After being grazed off by deer this spring, I was surprised to see any hollyhocks blooming this summer but a few re-sprouted and they are providing a display of pinks and reds blossoms.
Surviving Hollyhocks
Picture of the Day for July 20, 2015
Tucked under the hen’s wing, the baby chick feels safe to peek out at the big world.
Safe Under Mom’s Wing
Picture of the Day for July 19, 2015
After a stormy week, a quiet sky at sunset with colors like a rainbow is just what is needed for today.
Quiet Colorful Sunset
Picture of the Day for July 18, 2015
The roaring of the wind and thunder rumble last night from the storm sounded like being near a loud waterfall. The humid day made my shirt wet but not a cool wet like from the waterfall mist and the heavy rainfall cut ‘rivers’ into the gravel driveway creating rushing water and mini waterfalls.
The Upper Falls on the Amnicon River flows over dark basalt formed by lava that flowed across the region about a billion years ago. The fine texture of this rock suggests that the lava was very fluid and cooled rapidly enough to prevent the formation of crystals. The river runs along the Douglas Fault formed about 500 million years ago. A few feet downstream the Amnicon River flows over Lake Superior sandstone at the Lower Falls.
Upper Falls on the Amnicon River
Listen to the waterfall’s roar in the video.
Picture of the Day for July 17, 2015
The local county fair is going on this week so there is excitement for the kids (and probably some headache and hassle for the parents). And the livestock and other critters shown at the fair have their daily routine messed up too and have to content with strange noises, place and extra people staring at them. And for the dairyDairy goats, who are used to a milking machine, have to be milked by hand at the fair, but this little girl who wasn’t old enough to show in the regular goat classes like her siblings, knew how to milk the goat like a pro.
Milking the Goat
Picture of the Day for July 16, 2015
This was the new little calf which I was on my way to photograph when the bald eagle took me on a side trip. Since it a late calf, at the moment the calf doesn’t have any playmates the same size until the other couple remaining cows have their calves.
Late Summer Calf
A short video of some other calves playing.
Picture of the Day for July 15, 2015
Last evening I was walking through the pasture to take a picture of the new calf and on my way, I spotted a bald eagle circling overhead as I suppose it wanted to eat the afterbirth. After circling a few times, it landed in a tall pine tree since I wasn’t leaving but then the smaller birds weren’t leaving the eagle alone either. Finally it had enough harassment and took off although the smaller birds were still chasing the eagle as it left.
Eagle Being Harassed
Picture of the Day for July 14, 2015
These wildflowers are usually provide the last color before winter sets in, so I hope that doesn’t mean winter is approaching fast with them blooming now. The Butter-and-eggs, or yellow toadflax, is another flower introduced from Europe which is now common in North America and considered a weed which has a lot of other names including bunny mouths, calf’s snout, dead men’s bone, wild snapdragon and about 30 other names.
Butter-and-Eggs by the Pond
Picture of the Day for July 13, 2015
The common whitetail dragonfly can be seen hawking for mosquitoes and other small flying insects over ponds so I’m happy I have a bunch of dragonflies eating my bugs. But I’m also glad they aren’t as big as they were 325 million years ago when they had a 30 inch wingspan as that would be a little nerve–racking with as many as I see flying around my pond.
Common Whitetail Dragonfly
Picture of the Day for July 12, 2015
Last night the sun was the pinkish-red ball again, like the week of smokey skies, but at least there some clouds from the passing rain shower to the north to give a colorful sunset. Tonight the predicted storms will probably hide the sun as it sets although a rainbow would be nice.
Hot Summer Sunset
