Cherish is my favorite word, and I cherish the ability of turning the routine into a beautiful moment.
Nature creates in me, a spiritual and meditative time to bring peace, harmony and balance, into an otherwise ordinary day~
Mary Howell Cromer







Wednesday, August 30, 2017

Dedicated to the People of Texas and Louisiana~




My heart aches for all of the damage that Tropical Storm Harvey has placed upon the people of Texas, Louisiana and beyond.  
Praying that the misplaced might feel safety and love until they can return to their homes, and their lives and normalcy...
Such great tragedy~

This week I am including 12 images/mosaics that I had published the month of August to also use this first week in September plus 38 new ones.  
Among the new ones I am thinking that those who view this post will see something that they might not have never seen before.  It was shared this past week on Facebook and was a real hit.  
You will need to scroll down to find it and then tell me what you thought...have you ever seen such before ;)

Remember to double click on the first image, to view a larger slideshow presentation after                                                                you have read the narratives~

I am joining in the fun with Eileen at:
Saturday's Critter

Anni at:
http://id-rather-b-birdin.blogspot.com/ 
I'd Rather Be Birdin'
 Linking to I'd Rather B Birdin'

    
Maggie's  MOSAIC MONDAY
                                              https://normandylife.blogspot.com/


Stewart for:






The Black Swallowtails above and the young Groundhogs below were some of my favorites for this month ending of August.  
BTW, for those who may be wondering... After being missing in action for exactly one month and one day...two weeks ago Saturday these two rascals appeared and I was able to feed them their favorite treats...carrots once again, but I have no new photographs.
 All other Groundhogs remain missing in action, including the adult pair~


The final five favorites used from past August Post are of these cuties!
I love this one of the Chipmunk looking up to the face (which I was too close to get in my shot) of the Groundhog and probably wondering what it needed to do to get a nibble~




The Mississippi Kites were such a special gift for me, being able to visit the nest site, and get to know them a little bit.  
The birds are gorgeous and they LOVE insects, a Win for them and a Win for me, because I do not like insects.
In these images the adult has brought both young ones a nice meal of a large insect~





Several weeks ago I found this darling little female kitten and was able to easily catch her and feed her while trying to find the owners.  It was so friendly and sweet but no one ever claimed her.  I had to give her to the "No Kill" Animal Control here in our county.  She will get to go to the Humane Society, also "No Kill" soon where her chances of being adopted will be much greater~


The other day while standing in my garden, the Hummingbirds were warring over feeding territory when the songbirds came to their feeder nearby.  
This first very young female Cardinal was being chased by the Hummers and flew right into the window.  I can usually hold a bird in the cups of my hands and then release them several minutes later.  I would end up holding this sweet bird for an hour.  She still could not fly, but fluttered her wings.  She began to hop higher and higher until I would no longer be able to reach her if for some reason she would not be able to fly.  For a total of 3  1/2 hours I watched her.  She was in the top of a Cedar tree when I came in the house for a few minutes.  Once back outside, I could see a richly red coloured male Cardinal up in the tree with her.  He fed her three times... had to be her daddy.  After she finished the third food delivery, the male flew and she followed him.  I was so happy that she would be OK~





My right knee is really very bad again and I am struggling as to what I am going to do about it...more than likely I am looking at more surgery.  There will once again be no vacation journey for me this year which truly is very sad for me, as I love to travel and this is the third year straight that we are no going to trek out.  
One morning I decided that I was going to the Kentucky State Fair and take my grand-daughter.  As it turned out she was sick and could not go.  I went alone.  It is a huge fairgrounds with so much to see and do.  I decided to walk from the back parking lot and walk to the front, take photos of the Midway before the families began to arrive for a day of fun.  I went past the food shops, but never spent a penny.  If I had of, it would have been for an Elephant Ear...my favorite fair food!





I walked into the South Wing where the arts were hung and already ribbons had been awarded.  These were my favorites pieces~



The Kentucky State Fair is host of the World's Championship Horse Show, the world's richest and most prestigious horse show.
The show has over 1900 horses and ponies. No other breed, or show has that many horse to compete under one roof once a year!
The top award in the breed industry is the American Saddlebred "Triple Crown": winning the five-gaited championships at the Lexington Junior League Horse Show, the Kentucky State Fair World's Championship Horse Show, and American Royal horse show; a feat that has only been accomplished by six horses." 

When the announcer would say "Rack on" I am on the edge of my seat in years past, for there is something so amazing when they are in this gait all at the same time, the majestic beauty is something that everyone should get to observe once in their lifetime.
For my time there was in the daytime, I was able to sit for a couple of hours and just enjoy them practicing with these gorgeous creatures. 
Next year I am hoping to get to attend the Celebration of this wonderful event~





Then this past Saturday I got to attend the quarter horse show in Shelbyville, as my next door neighbor was going to be one of the competitors.  She took a third in one class of six participants, and a second out of 12 in the other class.  Way to go Megan.  Her friend Hannah also rode and took away a ribbon~




Red-tailed Hawk thought it was well hidden from me, but I saw it~



A Luna Moth on it's last wings...and it was in the wrong spot and could easily be taken and so I moved it as I watered the grass so I would not soak it.  I left it as it was in the last image of this mosaic~


Another Red-Tailed Hawk seen on my back road travels~


A new Burro on the block, or at least in the near by fields beyond our town~


Joe Pye Weed~


The last siting of any of the Mississippi Kites was a week ago Sunday.  The adults and the young have begun to make their way away from the Gilman Avenue location where they came to nest for the past 6 years.  I am so thankful to have had the opportunity of seeing them and photographing them.  The very early morning light created such a glow on them, but I didn't mind, I was just in awe of their beauty.
A Blue Jay was testing the Kite~











Eastern Tailed Blue Butterfly at Fox Hollow Farm~



In thinking that I may have to have more surgery soon and be laid up for a bit, I am trying to complete certain things that I have begun.  This is still on the "Raw" side, but I feel somewhat better about it.  This is the very back corner of our two and a half acres and it was WILD.  I have tried to shape it up a bit, planted grass seed and made wider paths.  It took nearly three weeks, a few hours a day and I feel good about it to this point and when I feel better later, I shall tackle it further.  
What kinds of things have you been up to?  
For me it was a busy two weeks, of DR appointments as well as doing some fun things as I found the time~


Above where I have been working and below, where it leads to and what it should look a bit like once it takes shape~


13 comments:

  1. I love flutterbys. I love all your critters. When Dina and I move to Wyoming to get away from the FL heat...I'm gettin' a burro

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  2. So many images and thoughts. Where do I begin? Thank you Mary for your wishes for the folk suffering the floods not too far from you’re your own abode. We watch it on the news here and can only wish the same as you – that everyone will be recover soon.

    Wonderful pictures this week, from the butterflies to the endearing groundhogs, the colour and excitement of the fair and the story of the Cardinal. I love those paintings of the sheep in the style of Van Gogh!!

    Sorry to hear of your poorly knee and as one with similar problems, I can empathise so much. Take car now.

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  3. Hello Mary, so sorry you are having troubles with your knee. Wow, this post is action packed. I love the butterflies, beautiful captures. The birds are just awesome, my favorite of the Kites. The horse show would be fun to watch. I love the burro and the youngin, that is a great photo. Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Happy Saturday, enjoy your weekend!

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  4. A horrible storm :(
    Beautiful photos!

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  5. I am so sorry about your knee! I know how painful that can be, and so sad to miss out on things because of it. LOVED the black swallowtail photos! And the horse and rider photos were wonderful. Really beautiful shots of everything, from the fair and in the woodlands.

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  6. Lovely to catch up with your news and see what you've been doing during August.Sorry to hear your knee is still causing you problems, maybe you overdid it whilst working on the that wild part of the garden?
    Happy Mosaic Monday and have a great week.

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  7. For someone with a bum knee (so sorry), you sure do get around. An inspiration to us all. As always, so many lovely shots - my favorites are the horses and groundhogs. Hope you are better soon!

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  8. Every photo is wonderful -- I remember seeing some of them but loved seeing them again Your camera captures the joy!!

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  9. Well captured Mary. All of them are sublime, but I am in love with your Chipmunk.

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  10. Hello Dear Mary...
    first I must thank you for your kind heart and heartfelt wishes for us in Texas [and other states]. We had 140+ MPH winds when Harvey made landfall about 25 miles from our home. Thankfully, Bud and I only lost our fence...and a bit of our sanity! lol

    Your post is a treasure!! Each and all photos. Wait 'til you see what I saw a couple weeks ago BEFORE the storm. It'll be posted at I'd Rather B Birdin' this weekend.

    Hope your ailing knee mends quickly. Thinking of you.

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  11. Mary, thanks for sharing bird photos. I always enjoy them. I am glad the juvenile cardinal found her family. Thanks for sharing and have a great week. Sylvia D.

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  12. Praying for your new and gee I don't think I have ever seen a groundhog except on the TV. Have a lovely rest of the week.

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  13. Dear Mary,
    How interesting that we both featured horses in our MM posts this week. They are beautiful animals to watch. Your butterfly photos at the top are gorgeous!
    I hope your surgery goes well - it's never something to look forward to.

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