Remembering Summer......

Today is so cold and windy that I thought it might be a good day to remember highlights of this past summer.  For one thing it was to short!  

Field of flowers along Canal Rd.

 Clouded Sulphur and Canada Thistle (I think)

Gray-headed coneflower

Wild Day Lilies

Just a few of the many wild flowers that can be seen during the summer.  There are so many things we saw this summer that it is hard to pick out a few...

One of my favorite places that I visit whenever I can is Charlie's Pond.  There is this cute little ground squirrel...Thirteen Stripped Ground Squirrel...He is so cute and an interesting fact is that he rarely drinks water but depends on getting it from the food he eats...

 I never have to leave the car to spot him...they have their holes along the side of the road and if you drive slow and watch...He will pop up from his hole....

Bird watching during the summer can be hard because of the leaves on the trees but there are always wonderful surprises that happen......

These are baby Barn Swallows were patiently waiting on a tree branch for their mother....

At Deer Creek we found these cute Eastern Kingbird's being feed....

Here Mom has a tasty bug!

 Open wide!!!!!

This Brown Thrasher was an exciting sight!

Always wonderful when we see a Belted Kingfisher.
This was at Deer Creek and the whole family was around.....

This Juvy Green Heron was there also...

At Canal Rd. pond we found a family hanging around....I know this isn't the best picture but we didn't want to scare them.....

 This Eastern Phoebe on her nest at Old Man's Cave.

Then there are the usual birds that we can follow through the summer.....

The Yoctangee Park Swans is always a joy to follow...this year there were two nests...

There was only one Cygnet that survived out of 12 eggs laid by the two females. That was very sad. 

The Deer Creek Osprey nest is a great place to watch ..... Look closely and the heads of two babies can be seen.....I have been watching this nest for about 5 years....there has been a year or two because of flooding that there were no young...but it is easy to sit in the car and watch them....If lucky one might see a parent catch a big fish!

And at the end of summer we discovered a new Osprey nest along Canal Rd.!  We are so excited about that....

Got this picture of an Osprey on this nest...looks like he built a nest....will be watching next summer.

But the highlight of the summer for me was to finally see one of my favorite birds and get a good picture of him.....Eastern Meadowlark.........

Driving along a country road, there he was on the wires overhead....We turned around and parked off to the side and he sat there grooming and singing...What a treat! 

Butterflies are such happy things to see....

                         
                         Female...Bronze Copper

                       

                      A pair of Summer Azure

Question Mark

                 Dragonflies....Common Whitetail

        And this grasshopper...you have to look really close to see him....he blends to his surroundings.

       Monarchs are always a joy to find and photograph....

                     Clouded Sulphur

                     Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

This handsome spider...Dolomedes Vittatus.....

                         and her nest and babies

Always something to see or find.....

Went to Lily Fest this year...a wonderful way to spend an afternoon walking around in the woods and see artisans work and nature...

                 Lots of Lilies...

                  Other types of flowers too.

  This wonderful water lily pond with frogs and fish...

Several ponds and types of waterlilies ..... 

 Driving down country roads....

Cows are one of my favorite... 

      

                Creek at Tar Hollow....
 The first picture the creek has water but then a couple of weeks later...it was dry........

 Walk through Joe Pye at Tar Hollow...

Butterflies love Joe Pye..


Monarch

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail





      Goldenrod with Lady Bug........

   
                     Wheat Field.....

Some of the wonderful summer sights...but the best of the summer...was finding the Monarchs migrating through Ohio with a stop at Deer Creek!

We were following 2 Monarchs when I looked up into the tree.....several branches were covered with Monarchs....The bright orange when they flashed their wings...was amazing....It is a sight I will not forget....

But not all my adventures this summer were outside....There was a wonderful event at the 

Decorative Arts Center in Lancaster, Oh.

"Designing Woman, Edith Head"

at Paramount 1924-1967

  The dress in the middle was worn by Mae West....

 The Men's outfits were for Bob Hope....

       The dress in front was from Fun in Acapulco...

Was a wonderful exhibit....

So that was some of the wonderful highlights of the summer of 2014.  Now have to prepare for winter coming up... Fall is really in full swing right now...I hope to get out to see some of the color and share with all of you....but until then...have a cup of hot tea and relax and stay warm and hope you enjoyed my blog.....

I am here resting at Lily Fest!