Monday, July 20, 2020

Our World, My World

Happy Monday everyone,

As July marches on, I have been enjoying the flowers outside my windows on the deck and around our yard.  It has been hot and dry here, so we are having to water our plants often.  


 Some blooms around the yard, the Purple Coneflowers, Zinnias, Red Salvia, Lantana and Upright Fuchsia called Firecracker.




 The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are zipping around the yard, I am refilling my hummer feeders every other day. Can you find the 2 hummers below, the feeder is hanging near our butterfly bush?


 A few of my yard birds, the male Cardinal, Great Crested Flycatcher, Eastern Bluebird, Ruby-throated Hummingbird, Sootywing Butterfly on Zinnia.


 The male Eastern Bluebird seen in his usual perch spot on the gutter above the birdhouse. I think the baby Bluebirds have fledged, they left without me even seeing one of their babies. 


Sometimes I would see both the male and female sitting on the gutter that is right above the birdhouse. I assume they were taking a break.. 


 The Common Sootywing is a black butterfly with speckled white spots on the wings. The Zinnia is looking pretty with lots of blooms.




I have seen a few different birds in my yard recently, I think this one was a juvenile Great Crested Flycatcher.




  We had one of our large pine trees just fall over in our yard, so it is a mess to clean up.  It fell on top of our blueberry bushes, a very sad sight to see.
 

"Today I will give thanks to all the things in my life that don't need fixing."  Mary Davis


In Maryland, we are still required to wear our mask in public areas and to keep the social distance.  The numbers of positive cases, deaths and hospitalizations are going down in Maryland.  The reopening of schools in Maryland maybe up to each community or county.  We are thankful for all the essential workers, especially the health care workers. I hope everyone takes care and is safe, happy and healthy.



What's happening in your corner of the world? Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there.


 
Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday



Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!


Thanks for visiting and commenting. Have a happy day and a great new week!

113 comments:

  1. What a wonderful assortment of birds inhabit your garden, love the juvenile Great Crested Flycatcher sunning himself on your deck. We have a large family of swallows living in our stable this summer, 4 adults and 5 youngsters, who fly over the house each evening as we sit outside enjoying the garden. They put on quite a show.
    Happy MM.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hello Maggie,
      I would love to have the swallows nesting in my yard, they can catch a lot of bugs. Thank you for the visit and comment. Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

      Delete
  2. ...it sure is colorful at the moment.

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    1. Thanks Tom! Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

      Delete
  3. Your zinnias look so healthy and HUGE...beautiful yard Eileen. Love the hidden hummer photo. Too bad about the fallen tree (and the mess it created). I hope the blueberries wll recover.

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    1. Thanks Anni! I hope the blueberries can recover. Have a great day!

      Delete
  4. You have a very beautiful yard, Eileen!
    The birds are gorgeous! I hope that the blueberry will completely recover!
    Have a nice week!

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    1. Hello Ellam
      I hope the blueberries can recover, I am not sure they were really smashed by the tree. Thank you for the visit and comment. Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

      Delete
  5. beautiful flowers in your garden. And I love the little birds. Sorry about the tree. We have had quite a few fall down in our area lately due to recent wild storms - not in our yard though, as too small to have big trees! Stay safe and have a good week ahead and thank you for stopping by my blog today.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thanks Jill! Take care and stay well! Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

      Delete
  6. Replies
    1. Carol, thank you for the visit and comment. Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

      Delete
  7. Does the Great Crested Flycatcher also nest in your bird houses?

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    1. Hello,
      I have not seen the Great Crested Flycatcher going into any of our bird houses, it must be nesting nearby.
      I hear them often in the woods next to our house. Thank you for the visit and comment. Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

      Delete
  8. Hello Eileen,
    Your yard are looking so beautiful! The Zinnias looks great. I have never had them before, but I will try to remember to try them next year. The bluebirds and the hummingbirds are so pretty.
    Enjoy your day!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Marit,
      The Zinnias seem to grow like crazy, I am happy to buy them each year. They add color to our deck.
      Thank you for the visit and comment. Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

      Delete
  9. Hello Eileen!
    Great series of wonderful pictures!
    The Ruby-throated Hummingbirds are very happy with your feeder and all the other birds visiting your beautiful garden!
    Love your Zinnias ,i used to have in my garden years ago! Here we are wearing our face masks and keeping social distance.
    We prefer to stay home to be safe! Have a lovely day and a happy week! Stay safe!
    Dimi...

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Dimi,
      Thank you for the comment. I am glad you are staying safe and wearing the mask. I think we all want to be safe and healthy! Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  10. Love seeing your flowers...and loved that shot of the pair of bluebirds. I hate that your tree fell. I bet that was a mess to clean up.

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    1. Thanks Rose! I miss the tree, now we have an empty space.. enjoy your day!

      Delete
  11. Lindo iniciar a semana com fotos assim belas!Adoro! Pena a árvore que se foi!beijos, ótima semana! chica

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    1. Hello Chica,
      We are already missing the tree, we have an empty space now.
      Thanks for the visit and comment.
      Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  12. Replies
    1. Thank you, Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  13. Hope your blueberries are ok!! That flycatcher looks so funny just sitting there. We have a flycatcher who comes and sits on a wire then will swoop down to the ground for an insect and then back up to the wire - they are fun to watch.

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    1. Hello Vera,
      We will have to see if any blueberry sections make it, they were smashed.
      The Flycatcher does look silly, I think it is a young one.
      They must have had a nest nearby. Thanks, enjoy your day!

      Delete
  14. my Mom and i always joke it is not what we want to do ...but it important to wear those masks. and so we do. this hot humid weather doesn't do that the best ...but it sure is a blessing to be in AC and you can take it off. i enjoy your floral moments. ( ;

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    1. Hello Beth,

      Yes, having the AC is necessary on these hot humid days. Thanks for visiting. Enjoy your day!

      Delete
  15. LOVE your bird pictures and descriptions. Thanks for sharing.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you for the comment! Have a great new week!

      Delete
  16. If the beautiful birds can talk ... they will be very grateful for your great generosity and love them by providing them with drinking water ..., I am happy and amused to see it.

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    1. Hello,
      The Hummingbirds do love the sugar water! Thank you for the comment! Have a great new week!

      Delete
  17. Great photos...so beautiful, birds, butterflies and flowers! I like the quote about being grateful for all that doesn't need fixing!

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    1. Thanks Barbara! The quote seemed perfect for all things that were happening or breaking in our house/yard.
      Enjoy your day, have a great new week!

      Delete
  18. Hello Eileen,
    You get many different birds in your garden, the photos and collages are beautiful.
    The juvenile great crested flycatcher is super, it does not occur here in the Netherlands.
    Best regards Irma

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    1. Thank you Irma! Take care! Have a great new week!

      Delete
  19. So sorry that your blueberry bushes are messed up. And that you lost the tree and that you'll have to either pay for or clean up yourself. That little juvenile flycatcher just melted my heart right out on the floor what an adorable bird. When I read your first sentence that said July marches on it popped into my head that all this chaos and Madness started in March and here we are in July and still going through the madness

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    1. Thanks Sandra! Time is just flying by, way too fast! I hope some of the blueberry bushes survive.
      Take care, have a great new week!

      Delete
  20. I would love to see Eastern Bluebirds. Thank you for sharing these.

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    1. Thanks Marie! I do love the Bluebirds! Take care, have a great new week!

      Delete
  21. A lovely series. The bluebirds are so sweet.

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  22. HI Eileen...sorry about that tree that is a mess to clean up. Im considering removing the Magnolia tree in my Moms yard this fall as it makes a huge mess year round..All the birds looking good, the Flycatcher seems to be enjoy a little heat bath out in the sun..Have a good week!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hi Sondra,
      Hubby worked hard for 2 days cleaning up, he did have help having the tree cut into manageable pieces to move. Thanks for visiting. Take care, enjoy your day! Have a great new week!

      Delete
  23. Your flowers and birds are a lovely sight but I am so sorry about your tree! Stay safe and you have a great week also :)

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    1. Thanks Denise! Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  24. Nature is extraordinary and is always enchanting us with all its beauty and color.
    So many wonderful flowers and birds.
    What a pity the pine tree fell
    Great photos

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    1. Hello Maria,
      It is sad to lose a tree, they are all loved. Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  25. Beautiful flowers and birds. Hopefully the blueberries will be fine, sadness for the tree.
    Have a nice day and a great new week!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you Bill! Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  26. You live in Paradise from what I see with the beautiful flowers, and pretty birds!

    We need rain here in FL also! Here's to you and us that it comes soon.

    How sad about the tree! I'm glad it didn't land on your home though, Eileen. :)

    xoxo

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Sally,
      Yes, we are glad it did not fall on the house too. Praying for some rain!!
      Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  27. Your flowers are gorgeous --with all of their colors..... Our Bluebirds have really been busy this year.. They are on their 3rd set of kiddos....

    Sorry about your tree.... Hope the Blueberry bushes are okay..... Sad!

    Have an awesome week.
    Hugs,
    Betsy

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Betsy, The bluebirds are busy birds, they are beautiful. Thanks for the visit and comment.
      Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  28. I really love seeing those Bluebirds, Eileen!

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you! Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  29. Gorgeous post ~ love the flowers and birds photos ~ ^_^

    Live each moment with love,
    A ShutterBug Explores

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    1. Thank you Carol! Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  30. Beautiful photos from around you home. Our hummers are not very social with each other and don't share the feeders. I have observed that one of them really fills up around 7-8 p.m.
    RE: The little clips in my Blue Monday post are about an inch long. They are primarily designed to use in place of straight pins when sewing. Happy Day.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello Gayle, I often see 2-3 hummers at the feeders. Sometimes a male will chase others away. The clips are much nicer than using straight pins. Take care! Enjoy your day and have a great new week!

      Delete
  31. Wonderful colour flowers you've shared and some beautiful birds too.
    Sorry to read about your tree coming down ... thankfully no-one has been hurt.

    Hope the week ahead is a good one for you.

    All the best Jan

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Jan!
      Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  32. One of my greatest joys on a summer visit to my daughter (Arizona) was sitting on her porch watching the hummingbirds :))

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,
      Arizona has some great hummingbirds, different than the one I see here. I do love watching them!
      Thank you for visiting and for the comment. Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  33. I'm surprised to see two hummers at your feeder at once. The ones I've seen are very territorial and one is usually chasing another away. It seems to me that juvenile birds are usually the ones with their mouths open, waiting for their next meal.
    How sad to lose your pine tree (and your blueberries, too)! I'm glad there was no other great damage, as if it had crashed onto your roof. The rest of the willow tree near our house crashed over on Friday night. I miss it! It was such a nice part of our view.

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    1. Thanks Kay! It is sad losing a tree, hubby planted most of our trees nearly 30 years ago. Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  34. Hello,
    beautiful views of birds and flowers.
    We are obliged to wear masks in Italy too, but not in Finland.
    I am happy the number of ill people is decreasing in Maryland. I hope the whole world can get rid of this virus!!
    We have already given enough!
    All the best!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Luisella! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  35. Very dynamic world ~ and your very own backyard ~ Beauty! ^_^

    Live each moment with love,
    A ShutterBug Explores

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Carol! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  36. Wow, what an abundance of flowers, butterflies, birds, and plants in your yard!! Sorry about your pine tree, and your blueberry bushes.
    Kudos to Maryland for keeping Covid under control. It is still exploding here.

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Thank you Alan! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  37. During these unsettled days, I am so thankful for the beautiful birds and flowers.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Florence! Watching the birds is my simple pleasure! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  38. Hi Eileen, Your yard looks great for watching the birds and enjoying all the beautiful flowers. Sorry to hear about the tree that went down. That seems like something that would happen to me. We are in an apartment now but in the past we've had homes with yards and they were fun most of the time but a lot of work at other times. Hope the tree clean up goes as easily as possible. Love all your bird photos. The little bluebirds, mom and dad, that is so sweet. Yes, I found the TWO hummers! :-) Yes, I'm wearing a mask and trying my best to protect myself and others as well. I hope Maryland stays on track with reduction of COVID-19 cases. Washington was good for a while but now our Governor is saying that things are starting to go in the wrong direction as we open up and that it might be necessary to go backwards to Phase 1. I sure hope that doesn't happen but it really depends on how well the citizens follow the guidelines. Thanks for an excellent Mosaic Monday and for your kind comments on my blog. Have a happy rest of the week! John

    ReplyDelete
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    1. Hello John,

      I was surprised my hubby cleaned up the tree mess in 2 days, after the guys came and cut the tree into pieces. I do enjoy watching my hummers, they are so sweet to see zooming all around your yard. I am glad you found some too. I think the some states opened too fast or they never closed, they are sorry now. Thanks for the comment! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  39. I really liked seeing that juvenile great crested flycatcher. So cute. Lots of great photos in this post!

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    1. Thank you Ellen! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  40. Im pleased that it's mandatory to wear masks there, I use to wear surgical masks when I worked in dentistry so I can vouch if used correctly they are very effective. Hope you're keeping safe there.

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    1. Thank you Amy! I do not mind wearing the mask, I will do whatever I can! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  41. lovely to see so many flowers and birds! I love the photo of the humming birds! Good to hear that COVID_19 is decreasing in Maryland, Scotland has it under control too for the moment (unlike neighbouring England)

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    1. Thank you Juliet! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  42. A wonderful array of flowers and birds in your garden Eileen Sorry to hear about your fallen tree. It will take some time to clear up the mess it made but perhaps you have a wood birding fire you can use the wood from the tree.

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    Replies
    1. Hello Margaret,
      Hubby was quick cleaning up, it looks much better now. Thanks for the comment.
      Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  43. So many fabulous birds! Great shots.

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    1. Thank you Fi! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  44. Beautiful flowers and birds.
    Thanks for the post.
    Have a nice week ahead.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thanks so much for the comment! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  45. Such Amazing Photos - They Capture Insignificant Moments Of Preciousness - Only Thing Missing, Shadow People - Seriously, Wonderful Photos - Stay Strong

    Cheers

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    1. LOL, Shadow People coming soon. Thanks for visiting. Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  46. Great Crested Flycatcher looks enjoy life.....great shots.
    Thank you for sharing series of beautiful photos.

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    1. Thank you Tanza! Take care, stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead.

      Delete
  47. Hi Eileen, beautiful photos of birds in your garden. I love the blue bird, Greetings Caroline

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    1. Hello Caroline, thanks so much for the visit and comment. Have a great day!

      Delete
  48. I enjoy seeing the variety of birds in your garden. Glad to hear the numbers of people with Covid are decreasing. Our numbers are quite low at the moment. Mask wearing is voluntary. I think it should have been mandatory from the beginning. Take care.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you! I think wearing the mask should have been mandatory back in March for everyone!
      Take care and stay safe! Have a great day and week ahead!

      Delete
  49. I just love how much life (both flora and fauna) you have in your yard. that is paradise.

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  50. can´t help but smile at the little Great Crested Flycatcher. It looks so happy with a smile on its face. :)
    The Sootywing is a gorgeous butterfly too. Looks so good on the red flower. I hope there are many of them :)

    Take care.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Monica! The Flycatcher is a cutie! Take care and stay safe! Have a great day!

      Delete
  51. So much beauty in your yard. Nice to see the hummingbirds.
    We put out a feeder a few days back but it looks like the ones in our neighborhood haven't discovered it, yet. Maybe it's the heat that's preventing them from coming out during the day. Our temperatures are in the 90s, now.

    As for the covid19 situation in our part of the world, it doesn't look good yet. Parents are stressed out over what to choose between a hybrid model of schooling and a virtual academy for the upcoming school year.

    Stay healthy, Eileen.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Hello,
      I have 3 feeders, the hummers continue to visit. It seems Covid is not going away, the school year will be starting soon along with the next fall flu and virus season. Thanks so much for the visit and comment. Take care! Have a great day!

      Delete
  52. I've enjoyed your photos as well! So nice to see the birds and the flowers going serenely about their business and being so beautiful.
    Amalia
    xo

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    Replies
    1. Hello Amalia,
      Thanks so much for the visit and comment.
      Take care and stay safe! Have a great day!

      Delete
  53. Ps... to answer your question, no that isn't Nueces River Park. It's Bazemore park in Calallen, Texas.

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    Replies
    1. Thanks Anni! Looks like a nice park to visit. Have a great day!

      Delete
  54. foto yang bagus suasana dan tempat yang bagus pula

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you for the visit and comment!
      Take care, have a happy day!

      Delete
  55. Thanks so much for the visit and the comment, much appreciated. Love all your photos, wish we had hummers here!
    You also stay safe and have a good day. Diane

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Thank you Diane!
      The Hummers are sweet!
      Take care, have a happy day!

      Delete
  56. Lots of pretty in your world! We are a mask-required state (which doesn't mean compliance!) But I'm feeling better about it when they started fines. I think more are appearing to cooperate.

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    Replies
    1. Thank you Jeanie!
      Wearing the mask is just the right thing to do! Take care, have a happy day!

      Delete
  57. too bad about the tree, that is always so sad to see!! your birds are beautiful eileen, you have such a great variety. i never see blue birds (i think i told you that), i don't think i am "foresty" enough!! your flowers and zinnia are so pretty!!!

    we are the same as you, masks, social distancing...and our numbers continue to go down. it was a difficult decision for me to be with the girls yesterday, but i felt the risk was low and i missed them so much!! i thought i would distance from them but the second i saw them, that was out the window!! fingers crossed that i will be ok!!

    ReplyDelete

Hello, thank you for visiting my blog. I always appreciate your comments.

BTW, Anonymous comments unless a name is included will not be published. Also, comments with links will be deleted.

Have a happy day, Eileen

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