Rainy Days and Sundays

I am always fascinated when the pond has the "smoke" rising from it when the temperature fluctuates just right.

I have been trying to get out and mow, but we continue to have more rain, and not enough wind and sun in between to dry out the saturated ground.

Everyone went for a walk around the pond yesterday morning since the woods are off limits due to the first day of archery season. Can you see the other three walkers in the mist?

 The goats are doing some end of season maintenance for us.

Because the hose was constantly connected to the faucet, I only mowed around one side of it, and so it became more and more overgrown.

Well, the goats are loving their work!

They are also doing a fantastic job of cleaning up the outside of the garden fence. They lined up like a well oiled team.

Eventually, they'll get the inside, but the chickens get to clean up first.  But not too soon. We are still getting a few tomatoes and peppers.

The other good thing about these kind of days is finishing projects. I'll post a couple completions soon.

Bird Dropping

This sweet little sunflower is growing under the bird feeder.

Likely a seed dropped by the birds and missed by the chickens.

A miracle.

The Garden - Volunteers, Food, Weeds and Blight

In recent years my sunflowers have been "volunteers", planted by last years' fallen seeds wherever they may end up after the garden has been turned and tilled.

 

The birds will have few, but large heads to feed on very soon.

Hopefully they will leave a seed or two behind for next year.

As always, my vegetable garden started with big dreams - too big - but food was harvested.

Some of the asparagus I planted from seed three years ago had a second, small, delicious crop.

But as soon as we had the combination of heat(came early in June) and rain(came abundantly in July), the garden - as usual - became a weedy mess, saved only by Dave's vigilant weeding and mulching during the stinking heat.

However, the dispiriting thing was what seemed to be blight.

It started here,...

... and soon branched out.

A few batches of sauce are in the freezer, but much more of the harvest went to the chickens.

At least it didn't go to waste.

The chickens were very happy.

 As Mia likes to remind me - 

Man plans. God laughs.

Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge

On the very small section of Rt 16 to get to our home on the Broadkill Beach Bay, we drive on a strip of road that takes us through one of the wetland ponds of  Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge.

It is a quietly beautiful place and a wonderful spot to see great sunsets.

Bringing home dinner one night, a variety of white waterfowl were just packed along the road area.

I was lucky to have no cars come for minutes as I drifted down the wrong side of the road to capture a few photographs.

Finally the birds had enough of my presence and flew to another area, and I got dinner home.

Miltonian Stonehenge

  These poles in the middle of the beach were a couple days of camera play for me. I saw them as my own beach style Stonehenge.

In the background you can see another house that will surely have the same fate as this one soon enough.

On day two, I asked for a little cooperation from the family to use these poles in a photo shoot.

  Following instructions,...



...and patience was required.

OK. Set the timer.



Under Construction

I can't wait to do this next year.

 

Broadkill Beach, Milton, Delaware

We had a busy first day in Delaware, and really didn't have time to appreciate the beach because of the storm that greeted us shortly after we settled into our house. 

The next morning began the twice a day walks on the almost empty Broadkill Beach. 

If you like a crowd, this place will not be your thing. 

Unobstructed walks...

Beach combing...

 

A little room to toss a ball...

 

And the music of the waves to read a book by, and sleep by, was the norm.

Video:Waves and terns on Broadkill beach

Gentle bay waters and,...

..blue, blue skies greeted us for the rest of our stay.

 Home sweet home.