Pelicans, August 28, 2021

Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather B Birdin'

Pickwick, Tennessee, USA, July 25, 2021

American White Pelicans, Pelecanus erythrorhynchos

Have a wonderful day!

I am linking in today with Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather B Birdin'

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Sky Watch Friday, August 27, 2021

Sky Watch Friday and The Weekend in Black and White

Click on the photos to see them at their best.

Pickwick, Tennessee, USA, August 20, 2021

The late afternoon sun gave a warm glow to Pickwick Lock and Dam on the Tennessee River when we were there last Friday. We drove across the bridge (the very top of the structure) and along the other side of the river.

After we crossed the river, I turned to face directly into the sun to get this photo for The Weekend in Black and White.

After a few minutes the boat was near where I was standing. It was the 'Roger L Knight' owned by Tennessee Valley Towing. If you look across the river, you can see the rocky shore near the dam where I made the first photo. The red balls in the sky are attached to the electric power lines to make the lines more visible to airplanes.

I hope you have a wonderful weekend!

I am linking in today with Skywatch Friday and The Weekend in Black and White

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Black Vultures, August 25, 2021

Wild Bird Wednesday and My Corner of the World

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Pickwick, Tennessee, USA, August 20, 2021

Black Vultures, Coragyps atratus, in bright late-afternoon sunshine at Pickwick Lake
Their legs are actually a light greyish color, not white.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

I am linking in today with Wild Bird Wednesday and My Corner of the World

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Monday Murals: Train, August 23, 2021

Monday Murals and Through My Lens

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Baldwyn, Mississippi, USA, August 5, 2021

I could not find the name of the artist who painted this mural on a concrete retaining wall near the railroad tracks in Baldwyn.

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A view of the area from the stage that is used for concerts and other community events.

I hope you have a wonderful week!

I am linking in today with Monday Murals and Through My Lens

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Backyard Critters, August 21, 2021

Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather B Birdin'

Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, August 8, 2021

Mourning Dove

Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, July 25, 2021

Eastern Grey Squirrel

Prentiss County, Mississippi, July 24, 2021

Red Admiral Butterfly

Have a wonderful weekend!

I am linking in today with Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather B Birdin'

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Thankful for Rain, August 19, 2021

Thankful Thursday and Little Things Thursday

Althea bloom, Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, August 19, 2021

I am thankful for the cooling effect of rain! Yesterday's rain dropped our temperature from 90F to 74F.
And with cloudy skies today, our expected high is only 84F.

Have a blessed day!

I am linking in today with Thankful Thursday and Little Things Thursday

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Starling, August 18, 2021

Wild Bird Wednesday and My Corner of the World

Tupelo, Mississippi, USA, July 31, 2021

It has been too hot and humid to be outside much lately, so all I have to show you today is this portrait of the European Starling, Sturnus vulgaris, made from the air-conditioned comfort of my car!

I hope you are having a good week!

I am linking in today with Wild Bird Wednesday and My Corner of the World

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day, August 2021

Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day and Through My Lens

The northeast corner of Mississippi, USA zone 7b
The 15th of each month is Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

Click on the photos to see them at their best.

I have four colors of Rose of Sharon aka Althea, Hibiscus syriacus.

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Turk's Cap is just beginning to bloom.

I bought this Lantana a few months ago.

My Phlox plants are near the end of their bloom time, but still pretty.

There are still a few blooms on the Dianthus plants.

The Peace Lilies on my front porch rail are full of blooms.

The Butterflies are loving my Butterfly Bush, Buddleia!

And the Encore Azalea is attracting the Butterflies, too.

After walking all around the yard taking photos, I noticed something orange high up in a tree at the edge of our woods. A Trumpet Creeper, Campsis radicans, a native wildflower vine!

Happy Garden Bloggers' Bloom Day!

I hope you have a Wonderful Week!

To see what is blooming in gardens around the world, visit Carol at May Dreams Gardens

And on Monday, for an interesting variety of photos, visit Through My Lens

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Ospreys in the Rain, August 14, 2021

Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather B Birdin'

Click on the photos to see them at their best.

Tennessee River, near Shiloh, TN, USA, August 6, 2021

You may remember my post from two weeks ago about the Ospreys nesting at Pickwick Lake. The chicks were almost ready to fly then. We went back last week to check on them. First we stopped for lunch at Hagy's on the Tennessee River. While we were eating the skies went from partly cloudy to very cloudy.

And as we were driving from the restaurant to Pickwick Lake, the rain hit! Pouring down rain! The windshield wipers were working a full speed. I am glad my husband was driving; I hate driving in the rain.

Pickwick, Tennessee, USA, August 6, 2021

But we found the Ospreys. One of the young ones was on the perch above the nest. I wanted to tell it, "Fly into the trees to find shelter from the rain!"

I think it was hoping Mama or Papa would come back and bring a fish for it to eat.

One of the parents was perched on a post farther out in the lake, ignoring the young one. We did not see the other juvenile Osprey, hopefully it has started its independent life without Mama and Papa.

The rain continued until we were almost home, but I am glad we went. We probably won't see the Ospreys until they nest again next year.

Have a wonderful weekend!

I am linking in today with Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather B Birdin'

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Sky Watch Friday, August 13, 2021

Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, August 13, 2021

We have partly cloudy skies today with a high of 90F (32C) with a slight chance of afternoon thunderstorms. I had an exhausting day yesterday, and plan to stay home and do as little as possible today!

But the bees and birds and butterflies will have a busy day!

Bee on Encore Azalea

Northern Cardinal eating Pokeweed berries

Swallowtail Butterfly on Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)

I hope you have a beautiful day!

I am linking in today with Skywatch Friday

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Crossword Puzzles, August 12, 2021

Thankful Thursday and Little Things Thursday

Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, August 12, 2021

I am thankful for crossword puzzles! They help keep my poor old brain alive!

I subscribe to the Superb Crosswords magazine published by Kappa Publications. You can visit their website, Kappa Puzzles – The Leading Publisher of Puzzle Magazines to get different kinds of free puzzles to solve online or get printable versions if you have a printer. And the subscription information is there, too.

Have a blessed day!

I am linking in today with Thankful Thursday and Little Things Thursday

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Northern Mockingbird, August 11, 2021

Wild Bird Wednesday and My Corner of the World

Click on the photo to see it at its best.

Tupelo, Mississippi, USA, July 31, 2021

I startled this Northern Mockingbird, Mimus Polyglottos, but got a photo the instant before it flew!

I hope you have a beautiful day!

I am linking in today with Wild Bird Wednesday and My Corner of the World

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Harvest Monday: Figs, August 9, 2021

Harvest Monday and Our World Tuesday

Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, August 8, 2021

Our figs are getting ripe!

Something, probably a rabbit, has been eating those close to the ground. Or it might have been our dog!

We pick only as much as we can eat in a couple of days because figs are fragile and do not keep well. They can be cooked and made into fig preserves, but we prefer to eat them fresh.

I hope you have a great week!

I am linking in today with Harvest Monday and, on Tuesday, with Our World Tuesday

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Saturday's Critters, August 7, 2021

Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather B Birdin'

Click on the photos to see them at their best.

Prentiss County, Mississippi, USA, August 5, 2021

Amazing to see just a few steps outside my kitchen door, a White-tailed Deer eating the sunflower seeds we put out for the Mourning Doves!

Just one more photo before she saw me, and then she was gone back to the woods.

And now for some birds.

Pickwick, Tennessee, USA, August 1, 2021

Canada Geese gathering around a puddle formed by a quick moving rain shower.

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Have a wonderful weekend!

I am linking in today with Saturday's Critters and I'd Rather B Birdin'

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

Sky Watch Friday, August 6, 2021

Click on the photos to see them at their best.

Shiloh, Tennessee, USA, July 30, 2021

When we were in Tennessee last Friday the temperatures were in the mid 90s F (35 C), but this week has been cooler - the mid 80s (30 C). We have had clouds, but no rain this week.

This is the 'Harley Hall' owned by Tennessee Valley Towing going upstream on the Tennessee River towards Pickwick Dam.

And then a little while later, we saw going downstream towards the Ohio River the 'Ray S' owned by Enterprise Marine Services of Houston, Texas.

Sometimes we do not see any commercial traffic, even though we are there for several hours, so we were excited to see two boats with their barges within a half hour!

And in case you are wondering, when two boats with barges meet as these two did farther up the river, one of them stops and waits for the other to pass before it moves forward again.

I hope you have a beautiful day!

To see sky photos from around the world, visit Skywatch Friday

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.

American Robin, August 4, 2021

Wild Bird Wednesday and My Corner of the World

Click on the photo to see it at its best.

Pickwick, Tennessee, USA, July 21, 2021

American Robins, Turdus migratorius, are ground foragers that eat insects and berries. This is a female; the males are darker on the head, back, wings, and tail.

Have a wonderful day!

I am linking in today with Wild Bird Wednesday and My Corner of the World

NOTE: Please do not use my photos without my permission.