Nikki’s Photography

It’s a wonder that doves have survived to evolve as far as they have. For one thing, their nests are flimsy. They are also more comfortable nesting openly near humans than any other wild bird, as far as I know.

Today this chick and it’s parent were sitting on the curb beside a very busy street. When I came too close the mother tried to fly across the road, and appeared to be injured. Judging from the experience of doves nesting in the wreath at our back door last year, this chick is not ready to fly yet either. I suspect that they both fell from the nest, and wonder what are their chances for survival with all the cats, dogs, people and vehicles in the vicinity?

I’ve set the large sunflower seedheads out near the back door, with the telephoto lens on the tripod set up inside. Here’s one of the first photos of a series. This male looks a little rough around the edges; his beak has worn thin…he must be old.

OK, so the subject of sunflowers grows weary and cliche for some, but the plant has so much character, especially when the flower heads droop with the weight of seeds. Sunset is spectacular tonight with their swaying sillhouettes against the sky.

After two weeks away, one of the first things I did was inspect the garden, most curious about the cucumbers, because it’s the first year they’ve survived this far into the season. There I was at midnight, feeling around in the dark, and found a cucumber that had grown from 1/2 inch long to 8″L X 3″ wide during that short time. I expected to find a virtual Jack And The Bean Stalk situation this morning, but all the other cukes are average-sized. The heart-shaped cookie cutters I placed around some veggies have fallen off, so will have to try again; now able to monitor the progress of growth.

Everything in the garden looks so beautiful when sprinkled with water.

The Good: A beautiful orange flowering plant called a Sun Star.The Good: all the little unexpected surprises, like this toad that I never would have seen if it had not popped out of the hole at the exact moment I happened to be looking there. The clay container with a hole in the center is designed to coil and contain garden hose, but being used as a plant pot.

The Bad: having no choice about mowing the lawn on a 98*F day, and keeping edges formally trimmed because the neighbors have it that way. Also Bad: Fire ants that bite before you know you’re standing on a nest with bare feet……but Good: Fire ants keep the tough Texas soil aerated.The Ugly: me with ant-bite blisters, mowing and edging the lawn on a 98*F day.

The first Red variety of Sunflower buds are forming. They don’t even have to open because they are already gorgeous as buds.

Green Thumb - Sunflower leaf