Friday, June 3, 2016

Bullets, Birds, and Buds


The hummingbirds are loving the feeder this year....I know I have at least two that come regularly, but as I said those "faster than a speeding bullet" birds are tricky to catch on camera.  But.....this morning as I walked out to the back porch for my usual coffee and newspaper, there she? was.  I slowly, slowy walked into the kitchen to grab my camera with the BIG lens and then again slowly, slowly walked out to the yard and ta da.  I can do wonders in bathrobe and slippers.


That little piece of fluff on her? beak is from some trees around here.  That fluff is flying everywhere, sticking to everything, creating a mess. I thought maybe it was cottonwood trees, looked it up on google and sure enough that's where the fluff is coming from. Did you know that there are male and female cottonwood trees, the females are the messy ones. Surprise, you would have thought it would be the males since most males I am acquainted with are definitely the messier of the species. (except for me)

And the peonies are blooming.....



Petals are bountiful, scent is delicious, colors are superb, they are a most beautiful flower.  It is just too bad they are here for such a short time.  This year my two bushes were kinda sparse on blooms. I know it is because they get less and less sun each year as bushes and trees grow taller.  I have a spot in my garden that could probably use a new peony bush. Mine are the old fashioned kind (about 40 years old) that droop. The new ones have stronger stems so they stand tall.  Yup, probably drop a few more coins.

"It always seemed to me that the herbaceous peony
is the very epitome of June. Larger than any rose,
it has something of the cabbage rose's voluminous
quality; and when it finally drops from the vase, it 
sheds it petticoats with a bump on the table, all in
an intack heap, much as a rose will suddenly fall,
making us look up from our book or conversation, 
to notice for one moment the death of what had
still appeared to be a living beauty."

Vita Sackville-West

Until next time.....




7 comments:

  1. hummers are NOT easy to catch....nice job on these Deanna

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  2. Wonderful hummingbird shots and such beautiful peonies. They go so well in that plain white jug, love your focus on this one! Have a really good weekend, we're in for a rainy one!

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  3. Deanna, you did a fantastic job of capturing the hummingbird. They definitely do not sit still for very long, do they?
    Wish I had all of that energy!

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  4. Brilliant little hummer . . . oh my . . .
    Although . . . the pink peonies stole the show . . .
    I suppose the only way you get a drooping, 40 year old peonie is if someone shares a slip??
    I have heard though, that it is one flower you don't move or give away . . . because
    they like to "be in their original home!"
    I am searching out right now where I can find the best peonies . . .

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  5. Love your hummingbird shots. I put up a feeder this year. So far one hummer has flown near it but I missed even seeing it, my mom saw it and I just caught sight of it as it flew off. I'm hoping someday to get a photo as lovely as yours. Also I just love the candycane striped peony here, so pretty.

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