Summer On The Farm

I was just walking to the house when I saw the herd coming in for water at the stock tank. I thought it would make a good photo of a peaceful scene I always enjoy seeing:

I also enjoy walking out in the pasture. I passed by Gracie, who calmly watched me go by. Sometimes I'll pet the friendly cows (like Gracie) as I go by. They don't like the top of their heads touched but a scratch under the chin is usually enjoyed:

Blue and Remy are always happy to get a bit of petting, In fact, Remy rushes toward me so fast that I often have trouble snapping a photo of him. On this day, they just kept grazing:

While I'm outside working, the five dogs lounge about in their fenced yard. Their favorite spot is the ramp. It's not soft, but it has nice shade and they can see the back door from there:

Indoors, they nap in the kitchen corner or, as in the case of Fergus and Seamus, on the yoga mat behind my computer chair:

 

The new Frans Hals Day lilies are putting on quite a show. They truly are even more brightly colored than in the picture:

The red Hydrangea I planted last fall is alive and flowering. I guess that's all I can ask of it this first year:

I have a few wild type Day lilies. They are so gorgeous that it amazes me anyone wanted to breed them in new colors:

I thought all my Phlox had died, but one brave plant has sprung up and begun flowering. I missed them - and so did the Hummingbird Moths (Clearwing Moths) and Swallowtail butterflies:

The fantail pigeons are healthy and producing new babies this summer. I can't clean their room now because there are babies all over the floor. Well, at least that makes a good excuse:

That pigeon in the back is the baby, just a couple weeks old. The bird in front is one of its parents:

The little hens are laying fewer eggs now. That's a blessing for me as I don't have to hard boil them so often, but the dogs will sure miss eating the eggs when the laying season is over:

Summer Happenings Around The Farm

Someone dropped off a family of cats at my barn during the night. I began trying to trap them and finally managed to get this little black fellow. He was a veritable love sponge but quite unhealthy. I rid him of fleas and treated his eyes with ophthalmic ointment I had from previous pets. I think I'll keep him, but first need to get him to the vet. He's been staying safely out in the barn until I'm sure he won't introduce any health problems to my elderly house cats: 

The baby chicks have grown so rapidly that I often think I can see the increase in size each day. But I have been afraid to let them outdoors because I haven't caught all the cats someone dropped off. Maybe they went elsewhere, but I can't yet be sure:

The fantail pigeons, however, have finally accepted living with chickens. If you can't beat 'em, join 'em:

They are a stunning variety of colors and patterns. Half of them will be cockerels, however, so will need to be eaten. That may seem sad now but won't be when they get old enough to fight all the time and brutalize the pullets:

In the meantime, my remaining Barred Rock hens are enjoying their summer freedom:

Life is good when you have lots of food and water - and no predators hunting you:

I don't know if anyone sees my farm sign, but I notice it when I have to clip the grass which grows all around the base:

It's been a lean year for apples. So far this is all I've found - pretty slim pickins' compared to previous years. Nonetheless, the cows enjoyed them. The horses took them in their mouths and then dropped them:

A fantail pigeon came to the open window and considered taking a flight around the yard:

The first and so far only Clearwing Moth of the year arrived in August and, as usual, went straight to the Tall Garden Phlox:

It was smaller than normal, but still looked like a miniature hummingbird:

I love watching them feeding on nectar with their roll-up proboscis:

The Amazing Hummingbird Clearwing Moth

I was mowing the lawn when I spotted this odd creature sipping nectar from my Tall Garden Phlox. It paid me no mind, so I stopped and got out my camera:

I already knew what it was, for I had encountered them previously. I still remember the first time I saw one. It looked and acted like a tiny hummingbird, but I knew enough zoology to know better, so I took a closer look and discovered it was an insect. Later, I looked it up and discovered it was a Hummingbird Clearwing Moth, Hemaris thysbe:

Truth be told, their abdomen always reminds me of a crayfish. Checking the internet, I discovered that I am not the first one to think so:

But they are pleasant creatures, adding a bit of beauty and wonder to an already marvelous world:

In this photo you can see its "tail" which looks to most folks like a hummingbird's tail but reminds me of a crayfish:

Here you can see its proboscis, with which it probes flowers and obtains nectar:

The moth was unafraid of me or the lawn mower, but I had a lot more mowing to do. So I put my camera away and continued with the job at hand: