August 28,2013

Dew ladened white morning glory.

The Color Of Passion On A Warm August Day

The allure was striking! With great anticipation she stood next to the color of passion. Dressed in lime green, she was still and poised. He ascended quickly with immediate attraction, not quite the kiss he was expecting. Paralyzing it was; not the beginning to the warm, sweet and new August day that he had most certainly hoped for. Instead, a quick end to a beautiful descent. Her bite drew a limp denouement!
Gayle Forster

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Lagoon fun... Melbourne, Florida

Several golden colored damselfly were a fun attraction.  This one perched several times  on a floating clump of decaying grass clippings.



This mating pair of damselflies caught the attention of our 4 year old grandson, who alerted me of their approach.  I was happy to grab my glasses for a look.  I'm not good at identifying the different species but they were very small.  I wish that I could have gotten a clearer photo.  I felt sorry for the poor female.  She was being held under water for quite sometime, pinched at the base of her head by the male.  The female deposits her eggs in the water so the next generation of damselflies will emerge.  That's what we have going on here....a little reproduction in progress.

Sporting some amazing pink plumage this Roseate Spoonbill seemed both beautiful yet bizarre.  It was intensely on a mission.  I was enamored with it's brilliant pink feathers.  It scoured the edges of the water for a tasty morsel. Thanks to the wardens employed by the Audubon Society at least 8 decades or more ago these birds are more likely to be seen today.  Years ago they fell prey to the plume-hunters and bird-shooting tourist.  Today the species has recovered significantly since then due to conservation efforts.  I happened to see several this year and was happy to snap a departing shot of this one!

Our grandson having that urge like most boys...to jump right in!

My Morning In Melbourne And Drive To Sanford, Florida

My morning began with a chuckle as I peered out the back porch to see a duck resting on the back of a goose decoy that is tied up in the middle of the lagoon behind the house.  It happens often and always gets me tickled. 

The lizards were all about and grabbing a bit of early morning sunshine.  I wished that our grandsons had already arrived as I watched them scurry about, knowing that they will enjoy checking them out in the days to come.  And of course, I will too!



Along for the ride or a rest....

Oops I startled the duck and caught her departure from her friendly perch.

I stopped along the way to Sanford, FL to meet my daughter and two grandsons.   Ispotted this spider dangling in the distance.  Distance is a good thing for me when it comes to spiders.  I'm not a big fan, though I appreciate their work.  I find it fascinating.

 

The use of my zoom lens came in handy here.  I never could get a real clear photo but I wasn't willing to leave the car and get any closer! EEK!!!

August 16, 2013 All about the Eastern Swallowtail

Eastern Swallowtail on Joe-pye weed

 

 

Hey piggy, piggy

 Sewanee, the University of the South has pigs in a small pinned in area not far from our home.  I decided to take our two grandson (ages two and four) to see them this afternoon and it was funny to see their expressions as they interacted with the two pigs that, by the way, have grown rapidly since they moved in.  The two year old kept bending down, eye to eye, with this one pictured and giggling, “hey piggy, piggy”!  Then the four year old announced, "pew wee" they are stinky!  As he began to turn and head the other direction.   I'm unsure of the pigs use or fate and I prefer not to think about it!

 

Night Dragonfly Catch

http://youtu.be/mNwReTE95c8 

This guy was knocking at the kitchen window when I arrived home late from a Chattanooga shopping spree.  I'm not sure what was wrong but possibly he had encountered a spider web.  After a bit of thrashing around inside, I managed to get him calm and removed the webs and released him outside again where he clung to the bricks beside our back door.    He was gone by morning.  I hope that he made it to his destination!  

August 10,2013

 

 

 

Look who lurks underneath...

 

 

 

August 7,2013

 Sometimes you are at the right place at just the right time, you turn you head at just the right moment and you catch a glimpse of something beautiful.  If you are lucky you capture that moment with a photo. 

 

Swallowtail and a bumble bee on a beautiful sun lit morning.

August 6,2013

 

Morning glories

Not such a great photo but it was totally unexpected to be focusing in on these two Pipevine Swallowtails and this surprise intruder.

 

This bumble bee is enjoying a delightful bunch of sweet pea blossoms.

Colorful orange mushrooms seemed to pop up over night with a little rain.

As I was focusing in on this Black-eye Susan (Rudbeckia triloba) I spotted the oddest insect!  The next photo is it up close.

I have no idea what this bug is but it was so weird that I could not help but try to get a photograph of it.  It was very small and it began to move so I never really got a clear shot.

Cute little Lady bug.