Summertime
Summertime, it conjures up all kinds of images but my favourite is the sun setting lakeside. Sometimes I just glance out the trailer window marveling at the colours and clouds, other times, inspired I grab the camera and run to the water…the moments of colour changing can be spectacular.
Here for a few moments, and then slowly fading to grey. It has been a wet summer. Besieged by thunderstorms most afternoons the forest has been dripping water for weeks. Last year, a drought, this year a deluge. The lake is so high water is starting to cover the docks.
The forest here by Otty Lake is a mix of pines, and cypress, as you get further from the water, maple, ash and birch predominate. The thick layers of leaves on the forest floor are covered with new mushrooms every day! From black coral like formations to bright red Witches Hats and spotted Amanita Muscari as well. Slime molds, delicate little 3/4″ high mini mushrooms and strange plants I’ve never seen before continue to intrigue me as we walk and explore.
I feel for the farmers trying to get their hay cut and dried, so much of it rained on with the seemingly daily shows of thunder and lightning. The fields are soaked, some never dried from the Spring and have been left unplanted. The frogs and snakes are happy though:) We have a daily visitor to the long grass growing in the water by the lake. A beautiful Northern Water Snake stalks frogs, swimming from water-logged branch to branch with usually only his/her head poking up. Beautiful tan/brown colour with red chevrons running down it’s back. It is fascinating to watch snakes swim! A small Eastern Garter Snake has made an appearance as well. At the water’s edge the Leopard frogs leap in when we walk by, I think I’m helping the snake every now and then. Groot has decided that frog hunting could become a hobby so has started to stalk them. I thought they might not taste very good but have seen him delicately carry the about before they leap away when he sets them down.
I’ve been searching for fawns and made Mike come to a screeching, almost, halt and turn around as I caught several out of the corner of my eye but they bounded across the grass and back into the woods with their white tails flying like flags. They’re out there, I’ll be patient! Near Peterborough and the Warsaw Caves we found an amazing baby Porcupine, it glanced down on us uncaring, Mom was in a branch higher up. What a delight to stumble across these creatures.
Last night, it got cool, not that hot humid summer feel, which some say hasn’t come yet but there was just a hint of Fall in the air as the temperatures dropped to the 50’s for you farenheit folks, 14°C for the rest of us. The morning air was cool and I pulled the blanket up. I like these days. I’m not the biggest fan of the hot humid days when the deer flies are eating you alive, I’m waiting for the trees to turn and when a bonfire feels good.
The hordes of damsel and dragonflies continue to provide another source of amusement for Groot. He has stopped eating them thankfully after a few lurps, those beating wings did not agree with his stomach! The varieties seem to differ from back in the hay fields to down at the water’s edge.
I feel like I may finally be getting my hummingbird photography mojo back. A female Ruby Throated has taken over the feeder, chasing away even the nearby Chickadees. I’ve missed my hordes of hummingbirds, but next year there will be flowers planted for them, and herbs in the garden as well as lettuce and tomatoes, a new summer home base in the works:)
The regular cast and crew of birds have been present. Watching the juvenile Red Breasted Nuthatches and Chickadees is always a great form of amusement, youth and bravery, they don’t seem to mind me when the adults fly off, they are quite cheeky! The Hairy Woodpeckers have been silent, raising another brood perhaps. A lone female Downy Woodpecker has arrived and is a regular as well. The Goldfinches have started to return, heading South already I’m guessing. The Loon babies are grown and a family of 12 Mergansers paid me a visit while I was out swimming, what a delight, talk about big families! Photographing while in the water is a new experience. I purchased a small waterproof point and shoot camera and it has been a learning experience!
I hadn’t realized how much time had passed since my last blog in July, I was shocked, where did that month go? By in a flash, a wonderful flash filled with friends, food and small adventures. The pizza oven has had a great deal of use. Fun helping Regan build this and have it in the yard for dinner! Not just for pizza, here Regan is paying homage to Coagula, the goddess of arterial plaque with a bacon wrapped pork loin and potatoes in duck fat, I really shouldn’t have my cholesterol checked for a while;)
The pizza oven
Next week, it’s time for me to take you for a visit to the beautiful donkeys and our retired steeds, munching grass all night, sleeping in their stalls all day, now that is retirement, but wait, was that the vet going to visit? oh dear….we four and two-legged creatures abhor those visits don’t we, but that is next weeks adventure!
Stay tuned, saludos amigos and may your mojo remain strong!
Enjoyed reading your observations, Pamela, as the summer winds down. We’re feeling it, too, as we in the low desert heave a collective sigh of relief that we’ve made it through another summer!
You are a brave woman Lyndie! Not sure if I could take the low desert Arizona summer heat!Love April there! Hope to be back!