So Much Music... So Little Time

The ever-changing way we were...

Kudos!

London did an exemplary job of lighting up the world with sports and stories of athletes who are winners, all.

It's on to Brazil in 2016.

Call Of The Wild

Have you noticed the shorter days? During July, Joe and I enjoyed well lit, leisurely games of 500 Rummy till nine p.m. Last night, the last orange rays of sun were setting behind the trees to our west at eight. Ouch! Not to worry, though... we finished killer-cards in the dark. We noticed that as soon as darkness descended, the Hummers stopped feeding and the Cardinals began chirping loudly. When noisy crickets joined the ensemble, Joe commented, "It's eerie out here." I concurred. 

Weekend meals al fresco afforded opportunities to confirm a headcount of at least a dozen different Hummers. Quite often we'd notice a few on the feeders, when looking from inside out. Then, as soon as we opened the slider, they'd swarm from nowhere and flit about, almost within reach. How interesting to go from a rare sighting to this amazing phenomenon. I read online that from mid-August through departure time in September, these little acrobats gorge themselves with available food, often guarding what they consider to be personal territory. It's true! They perch and protect. As a matter of fact, we have a possessive Mister in our midst. Ah, finally a bird to demonstrate why they are called Ruby-Throated Hummingbirds. Jeesh, what shall we do when forced indoors? Ya think a parakeet is in order? :-)

Moving from our Stacey yard to the lake, we took the kayak out to once again explore the distant marshes. They are intriguing. We startled a Heron out of thick water grasses, but NIK was at home. I carried my mini camera, though, allowing a few shots while freeing me to help paddle. I'm impressed by the great workout Joe's been getting. It's about time I earned my keep, eh? 

A gorgeous weekend to enjoy the call of the wild. 
Giving thanks. 

Baby Lyla's Welcoming Event ♥

Dawn was already in the hospital and in labor, when we arrived at noon, on Tuesday. 

The kids were jumping out of their skins, as Miss Lauren (their adorable friend/babysitter) relinquished them to us. We decided on the Red Robin for lunch, followed by some cooling off at the pool, so as to keep busy during the wait. After a gazillion jumps and dunks, we got out of the water to check the cell phone. The baby was born! The baby was born! 

iPad Announcement by Hunter

Momma Dawn and Baby Lyla were doing well. I'm sure that the entire crowd heard Hunter and Chloe jumping and yelling, in their excitement. Precious. The plan was for the four of us to visit in the morning, so we returned home to await news and photos, when Poppa Christian, Uncle Todd and Auntie Yvonne returned home for dinner. Honestly, the walls were bursting, but not as much as they did on Wednesday morning, as we prepared to meet beautiful Miss Lyla.

Is there any bigger miracle than that of childbirth? One forgets how tiny a newborn is, all pretty and perfectly formed. Thank you, G-d, for this new miracle.

Like a little football, BabyGrand was passed from one to the other. Man, how the times have changed... for the better, I might add. Bri wasn't even allowed into my room, when Christian was born. That was wrong. I digress...

 We had a great celebration and shot far too many photos. 

Well, the house was still standing on Thursday, having survived the noisy glee. It was ready for a very grand homecoming. Big Bro and Sis marveled at their tiny new sibling.

Every picture tells a story. Blessings All. 

♥

Where It Began - Our Brian Is 42 ♡ Love Grows

Such an emotional week, bringing us back to where it began and how quickly time seems to fly. So much love to give and receive... and so little time. It's wild!

I'm thinking of the little red Brio train. Yes, I am. My Mom/Nan and Dad/Poppy gifted it to their very first BabyGrand, Brian. I can envision him as a toddler, riding through Stacey rooms; and I can hear him saying, "Mommy, I love you," ensuring that I was just around the corner and not too far away. And so it goes and so it goes... with some very serious mileage on it, that train is still in good use!! After Brian, Christian and Cousins Kim and Vicki wore down the treads, BabyGrands Aubs, Gav, Hunter and Chloe took the helm. Now, it shall be Lyla's turn. Who could imagine the blessings in store, when at 24 years old, we brought home that tiny 6 lb. 13 oz. bundle of sunshine...

Just look at the faces in this picture. What more is there to say? It's all about the love... and love grows and grows. Just when you think your heart might burst, it demonstrates its ability to grow more... and more... and more. There can never be too much lovin'.

Happy Birthday, Honey. We do love you in heart-bursting measures.

♥

To Note: When we return home from C's, I'll post a photo of the little red train. :-)
REALLY! On 8/17, Gav brought the little red train out to the pool area... REALLY! 
Now, here's a little perspective for y'all. :-)

Our New Grand Love, Lyla ♡

Our Little Miss Lyla arrived at 3:30 p.m., weighing in at 7 pounds 11 ounces. She is already immensely loved. 

So much more to come about our day spent with Hunter and Chloe, awaiting her very special delivery.

Giving ginormous thanks for Dawn's and Lyla's safety and good health

♥

Tink In The Garden?

If you've ever created a habitat for Hummers, you'll understand my excitement. Joe and I have been enthralled by them, all summer long. Um, have I mentioned this before??? :-) Our most recent rewards are (1) they've become accustomed to us and Mambo, not too shy to hover in our space; and (2) they've successfully reproduced, noted by sightings of offspring no larger than my pinky finger.

Mambo and I had a busy morning. It took hours for me to groom him and remove boatloads of hair. We were due for a rest. After a quick dip in the pool, I sat in the sun, pooch faithfully by my side. I sensed something over my shoulder and noticed a winged shadow on the patio. Funny how it immediately brought the Darling kids and Tink to mind. I saw it as a photo challenge and proceeded to set NIK on the tripod. The wait began. Several Hummers darted about, from flowers to feeders and back again. Lo and behold, one needed a rest. 
Bingo! What a thrilling capture! No flash and a 400 ISO setting, here.

Update - Dining Al Fresco: It seems as though this one is territorial, if, in fact, it's the same bird. It spent most of our dinnertime at what now seems to be a "claimed" feeding station, in the same tree used earlier for perching. NIK was off the tripod and it was almost dark, so I used an auto flash setting. 
Now, that's entertainment.

Go For The Perch

We're learnin'. It seems that our tiny friends like to rest while they feed. Who knew? 
Joe splurged on a couple of new feeders, today. 
We were rewarded in no time at all.

Clearly, Ignorance Is Bliss!

The more I learn, the more I worry. Consider garden critters I've recently photographed and shared, here on CMI: the hummingbird, dragonfly, praying mantis, hawk and feral cat. Sure, they're all stand-alone adorable. But did you know that the latter four (link) threaten the first cutie pie who dines al fresco with us on a daily basis?! Furthermore, Joe, NIK and I are hummingbird-obsessed. Seriously. We think our visitors are watching for us, too. No sooner do we take our places-with-a-view at the picnic table when...

...they appear, flitting about the yard from Rose Of Sharon to Impatiens to feeder to Mandevilla. Coincidence? We prefer to think not, especially when they hover nearby and gawk at us. Hey, it's equal opportunity entertainment and who says one can't commune with nature. Here's to a new sunrise in Jungle Habitat.

Jelly Is Innocent!

Look Hard To See The Well-Camouflaged Fellow Who's Stalkin' The Hood

Ah, we owe Jelly sincere apologies for thinking him guilty of dining on babies in several nests. We kind of wondered how he could have possibly accessed one in particular, without making a mess of it or the ground below. 

You might have wondered why my birdie stories came to abrubt ends. Fact is, I didn't want to upset my readers... but now the proof of the puddin' is in:

First, there was the raid in the Japanese maple, a couple of weeks ago. The screeching from resident Robins was horrifying... and then, all went silent.

Then, there were three separate times that the guilty party flew out at us, once during our walk in the hood.

This morning's event was the clincher. I caught him red-taloned, attempting to nail a gray squirrel. I left the house armed with NIK. Sure enough...

Gotcha! I'm not particularly fond of the new resident on Stacey. My first guess is that he's an immature Broad-Winged Hawk?? Whatever the species, he's a predator. But what to do about the food chain? After all, we humans are pretty high up there, too... if ya know what I mean.

Well, Glory Be... he didn't get our Hummers. It was almost dark, when tonight they appeared.
I'll tell ya, it's like Jungle Habitat around here.

Going To The Greek, Are Ya?

Thanks so much for thinking of me, Tig! Your photos are fantabulous!

Neil Diamond fans will well understand the reference, as I apologize to all others. But with the upcoming 40th anniversary performance of "Hot August Night" at the Greek, who could resist? Watch out for Tree People, Fellow Fans. They might look something like these characters, well photographed by ND-Fan Tigger, on a recent trip to her motherland. How cool are these guys? Thanks, Tig; permission to use them is much appreciated. 
Double thanks for the following explanation:

"The photos were taken at the Floriade ( see here: http://www.floriade.com/ ) which is an agricultural show held every 10 years, started small and as a chance for people in the trade to show their wares, sell and do business. From there it grew to a Major Event which is most enjoyable to visit. It now functions as a chance for the professionals to show their wares and so on, but also for flower growers to show off their endeavours, for artists working with nature to participate in different ways (did I send you the pic of the tree with a jumper on ?), there was someone giving talks about trees, woods etc. There were representatives from various nature charities as well as bio technology and food technology industries. So it has grown to monumental proportions, with the aim now much more on entertainment and education, as well as selling.

The significance of the Tree People is that it was in an area designed to get people thinking about how they interact with nature, how we can make use of 'old' wood, for example when you cut down a tree in the garden, what can one do with it apart from using it for firewood or mulch. Along the same lines it was an attempt to get children to think about the different plants and trees they could see around them, including any wildlife it may attract – there was an insect house made out of a pile of wood cuttings for example. It was also very much simply a little bit of fun ! The surrounding area had quite a few workshops running such as children trying their hand at basket-weaving, adults having a go at chopping wood and so on, it looks likely that this was in part a way of attracting people into the area.

I was simply struck by the joy they bring, most people smiled at seeing them and a great many ended up like me laughing & gigglling at them – they seem to make you do that don’t you agree? And of course one of the things that came to my mind was the ND connection which made me think of you so you see: you were there with me all along!"

Photo by Tigger

KUDOS to JCP

I LOVE this kid's hair! Brian and Christian, are you reading? That said, JCPenney is striving towards neatness, as they help parents who are in an economy pinch. How novel an idea!

So, You Scream For Ice Cream?

Fool your palate with this healthy less-is-more breakfast, lunch or dessert. Think you've seen it before, here on CMI? No; it's a variation. The fruit-of-the-week? Raspberries. Mega YUM! The yogurt remains Chobani plain, fat-free Greek. The crunch comes from walnuts. The secret? A tablespoon of pure Breyer's vanilla on top. 
What a bargain!

YES to YASso

These are nutritious and delicious. Try 'em. 
Link for nutritional values:

Yasso Yogurt Pops

Olympic Fever

Not sure on the photo credit here...

The stories behind the agony and the ecstasy are always intriguing. The dedication is remarkable - winners all. The paparazzi is brutal. The emotions rule. Great summer fare. And a well decorated American. 

Kudos to London.

I See You!

Seems to be my week for herons. First, the (link) WITH bird; he seemed to be fishing from the rock at our nearby pond. And now, this big guy. I spotted him from a distance, as we kayaked our lake. We quietly approached land, but in an instant, he took flight. Gorgeous. Could've used my 300 on NIK, but these captures shall have to do.

We later went by Blueberry Island; and yes, they are a-ripening! Be quick if you'd like some muffins... 
before the birds devour the entire crop.

Garden Happenings

So, you're still laughing at my (link) less-is-more garden, eh? Chuckle no longer. Yum!

Meanwhile, across the yard and beyond the pool, Phlox take their turn. Gorgeous, glow-in-the-dark blooms are so worth waiting for.

Original Artwork

This guy landed close to me when I just happened to have my 300mm on NIK. Wow! They flutter about; but to be honest, I'd never noticed the intricacy of G-d's work. Revered in Japan and despised in the UK, interpret as you wish... the dragonfly.

It's August!

August 1st

Yep, it's the Sunday of Summer and bloomin' pinks and blues, around here. Baby colors! Just as we awaited Bri's August arrival, almost forty-two years ago, we now await the debut of our new PinkGrand. 

Praying hard for a safe delivery and good health for Dawn and babe.

And on a floral note, we planted the pink Mandevilla, in June...but the blue Morning Glory grew from dormant seeds, scattered about from years past. Babies!

Sunday - A day of rest, reflection and appreciation - an opportunity to savor significance.

Happy August.

Visiting

Thanks for asking! Mom is doing well. The staff is fabulous and the Firemark charm is in the works. We found her at a residents' birthday party, complete with cake and ice cream. Roommate Mary is nice; she knows how to smile. They'll be fine, together.

I've always thought that Roscoe possesses some of the most gorgeous mountains in the Catskills. Don't you agree? The facility is nestled amongst them, almost to a fault. "A fault?" you ask. There's no cell service, 'cause nothing can penetrate these amazingly-dense green giants.

The reunion with Mambo was perfect.

♥