Wednesday, September 17, 2014

A Ray of Sunshine

Have a ray of sunshine and light with you everywhere you may go.
~ Lailah Gifty Akita

sunrise again5
Sunrises around here are irresistible to me. If I'm awake for them, that is. As the summer winds down, that orb in the sky dawns a little bit later each week, so the chances of catching one now and then will increase for a few months. This is one that I awakened to in mid July.





hummer through a window
This little Ruby-throated hummingbird was sitting in the sun, just outside of our kitchen window. The photo was taken through the glass.





sprig in light
Sometimes the sun highlights the subject with such intensity that the background just disappears - at least with certain camera settings.





white admiral butterfly3
Other times, everything around it just shines. This White Admiral butterfly is just basking in the warm summer sun.





golden guy4
These little goldfinch beauties seem to create their own sunshine.





red currants
Juicy, red currants need lots of sunshine to ripen.





stormy sun saturated
Occasionally, even a stormy sky can't resist allowing a bit of sunshine to peek through. I bumped up the colours considerably on this one.





bee balm2
Bee Balm soaking up the rays on a midsummer day.





sunfish
Despite its name, this little Pumpkinseed Sunfish shouldn't be out of the water and in the sunshine for long. And he wasn't.





leafy green
Leafy green tendrils reaching out to tickle the edge of sunlight.





evening view of Blueberry Island
Late in the day, the sun pours in from the west, illuminating Blueberry Island, across the bay.





loon in light
A lovely Common Loon relaxing beside a sunbeam. Don't you just love that red eye?





skitty paw
Cats enjoy sunlight better than most of us. Skitty found the perfect patch of warming sunlight for snoozing. His little paw looked so photo-worthy to me.





dusky muskie bay
It's rare that we get notable sunsets because we face east. On this evening though, we got the bounce off of what must have been a spectacular sunset for those facing west. Still, you can't complain about this view.

Thanks for sharing the sunshine with me. More photos coming up soonish.

48 comments:

Bob Bushell said...

Beautiful photos, oh, I do love them all, cheers Hilary.

Tabor said...

You do know how jealous I am of that hummingbird shot!! Ours never sit for long and certainly not close to me. They are wary down at the end of the pond.

DJan said...

What a fine journey I just finished, going through these pictures. Especially love the hummer and the loon. So serene! :-)

Ruth Hiebert said...

Absolutely gorgeous pictures. I couldn't pick a favourite if I tried.

Phyllis E said...

Beautiful pics, as always, Cuzzie. I especially loved the butterfly and the cat's paw.

OmaLindasOldeBaggsandStuftShirts said...

I've been away from the computer for a bit and coming back to this post is a delight. Love (envy) your view of the morning and I want to tickle those kitty paws. Gosh you have such a great eye for seeing what I most certainly would not even notice. Love your work....passion. Oma Linda

Leah J. Utas said...

I've never seen a hummingbird so still. Great pic.
And the cat's paw in the sun was soooooo soothing. Nap inspiring even.

stephen Hayes said...

Your photographs are always a treat. Have you gone swimming in your lake yet. Is the water clear and good to swim in?

TexWisGirl said...

love the sunfish! and the mad looking little hummer. :)

Kerry said...

Beautiful, sensitive photos. The cat's paw is so exquisite.

You must have cleaner windows than we do, in order to get such a clear shot of that little hummingbird.

Anonymous said...

Lovely photos of bird, the lake, the plants and especially the kitty paws.

Red said...

So you've had a very nice summer.

Kerri Farley said...

WOW...... these are fabulous! Your little hummer is amazing!!!

joeh said...

Great views, loved the hummingbird!

Joanna Jenkins said...

Hi Hilary, Nice to be back and reading and seeing your gorgeous photos again.

First, I'm so sorry to hear about your Auntie Gertie. It's hard to lose a loved one and realize a whole generation is gone. Sending hugs your way.

And also sorry to hear about your cat problem! I yiyi! That is not fun. I had a cat years ago that sprayed and it about did in.

I'm loving the red in the red currants photo-- The older I get the more that range of reds appeals to my senses. Although I'm loving the blues in the blue jays too!

The country road, barns and hay truck in a few posts back reminds me of the countryside of my youth. I was just back home driving along one and smiling the entire time.

Enjoy the sunrises when you can and sleep in the rest of the time!

xo jj

Cloudia said...

Seriously- You are a master photog!
I am AGOG. Your eye and proficiency make me want badly to get better (and to get a more serious camera!) Thanks so much




ALOHA from Honolulu
ComfortSpiral
=^..^= . <3

Betsy Brock said...

Beautiful photos! I love the sunrise, too....unfortunately, the way our house is situated, the tall trees around it and our neighbor's houses, the sunrises cannot be seen! I'll just have to enjoy yours! ;)

ADRIAN said...

I never tire of your images. Keep them coming.
The fish is beautiful.

Hilary said...

I think you must live in heaven. It's so beautiful.
And you have LOONS.
Heart be still.

Anvilcloud said...

Another great theme and wonderful photos all. The first one stands out for me, but I would be proud of any and all.

Gayle said...

Being a botany kind of person I treasure your special shots. GAWJUS!! Oh, but the kitty paw……precious! Your talent is so special. Thanks again for sharing with us.

Anonymous said...

Gorgeous shots! I'm a big fan of sunrises too.

Midlife Roadtripper said...

Just beautiful. The lake, the hummingbird, the loon, the dock. I want those currants.

I have a new camera, and I'm working on learning it better. A Great Blue Heron has been on the dock the past couple weeks. An incredible subject.

Catherine said...

I am most likely to see the sunrise after a sleepless night, so don't appreciate it quite so much! You have such beautiful wildlife.

Ruby said...

They are all lovely. I love the pics with black back ground. The stormy sky is amazing.

A Cuban In London said...

That first photo is a dream. Loved it. Your close-ups are unbelievable. Many thanks.

Greetings from London.

Tammie Lee said...

so many gorgeous image

Mage said...

Just stunning stuff.

messymimi said...

Absolutely worth waking up for!

messymimi

The Furry Gnome said...

Lovely pictures; hope you enjoyed your summer on the lake!

sage said...

You're place is so beautiful and peaceful

Lisa Gordon said...

What beautiful photographs these are, Hilary.
I just love that little hummingbird.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend!

Betty Manousos said...

wow, i am in awe of your pictures, hilary. excellent macro's, and that first one left me speechless!

happy weekend! xo

Kamana said...

glorious! just glorious, all of your shots here.

and thank you for always remembering to check in on me from time to time. always appreciate your visits and enjoy your comments.

Indrani said...

The common loon is stunning!
The paw of your Skitty too looks cute.
Great shots all.

Out on the prairie said...

Some very nice selections. I had never seen the White Admiral, we have a different one.

Dan said...

The secret to your success is this: your mix of words and magnificent photos... make people feel good inside.

AND... that includes me.

photowannabe said...

These photos are truly Sunshine at its best. U have been oooh-ing and awe-ing over each one.
Dawn in you little piece of Paradise and the Hummer...and Kitty's paw....and the tendril...I could go on and on. Beautiful!!
The fires are still raging in my area but we are safe. Homes being lost and so many acres are cinders. I believe the destruction is now up to 100,000 acres of gorgeous timber.
The hardest part of all of this is it was set on purpose. The have a man in custody now. Totally unbelievable!

photowannabe said...

I should have read my comment before hitting the button....
I - not- U have been looking...
They not- the have a man in custody.
Guess I need a second cup of coffee today!

Anonymous said...

The first shot and the last... both made me say ahhhhh.

Our home is surrounded by trees pretty much on all sides...that tends to happen when one lives in a forest. LOL Anyway, I don't get sunrise and sunset shots unless I meander off our property.

ellen abbott said...

love love the hummer, the red currents, the leafy tendril. the others aren't too shabby either.

Unknown said...

Glad the Pumpkinseed fish returned to the water, and enjoyed the Cat soaking in sunshine! :)

Maggie May said...

All your photos were so good. Difficult to choose one or two....... but the birds, the paw, the fish that you kindly let go, have suck in my mind....... oh and that unusual cloud formation and the wheat against the dark background.
Maggie x

Nuts in May

Rita said...

Oh, Hilary! What a breathtaking array of photos!!
I get the echoes of sunset bouncing off my easterly clouds on an evening sometimes, too. And have caught a couple sunrises once again as the days shorten. Can hardly wait to see your snowy winter photos! So beautiful there. :)

Daryl said...

such beauty surrounds you … i am sure you know that the 7th photo .. that called the Eye of God …

Jenn Jilks said...

More goodies. Soon they'll be gone. I do like the change, though.

Barbara said...

Oh, I hate that my work keeps me so busy I lose track of the days...and of your posts! Love this one!

Mandy said...

I love seeing your world through your lens. It is such a pleasure to visit your blog (and in this case, several times today as I slogged away at work!!)