Mellow Yellow Monday

A new meme! It sounds to me like a fun one. Yellow is the color of sunshine! Thank you for creating this one, Drowsy Monkey. I wish you well with the new venture. I'm sure it will be a success. And thanks to the Pagan Sphinx for introducing it to me through her entry.

My first entry is a photo that has appeared in my blog in the past. it is from one of my visits to the Hereford Inlet Lighthouse gardens this past summer.

Summer

Lisa, the Villas Girl, and I celebrated the first day of summer yesterday. She called and asked me if I'd like to take a ride to see if we could find the osprey nest she'd heard about. Of course I would.

We took the scenic route, getting there. I love being a passenger instead of driver. I get to look around more.

The ospreys are nesting on boxes placed in the wetlands fairly close to the highway. I am surprised at the proximity to traffic, but it certainly makes for easier photography. When we reached the spot, both parent birds were on the nest. When we stopped, papa got agitated and circled us the whole time we were there.. Mama continued to feed their three chicks, and I got some fairly decent pictures. Lisa's camera is better than mine, and she got some really stunning shots. I'm sure she will post some soon.

When we decided to move on, I told Lisa that we were not far from Hereford Inlet. We decided to go there before heading home.

The gardens are well established now. I think they will be lovely, as usual when they have a chance to do some more growing. Right now there are lots of lilies everywhere. There are also some hollyhocks - one of my favorite old fashioned flowers.

We also got an added surprise. Lisa started climbing the steps to the lighthouse entrance, when she said, "Is that a duck?" It was. A female mallard was walking back and forth in the garden under the steps. Lisa continued into the gift shop, and spoke to a woman there, who immediately grabbed a bag of grain and ran out to feed the duck. It seems that Mr. and Mrs. Mallard appear there every year. They never bring their babies, but one at a time shows up for a hand-out.

The duck enjoyed her meal for a while, and then walked over to a garden hose which was coiled up near the building. The woman called a gentleman to come out, and he went to the hose and turned it on, making a puddle for the duck to drink from. She was very territorial, chasing away the pigeons who tried to join the party.




We had a lovely afternoon.



As always - click on pictures to enlarge.

HEREFORD INLET

As you may have noticed, I got tired of seeing myself in that hat, and decided to put on a different picture. I was a lot cuter in 1937, so that's the one I chose.



One day last week I decided to take myself up to North Wildwood to see if they have begun planting the gardens around Hereford Inlet Lighthouse. I found on the way that no one has started planting in the gardens all along Central Avenue, although the ground is prepared.

When I reached the lighthouse it was obvious that I should have made the trip a couple of weeks earlier to see hundreds of daffodils. All gone now. But other plantings have been done, and I'll be looking forward to them in a few weeks. Meantime, there are lots of pansies and other small annuals.

And the herb garden is full of chives.
One beautiful tree is in bloom around back, near the band stand.


And there are many pretty corners, flowers or not.


This is what I'm looking forward to later this summer - how it looked a couple of years ago.


I always enjoy it, blooming or not, every season of the year.


Here is the path leading up to the water, where you can view Champagne Island. Lots of shore birds nesting on the island. Hopefully, increased patrols will keep boaters and their dogs off the island this year, and give the birds a fighting chance.




Any time you find yourself in the area, especially in the summer time, Hereford Inlet is a lovely place to spend an hour or two. The lighthouse itself is pretty interesting too, inside and out.

BUTTERFLIES

Couldn't resist. Dianne inspired me with her Project Green butterflies yesterday. I had to dig out a few of my butterfly pictures. I just love butterflies! When I was younger and faster on the draw, I was able to capture some of them on film. (Yes, we used film in those days.) So here are a few.


The first is a diana that I spotted in Leaming's Run Gardens.



Then there is a longtailed skipper (and friend) that was sitting on a zinnia over at the Wetlands Institute.





The little cabbage white was flitting around
near Hereford Inlet Lighthouse.


I'm not sure what this one is. But isn't it pretty?

And the next one is a painted lady.








The tiger swallowtail is one of my favorites.
Have you ever seen Monarchs, exhausted from their migration, sleeping on a tree limb? These are not leaves, they are sleeping butterflies.And of course, the monarchs, by day.

They are all so beautiful! I have dozens of pictures. But there is no such thing as a picture that can truly capture the thrill it gives me to watch the flying flowers.