Almanac

June is all about thunderstorms and flowers. With all the hay under cover, except that which is on the wagon with the borked wheel, the boss just spent the week mostly storing it. It is a slow process, as he has a lot of leftover misery from his injuries, but good Lord willing it will be done by the time it dries up enough to mow more. It is hard to watch him struggle to do stuff, but he is a tough cookie and will get 'er done.

We sure had some gully washers over the past couple of days and a little bit of wind and lightning too. So far no harm done. The gardens are drinking it all in...as are the weeds. I will sure be busy when it dries out.

Our beloved blue invader, chicory, has come into bloom at least a week early. Normally I can count on it for my Independence Day birthday, but this year it is raring to go.

Bird activity is slowing down in a big way. I actually got a little bored doing my daily assessment of what's happening on the Long Lawn and environs yesterday. Not much around but our trio of common warblers, a scattering of sparrows, robins, starlings, and the ubiquitous Cedar Waxwings. Been a long time since I've seen an ooh-ah bird and we are missing some common regulars so far, such as American Woodcock and Great Crested Flycatcher.....

Beating the catbirds at their own game

That being said, pretty much everybody that is around is working on a second...or maybe third...brood. Serendipitously, a gentleman who reads the Farm Side and enjoys the bird columns particularly, stopped by and got to see the male Ruby-throated Hummingbird fly his mating loop-de-loops right in front of the porch....something I have only ever seen twice now.

Good deal!