistling their morning songs. Chickadees hop from branch to branch in the birch, looking for insects. Cedar waxwings and robins compete for the ripest berries in the mountain ashes. Turkey vultures soar overhead, climbing higher and higher as the warmth of the earth creates uplifting thermals. Although they may not be the most beautiful birds close up, their mastery of the air is sheer poetry. If we’re lucky, we may be serenaded by the local brown thrasher. His beautiful lilting repertoire, the largest of any North American bird, gladdens the heart. This morning, we rescued a small caterpillar, barely an inch long, from the watering can. We took this photo to capture his totally punk hairdo before relocating him to the island flower bed. Every now and then we rouse ourselves and wander through the garden. Gary, escorted by Sophie and Danny, removes spent flowers from the daylilies, while I take a few photos. Time seems suspended in the quiet morning hours but eventually we must away to attend to daily tasks. No matter, tomorrow we will once more indulge in our morning ritual. Life is good.
2 comments on “Lazy, Hazy, Crazy…”
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Cavan Reflections 
Thank you Ann – that was inspirational – I will get up earlier and look for the silver lining in our clouds.
I’ve had a period of lying lazily in bed far too long in the mornings – looking out at our lovely landscape – shrouded in mist and rain – hardly an incentive to get up and walk our pack of dogs through the wet woods and so suffer smelly dogs all day long while they dry – they love it but it does test one’s patience at times.
Aahh those halcyon British summers – whatever happened to them.
But worry not – I know where to find that silver lining.
Thank you for your kind comments. I am really having quite a lot of fun with the blog though I have to admit it’s easier to keep up in the winter – so much going on in the summer that I hate to be indoors! Hope your weather is improving. You’ve had a brutal summer what with all the rain. We, on the other hand, have had weeks of drought and farmers are worried about their crops. Kindest regards, Anne.