Take your pick: reeds or reds, both seen on a beautiful early Autumn late August day at Como Lake in St. Paul. More (nearly 250) skies at .

.

ahh, adolescence!

Remember my experience with the bird nest in my geraniums and the mother House Finch coming into my apartment during a recent storm? I took this photo recently of the three birds out of four eggs that hatched. Last week they were ready to fledge. We went away for the day and when we returned the nest was empty. But look closely and you'll see them all big beady eyed and beaked with little pinfeathers all over their heads. I miss them.
Visit Camera Critters for more delights.

'Shall I compare thee to a summer's day?'

See more beautiful red at Mary's meme:

'Blue sky when you gonna learn to rain?'

More Midwest blue: Iowa skies over sunflower fields bordered by corn above and down the road,

an old stone church and cemetery. Watch more clouds go by at Skywatch Friday.

[Blue Sky Blue lyrics by Ryan Adams]

D is for Duct Tape, or a lesson in style

On Erica's first day of her residency at the ER, she found her car had been broken into during the night before, and title and insurance cards stolen. She was left with a pile of glass inside and outside the car and a wounded sense of justice. We like to refer to it as 'The Army of Wrongness' on the move again--if you've read Truman Capote's Breakfast at Tiffany's you know just what I'm talking about. So, armed with a clear shower curtain and duct tape, this is how she shook her fist at stupidity. Who knew there could be such stylish duct tape!?

Or as Orson Welles said, “Create your own visual style... let it be unique for yourself and yet identifiable for others.” More D words to see at ABC Wednesday.

sweet prophecy of welcome

Just when I think I have a grip on summer trying to slip through my fingers, what should appear but one true red sweet pea. These are the variety, 'Erica's Favorite' which I try to grow each year in Dr. Erica's honor. This summer they have outdone themselves! Of course I am never able to quite capture this red but it makes me smile anyway. Sweet peas are my connection to my Italian heritage and in particular my dad who loved them. He didn't always love me but we could agree on our affection for their fragrance and unique blooms. So I tip my trowel to sweet peas and Today's Flowers where you can drink in fragrant flowers from all over the world.

Happy Monday!

"The Sweet Pea has a keel that was meant to seek all shores;

it has wings that were meant to fly across all continents;

it has a standard which is friendly to all nations;

and it has a fragrance like the universal gospel,

yea, a sweet prophecy of welcome everywhere that has been abundantly fulfilled"

- Rev. W. T. Hutchins 1900 (At the Sweet Pea Bi-centenary Celebration)

summer shadows

Please reconsider leaving.
I’m sorry I complained about the heat,
You know how I can be.

Once again, I’ve slept under your blanket
My fears dropped all over the floor
Your murmurings in my ear now
Sweet morning dew.

Overhead the loon calls for his mate and I know you
Are listening, not to me
But to the rhythm of change
You are quietly slipping away, until next time.

Have I mentioned that it really wouldn't be odd
For each year to have
Two Augusts?