Beautiful and spacious sky

The sky...   a wonderful and ever changing display. Sometimes it's calming blue with fluffy white clouds...

Sometimes... dark yet light at sunset...

Colorful sunsets...

An ever changing display from day to day... with no two days exactly alike.

Then there is the night time display ...

Day or night, looking upward is rewarding!

Invaded by birds

In they came.... a large flock of them...

I was unable to get a good photo of just how large a flock it was!

They spent some time on the ground feasting on bugs, but the roof was a favorite perching spot.

...but I'm inclined to think they were more messy than beneficial. Look at the white droppings around this bird.

3 in 1 Kousa Dogwood

I waited & waited for leaves to appear, but----  it was not to be.  Sadly, the Kousa Dogwood tree that a local Landscape/Shrubbery business planted in front of the house last fall, did not survive the harsh winter that we had. The good news is that the landscape business was willing to replace it. However, they didn’t have one the same size. They had larger Kousas , but I was afraid that a larger tree would have a problem adapting, and end with the same fate as the first one planted.  I wanted to go smaller. OK, ---but the only small  Kousas  they had were 3 stemmed shrubs.   I did not want a shrub like Kousa. (Yes, I know Kousas are classified as a shrub tree). --- Furthermore, the 3 stems  coming up out of the dirt did not appear to be connected.    So, my choices were:     Plant something different;  Go with the larger Kousa, and pay the difference;   or choose the smaller shrub Kousa, and  select  another tree to make up the difference in pricing.   After looking over what I had to choose from, and a mental debate with myself,  I chose the smaller Kousa, and picked out a Sugar Maple to go with it.    My plan --- whack off  the 2 smallest Kousa stems next spring.         

Decision made --- trees planted--- a month later --- I’m still looking at that Kousa wanting it to be tree like.  I can’t wait till next spring. Patience is not one of my virtues!  But I can’t bring myself  to whack off  2 of the stems.   And I wonder, --- just how connected are they under the surface?  I  had to find out. After a good water soaking, I started to remove the dirt around the smallest stem with my hands. Not connected at all!  I was able to remove it from just under the surface without damaging any tap roots! Quickly, I grabbed  a pot and potting soil, and transferred it. Then I discovered the next smallest stem also was not connected, and I was able to remove and transfer it to a pot, without damage to the root system.  I now have 3 small Kousa dogwood trees!

One remaining  where planted at the front of the house…

 

And 2 waiting to be planted. 

Tiny backyard visitor

While working in the backyard, I almost stepped on this tiny camouflaged mulch visitor.
Look closely!

Now for a closer look.....

A tiny toad, being perfectly still, blending in with it's surroundings. With the close up it looks larger, but it is only approximately 2 inches in length. Tiny!

Time away

Recently, a little R&R away from home took us to Chincoteague and Assateague Island, Virginia. My kind of place! Lots of nature, and long walks every day on the Tom's Cove beach on Assateague Island.

.... And of course getting a view of the ponies.

I was able to get a few photos from a distance. 

But the ponies did not stand still for long!

One day we took a drive north to Ocean City, MD.
While taking a stroll on the Boardwalk, I spied these wonderful sand sculptures.

Sand sculptures... here today, gone tomorrow.  ~But, Jesus Christ... forever!  Awesome!!!