A Little Buggy

Fair warning... if you don't like bugs...stop here. I found a few things in nature.... 

There is a small leaf hopper that lives on my basil plant... I have the most difficult time trying to get a great photo. Partially because the basil lives on the north side of the garden... so it gets very little direct sunlight and I think the leaf hopper also likes the north side.... and indirect sunlight. I love the colors of this little guy. Good thing they don't do a lot of damage to the plants!

Here in forested country... we have cicadas. The weather has changed a little... and the nights have gotten very cool upper 50's lower 60's and not much humidity. So the cicadas have been making lots of noise.... calling for a mate. We have a very large black and green variety here, and they are very shy. I have been trying to capture one 'on film' and this guy flew onto the swing set... for a few minutes. They are huge.... and if one landed on me I think I would lose my mind. Happy they are shy.

One of my favorite garden bugs is the Preying Mantis. Last year I found a bright green one on the roses.... and this summer I found this fellow.... in the front. He has maintained the woody color all summer... and has been very difficult to find... unless he is disturbed.

And lastly with fall looking closer every day... I found this the same day I was taking the pictures of the sunflowers. It is called the Halloween pennant (dragonfly).

A couple more Sunflowers

I didn't want to overload the previous post.... with sunflowers

There will be a few more fresh flowers in a week or so....  but for the most part the field is done.

The weather has been hot and humid (dew point above 70 degrees) so nothing really dries out. This is a dew drop, not rain.... since it was only 9 in the morning and still a bit shady....

Out with the Camera Again

I saw a local post on a Sunflower Field... so I had to go and take a look.

Nothing like what I found in Maryland at the McKee Beshers Wildlife Management fields... and a little past its prime. But I will add it to my calendar for next year. 

These were also considerably shorter.... than the ones planted in Maryland!!! Blogged here if you are interested in the difference....

and of course a bird and a sunflower.

Clouds

Clouds.... are fascinating and interesting... assuming they have not come with a huge dangerous storm. Growing up in Northern California, we did not see much in the way of storm clouds. Ground clouds, (otherwise known as fog). But storm clouds are really different, lots of texture and shape and light.

One evening I looked out front and saw this cloud. I think we had a thunderstorm... a little to the north before this cloud appeared to the south.

We have had a few really raucous storms this summer. Several where the Tornado sirens have gone off. We use our Nebraska plan. Pets and leads to the basement, along with our valuables.... (cameras, wallets, tablets/computers and boots). And then watch the storm.... come in. Probably not too bright, but who can just sit and wonder what is going on. 

A couple of more clouds in general.

And in Florida.... this cloud and a hotel. The hotel reminded me of the condo unit the DH lived in on the beach in Durban, South Africa.

Road Sign

Found this old Motel.... out near the fairgrounds on my country drive. The motel was nothing, maybe 10 rooms and now just a boarded up cinder block building. But the sign...The Dutch Girl Motel.

What do you suppose the thing at the top is? A tulip?

County Fair

At the fairgrounds

I took this one last year.... and it was the only one I took at the fairgrounds. It was overcast and started raining...

This year it was sunny and hot! and this was the only one I liked that I took at the fairgrounds.

The County Fair here only runs for 5 days and mostly late afternoon to about 10. Sets up on Monday and Closes Saturday night. They sure fit a lot in those days... Really too much and not enough.