With over seven inches of rain Sunday night in my county, I think all the wildflowers were thinking that they were in ponds instead of fields. Probably the only happy plants were the pond lilies, including the Yellow Pond-lily, which are used to being all wet but even those would have risen to a higher level as creeks and small ponds overflowed.
Yellow Pond-lily Blossom
Farmers in the area won’t need an old dump rake, or a new style rake, today as it is still raining and now dry hay to rake. And rained a lot overnight which has prompted a flash flood warning as some areas had seven inches of rain and rivers have raised five feet. Even my pond, which didn’t overflow this spring from the snow melt, is over its banks this morning.
Old Dump Rake
For almost a week, a thick haze has covered the skies from the smoke generated by the Canadian forest fires turning the sun and moon into reddish blobs with no pretty sunsets. And because of the smoke haze, I wasn’t able to see the spectacular Venus-Jupiter conjunction and now will have to wait until March 1, 2023 to have another conjunction as close to the one I missed.
The air quality was “unhealthy for sensitive groups” last night from the fires but also made worse from all the fireworks in the area. But fireworks can be pretty (as long as they aren’t going off after midnight) and they come in a range of colors, shapes and styles. This one reminded me of the wild bergamot or bee balm flower with its fuzzy flower heads.
Flower Firework
Today, on Independence Day, Americans celebrate the anniversary of publication of the Declaration of Independence from Great Britain in 1776. But actually we should be celebrating on the 2nd of July instead of the 4th, as that is when Continental Congress voted in favor of the resolution for independence. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress approved the final wording of the Declaration of Independence, which is the date on the document, even though most of the signers penned their names on August 2nd.
The famous Liberty Bell in Philadelphia didn’t ring on the 4th but on July 8, 1776 during the first public reading of the Declaration of Independence. General George Washington didn’t know the declaration was official until July 9 and King George didn’t hear the news until mid-August.
In 1870, the U.S. Congress made July 4th a federal holiday but John Adams believed that July 2nd was the correct date on which to celebrate the birth of American independence, and would reportedly turn down invitations to appear at July 4th events in protest. John Adams and Thomas Jefferson both died on July 4, 1826 – the 50th anniversary of the adoption of the Declaration of Independence. (James Monroe also died on July 4th in 1831.)
So enjoy today’s celebrations and traditions and Happy 4th of July to Everyone!
Independence Day Flags
With the 4th of July holiday being on Saturday, many people have off from work today and they are heading to cabins and to lakes to enjoy a weekend of swimming, boating, fishing, camping and watching fireworks.
Heading to the Lake
Seeing the smiling faces of daisies on a sunny day reminds me of a lazy summer day. But like a lot of pretty things, the Ox-eye Daisy isn’t a native wildflower but was brought over from Europe in the 1800s, escaped into the wild and is now common along roadsides and fields. It is considered a noxious weed in many states and countries, as it decreases crop yields and can take over a pasture as cattle do not readily eat the plant. So once again, I guess there can be too much of a good thing including “pretty flowers”.
The Escaped Ox-eye Daisy
While some people don’t like the destructive nature of some squirrels, just like I don’t like my chipmunks destroying my flowers and garden, but the little critters are cute. This little American Red Squirrel was happily eating the silver maple seeds near the trunk of the tree.
Red Squirrel Eating Seeds
After a long winter and before the barn would be filled with the new crop of hay, the barn would become our playground when we were kids with all kinds of activities including swinging on ropes tied to the beams. Now most old hay lofts remain empty with the use of round bales and other storage methods, or in the case of this year, there hasn’t been many good hay drying days to put up hay.
Playing in the Barn
When the water levels are higher on the Amnicon River, then a small offshoot stream flows and creates the pretty Now and Then Falls in the Amnicon Falls State Park.
Now and Then Falls
Some days you don’t get much of a sunrise or sunset when a storm blows in and covers the sun on a summer day.
Sunday Summer Storm
