In the Garden

It has been another drippy day so I've been darting out between showers photographing this and that.  Lots of bird activity today, including my first glimpse of a baby Red-bellied woodpecker, one of my favorites.  And although I didn't see them, I heard fledgling cardinals begging for food.  A small group of what appeared to be 5 chickadees were foraging on our pine trees, no doubt a family group.  It was too wet to tromp down to check on the bluebird box, but they should fledge any day now.  Mama swallow is sitting tight on the nest right now, not moving even when I open the top of the box to check - pretty sure she's still on eggs although she could be brooding live babies at this point too.  

When I was out this morning, this patch of day lilies was calling me - it was dark and drizzly and the colors of the flowers was fabulous.  I shot this dark and then applied a dark vignette to enhance the moodiness of the shot.  

We've had a doe white-tailed deer hanging around lately, munching on various plants around our property.  It looked to me when I saw her last that she was nursing so I assumed she had one or more youngsters stashed someplace safe.  Sure enough, Hubs spotted her walking across our front lawn with a gangly baby in tow.  There was no way I could get out there to take a picture so I will be on the lookout for another opportunity.  She seems to be bedded down in the woods behind our house so I'm sure I will see her again.  

Hubs and I went to the Senior living community near us to take some measurements of their one bedroom Independent Living apartments.  My parents are more seriously considering the pros of moving near us and wanted to get dimensions to see how their current furniture will fit.  I will be ecstatic if they end up moving here - to be able to spend more time together would be just wonderful.  

Hoping for a break in the rain tomorrow.  

xoxo
Debbi