Summer Rain

Summer rain taps at my window
West wind soft as a sweet dream
(performed by) Johnny Rivers

Thank you to everyone for your very sweet comments and good wishes on my previous post. And thanks especially to those who have stuck with me through the years, to those who commented for the first time and every fine one of you in between.

These photos were taken at different stages of different rainy days. The names after the song quotes are those of the performers and not of the lyricists.

Someone told me long ago there's a calm before the storm

I know, it's been comin' for some time

When it's over, so they say, it'll rain a sunny day

I know, shinin' down like water

~ Creedence Clearwater Revival

Here comes the rain again

Falling on my head like a memory

~ Eurythmics

Long as I remember the rain been comin' down

Clouds of mystery pourin' confusion on the ground.

Good men through the ages tryin' to find the sun.

And I wonder still I wonder who'll stop the rain.

~ Creedence Clearwater Revival

Listen to the mandolin rain,

Listen to the music on the lake

~ Bruce Hornsby

Somewhere over the rainbow way up high

There's a land that I heard of once in a lullaby

Somewhere over the rainbow skies are blue

And the dreams that you dare to dream really do come true

~ Judy Garland

I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,

I can see all obstacles in my way

Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind

It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)

Sun-Shiny day

~ Johnny Nash

You and me and rain on the roof

Caught up in a summer shower

Drying while it soaks the flowers

Maybe we'll be caught for hours

Waiting out the sun

~ The Lovin' Spoonful

Why are there so many songs about rainbows

And what's on the other side

Rainbows are visions

But only illusions

And rainbows have nothing to hide...

So we've been told

And some choose to believe it

I know they're wrong, wait and see

Some day we'll find it

The rainbow connection

The lovers, the dreamers, and me

~ Kermit the Frog

I'm singing in the rain

Just singing in the rain

What a glorious feelin'

I'm happy again

I'm laughing at clouds

So dark up above

The sun's in my heart

And I'm ready for love

~ Gene Kelly

More photos coming up soonish.

Shades of Spring

From beautiful sunrise to subtle but lovely sunset, our world has awakened in soft, fragrant shades of spring. I hope you enjoy the photos below, along with the humour of Jarod Kintz, Wallace Stevens and Jack Handey's Deep Thoughts.

The morning always has a way of creeping up on me and peeking in my bedroom windows. The sunrise is such a pervert.

~ Jarod Kintz

On this May morning, Frank's two wonderful sisters, Lisa and Theresa were sleeping under our roof. It was the first time they came up to visit and we enjoyed their company immensely. I hope they'll return before too long. On that day, I awoke early to see shades of pink spilling into my bedroom. Outside, the sun was rising and a duck was having a peaceful swim alongside the dock.

The grackles crack their throats of bone in the smooth air. Most spiss oh! Yes, most spissantly. They sing right puissantly.

~ Wallace Stevens (taken from two of his quotes)

Despite their cold eye... despite their raucous call.. despite how they appear to be a simple black bird, grackles, when viewed in the right light - are beautiful, colourful birds.

My two favorite colors of the rainbow are gold and leprechaun.

~ Jarod Kintz

Given the right conditions, it's almost impossible for me to resist looking for and photographing a rainbow. They're always such a visual treat. Bring on more sun showers!

I bet the sparrow looks at the parrot and thinks, yes, you can talk, but LISTEN TO YOURSELF

~ Jack Handey

Another little cutie who comes to visit us is the chipping sparrow. Isn't that a sweet little face?

Whenever I hear the sparrow chirping, watch the woodpecker chirp, catch a chirping trout, or listen to the sad howl of the chirp rat, I think: Oh boy! I'm going insane again.

~ Jack Handey

Here's a closer look. Was I wrong?

Consider the daffodil. And while you're doing that, I'll be over here, looking through your stuff.

~ Jack Handey

Daffodils look quite pretty from any angle - especially after a rain.

We like to praise birds for flying. But how much of it is actually flying, and how much of it is just sort of coasting from the previous flap?

~ Jack Handey

Stepping outside on the deck, I inadvertently spooked a great blue heron. They sure are graceful for such a gangly, awkward-looking bird.

Instead of casting my fishing line into the lake, my hook got caught on a passing cloud. It's OK, because I ended up catching a bird.

~ Jarod Kintz

When I saw this cloud, I immediately thought of the old Irwin Hasen comic strip Dondi. To me it appeared as if he was glancing up to the left and whistling a carefree tune. Can you see it? You probably have to be over forty to remember Dondi.

As I walked through the woods, I looked up and saw a squirrel. I smiled and he smiled. At least I think it was a smile. My teeth were showing and my cheeks were pulled up. That's a smile, isn't it?

 ~ Jack Handey

So now that spring is here, it would appear that this red squirrel probably has some little ones to feed. No more calling her Rufus. She has now been dubbed "Rufette."

If I could lick the sunset, I'll bet it would taste like Neapolitan ice cream.

~ Jarod Kintz

Aside from its location, there are some days that our dusk is quite similar to our sunrises. We do face east and if anything is going to explode into colour it will be the dawning sun. But occasionally, the reflective sunset gives us some colourful moments, as well. Just imagine how this might have looked on a western waterfront.

I want to be the first and second man to dance on the moon. No, I won't moonwalk. But I will Cha Cha-with my clone.

~ Jarod Kintz

The clear evening sky revealed a partial moon. When moonrise happens before sunset, you still get to enjoy some of the blueness in the sky.

More photos coming up before too much longer.

Summer Afternoon

Summer afternoon-summer afternoon; to me those have always been the two most beautiful words in the English language. ~Henry James

These photos from my two weeks up at our new home, early in August.

There are quite a few perennials growing around the place. This black-eyed Susan made a point of catching my own eye.





To the left of the dock, some of our neighbours boats had Frank yearning for one of his own. He was still doing his homework on which one to buy, at that time but has since made the purchase.





I found this butterfly in a puddle in the paddleboat. I thought it was dead, but when I lifted it out of the water, it clung to my finger, so I placed it on a leaf to either recover or live its life out in a more natural setting. It hadn't moved by the next morning. I suspect its end was near - those wings won't carry it far.





This appears to be a young Hairy Woodpecker inspecting the nearby tree for bugs. In the weeks following, a very vocal Hairy (we call her Hairiette) has visited the feeder daily.





A summer sun shower is always a treat, and so is the rainbow that you're sure to find if you look in the sky opposite the sun.





A refreshing salad to serve up with dinner, loaded with blueberries and raspberries.





If that wasn't enough fruit for you, please help yourself to a banana. You might want to pass on the lemon.





As the sun sets, puffy clouds of cotton candy dot the horizon. There isn't much nicer than a mostly-sunny August day.

More photos coming up soon.