Since I have instituted measures to discourage varmints, such as securing bird feed and cat food at night, the cats greet me very enthusiastically in the morning. It’s me they love, not the food I provide, surely!
Tom Morris looks like he’s making a jail break 
Marmalade is very intensely waiting for breakfast
Like clockwork, here comes Jane on Derry, always a welcome sight in the morning. They inspired us with their jump school. Bart and I worked on going forward, and we are waiting for Kris to make us jump (also, we jumped yesterday).
Always on time 
Jane’s favorite – a Swedish oxer 
Derry and Jane show how it’s done
I snapped a picture of a bumblebee in the Blue Basil flowers. The bumblebees were busy this morning. Then, I went to the woods to get a mushroom picture. I don’t know what kind of mushrooms these are, but they are prolific We saw them as we were riding home this morning. From a quick Google search, they seem to be ringless honey mushrooms (but don’t rely on me for fungus knowledge!). The internet says they are edible, but can be toxic. What!? I will stick with photography. I love them as subjects, anyway.
Weedy vamoosed on an adventure, but Cedar and Nettie joined me on my photography expedition. Mistletoe was waiting on the porch for us when we returned. Her poor little crooked legs make it hard to travel. No wonder she can be cantankerous! Note the sign on the door behind Mistletoe. It’s a beautiful tile from Italy, given to us by Ross and Anne McKinstry, our Pike County neighbors and good friends. It says “Attenti al cane e gatto” – Beware of dog and cat. Most appropriate.
Cedar on the alert for varmints 
Nettie always alert 
Watch dog
I photographed bees on Seven Son Flowers yesterday, but failed to show the entire plants. Heptacodium miconiodes is native to China and was saved from extinction in 1980, when there were only nine populations left in the wild. They have been introduced to gardens and are now thriving. The tall shrubs bloom in late summer, and they have unusual, exfoliating bark for winter interest. Luckily, they are benign, non-invasive immigrant plants. Like the Italian tile on the kitchen door, these plants came through Anne McKinstry, when Jane and I mounted a massive planting project a decade and a half ago. A synchronicity!
Blooming Seven Son Flowers 
Cool picture on a hot day
The molting blue jay stopped by and I had to photograph him. Poor guy, he looks pretty creepy, but he will be magnificent again soon. And I do not know what this other yellow bird is! It’s very exciting to see a new bird. Maybe somebody can teach me. Google has failed me on this one. I think that’s a female grosbeak on the suet with him.
Molting jay 
Molting blue jay 
Mystery bird
Nathaniel mowed, I push mowed, and Marianne was here to do barn work on a very hot afternoon. As usual, Marianne and Nathaniel were full of good cheer, which was not melted by the heat. I was exhausted and miserable and in a puddle of sweat!
Harry did his exercises late this afternoon, and instead of following him down to the basement, today I caught him upstairs, where he hangs upside down and does sit ups – brutal core work! I got stronger just watching. We call the inversion table the Upside Down Machine.
Finally, Nancy is in the mountains this week, and sent me a picture of the Selway River out in the Montana wilderness. That is truly cool…
Stay safe, stay well, stay cool. Peace.
Pretty sure Dorothy and I ate those mushrooms for dinner this evening. Apparently out in Oregon there is a “field” of them… they are all connected so considered one entity… think it’s 4 square miles… been In existence since time of Christ….
You’re mystery bird may be a summer tanager.
Those are “ringless honey mushrooms”… taste very good. Hold their form even when included in spaghetti sauce…
we had them sautéed with pork chops … very good. I would say as good as Chanterelles… almost.
Summer Tanager with a crew cut! My google search does show a very similar bird, and with a crew cut! I’m rooting for Marmalade to join the Bronze Fox Farm festivities. And, darling Mistletoe having to stay home, well, that’s not so bad. Ladies, you’re looking wonderful out there jumping! The creek in MT. Oh my. now there’s a creek of which I might take a drink, soooo clear! Beautiful country for sure; Happy Days to all!
I am going home and try to attract a summer tanager to a feeder if they can be found in Virginia.