Sunday Musings

 

Before the next heat wave, we're enjoying some pleasantly cool nights (49 overnight) and their airy aftermath. 

Lots of low fog in the area this morning, and it made for some pretty scenes. 

I doubt that we'll see the fog for a while with overnight temps for the next ten days averaging in the high 50s and low 60s.  

Ugh!  

I can deal with heat when it cools off at night, but the 60s throughout the night are a bit too warm for me. 

Then again, we're almost to July so we have to deal with it. 

It's the little things of life that usually give me the biggest thrills. 

I was thrilled big time yesterday when I looked out the living room window and saw this little guy sitting on the bird feeder platform. 

I had resigned myself to the fact that we may not get to enjoy our Western flycatchers this year. 

A couple of weeks ago, I thought I had heard the characteristic tweet of the flycatcher but never had a sighting . . . until yesterday. 

Then, I saw the little bird or its partner twice. 

So, we should have some pleasant entertainment for a while as they nest and raise their young. 

They are very social birds and seem to like to show up and watch gatherings of people, and that will happen on the deck this Friday. 

Knowing the little birds are around after all made my day. 

I was also excited to hear that Willie's boys varsity basketball team continues to have a successful summer season.  So far, at a WSU camp, the team has won three out of four games.

After today's two games, the summer season ends, and Willie will get a break. 

He's pretty excited to have the opportunity today to meet Ndonwawanne aka ND Okafor, a WSU player from Dundalk, Ireland.

We stayed in Dundalk in early April, and Willie helped coach a practice with one of their girls basketball teams. 

So, it will be fun for the two to talk basketball along with sharing some Ireland stories. 

Plus, we'll probably follow Okafor when the college basketball season starts. 

In other news, I'm doing my best to get ahead of the game for our Fourth of July barbecue on the deck. 

One boneless pork roast down and turned into pulled pork and another will go in the slow cooker today. 

Since my garden chard is thriving, I'm also hoping to make some quiche today. 

Fence painting and weed eating continue as does the endless planning and cleaning for hosting the holiday fun. 

  

By late afternoon yesterday, my beautiful sunflower had turned into a pathetic looking, ruthlessly ravaged wallflower.

The petal thief operated throughout the day, methodically removing the glorious yellow petals from the plant.  

Overnight, nothing happened.  I suppose some guilt may have set in.  

Twould be nice to have a sighting of the thief in action. 

This tiny blue flower opened up yesterday in a north lawn flower box.  

It's a wildflower of some sort, and I must say that I've never seen this variety before. 

Any species suggestions?

BTW:  many thanks to a couple of FB friends who identified my neat orange flower as a Mexican sunflower. 

Thankfully, the unknown petal thief has left it alone, and it sits right next to the birthday sunflower. 

My manure-pile pumpkin is beginning its quick expansion and downward journey from the top of the pile. 

There's a big potato plant in its pathway so I'm hoping it has the decency to get in the passing lane and leave the potato alone. 

Once pumpkin plants get going, one could almost sit in a chair on a hot afternoon and watch them grow and move down the manure pile. 

Maybe I'll have time after the Fourth.  For now, I've got enough other distractions.  

Happy Sunday.