"Golden" summertime.....

Goldfinches and Black-eyed Susans.....a very summertime combination!  And about the only spot of color I have around here in this drought.

 I happen to look out the sidelight by the front door and saw two males sitting on the flowers and pecking seeds from them.  Sure wish I had a great big sunflower head to give them!

 This one seemed to have an "itch" that he had to scratch.

 They really love these flowers.

Then there are the lazy ones.....

"Well, if you are going to put seed in a feeder for me, why should I go to all that trouble to pick my own????"

 "Here's looking at you!"

 Time to go to work again.

A less colorful female sitting on what we hope is a little crab apple tree.  It certainly has apple type leaves and is located right where I used to have the dogwood tree.  We'll see what happens with it.

 "Too many flowers, too little time!"

 All of the small birds like these ant guard cups to drink out of, so I hang a couple and try to remember to fill them each day. 

 Just posing here because I know how pretty I look with the flowers.

 I figured the Goldfinches would like this ball seed feeder since they can hang on it upside down if necessary.

The "Driveway Diner" has been very popular the last few days.  I looked out today and there were at least 6-7 male Goldfinches eating the seeds.....plus a few other birds.  Not many females around.  I hope that means they are sitting on nests?  They are late to nest because this is the time when all their favorite foods are available.   I never see the baby Goldfinches even though they are a year round bird in this area.

Not much to post....

Still dry and dreary here, but I try to find something to post occasionally so you won't think I have quilt blogging :-)

 I think the most popular place at my feeders is the suet block.  I use a type of suet that is crumbly and dough like, so it doesn't melt in the heat.  All the birds love it.  This little downy was busy eating it the other day when I looked out.

 "Keep putting lots of this out here!"

This Titmouse also wanted the suet and kept chasing the Downy away to get his turn!  I have at least three blocks out there, so I don't know why this one is the most popular.  I was surprised that the Downy let the Titmouse chase it off.  Very aggressive Titmouse :-)  I think he must be really hungry in this horrible summer we are having.  There are lots of seeds out there for him at my feeders, too.

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And......finished at last!

 I finally finished my nature crazy quilt.  Here are photos of the two halves so you can see the stitching a bit better.  If I ever get it hanging on a wall, I will try to get good individual photos of the blocks.  You can read more about it on my quilt blog, if you are interested.

Hawk.....

First some good news....we got a little rain last night!  It thundered and poured for at least 10-15 minutes.  Then another short burst came along a little later.  It was too late for the amount to be listed in the paper, so I don't know how much, but it was sure welcome!  If it would do that a few more times, it would make a big difference to our dryness....and the crops.

Just as the sun was going down, I happened to look out the front door and there was a hawk busy picking apart a bird it had killed right by my front walk!  

I backed off to show how small the hawk is.  If you are familiar with Sedum plants at all, you can see how he compares to the ones on the right.  I know it is either Cooper's or Sharp-shinned, but I'm not good at telling which is which.  

 It is a juvenile.  Had at least one messed up feather on the wing on this side.

 It seemed to be aware that I was on the other side of the window taking photos, but wanted its prey too much to leave until the last bit was eaten.  What surprised me, was that other birds began eating from the food on the driveway and a Downy landed on the suet almost over his head while he was there!  I guess they figured he already had a meal so they were safe!

 I won't show a lot of gory photos of it picking the poor bird to pieces.  I was just excited to see it this closely.  I had suspected there were hawks around, but seldom catch a glimpse of one.

Yep....he knows I'm there!

He finally flew away when something spooked him, but by then he had eaten most of it.  I think he took the remains with him because I just found feathers.

Garden of the Gods.....

So, what do stupid people do when it is hot and humid outside???......go on a road trip and picnic and try to hike through the rocks of southern Illinois.  We were so tired of sitting at home watching the temperatures rise and the grass dry out from the lack of rain, that we thought we would drive over to southern Illinois and see if it was any greener over there.  Garden of the Gods is a beautiful place to go, located in the Shawnee National Forest.  The rock formations are stunning to look at and the scenery beautiful.

The most famous sight at Garden of the Gods is "Camel Rock".  We had a nice view of it.

 Thankfully, no one was climbing on it yesterday.  Many people do and some have fallen to their death.

 I saw two lizards......just about all the life I did see.  

 This one sat still for me pointing the way with his tail.

 Moss on the rocks

They must be getting a little rain there because there were a few puddles in the shallow holes in the rocks.

 Rock and tree fighting for space.  Both seem to be winning at the moment.

 The rocks scattered throughout this area are really interesting to see.  Makes you wonder about what was happening here millions of years ago.

 A flat platform rock.

 Rocks among the trees

It is a very beautiful place to walk around.....but not in high heat and humidity.  I felt like I had a blanket over my head the whole time and was thankful for the nice benches they had along the way.  We didn't hike very far this day, but have hiked the area before.

 It almost seemed like fall weather with all the dead leaves down already.  This area is gorgeous in the fall when the leaves turn colors.

One bent tree struggling to find a place in the rocks.

 It was a beautiful cloud day!  We even got a tiny sprinkle of rain for about half a minute.

The road home......straight as an arrow and flat once we were out of the forest.

One quilt square we saw along the way, but not an attractive barn to put it on.

Around the house....

I walked around the yard the other day and I found a few little bright spots in the otherwise dead and dreary landscape.

 This Window Skimmer male was buzzing around the front steps and posed for me on a dead flower stalk.

 I liked this little Sunflower head that hasn't opened up yet.  I am going to take photos as it opens.....I hope.

 Maybe I can convince you that I have a beautiful garden of flowers if I take a photo of this one lone Sweet William in a pot by the front door :-)

 One Thistle plant is growing in the Black-eyed Susans. I always seem to have just one.  You would think with all the seeds they have, that more than one would grow.  

 Again....I'm going to photograph it at each stage that it opens and grows.

Cropping makes this lily look big, but it is actually very small....the last bud to open on the stalk and only a few inches in length.

 The Goldfinches look for any volunteer sunflowers that can find in my yard.  This female is trying to figure out how to get to the drooping head where the seeds are.

 "Well, it isn't easy!....you try it!"

 Down....down....down.....

The bright male Goldfinch having a drink.