Monday, June 30, 2008

Summer in VT...

From the foot of our property, my favorite barn from through the trees...

Sunday, June 29, 2008

Hawk...

This guy landed in our front yard this afternoon looking for lunch... We moved him along...

Thursday, June 26, 2008

Finally a Flicker!!

I've been trying to catch this guy for some time now... The Flicker is my favorite bird...

Wednesday, June 25, 2008

Thursday, June 19, 2008

Racoon Visit...

We found out who has been occasionally emptying the hanging bird feeder we keep in the woods.

Misty Morning Barn...

This shot of a local barn one misty morning came out more like a painting...

Sunday, June 15, 2008

Pasta and Water...

This time of year brings many mornings when the early sun catches the night's dew - or in this case drizzle - still on the hosta leaves...

Daisies...

We picked up some daisies to augment the back garden yesterday. They are competing with the rugosa roses and the bee balm both of which have settled in beautifully this year.

Tuesday, June 10, 2008

The Heat..

As Glenn Frey sang on the Beverly Hills Cop soundtrack: "The heat is on..."

We're going through the first of a few hot spells that we experience every summer here in Vermont. As I get up this morning the temperature outside has dipped to 70°F but is *very* humid. The temperature inside the house is stuck at about 80°F and I'm trying to cool it down with fans before the temperature starts back up.

For various reasons we are trying to get through this summer without installing the air conditioners. As a result, we are directly experiencing the weather in a way we typically don't. It changes ones behavior pretty dramatically, just as the onset of a stretch of -20°F does. It's a bit easier to sit around on the back deck if the bugs aren't too bad and feel any cool zephyrs that might come by. It's easier to sit and watch an old Cary Grant movie until late at night when the air finally starts to cool.

Sleep is affected for sure. I'm finding I'm sleeping a bit more but also differently. It's harder to sleep when I go to bed but the "morning sleep" is deep and longer lasting. I wake up groggy and slow and even more in need of hot coffee.

Today purports to be the last day of this hot spell with humid temps in the mid-nineties and a chance for violent thunderstorms. I can believe it as the sun is up and strong at 7AM already. Delightfully I see a low of 47°F for tomorrow night...

Monday, June 9, 2008

Canada Geese

The other day I was walking in the field here at the house and heard the unmistakable sounds of Canada Geese approaching. I pulled out my camera and took this snapshot of them flying directly overhead. It was a scuddy day and they appeared very determined to get where they were going...