So I'm on my deck in Central Maine enjoying this afternoon, as usual, by myself.

[OAITW r.2.0]

An overcast day to start, slow soaking rain...cool with overcast clouds. OK, made it easier to do my business work. Just as well, as that took about 7 hours.....

But done by 4;30 and the weather lifted. A glorious afternoon on the deck, listening to music on the BT speaker and clearing phone notifications. With a bottle of Dark Horse Cabernet Sauvignon. Here is what I can report happened.

Humming birds. The feeder is about 10 ft away from where I sit. These little guys seem very territorial. Lots of aerial fights happened....one being a full lock-up that resulted in 2 of them hitting the deck, Never saw that before.

Chuck. The woodchuck/groundhog made a visit. Hadn't seen him in a week or so. Makes a determined move over to my cultivating blueberry plants....now I know why I have no blueberries. Then on to my raised bed (one of 4). He got into #4, closest to the house, about 15 feet below from where I am sitting, and proceeded to take down a plant that I believe was a weed. About 4 ft tall, no fruit. Okay, thanks. Then he hit the beans. Turns out, he/she really likes bean leaves. Spent 15 minutes chewing on them. No problem, oddly, beans and peas had mysteriously disappeared about 2 weeks ago. Was waiting for him to get into my tomatoes in #2....that would have been a raised bed too far.

Float planes. Saw a plane come over the house, about 500 ft overhead...and made a landing onto our local lake. Never saw a final made this way: the lake is about 2 miles from me - can't see much of it now, but the view will change when the poplar tree leaves drop.....keep your airspeed up, Captain!

Sunset. It coming (currently 7PM). Funny thing is, in about a week I will be enjoying more sunset time, as it moves west to east. I've got a bunch of trees that I'll be taking down this winter. For fire break concerns, but I'll be increasing my horizontal view from 250-285 degrees to 250-300. I'll see the horizontal sunset, every sunny day, after that.

Time for another glass of Cab....

[SWBTATTReg]

1. Poetry to my ears. Thanks for the relaxing spell/poem. It weaved a wave of peacefulness over me.

Thanks again!

[OAITW r.2.0]

3. Appreciate the comment.

There seems to be a natural ebb and flow going on here.

[Walleye]

2. That sounds wonderful!

My hummingbirds have been doing a lot of chasing each other around. Yesterday there was three of them in the mid air standoff about 8 inches apart

[OAITW r.2.0]

4. Those little guys make more noise than the woodpeckers and Jays that fly in.

Weird about the territorial thing. I 've see YT videos of dozens getting along pretty well...but the ones here, are anti-social. Must be Republican hummingbirds.

[Walleye]

5. I think this might be juvenile males. I can hear them crashing heads

[OAITW r.2.0]

9. Figures...always creating problems for the general population.

[cachukis]

6. Sweet.

[WVGal1963]

7. Ditto! But in WV!

Oh your post made me enjoy my quiet, peaceful deck time even more! Hummingbirds? Yes…. A little toad, hopping amongst my pots of florals/herbs/succulents/bloomers? Yes……Our two dogs hanging near me, enjoying everything that dogs should enjoy, panting slightly as they gaze about like a couple bobble heads. Yes……

The early sounds of fall surround me and fortunately, our home is on an amazing private farm lake with enormous old trees. Sigh. The remarkable nuances of nature combined with a couple small fountains splashing in the water and the occasional deer family and loads of birds and sun setting and…..

Well I digress. But cheers to you! May we all find a space with peace, comfort, solitude. All.

Thank you for the images and the inspiration.

And Pinot…..another glass of Pinot as I anxiously await primary returns.

[Trueblue Texan]

17. Pinot! My favorite!

Noir, that is!

[OAITW r.2.0]

8. Thanks for your post!

My glass of Cab to your Pinot. *tink*

This meant for VWGal1963.

[krkaufman]

10. Hummingbird fights

I was out in a neighboring field a few weeks back, playing fetch with the dog, when a pair of hummingbirds mid-fight came within a foot of my head. It happened so fast that it was startling, though partly also because of the noise of their thwapping wings.

[OAITW r.2.0]

13. they make their presence known!

Last edited Tue Aug 23, 2022, 08:48 PM - Edit history (1)

When they feed, they let you know they are at the station.

Here's what I can't figure out. A small bird like a Chickadee or something else that small....they fly in, take one seed and fly off. How does that energy transfer work?

Also, what attracts birds to birdfood in the first place? Smell, UV light?

Also, another....why are hummingbirds attracted to little yellow plastic flowers?...how do they know they find the prcious liquid that they need?

[OAITW r.2.0]

25. Bring 'em to your place!

Put out a feeder or 2. Cheap entertainment!

[Riverman100]

11. even not being there

I felt like I was.............. thank you for those mental feelings.......I'm relaxed now

[OAITW r.2.0]

16. 2-1/2 hour moment of zen.

OK, the medicinal marijuana didn't hurt....

[Joinfortmill]

12. Nice

[Trueblue Texan]

14. Sounds like a lovely, relaxing afternoon...

...while storm clouds gather here in central Texas I had a cup of decaf with biscotti then crawled into bed around 5 for a little nap with all 3 dogs. Joints were chorusing about the gathering clouds outside but I was warm under the covers. For a couple hours anyway. Now I'm well rested and I think I'll tinker with some art: some graphic design program work first, then I'll settle down with a sketch pad and draw while watching/listening to MSNBC. I think I've got a bottle of Malbec in there that would go well with this evening's activities. Three of us live in this house (besides the dogs) and we each take to our own corners in the evenings. We all respect the balm of solitude here.

That rain is coming so I don't think I'll be doing much sitting on the patio this evening. But there is a nice calm feeling this evening and I will drink a toast to lovely, still afternoons and evenings. Cheers and thanks for sharing!

[OAITW r.2.0]

19. Awesome comment.

Last edited Tue Aug 23, 2022, 09:14 PM - Edit history (1)

I'm still on the deck at 8:30 PM....Cab is drained, but still enjoying the evening. Perfect 65 degree night weather....low humidity and an overall quiet night.

Except for Leon Redbone playing "Without my Walking Stick" on the BT speaker....

on edit....I wanna find a 4 YO Golden mix that needs a social break.

[Botany]

15. A Maine outdoors sitting by the lake thread just is not any good without some loon talk.

[OAITW r.2.0]

22. We have nesting loons on the lake, 2 mi from me. Hear them all the time.

[calimary]

18. Another afternoon in paradise!

We're on our deck in northwestern Oregon, with what the real estate people called a "territorial view."

There's a lake very nearby. Can't see it for the trees. There are two landmark mountains in the not-too-far distance. Can't see either of them for the trees.

There are just LOTS of trees. Big tall stately ones maybe 60-100 feet high. Simply intoxicating!

Pretty much all we see are trees. Some traces of civilization over on what I'm sure is the other side of the river. But lots of trees cover that turf, too.

Gee, what a shame. Just trees as far as the eye can see... It's like MajestyLand.

Feels like I've died and gone to a very green leafy Heaven!

[OAITW r.2.0]

21. Sounds sweet calimary!

My big concern is major forest fires. We are due. There is so much fuel that exists on the floors of Maine forests ,,,,everywhere. I 've got 50 acres and I am turning drops and delimbs into wood chip trails. Also dropping trees on my boundry to create a fire break against advancing fires,,,,

Next year, I'm building a natural pool 35 ft. from the house. maybe 100 x 60 x 80 x 110 or so perimeter feet. To do this, I'll be excavating soil from the low area on my property to berms 150 ft or so of walls.. So I will have 2 massive holes, with a well for each - solar powered. I plan to give the town the one close by the road. Should be fun and a smart play on my part. It's all about the property development and making it attractive in 2030.

[OAITW r.2.0]

20. Now I'm listening to Country Joe McDonald doing "Jamaica"

Paradise with an Ocean View....whatta album...

[lucca18]

23. What a great afternoon!

You appreciate the beauty of life! 😍

[OAITW r.2.0]

24. Until the next one.....

they happen pretty frequently.

[OAITW r.2.0]

26. Still on the deck....10:27 PM

Listening to the best version of Sweet Georgia Brown,,,,,thank you Sidney Bechet....

[OAITW r.2.0]

27. Off deck. Back to reality. Listening to Lawrence and Steve Kornaki now.

Overall, a good night for Dems I think....

and wait for the General....the tsunami is building, the education of the voting population proceeds; the Republicans keep making the wrong choice of where people are in their world.