a losing battle

We are having a battle of wills. But I think I have won, for the moment anyway. This morning the bird feeder had 8 black birds happily feeding away. The tiny songbirds couldn't compete with this crew so I sent Tully to do the job. That didn't really work so I sat out there with my coffee and stared them down. That worked for awhile but I had other things to do. So they returned... 

I removed the two feeding tubes and put them in the house, no more sunflower seeds for those black birds! Now I have confused the entire network of garden birds.

 As I work on this post I am looking out the window witnessing the funniest bird brain responses to my brilliance. Black birds have come and gone, very frustrated. Songbirds have come and stayed in bewilderment, along with a squirrel and some chipmunks. They fly in and land on the empty pole and look around, up and down, everywhere.  I thought I'd feel good that I won, but I don't. I'm just feeling guilty. I'm going to go put the food back out.....

The dance

I shall twirl and dance until I grow exhausted from the effort and then I will fold upon myself and go quietly when you're not there to see. 

dizzyness

A swirling carousel of poppy people

a welcoming

I will never get tired of this view. Every moment of everyday offers a new way of seeing. This was my greeting after arriving home around 9:00pm. The night was dark but the view was not.

fantasy sunset

This buoy painted the sunset on itself, while I was paddling past waiting for the real thing. The competition is tough but I think the buoy won best in show this particular night. The only hint that it isn't the real thing is that buoy has the sun setting in the east... almost fooled me.

a bird brain

I wonder what she's thinking...

inhale

Put your face inside this peony and you'll never leave.

memories

This beaded iris reminds me of my grandmother on my father's side. 

A word from Tully

I wanted you to know that I'm a very good helper in the garden.

I work so hard over seeing everything that I often need a nap. I'm better in the garden then I am patrolling the beach because I get in trouble rolling in goose poop.When I'm in the garden I like to roll in mulch but that doesn't seem to bother anyone.

Just wanted to let you know what I've been doing...

evening walk

 The sun was setting and the light was beautiful

The baby Canadian geese were everywhere, if their parents didn't poop so much I would welcome them, however Tully loves to roll in it! You know what that means....

This thrasher has lots of chirping babies to feed in the bushes down by the beach.

The great egrets and the snowy egrets were fishing in the nook.

This one left about the same time I did...

wings

Feathers are everywhere, we have every variety imaginable. Some of them fly effortlessly, others are too fluffy for flying, and some are too busy for flying. There are those that have simply  given up flying and just float weightlessly on the waters of Oyster Bay.

 I am still growing my wings...

double the pleasure

Somewhere over the rainbow.... forget that, somewhere under the rainbow is where I want to be.

In the garden

They are eating constantly from the bushes and from the feeder. I imagine they have lots of littles to be fed, it's such a busy time of year. I can't imagine life without listening to their songs.

I wonder if the very young hear them the way I do....

one of my favorite birds

Beautiful day in the garden.

petal power

This lovely water lily emerged from the shallow still water at NY Botanical Gardens.