Hummingbirds Hummin'

We have a few hummers coming to our feeder now but of course they don't share very well. It seems that one keeps watch from the trees and when the others come to drink, it chases them off.

But they are fun to watch! And one day I stood very still in our courtyard to photograph this pretty little female.

Of course I thought all of my photos were fabulous! haha

So I made a mosaic to share them ALL!

I even liked the one that was 'out of focus'. 

The Vincas look pretty in the pots but the hummers like the Mexican Petunias and roses better. We've had rain and everything is very lush and beautiful It looks like a tropical Paradise outside.

I've been busy this week and not on my computer much. 

I'll have fun visiting you all this weekend!

 

Do you have a fun weekend planned?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

Take TWO?

Who am I kidding? I had an idea to make postage stamps out of some of my photos and then make a mosaic out of those. But did I get it done in TWO tries? Maybe not! haha!

I love being creative and would like to be more artistic so I work and work at it! It doesn't come easily to me!

 Any guesses as to what this mosaic is? *answer at the bottom

Are you artistic?

I’m joining Mosaic Monday HERE.

 

*It's two (photos) pages from a Navigation Atlas for Airplane pilots with an antique effect from Photoscape.

The White Ibis and the big baby

Okay...it wasn't really a baby. 

Look what we saw in the backyard this week! A Mama Ibis and a Juvenile!

We weren't sure until we looked it up in the bird book but it is a young white Ibis (June -July).

It was easy to identify because of the mottled color of the beak.

We're hoping this one will come back again since it came as a young one. It's a pretty rare sighting for us in our backyard.

Come back...come back!!!

 

And I had some comments about the Crows in my photos. Some people call them Ravens here in Florida because they are so large. But when I looked in the ID book, the White Ibis is 23 - 27 inches and the Crow is 17 - 21 so there's not a huge difference.

This was our excitement for the week! Oh, and the hummingbirds! They finally found our Mexican Petunia so we hung the feeder out for them too. They are out there ALL the time now! (I'll TRY to get a photo soon!)

Do you have feeders at your house? We love our pretty birds!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

Florida Oranges at the Thrift Store?

Did you think I meant, the Farmer's market? No they aren't there at this time of year either! They are 'in season' in December and January.

But imagine my surprise when I came across this beautiful tea cup at the old thrift store!

I had just found a pretty one the last time I went, so I put them both on the library table.

Of course I had to buy these cute little ducks....who can resist?

And these are some of the books I have on the table in our library right now.

The cover on this one is so beautiful.

Have you seen the new Beauty and the Beast movie that is out on DVD now? Oh, it is SO good! 

This book was sweet...

and I loved the art inside.

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays.

The Lavender Cottage

Let's walk out the front door and look at the flowers my sweet hubby has planted this year.

He has felt so much better and he really loves to garden.

We don't have a place for veggies here but he stays busy caring for our flowers.

And look at this Vinca that came up 'volunteer' in the culvert that runs under our driveway. 

We have a mowing crew that cuts our grass and they've been careful not to trim it when they edge the driveway.

How many of you grow 'knock out roses'? (we have doubles and singles...most of them red!) They sure are great for the hot humid conditions here. And for anyone visiting that might be new...YES, my house really is lavender!

I’m joining Mosaic Monday HERE.

Moorhen Chicks +

Baby birds are always the cutest, don't you think?

It's 'common' to see the Common Moorhen at the neighborhood pond.

But it was a surprise to see the 2 chicks following along behind her in the water.

I think they felt like they needed to hide.

And it's easy to hide in the tall reeds that grow in the shallow part of the pond.

While I was photographing the chicks, 

a Great Blue Heron flew in.

And then when I turned to go I spotted this beautiful Eastern Bluebird.

Always something to see when you take an evening walk around here.

Have you seen anything special at your house this week?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

A little drive around town!

I like to drive around sometimes just to see what I can see!

This is not my house and not even my neighborhood.

It's close to the library and I took a little detour one day just for the fun of it.

Just some cutesy things I saw driving a different way home!

More fun to drive right now than walk! Hop ON! 

Oh, and come back on Monday and I'll show some pics of MY house, the Lavender Cottage!

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays.

Summertime in the South

Sometimes you just HAVE to find a place to pull over....

 walk across an old footbridge...

to stand in front of someone's house.....

to take photos of their flowers!

You just HAVE to! 

Summertime in Florida...you KNOW I LOVE it!

I’m joining Mosaic Monday HERE.

Gets along well with others

When I was in school, there was a grade given for 'gets along well with others'. Do you remember that? Do they still have something like that on report cards?

So the crows usually have full rein of the backyard bordering the golf course.

 

But this past week, 2 Ibis flew in and disrupted things a bit.

Who invited them?

 Is he getting all the best bugs? 

Don't get your feathers all ruffled!

 

 Hey, come back!!!

 Let's TALK!!! There's something I always wondered...

 ...so there were 2 trees there all along and you went through them!

 Who knew? 

I guess we can all learn something from each other.

Not sure I can give them an A+ just yet though!

So it's hot in Florida but we can still have fun. It doesn't take much to entertain us!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.