A Flicker of Red for Tuesday...

At first glance, I thought I was seeing a Woodcock. They frequent our yard on a regular basis, so I didn't get too excited with the sighting.


But...
As it hopped closer and closer toward the house, I realized the bird had a red cap.

Hummm...
Out came my Field Guide to North American Birds for identification! It's markings told me it wasn't a Red-headed woodpecker or a Pileated woodpecker.

Ahhhh...
Here it is! The markings are exactly like the picture shown. It must be a Ladder-backed woodpecker!

But...
Something just didn't seem right: The Ladder-back was common in the southwest. I reasoned that, like humans, they could become a little off course and he was making the best of the surroundings around him.

Hummm...
Off he flew. Another clue. In flight, his white rump was obvious. Back to my Field Guide.

Ahhhh...
A positive identification! I was certain I was watching a Common Flicker, which is the only woodpecker in North America that commonly feeds on the ground. They are also the only brown-backed woodpeckers found in the East.

His red cap may not be very big, but just enough to qualify for Ruby Tuesday and I was happy that he (and his mate) hung around for a few days.

You might not spot a Flicker where you are, but you'll find plenty of red over at Mary's Work of the Poet.

Friday Evening...

Great Wine.

Delicious Food.

Wonderful Friends.

Peaceful Lake-side View.

Thank-you, Gracious Hostess!

Special Ruby Tuesday Moments...

Two subjects that I never get tired of taking photos of and I was excited to think that I was able to capture them both in the same shot.

It's as if Mrs. Bluebird was saying the Pledge to the flag... and it's my bet that she didn't leave out under God !


A Tiger Swallowtail sipping sweet nectar from the local Hummingbird Hangout.

He wasn't a bit bashful, so he let me get within inches for a really clear shot.


Thanks to Mary at Work of the Poet for keeping the Ruby in Tuesdays!

Happy Ruby Tuesday to everyone.

A dead mouse and the Fairy Godmother...

A real-honest-to-goodness story.
I'll keep it as brief as possible.

It all started with this e-bay thingy, which, if you know Mr. Keeper-of-the-Mountain, that shouldn't surprise you.

For some time, he has wanted one of those little tillers so he could work closely around his tomato crop. And wasn't it lucky that he just happened to find one on e-bay? And wasn't it lucky that the cost was within his budget? I'm not so sure who has been setting the so-called budget lately, but I guess it's only fair that he gets a tiller... after all, I splurged on a load of double ground mulch a couple of weeks ago... which, by the way, isn't spread yet!

Back to the story:
The drawback to winning this auction was the fact that the tiller was a pick-up only. Okay. Where?

WHERE???? FOUR HOURS AWAY??? (wtf) ARE YOU NUTS???

Chapter II of this story gets even better:
I agreed to go. A perfect opportunity to get some great pictures in the Catskill Mountains of NY. The day was sunny and beautiful. Mr. Mountain Man decides that it would be a good idea to drive my car because it would get better gas mileage. "Yep", he said,"the handle of that tiller model comes apart so it will fit nicely in your trunk."

Okay, I can deal with that, except for one BIG drawback: As is common in our garage, mice frolic, eat, poop and build nests wherever and whenever they feel like it. One chose to do so in my car somewhere and after eating the bait put out for him, found a comfy spot to expire! Even with extensive cleaning, I never found the body, but the smell sure has been hanging on, no matter what I tried to do to eliminate it!

Chapter III:
No problem. We rolled the windows down, opened the sunroof and hit the road. Soon, the car was filled with fresh air. Seemed like a perfect photo blast head'n my way!

A couple of other details should be mentioned here also.
1. The GPS was programed to take us to our destination.
2. An ex-truck driver who still believes: "I never went that way before, why should I go that way now?" (Hey we're talking 40 years ago!)
3. A deaf ex-truck driver who couldn't hear the GPS with the windows down. (hell, he can't hear with the windows up!)

You guessed it... I had to repeat everything that the Fairy Godmother of GPS-Land said. A little arguing here and there, with my voice echoing throughout the Catskill Mountains!

I'm happy to report that we had a safe trip, the Chief likes his tiller, the dead mouse still stinks, the Fairy Godmother of GPS-Land has long since gone to bed and that's exactly where I'm headed.

Oh, by the way, I didn't take one damn photo today!

Good Night and sweet dreams.
B:-)

Raindrops keep fall'n...

Let the rain kiss you.
Let the rain beat upon your head with silver liquid drops.
Let the rain sing you a lullaby.

~Langston Hughes



Remember...
If you allow yourself, you can get more out of a walk in the rain than just wet.

Chuckle for the weekend...

...and believe me when I say: "If my computer was on the fritz, I'd have it fixed long before I would my cleaner!"

So you know that I'm not going to waste my time cleaning house this weekend, even if it is rainy. Guess it's time to jump in my little red car and see what trouble I can get into! After all, rain drops always provide interesting detail on any photo subject.

Forget the dust on the furniture and mud on the floor. Have fun on your weekend!

After the Rain...

A little wild Daisy that found a safe haven among perennials in the garden. It's no wonder that my flowerbeds are over-run ~ I never can bring myself to pull any plant, wild or not. If it blooms, it stays!


A group of Lily buds ready to spring to life any day, it's leaves refreshed with today's rain drops.


Baby Bunny came out to play...and eat...after an all-day rain.


My first Day Lily blossom of the season.


Rainy day.
Sunny day.
Enjoy every day.

Sunlight and Dew Drops...

You know it's going to be a good day when the sun begins it's upward travel in a way that makes the fluffy clouds light up.



And the morning dew on the tips of the wild strawberry plants appear like tiny diamonds.


Can't beat a day like that!

Hope you had a day that sparkled too.

Unusual Ruby for Tuesday...

Yesterday, while visiting a friend, I happened to glance out her kitchen window and knew that I had a perfect subject for this week's Ruby Tuesday photo shot.

There, hanging in a huge Maple tree, was her Poinsettia plant that she had lovingly cared for enough that it's leaves were still red! (I consider myself lucky just to keep them in blossom through the Christmas Holiday!)


Unusual.
A Poinsettia
In a Maple Tree.
In NE Pennsylvania.
In the middle of June.
Still blooming red.
In a Maple Tree.
A Poinsettia.
Unusual.

Don't forget to visit other Ruby Tuesday participants over at Mary T's. They all have some pretty fascinating photos.

This Place is for the Birds...

"Barb's garden fountain looks a bit deeper than her two bird baths. Guess I'll try it out."


"Ahhh... This is great. Hey, no peeking!"



"I'll just sit here and let my feathers dry out before I go feed that lazy young'n of mine."


"See him over there in the grass?"


"He thought he'd try out his wings before he was ready and now he expects me to make sure he gets his lunch every day. Kids!"


Mrs. Blue Bird, who's babies are still in the nest, watches the activities from an over-head wire.


Have lunch with a friend.
Her kids might be bugging her too and she needs a time-out!

Flag Day...

Even though Flag Day is not considered an official Federal Holiday, on June 14, 1937, Pennsylvania became the first (and only) state to celebrate Flag Day as a State holiday.



I'm proud to say that Old Glory flys high every day here at this mountain home!

A White Tassel and a Naked Lady...

Week two of Wreck This Journal was trickier than I thought. Now I have to confess to being a wimpy wrecker.

How hard can it be to fill a two-page spread with all things white? I rummaged through all my junk and found a tassel, buttons, tags, an unprinted address label, a silk rose bud and bits and pieces of a paper doily. Cool stuff... but boring as hell.

White is nice, but shouldn't be left standing alone. Pink, being my favorite, would be just right for a little splash of color.


It still looks a little too prissy to be in a journal of mass destruction. But I like it anyway.

My next attempt was showering with my journal.
Take I:
I propped my journal upright behind my shampoo after I turned the water off. Only a small amount of water wicked up the pages. What a cheat! What a wimp!

Take II, Day two:
I propped my journal upright behind my shampoo, but it wouldn't stay in place.

Take III:
It was obvious what had to be done. So... standing there in all the glory that my nakedness would allow me, I quickly gave the spine a firm snap. Ouch! It hurt me more than the book, but at least it was more manageable. Another mission accomplished: Cracked spine. Yeahhhhh!

Take IV:
I propped my journal upright behind my shampoo and turned the water on full force. I turned my back, trying not to care how wet the pages were getting. When I finally did have enough courage to peek, I was pleasantly surprised at the waviness of the pages and the random water spots.


Click on the above photo to enlarge, so you can see that I really wasn't cheating this time!


Refreshed and rejuvenated, my journal and I are ready to take on a new week of wrecking, with all doubts and inhibitions washed down the drain. Hopefully!

I have to admit, though, there's something really weird about taking a camera to the bathroom with you.

See you right here next Friday.

Don't forget to check on other Journal Wreckers at Jamie's. You'll find some pretty creative juices flowing over there!

Pretty in Pink...

The Peonies seem to be smaller this year, but, none the less, they brighten up the front lawn, where they share a bed with my lavender Iris.

While the Iris are beginning to fade away, the Peonies are now dominating the color scheme. Follow this beauty from bud to blossom and look deep into it's very center.

So many Rubies, so little time....

Gems found off the beaten path.








So many more Rubies over at Work of the Poet.

Hope you find gems in your day!

B:-)