Gimpy

(Snapped on 7/26/11 - using an iPhone and an Instagram filter)

This katydid greeted me in my kitchen, first thing the other morning...I thought it was pretty damned amazing that he could get around as well as he did - relying on only one of those big, strong, back legs.

Tempest

(This pic. and the one below, snapped on 7/19/11 - using an iPhone and an Instagram filter)

I am absolutely a summertime kinda gal...I love the long, sweltering days and balmy nights...I love wearing a bikini pretty much each and every day...I love being in water, as often as possible...but one of the things I love most about summer - is when thunderstorms roll in outta nowhere, and rock my corner of the planet for a spell.

Any ole time, the sky can go from ^this^...

...to ^this^, in a quick!

(All remaining pics. snapped on 6/18/11 - using an iPhone and an Instagram filter)

I love to see sheets of rain appear far off in the distance, knowing (or hoping) that in a matter of minutes - they'll migrate to where I am, and pummel the parched earth below my feet.

Caught up in the wake of these angry tempests - are clear skies that sharply contrast with both the appearance and temperament of the impetuous squalls.

As the storm impatiently moves onward, relentlessly staking its claim on new territory...for a very brief moment - everything feels drenched, and rinsed and quenched... 

...that is of course - until the blazing, hot sun regains command of the situation, and suddenly it's staggeringly steamy, once again. 

Waitin' at the Station

(All pics. snapped on 6/11/11 - using an iPhone and an Instagram filter)

Just a few days after my oldest daughter packed up her things, and came home from boarding school for the Summer - I drove her back to the town where she attends school - so that she could catch a train up to Philly to see a friend.

Upon arrival at the station, we were given the news that her train was running over an hour behind schedule...bummer.

My daughter settled into one of the bench seats in the waiting area, and entertained herself by playing games on her iPhone...

...I, on the other hand - don't play games, and have a very hard time sitting still...so after only a minute or two spent zoning out in my own seat - I hopped up, and with my iPhone at the ready - set about searching for cool things around the station to snap.

(I guess it goes without saying, that pay phones are obsolete, eh?)

I often wonder what strangers are thinking when they see me taking pictures of random, everyday objects...hmmmm...

I do know that my daughter thinks I'm cuckoo for doin' it...

...I can tell by the way that she rolls her eyes, when I take a picture like this - and giddily shove my phone in her face so she can see it.

Anyway, after toolin' around inside of the station for awhile - I decided to go and see what I could find outside...

...and I was delighted to discover a wide array of subject matter to shoot. 

Before I knew it though, it was time for me to hug my precious first born, tell her that I love her and how much I would miss her while she was gone...and then send her on her way. 

Thanks to my iPhone and all those new pics. though, I wasn't going home feeling too sad and blue...nor was I completely alone.

Distracted

(Snapped on 2/08/11 - using an iPhone and an Instagram filter)

It's not so much that I've been too busy to write...but more that I've just been too distracted...and believe me when I say - that is definitely a good thing.

Anyway, I came across this photo by accident the other day - while I was looking for something completely different...and I liked it - so I decided to post it today.

Hope everyone's week has been as good as mine has!

Summer Camp

(All pics. snapped on 6/26/11 - using an iPhone and Instagram filters)

Just a 5 minute barge ride to the other side of the Greenbriar River in Lewisburg, West Virginia - is a place that is dear to my middle and youngest daughters' hearts...it's a place called Camp Alleghany.

This year marked the first year since my girls have attended camp, that I was the one who brought them there...and the instant that I stepped off of the barge, and set foot on those humble grounds - I felt as if I'd entered some sort of time warp...and was practically as smitten with the place as my girls are.

I absolutely love that the campers and their counselors sleep in canvas tents, a large group of which surround a giant Twister board...

and hopscotch that seems to trail along the asphalt for miles.

As I peered around corners and ducked into antiquated buildings...

I wished more and more that I was still young...the proper age to spend the Summer at camp, myself.

When I arrived at the two-story dining hall though, I was more envious of my offspring than ever.

The thought of partaking in three meals a day for 6 weeks, amid the retro furnishings and accoutrements found therein - had me literally green with envy.

I tooled around taking pictures for 2 1/2 hours, while my daughters got situated in their tents with their friends...

...and when I finally caught back up with them to see how they were doing...

...it was fairly obvious that they were ready for me to scram.

I took the hint, hugged them both...

...told them that I loved them and would miss them...

...meandered my way back to the barge...and drove home...

The Birds and the Bees...

(Snapped on 4/13/11)

As soon as the ground began to thaw, this Spring...and the temperature stayed consistently above freezing - all sorts of critters woke up, or were born - and made random appearances around our yard and in our house.

(Snapped on 5/11/11)

This little fella lived in the nest that his parents built, in a hole on the underside of our front porch roof...I can't tell you how many times I picked him up off the ground, and carefully placed him back into the nest - before he finally mastered the art of flying...

(Snapped on 6/03/11)

We never turn on our air-conditioner, and so in order to beat the sweltering heat of Summer - we leave the windows raised (unless a storm rolls in), and keep the doors wide open, until it's time to go to bed... 

(Snapped on 6/11/11

I couldn't believe it when in the span of no more than 24 hours - a couple of house wrens took advantage of our "open door" policy - and built a nest on some bags hanging on hooks in our mud room!

(Snapped on 6/24/11)

The mama bird sat on her 4 speckled eggs - diligently, each night for a week...after which, four healthy babies were hatched. Mama would fly around the house bright and early in the morning, until I got outta bed and opened the doors to let her out.

(Snapped on 6/30/11)

Throughout the day, both she and the daddy bird made repeated trips outside to catch bugs, which they brought to the nest and fed to their thriving young...

(Snapped on 7/04/11)

...until one day (after what seemed like not nearly long enough), each of the babies plopped out of the nest, and hopped outside behind their parents, where they taught them how to fly. By the end of the day, our little wren family was gone...*sniff*

(Snapped on 5/20/11)

(Snapped on 6/03/11)

(Snapped on 7/04/11

(Snapped on 7/04/11)

(Snapped on 7/04/11

(Snapped on 7/04/11)

(Snapped on 6/05/11

Ok now this guy, on the other hand - is not a welcome house guest. Don't get me wrong, I appreciate that black snakes eat mice and all that - but I do not like to find them insida mah house!  

(Snapped on 6/05/11)

(Although the picture is crappy - it's the one that best shows just how brazen this enormous sucker was!)

We've been startled by this 5 + foot serpent (or his identical twin) while he was chillin' 'round the house, on three separate occasions (that we know of).

(Snapped on 7/02/11)

(The photo above is courtesy of my daughter and her iPhone)

The first time - we lost track of him, after he slithered over books and out of sight behind the bookcase. But on his third visit, I managed to shoo him outside using the wooden end of a yard rake, and then scoop him up with the tines, and deposit him elsewhere...

Wooooo buddy! Am I ever glad that that's over with! (Fingers crossed that he doesn't come back again...*shudder*)