Walking the trail

Hello,

We have been on the NCR bike trail at least once a week lately. There are still some wildflowers blooming, we saw and heard a few birds and a snake crossing the trail. The weather is still summer like, officially Fall starts on Sept 22. As I type this post we could use some rain we are in a mini drought.

One of my only bird photos from our walk. A blurry Chickadee, it was moving quickly around the tree and fussing at us.

Are these called cairns, people must have stood in the river stacking up these rocks.

Even with the mini drought, the flowers were still blooming mid September.

I believe this is a harmless garter snake, later on we just missed a Copperhead on the trail. Some brave people moved the Copperhead off the trail right before we got there.

Back at home two Cardinals in our backyard.

For Tom's Barn Collective, I have another local barn from our neighborhood.

This is an update on my reading, I have now read up to # 9 in the Women's Murder Club mysteries by James Patterson.  They are usually page turners for me and I like the main characters in these stories. The stories take place in San Francisco. For some reason, these books remind me of old TV show called the Streets of San Francisco. I guess I am showing my age, it was cop show from back in 1972 with Karl Malden and Michael Douglas.

Thank you for visiting and as always thank you for the nice comments.  Have a great day and new week ahead!

Here is my list of memes for the week, I hope you can check one or some of these fun memes and the participants post.

Thanks to Tom the host of The Barn Collective 
Thanks to Jesh for hosting Seasons
Thanks to Maggie of Normandy Life  the new host of Mosaic Monday

Thanks to Michelle for hosting Nature Notes

Thanks to the hosting team of Our World Tuesday!

Thanks to Stewart for hosting Wild Bird Wednesday

Let it Snow

I am linking up with   Mosaic Monday and Our World Tuesday 

This is the first snow storm we had in 2015, about three inches of the cold wet white stuff on January 6. I hate to rub it in but I am SO, SO HAPPY I am retired now. I do not have to worry about setting the alarm, going to work or the awful commute.  I can look out at the snow and if I want go back to bed and pull the covers over my head, lol. Most of the day was spent relaxing and looking out the windows at the snow and my yard birds.. When it snows my birds go into a feeding frenzy..I filled up the feeders a few times that day.

Above are some of my yardbirds top row left side are the Dark-eyed Junco, female Cardinal, Blue Jay and a White-throated Sparrow and silly hubby wrote a note in the snow on the car.. Bottom row on the suet feeders are the female Redbellied Woodpecker and a male Downy Woodpecker..

The Cardinals are a favorite with a snowy background..their red colors really pop..

Our white pine trees in the back of the yard and a few Cardinals and Juncos..

On a cold snowy day, I am happy to stay inside and look out my dining window and watch the birds at my feeders...I caught this Redbellied woodie at the suet, you can see her tongue. Are you a snow lover?  I prefer Spring, Summer and Fall and would not mind just skipping Winter..

I use Pic Monkey to create my mosaics, you can use Pic Monkey free or pay for an upgraded version.
I hope you can join in on our fun at  Mosaic Monday and   Our World Tuesday

 Thanks to Judith our  host of Mosaic Monday and to the hosting group of Our World Tuesday: Arija, Gattina, Lady Fi, Sylvia, Sandy and Jennifer.  I wish everyone a happy week ahead!

SWF>>>Backyard sunset

For this week I am sharing a sunset and a Skywatch Friday from my backyard.

 This is the start of my skywatching for the evening. Plenty of beautiful clouds to make a pretty sunset.

While I am outside on my deck watching the skies I can not help but notice the birds. The hummers zooming by my head. 

 A male ruby-throated hummingbird, this little bird is king of my yard and feeders.

  My fluffy looking cardinal, another male bird that likes to chase other birds away from my feeders. Mr. Cardinal was a little frustrated that I was hanging out on my deck. He will not come to the feeders while I am standing around taking photos.

I hope you enjoyed my skywatch and to see more beautiful skies from around the world
 please visit Skywatch Friday!

Thanks to our wonderful hosts of Skywatch: Sylvia and Sandy. Thank you also for stopping by to see my skies. I hope you have a safe and happy weekend. Happy Skywatching!

SWF>>>>Backyard sunset

With my backyard sunset I am linking up with Skywatch Friday

While watching the sunset from my deck, I could hear the Cardinals. Cardinal sounds were coming from all directions.

Zooming in, the colors of the sunset looked more orangy than the pink in the previous photos. My photos were all taken within minutes of each other.

I hope you enjoyed seeing my pretty sunset and skies. Skywatch Friday is one of my favorite memes, I lov seeing beautiful skies from around the world.  Happy Skywatching!

Thanks to the hosting group of Sylvia, Wren, Sandy and Fishing Guy. And I always appreciate and enjoy your visits and comments on my post.  Have a safe and happy weekend!!

Red and Blue

On these cold dreary winter days I have been enjoying my colorful yardbirds. The Bluejays and the Cardinals really add some color to my yard. Their blue and red colors remind me of the pretty flowers that will be popping up in spring. Yes, I am thinking of and wishing Spring will come here fast. Neither of these two birds migrate so they are here year round and providing pretty colors to my yard. At times there are quite a few of the jays acting like piggies eating the peanuts I put on my deck railing.

Surprisingly just as many or more Cardinals both males and females are also visiting my feeders. The Cardinals look breathtaking in any snowy backyard. Come spring my Cardinal couple will chase off any other Cardinals that visit my yard. They are very territorial when it is their mating and breeding season.

I am linking up with Mary's Mosaic Monday  and Sally's Blue Monday . I hope you will join in with these fun memes. Thanks to Mary and Sally for hosting and thank you for stopping by my post.  Have a great week!

Outside my window

For my Camera Critters these are some of my backyard birds seen from my dining room window. I like that I can see the birds from my window and not even have to go out in the cold. It has been really cold lately and we a had a little dusting of snow yesterday. My backyard birds seem to enjoy my feeders even more when there is snow on the ground.

What birds are in your yard today?


                             Carolina Chickadee

Tufted Titmouse

Male Cardinal

                                    Bluejay

Below is another common visitor to my deck and bird feeders.

These are some of my backyard birds today.  To see more cute and wonderful critters go and visit Camera Critters
Thanks to Misty Dawn for hosting and thank you for stopping by to see my critters.

4th of July

HAPPY 4th of July to everyone!

I tried to make my mosaic this week with red, white and blue colors. So, I have some Bluejays, Cardinals, my pretty Bluebird, a Penta flower called Butterfly red, the flag on my deck and a pretty sky photo.

I like these flowers and they reminded me seeing red fireworks exploding in the sky.

I am linking up with three memes with this post

 for Mosaic Monday  Thanks to the host Mary of Little Red house
and
Blue Monday   Thanks to host, Sally of Smily Sally
and
Ruby Tuesday  Thanks to host, Mary  of Work of the Poet

Thanks to everyone who visit my blog and post, Have a great 4th of July and a great week.

Birds and Blooms

This past weekend I have been enjoying my backyard birds and all the pretty flowers in my yard and on my deck.  I am joining in on Mary's Mosaic Monday  with my mosaics and Mellow Yellow Monday with my yellow birds and lilies and Mary the Teach's Ruby Tuesday with my Cardinal and red flowers. I hope you enjoy my birds and blooms.

The hummingbirds are really attracted to red Salvia.

Below is the female Ruby Throated Hummingbird. The male shown in my mosaic has the pretty ruby red gorget.

The Stella Dora Lilies seem to grow well in our yard and are looking great.

The Lantana is one of my favorites I planted (hubby planted)  in a pot on my deck.

The Pine Warbler below looks similiar to the American Goldfinch but their beaks are shape different. You can see the Goldfinches above in my mosaic.

Thanks to the gracious host of these fun memes

 and thank you for stopping by my blog for a visit.

Cardinals

I am including my Cardinal post in Susan's Outdoor Wednesday  go and visit and Thanks Susan for hosting Outdoor Wednesday.

My entry for Ruby Tuesday to see more great entries go and visit Mary at workofthepoet

Thanks for stopping by to see my Cardinals and Thanks to Mary for hosting Ruby Tuesday.