Mourning Doves

There are a pair of mourning doves that live close by. Every morning they wake me with their cooing. It is a sad, mournful sound, but really it signals nesting, claiming territory and raising young. They like the standing water in front of our house in the cul-de-sac, but every time I creep up with my camera they take off. It's hard to get a close up, but this one was perched on the roof of the shed and held still for a long time. I wonder where their nest is, and if they are carefully tending their eggs or their young. Mourning doves take turns incubating their nest, which is done continually. The male does the day shift and the female the night shift. Since male and female mourning doves look very similar, it may seem like a dove never leaves the nest. Don't worry, the switch was made when you were not looking.

Sunset in Hooper

I noticed clouds in the west tonight and jumped in my little MINI and took off; after grabbing my camera bag, or course. I headed to a isolated country road in Hooper. It's so interesting to see how the sky can change in just a few minutes.

These birds were close by and fun to watch.

Baseballs in the Birdcage

Yup, that's what I said...I've been trying to figure out what to put in the birdcage that sits in the corner of my studio. I was in a fun store the other day called Farm Chicks. It's on the corner of Gentile and Main in Layton. The minute I saw these old balls, I was hooked. Doesn't it make you wonder who played with these balls?  They are worn and very dirty.  I can just picture a bunch of little boys out in an old field playing a game of baseball.

A Long Night

Tuesday was a great day, but that doesn't always help me sleep at night. Some nights it's just impossible to sleep...

Zucchini Squash

No squash yet, but some beautiful large blossoms.

Lava the Second Day

Jared cooked us a wonderful breakfast. He's quite the cook!

The weather was so beautiful. Lacie found the only shady spot for eating her breakfast - UNDER the table. 

We pitched our cots on the floor of the shed. The upper floor is a loft which Jared had just finished insulating. The evenings were cool and perfect sleeping weather.

A sweet shot of Lacie with the light just right.

Visiting Lava

We traveled to Lava yesterday to visit Jared and Carrie, Weston and Lacie and camp with them on their property at Thunder Mountain. It was a lot of fun. In the afternoon we all went swimming...along with everyone else in the world...so crowded! Then we got a bite to eat. As we were leaving the little town of Lava to go back to the property, we noticed some signs about a parade. So we stuck around (in our swimming gear...) and watched a cute little parade down Main Street. Weston and Lacie were the only little kids on the block, so they got lots and lots of candy thrown at them. I sure wish I had my camera at the parade.

Carrie and Weston after swimming.

I went on a long walk by myself. So rejuvenating to just be alone and take pictures to my heart's content.

The thistle was in bloom everywhere. Such a prickly weed, but so beautiful when it blooms.

A GREEN bee...

The sunset was beautiful. You can wish for clouds, but that doesn't mean you're going to get any:)