It had to be done...

I have a long-standing love affair with hummingbirds and I can't really ever resist photographing them.  Today, I spent quite a lot to time perched in the garden, trying to get "the" shot.  Well, when you shoot at 10 frames per second, you're almost bound to get some keepers, right?  I was sorely tempted to blip the same young male I posted yesterday, but decided to go with this adult female instead.  She's got an interesting light patch on her head and is showing signs of molting ... or maybe just the ravages of single-parenthood.  Either way, I liked the clump of phlox in the background.

And I'll put a couple shots of my handsome little red-neck from yesterday in Extra.  He is a fiery little thing, chasing everyone who dares get near his feeder or his flowers.  Interestingly, he is the only hummingbird I have ever seen chase wasps - usually it is the other way around.  Hubs and I were sitting outside this morning chatting on the phone with my parents and later he asked me if I'd seen that little guy go after the wasps - neither of us have ever seen this before.

After talking to my parents, Hubs jumped on the bike and took a 30 mile (hilly) drive; I went to the gym and did 50 minutes on the treadmill.  That makes five days for me this week - can you see the halo over my head??

Last night when hubs and I were getting ready to go upstairs to bed, I happened to flick the back lights on and wasn't I surprised to see a raccoon standing on tippy toes on the deck railing, guzzling hummingbird nectar. The little scamp.  I scared him off and will be bringing that feeder in tonight.  

xo
Debbi

On depression...I haven't really talked about therapy as a treatment for depression and I would be remiss in not mentioning it.  Although it was not helpful for me when I was diagnosed, that was primarily because my depression was not event-triggered.   Had I been recovering from some sort of trauma or loss, I think talk-therapy would have been very helpful.  In fact, I've seen therapists at other times in my adult life when I felt I wasn't dealing well with whatever.  Very helpful.