If you wait long enough...

something different will happen in the yard to make it a little different from every other day.  Some days it's just a matter of waiting long enough!

When I got home from work this morning, the first thing I saw was a monarch butterfly. I got my camera right out as it flew and landed in the mulberry tree.  Just as I was ready to take a photo, some bird chased it off. ARGH!  Add to it that it's a dreary day, I wasn't holding much hope for anything of interest, let alone a photographic opportunity. My old camera doesn't perform well in low light.

The pack of blue jays were under the tree eating cracked corn, but flew into the trees as soon as I got to the patio.  They were noisy with their obvious unhappiness that I was outside.  Got all the feeders filled ... oh yea gotta show you my 'feeder station'.  My own bit to save something from the landfill I guess. Tacky?  perhaps. But it is working. The birds seem to like it.

Found this little bug-eyed cutie under a pawpaw leaf

my Great Mullein has gotten...great big!  I know it's a weed. It is a biennial plant, the first year it only grows a rosette of leaves, the 2nd year it grows the long single stem, then is topped by a spike of yellow flowers. It's not competitive with other plants, plus I read that hummingbirds often like to use some of the fuzzy material from the leaves for their nests. That made it a keeper. Now I've ready about using the leaves for asthma/congestions/respiratory problems and I'd like to give it a try!

First the bee tried to molest an unopen bud. Giving up he started the long climb to a flower already opened.

It's a long way down!

But worth it!

I've had lots of goldfinches lately. Nothing to see a dozen out here at once.  I usually don't get a lot at once until winter. They are going through food like it's the middle of winter too.

Here's a bird feeder I repainted and put in periwinkle and a vinca vine.

Not great photos, but the hummer was looking up...at the plane passing over. When I first saw the hummer today, I had the camera and trying to fouc on him when he disappeared. I kept looking through the camera for him. I finally gave up,lowered the camera and there he was about a foot in front and above me. I slowly moved the camera upwards to get a photo of him so close and he flew off of course.  Sat in the tree. I imagine if he could he would have glared at me?  When I got distracted by something else, I suddenly became aware of something flying close to me, I quickly turned around and the lil thing was buzzing me.  As though he could chase me off like the other hummingbirds.  So cute! Any time he went to the feeder or a nearby flower he would first hover while looking my way, then would start to nectar. But I got a 'look' every time!

Most likely he sits in the tree to reset, as well as to oversee 'his' territory in case of intruders.  Though it's fun to think that he's sulking :D

Since hummingbirds have to feed 5x an hour, eventually he will come and eat!

Oblivious to my presence across the yard, one of the medow voles came out to get some grass.

I almost forgot!!  The gem of the day... a common clearwing hummingbird moth.  Not quite as colorful at the snowberry clearwing I saw earlier this summer.

Hopefully I can find that photo to share.  Time to take a break.  Besides Blogger is not being user friendly at the moment. I apologize if the formatting is a bit off!