LITTLE MARSH

I saw this little marsh the other day but wasn't able to stop and study it for photo ops. It's a beautiful little pond of water..........the one above reminds me of a Monet painting. The wild rhoddy was blooming and so was the water lily. I see some scotch broom blooming to the back up there. Pretty, huh?

Below were some unfurling ferns. When I edited it a little those beautiful colors popped up. I liked.

I hope everyone's week was good............our's was. A little more quiet than last week: the week after Memorial Day and all the many activities that went with it. I have an idea that a good many bar-b-ques were altered by our unseasonal weather. My sister went to spend a nice warm week in Tahoe........only to have to deal with snow instead of sun! Hail up in Portland, rain and wind in many places throughout the west. I'd much rather be dealing with our weather than the heat that is already hitting places in the east........and the terrible tornadoes. What a lot of tragedy.

Norm's challenges with Maxillian continue..........So far, Norm is still ahead but Maximillian is a very persistent guy. Many have asked for some photos of Max trying to balance on the greased PVC pipe. I never know when he might try it, though. Once each day he gives it a try. If he gets too close to success, out goes Norm to grease up the pipe some more. And now the blue jay's are playing with him. Personally, I think the jay waits until Norm sits down to eat then has the fun of watching Norm jump up......wave his arms around......go for his b-b-gun.....open the door......then Jay flies away before Norm even rounds the corner. Norm sits back down to eat......Jay returns.....and so it continues for 4 or 5 rounds. Norm gets his daily exercise.

We have one little bird house in the corner of our deck that Norm built more for decorative effect than to use. But a couple of chickadees have taken up residence. Norm saw that the racoons got into the birdhouse and ripped apart a nest. I thought that would discourage them. Not so. And they're so secretive that I didn't know they'd set up another nest until it was a done-deal. Well, last night I could hear some creaking on the deck which meant that some critter was around out there. Probably the racoons. It was close to midnight, Norm was fast asleep. Careful not to wake him up, I went out to the dining room and turned on the deck light and checked over at the birdhouse........Sure enough, there was a racoon leaning over the back of the house and trying to reach inside the opening. I went out and clapped my hands. He ran off a little down the top of a fence but kept looking back at the birdhouse. Probably knowing by now that there was something good to eat in there. I kept clapping my hands, telling him to go away. He just stared and stared at him, alternatively looking back at his source of late night dinner. So........I did finally get him to take off and up over the roof by getting the water hose and putting it on 'jet'. That did it. Norm and I were trying to figure out how to permanently protect the chickadees until they hatch and raise their youngin's. Can't do anything too drastic or we'll have Ma Chickadee deserting her nest. As it was, I peeked in last night and saw a little head and beak staring back at me. Anyway, Norm got out his good old can of grease and slathered it all over the top of the birdhouse. I hope that will discourage the racoon..........which will probably be back tonight. Maybe the nest is far enough towards the back of the house so it can't be reached. Oh, the trials we go through for these birds~! We know that all the animals have to eat, too, but we don't want to be the ones that set the birds on a platter, so to speak. I'll let you all know how it goes.
Hope everyone has a happy Friday and an even better weekend!