A Swim in the Sun

Yesterday morning was hot and humid early. 

After we did chores, I took the dogs over to 

Troy's to have a swim. 

The water was cool after the dogs had run around for 40 minutes. 

She does not go far out into the pond, but she loves to get wet. 

Someone else wasn't so sure, but he had a good time running around the edges, 

The calves are getting the hang of it! 

Turtle removal goes on. 

This was an unusual one, shell-wise.  I think she would have made it across on her own, but I don't trust people. 

Daylilies.  

I'm just having a blast watching the finches on the back deck. 

Studly. 

We had a terrible storm during the night, and there was widespread damage and 

thousands of homes across the metro Kansas City area without power today. 

I really expected to see the old walnut, or the big maple down. 

Not a branch! 

You see the walnut is so dead now that vines are 

growing all over it. 

It had no walnuts last year. 

This is part of the garden outside the front door of the National Agricultural Center and Hall of Fame, where I volunteer on Fridays.  It's maintained by the Master Gardeners of 

Wyandotte County (Kansas). 

Bumblebees were working hard. 

The bees from our beehives were busy amongst the flowers. 

It is easy to see the pollen on the bumblebee's posterior, and on his legs. 

Now that I know a little more about bees from volunteering at the Ag Hall, I find them so very fascinating.  They are so necessary to agriculture, and we are losing hives by the hundreds to the varroa mite. 

Another perky little lady finch! 

Wow! Monday Pictures!

The dogs and I were on the way to the farm this morning when a doe calmly walked out of the hayfield on the west (right) here... and crossed the road.  I stopped.  I was quite a ways away, the 

camera lens was extended so it doesn't look like it.  I was also shooting through the dirty windshield. 

She began grazing, and not until I drove closer did she look up and get nervous. 

Though I left some pictures out of the sequence, you get the drift. 

She fled into the woods you see beyond the barn.  This gives you kind of 

an idea of how high the hayfields are now.  

She had to leap high to get over. 

This is the road where I saw the grouse, where I took the meadowlark pictures... I swear I am going to go over there, take my ballpark chair out of the back of the car, and just sit and WAIT. 

Then you won't have blurry pictures. 

Our friend was back today. 

Boo! 

The monarda "Jacob Cline" is slowly going by. 

But the daylilies are still going strong, the large 

And the very small. 

I particularly love this color... and I have to tell you... I think it's coming home with me here. 

My goal over the next two weeks is to weed the beds at the old place, and then mulch them heavily with straw, as I can't afford to buy bark mulch for there and here, and the bed here NEEDS it. 

I have about a third of the work done. 

I have an area alongside the bed here that I am going to dig out for a few more plants, such as this daylily, whose name is lost, I'm afraid. 

This is Echinacea "Magic Box"... I started from seed a few years ago. 

Some of it might have to come, too. 

Jester finally headed for the shade of the big maple.  They had been in most of the weekend while Shiner was here, and had been running around like crazy things. 

I looked around for Lilly Ann.... 

And she was on the porch and ready to go as soon as I called.  They appreciate the air-conditioned house here. 

I don't blame them a bit!  We're going to have a wicked week, weatherwise! 

Stay cool, everyone!