Saturday, May 26, 2012

A Hot Summer Day in May

Yep, it's in the 90s with high humidity - a July Triple H day (Hazy, Hot, and Humid), and it's only May. It's been this way pretty much all week, and I've been getting fairly scorched at work out in the garden center. The good thing is that for the first time in my entire retail career I have Memorial Day weekend off (but not Memorial Day itself); it seems that Lowe's days-off schedule rotation is inviolable, so come holiday or high water this is my Saturday/Sunday week and I by golly have it off!

So despite the heat and humidity (I'm a Winter person, so you know this weather makes me miserable) I went over to the wetlands park this morning before it got too hot and took some pictures. Today's theme is in the shade, and all the stuff pictured here was under trees. Even the birds weren't flying about so much but perched well inside the foliage, as that first shot of the Red-winged Blackbird shows. Yep, it's hot!





The birds may have been hiding, but they weren't silent. The Catbirds were the most vocal. Below is what I've called the Catbird Concerto, in two movements; Catbirds predominate, but they're accompanied by a chorus of Cardinals, Song Sparrows, Carolina Wrens, Robins, Goldfinches, and I think you might even be able to hear the burrr of a Red-bellied Woodpecker way in the background in Part 1. Enjoy!


In case anybody's wondering, yes I was on my way to the grocery store as usual. I decided to splurge a little and have Memorial Day picnic food for supper for today and tomorrow. So I picked up some boneless, thin sliced rib eye steaks, to be eaten sandwich style with spinach, red onion slices, and tomato, accompanied by red skin potato salad and fresh iced tea. Sorry, no paper plates or red plastic cups!

© 2012 by A. Roy Hilbinger

3 comments:

  1. All shots striking, as always, but that first photo is gorgeous!

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  2. Yep..triple H here in Ohio too...which means you will have it tomorrow! I'm a winter person, too...hate the heat! I'd rather have snow!

    Gorgeous redwinged blackbird!

    I heard a catbird for the first time this week. It's in our trees somewhere but haven't seen it. Funny that the year I have 8 cats out there it comes to our yard to meow. lol.

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  3. first time ever I have seen a red winged blackbird in my yard...it has a nest somewhere nearby because it's been hanging around a lot. I thought they only sat on fence posts next to highways...

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