Where in the Sam Hill

I decided that I wouldn't let another sunset occur without posting something on this ole' blog of mine which I have left unattended for FAR too long.  The pic above was actually taken with my new cell phone (yay, I finally found one that will let me text from home!), and it was taken by my trusty passenger, ie. Mr. Tide.  No driving and shooting out a window while on a big bridge for me!

I am loving this new phone, even if the learning curve is a little steep since I haven't had a new phone in years!  It takes great pictures, and I'm thinking I might need to set up an instagram account, but we'll see how that goes.

I have an inbox full of unanswered emails, and I just can't seem to get my "you know what" together to get them answered.  I could give you some reasons why...like the fact that our daughter is getting married on Saturday, or that my beautiful niece and Goddaughter is pregnant, that our son just got a job a few weeks ago after graduating in May, or that our AC went out on the 23rd of August and we still don't have it fixed, and have decided to just wait until next spring to get a new system, but the truth is I have just been lackadaisical for months now!

I don't even pick up my camera the way I once did, though I did want to capture these gorgeous monarchs before they headed south this year.

Our wonderful neighbor didn't mow the fields this summer, so they have been ablaze with yellow flowers which the monarchs love...and so do we!

I'm hoping that once we get past the wonderful celebratory event this weekend, which we are so excited about, that Stella will finally get her groove back!  There is a nip in the air at night, and that always makes me antsy to get back into the swing of things after being footloose and fancy free during the summer months!

To those of you who have kindly been checking in...thank you, I am still alive and kicking, just a little crazy and scattered at the moment.

So that's where in the Sam Hill I've been, how about y'all?  Any exciting news, what did I miss?  And for those who may wonder where that phrase comes from, I looked it up...and I love this particular attribution.

Sam Hill was a mercantile store owner who offered a vast and diverse inventory of goods. People began using the term "what in the Sam Hill is that?" to describe something they found odd or unusual, just like the inventory found in Sam Hill's store. The original Sam Hill Mercantile building still stands on Montezuma Street in Prescott, Arizona, and is listed on the register of Historic Places.

This, That, and the Other

After a long hiatus from my blog I am finally back to share a few photos of what I've been up to.  Hold onto your hats my friends because it's been non stop excitement around here...*rolls eyes*!!!

Actually, the truth is that I have spent most of this summer pulling back instead of pushing and running myself ragged like I sometimes do.  Instead, I have been relaxing, staying unplugged and really trying to soak in all that this summer has offered us, most especially the glorious weather we've been having.  Even as I am typing this on August 25th, historically a blazing hot time of year here, we have our house wide open and a cool breeze almost becomes chilly as the sun goes down...it is pure bliss in my book!

The photos in this post are a random hodge podge of things we saw on a recent kayak outing.  Nothing to write home about, and some of them are quite grainy, but I like them non the less.  The photo above shows the hate/hate relationship between the eagles and osprey each summer.  The osprey's talons say "I mean business," as the eagle swoops below the osprey as it wings its way past the osprey's nest.   The eagles seem rather unaffected by the constant warning cries of the osprey, and although I wasn't able to capture it, the eagle above did roll over and show his or her own talons as if to say...you wanna piece of me...I didn't think so!

The marsh mallows were closed for the night, sure to open in the early morning light of a new day.

There is something mesmerizing about marsh grasses to me....

It's as if they sing me the song of my people in hushed tones...so relaxing!

The muskrats get so close sometimes as we kayak that I worry they might try and climb in the kayak, but they always manage to dip below the surface and go about their merry way just before I am forced to figure out how I would fend one off should it become too curious about the crazy lady with the camera!

This was a sight we hadn't seen before...a Green Heron.  I had never heard of these before, but apparently they are quite common in our area, but also quite elusive, which likely explains why we have never seen one until this summer.  I would have missed him altogether if Mr. Tide hadn't noticed him far away on the edge of the creek up ahead of us.

By the time we made our way out to open water, the sun was setting; it was quite late

Twilight is a magical time on the water, everything is more intense and somehow a little eerie.   I can remember heading back in off of the water as a child and always hoping we would reach the dock before complete darkness fell on the water.  I'm pretty sure that means I'm not from good seafaring stock, as I prefer to be out on the water during the day, though I do love to sleep on a boat and feel the rocking motion...it's a complicated emotion I suppose! ;)

The beach is always quiet at sundown, another reason I like twilight on the water.

As we reached our pier that evening, the sun's rays were dancing on the water and it looked like liquid gold...so pretty!

As fall is quickly approaching, I feel even more compelled to spend time outdoors and soak up the rapidly diminishing daylight.  Unplugging has been such a wonderful and freeing thing for me, and I can't really think of any downsides except for being a little more out of pocket with those blogs I so enjoy reading.  I still take a peek, but for now, I will allow mother nature to hold my undivided attention.  Cold weather will be here soon enough, the computer will once again fill those long dark evenings, but for the moment, I will breath in the brackish air and dance under the moonlight!

Wishing you all a lovely end to August!

All Mine

The weeks are flying by it seems, and this time of year is always hectic for us.  We have birthdays, mother's day, father's day, our anniversary, and other celebrations that are all clumped together from late April until mid June.  Although it has been a bit crazy around here, I feel like we've accomplished so much already this spring, and I hope the rest of the warmer months will be equally as productive.

Although we've spent lots of hours cleaning and getting our yard back in shape...or maybe I should say in better shape, we have taken time to just enjoy this time of year by hanging out on our back patio in the evenings.

Last weekend the weather was picture perfect, low humidity, breezy, and almost cool'ish as the sun was setting each night, so we would go out after dinner and watch for our little hummingbirds to visit the feeder we have placed not far from where we sit.  Of course I take my camera with me sometimes in hopes of catching these little creatures that move so quickly.

Sometimes, trying to get a good shot of them is a lesson in sheer frustration, but for whatever reason, I try and try again.  And although they don't seem to mind if we are outside, they don't really like us to be too close, and they seem to sense when I have the camera, and become well, camera shy!

I was so excited when the female pictured in the 2 photos above, sat still just long enough for me to capture a nice shot of her complete with a pollen covered beak.

Rarely do they land on the feeders when we are out, but instead they flit back and forth from hole to hole watching their backs the whole time.

This year we seem to have a bossy female, and her equally bossy female nemesis, and the two of them fight non stop over our feeder.  In years past we've had at least 2 feeders, and our neighbor usually has several as well, but this year we bought a new feeder, and threw out our old ones that were brittle and in poor shape due to the unrelenting sun we get here.

And our neighbor hasn't put her feeders out yet, so we seem to be the only game in town, so maybe that's why they seem so territorial at the moment.

As soon as one female comes in to drink, the other female is lying in wait with a not so secret sneak attack in mind.

Each female takes quick rapid sips from the feeder, all the while knowing that the other one will soon be there to shove her off for her own dining pleasure.

They often spar for a bit, and then the other one will fly off to our maple or cherry tree, chattering the whole way, as if she is cussing out the other one in secret hummingbird language.

This goes on for quite some time, and they never seem to come to any kind of understanding that there are multiple holes in the feeder, and the more the merrier concept seems completely lost on these two alpha females.

I've only seen a male at the feeder a handful of times, and my guess is that he's just happy to stay out of the fray of these bossy little ladies.

It reminds me of that scene in Finding Nemo where the seagulls are all saying "mine, mine, mine" as they fight over who will win the prize of something yummy to eat.

And of course they don't even seem interested in the various flowers I have planted to help give them an artisanal selection of nectars to choose from.  Thankfully the bees, moths, and butterflies don't mind sharing, and are happy with the flowers I selected for their cafe style dining experience.

I guess hummingbirds can be a lot like people...worried that if they share, they might miss out on something really good.  Perhaps they've never read the saying below!

A candle loses nothing by lighting another candle

~James Keller~ 

Happy Mother's Day

A little flower love is being sent your way to say...

Happy Mother's Day! xo

Purple Haze

The rain and wind haven't let up for days here, and although it makes it hard to get outside to mow the grass, the spring flowers are loving life these days.

The lilac bush we planted last spring is rewarding us with a handful of blossoms that smell like heaven.

And columbine flowers in shades of deep purple and magenta are spreading like wildfire in our front flower bed, even with the weeds trying to take their place.  Hang in there columbine...when the rain ends we'll come to your rescue!

I ventured out during a break in between downpours today to cut a few of these lovely blossoms to brighten my house and fill my senses.  There is nothing quite like the scent of a fresh lilac bloom...it makes my heart skip a beat and reminds me of my grandmother who loved lilacs as much as I do.

I think flowers are medicine for the soul.  And though I would probably never fill my home with purple or even lavender furnishings or accessories, I still love the color and enjoy having my own little purple haze each spring as these regal colors fill my garden, and ultimately my vases.

Do you have a favorite color springtime blossom?

Ahhh

You know that feeling you get when spring finally arrives?

I'm not talking about those teaser days where you think spring has come, I mean that moment you really and truly know that it's here and you can break out your sandals and short sleeved shirts.

I felt that moment yesterday...and it was pure bliss!!!

I wanted to smile all day long, throw open my windows, and clean nooks an crannies in my house that haven't seen the light of day since many months ago.

Spring has the power to do that to us, it provides a heady mix of beauty and promise that can make even the sanest of people a bit giddy.  No wonder it has been the subject of so many sonnets and songs.

I feel like I want to savor every moment of this fleeting season, really stop and smell the roses, and anything else in bloom.

Ahhh...Spring has Sprung!

Everything and Nothing

The weather here and up and down much of the eastern seaboard has not been cooperating lately.  High winds, freezing temps, snow, and now heavy rain is on its way.  I haven't been able to find anything news worthy to post, and until today, I hadn't used my camera in weeks!

I decided that instead of waiting for spring to arrive so that I could take some new pictures, I would go back into my files from our trip to Hilton Head and work on some of those images.  This little blue heron was kind enough to let me snap a few pics before flying off to parts unknown.  It was so interesting to see these much smaller versions of the great blue herons we have locally.  They look almost identical, except for the little blue's demure stature, you would swear these were just young great blues.  Come to think of it, I've never seen a young great blue heron...they must grow quickly because the ones on our creek are huge.

Aside from their "mini me" status, they also seemed a little less skittish than their larger relatives.  Not sure if it was because they were in an area that has way more people traffic, or if they are just a calmer species of shore bird.  Either way, I was happy this little guy or girl chose to pose for a few minutes.

It's cloudy but warmer today, and it's been spitting rain off an on since lunchtime.  Tomorrow is supposed to be a gully washer, so I plan to curl up with a warm cup of tea, watch movies on Netflix, and likely stay in my jammies for most of the day.

I made a grocery store run and visited an elderly friend today knowing that tomorrow wouldn't be a great day to be out.  Mr. Tide is half a world away, so the pups and I are all set for a quiet day of nothingness.

I picked these little violas up about a week ago to help convince myself that spring really will appear at some point.  As I was going through some of my images from this time last year, I realized that my yard was full of daffodils, my iris were blooming, and even the cherry blossoms were blooming...no such luck this year.  

In time, this crazy weather will sort itself out and things will be in bloom once again.  I guess it's like the old saying goes...you can't have everything.  So I will choose to be content, thankful for so many things with all that is going on in the world right now, and happy that little violas can make the day a whole lot more cheerful!

Enjoy your weekend!

Fresh Start

I can't believe I'm typing a post on St. Patrick's Day while it is snowing outside!  Dear Spring, whatever we have done to upset you, please accept our sincerest apologies and come back, we miss you!

These pictures are almost 2 weeks old, from when we had our last snowstorm.  This snow is even heavier, and as of now we have about 5 inches on the ground and it's still spitting snow.  It is lovely though, I have to admit that much.

The last of the Tundra Swans said goodbye to us late last week, and though I will miss them and the lovely calls they make to one another, it does mean that spring must be just around the corner.

I know this not only because of the swans' departure, but because this guy paid us a visit last Saturday when the weather was nice and balmy. Sorry for the brown lines in the foreground on this image, those are the grasses that line our shore, and I was too lazy to photoshop them out.

We've seen a number of nesting pairs of Osprey high up in their abandoned perches from last summer, a sure sign that warmer temps are on their way.  I'm betting the early arrivals are wondering if perhaps they should have stayed down south just a few days longer since they are now likely huddled up trying to keep warm.

Last week I was huddled up myself, and wondering if a visit to the hospital might not be in order.  I managed to make it through Sunday, and on Monday, first thing, I was at the doctor's office where he diagnosed me with 2 flu bugs and a sinus infection!  Mr. Tide reminded me that my overachiever personality could leave illnesses out of my repertoire...and after feeling like I'd been hit by a truck, or 2, I wholeheartedly agree!

I laid in bed for days and watched almost every movie Netflix has to offer I think.  Some of them were good, others were just a way to kill the time since I wasn't even feeling up to using my laptop.

After a week of being bored to tears, but being smart enough to take it easy, we ventured out to buy groceries and birdseed yesterday.  I really didn't believe we would get much snow, but mother nature proved me wrong and wanted me to take it easy an extra few days I think.  

I think it was her way of giving us one last blast of winter to remind us of how wonderful springtime will be this year...a fresh start of sorts for things to come.

I hope all is well in your world and Happy St. Patrick's Day!

The Lion and The Lamb

It seems that March is being ushered in under the guise of a lamb, but the weather forecast speaks to the fact that a lion will soon be taking the place of our lamb like temperatures by bringing us snow, and worse still, ice!

It's hard to believe that this time last week I was enjoying short sleeved weather while visiting Hilton Head, South Carolina.  I did my best to envision bringing that weather back with me, but alas it was not to be.

It's ok though, at least I was able to suspend my reality for a few days and remind myself that warm weather is just around the corner.  And I took plenty of pictures to keep me busy if we do get snowed in for a long time.

It had been nearly 30 years since I last visited Hilton Head, though I've been to other parts of SC since that time, and the last time I was there I spent most of my time on the beach or playing in tennis tournaments, so this visit was vastly different.

This time, far removed from my youth, I paid attention to things like architecture instead of cute guys on the beach.  I was already with my own cute guy after all, so I could focus on other matters this time around.

I love how architecture speaks to an area and its heritage, and I feel a close kinship to my southern roots through the beautiful architecture of the south.

Throw in a bit of spanish moss for good measure, and I'm in hog heaven.

I also love the way most people slow down when they are at the beach.  They seem to reconnect with a part of themselves they often put on the back burner in their everyday lives, and find solace in the simple pleasures like surf fishing...

Or watching the waves come and go, wondering if the sea foam will reveal tales of mermaids and sea creatures.

Old Oaks, draped in moss, could tell tales of storms and other hardships they and others have endured over the years.  Or maybe they would entertain us with fanciful yarns about young love and first kisses stolen under their arching branches.

That is the joy of venturing outside our own four walls, it opens us up to beautiful places, new people, and things we might not otherwise experience.  As in weather, life is full of lions and lambs, each meant to broaden our horizons and make us appreciate all that we have.

I hope you each have a lamb of a week or that the lion won't roar too loudly!