Nature's Beauty

Those who dwell among the beauties

and mysteries of the earth are

never alone or weary of life.

                               Rachel Carson

We drove by Rempfer Lake again 

the other day...

Once again

I made Sall stop the 

truck to see what 

was going on

in the Cormorant nests...

Lo and behold we 

saw the babies 

all peeking out 

over the nests,

looking over the 

prairie

Their parents are probably

giving them the basics 

about the world

they are about 

to fly into,

don't you think?

One pair had an empty nest...

I guess they just 

were't meant to be 

parents this year.

It was a beautiful and calm evening...

the water was like glass 

reflecting the night sky...

I could've set up my chair

and watched the cormorants

(and what they were watching)

ALL evening....

Cormorants on one side of the road,

families with ducklings learning 

their swim technique

on the other side of the road.

I snapped as many pictures as I could

careful not to disturb anyone and 

we moved on.

I love it 

when nature

gives us an 

evening of entertainment....

the last act 

did not disappoint!

Good Evening From the Prairie!

Heat Wave

90 in the SHADE....

HOT...

            Hot...

                                 HOT!....

No complaining here!

I love SUMMER!

Hope you're enjoying a sunny Sunday!

Some Trash Talk

Going "green" is 

high up on the

priority list at

Sall Farm...

I'm always trying

to think of better 

ways to reduce

recycle 

and 

reuse!!

The favorite recycling

effort around here is 

the compost bin...

Recently I replaced

the "Folgers-Yuck-Bucket"

with a state-of-the-art

(well okay that's 

over-stating)...

anyway, more 

attractive

yuck bucket.

I didn't fork over the $35 clams

they wanted for the fancy ceramic 

and stainless steel model... instead I opted

for the practical (and cheaper)

simple trash can...

yes, I am very practical (cheap)

and I'm a sucker for anything red (and cheap)

and everytime I pick up the lid

it reminds me of Oscar the Grouch!

Even Oscar could not complain

about this handy little red can 

sitting there just ready to collect 

all of our yucky waste....

It's amazing how much green 

trash we go through...

All of the leftover leafy salads,

peelings of any sort,

coffee grinds, egg shells,

and all of those yucky vegetables

that get forgotten in the bottom

of the refrigerator drawer!

They all get collected in my new 

 compost can and then hauled 

out to the compost pile...

Grass clippings and dead headed flowers 

and wheel barrows full of weeds 

also get thrown on top of the 

kitchen scraps...

turn the pile a few times 

throughout the summer,

let it sit all winter. 

repeat the cycle and 

before you know

you've made some 

of the most fertile compost 

you can buy (no chemicals added)!!

New stuff on one side,

keep turning...

when its done,

I throw it to the other side.

See the nice black dirt at the top?

Now I need to take the nice 

black stuff and add it to the garden.

There are already weeds growing out of it....

Our totally organic neighbor told

me if you have lambs quarters growing

in your dirt that means it's very

fertile dirt...

that's what I have growing 

out my compost so it must be true!!

Composting is so easy to do

and the plants love it too!

Have a great "GREEN" weekend!

and

as Oscar the Grouch

would say,

"Now SCRAM!"

:)

Linking with Tootsie

for Fertilizer Friday

come visit, you'll be glad you did!

Sweltering?

Stay COOL today!

Happy Friday!

A Perfect Summer Day

The "perfect summer day"

MUST be thought of 

as a celebration!

Around here there

aren't many perfect days...

(I won't go there, cause you

KNOW what I mean!)

So when SUNNY ~

     85 Degrees ~

HARDLY a WIND~

and not a STORM cloud in sight

rolls around...

it's time to 

worship the day 

and don't waste a second!!

I started gathering everything 

I love....

FLOWERS ~ FLOWERS ~ FLOWERS

The beautiful birdy plates

I've been waiting to use...

(a gift from my Jersey girlfriend)

Some cobalt blue glass ware

(because I love blue & yellow together)

Pansies! 

(for my sister)

My table is set!

I can relax in the sun....

                quietly,

                                 peacefully....

Maybe I'll write a letter 

to a friend....

I do love getting postcards!

Or maybe I'll lose 

myself in a pile 

of gardening books....

I could catch up in my garden journal....

Or maybe just 

chill and watch the clouds go by...

Be still my heart,

this day can not last

long enough!

Another cup of tea please!

What would you be gathering

on a perfect summer day?

Sunny smiles today and always,

Linking with "Between Naps On the Porch"

for Tablescape Thursday #151

Coleus is the Wordless

It's wordless Wednesday!

(enjoy)!