It's one of those "I don't really know what to write about." days. That's a problem with a free form, unfocused blog - which is why all the "How to have a successful blog! :-)" articles start with knowing what your focus is.

This leads to a discussion I had yesterday with my hubby. He's been reading about Peter Roget, the creator of Roget's Thesaurus.  When he was eight years old, he was already compiling lists of words.

Okay.

J.R.R.Tolkien was already making up complex languages around the same age.

My husband was preaching to his stuffed animals and making a conserted point to remember events in his life so he could recall them and use them later. His sister would walk up and down a few blocks of their street, write down the house numbers, then go home to figure out the pattern to them.

I remember disconnected things. Glimpses, like short YouTube videos, of an event here or there. Even into my upper elementary years. To be honest, even into my junior high years. I told Bruce I look back and see myself like a butterfly floating about on a gentle breeze.

"Oh! Look at that flower. No, that tree over there. I wonder if I can see my reflection in that puddle? I bet the sun is nice and warm on that cool looking rock over there."

It seems I've always drifted. I did decide to be an artist/art teacher the summer between 5th and 6th grades, and I held to that through highschool and into my first year of college. But it never seemed as all consuming as some things others have dreamed of and acted upon.

There are just too many interesting things in the world.

Today, I'm drifting about on the breeze and the wind.

*****

I was outside in the garden this morning. Repotting some plants, dead-heading some flowers, and enjoying the cool, fresh air when a hummingbird came to visit me.

I've discovered that if I'm dead-heading the butterfly bushes, or the flowers in the hanging planters over there, I'm often joined by a hummingbird. It is a wondrous thing! There can be no quick movements. No raising my camera to take a photo, even only raising it part way and using the view screen instead of the viewfinder. I do any of that and they zip off as only hummers can zip. But, if I stay still and speak quietly, the hummer will stay several moments - chirpping at me and checking me out.

I feel so blessed every time it happens.

*****

A gardening lesson.

Do not put out door plants in a container with no drainage holes unless they are plants that like swamps or the edges of ponds.

*****

I had another visitor in the backyard this morning.

A juvenile Cooper's Hawk

I haven't seen a Cooper's Hawk all summer. It swooped across the backyard and perched in a tree in the ravine. Good thing I had my camera in my hand because I barely got this shot off before it flew.

*****

Wise words.

Nobody ever said life was fair - or if they did, they're a fool.

*****

I love it when it rains.

Not just because it has been a long, very dry summer.

I love the smell of it on the wind.

I love the sound of it on the metal vents on the roof.

I love standing on my little front porch and feeling the power of the wind going by.

And isn't it amazing how quickly everything has become green again.

*****

Other photos from Friday are here: http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/24184727

*****

This was supposed to be posted on Friday, but as usually seems to happen, the formatting went weird. I got frustrated and needed to quit.

Saturday - today - has also had it's frustrations, though so far not with the blog formatting.

However it has been a beautiful, fantastic, lovely, gorgeous day! :-) :-)

I prayed at my church, Lincoln Nazarene, as part of a 24 hour prayer day.

At the Walmart pond I saw two water birds I've never seen before - a pair of Pied-billed Grebes.

Then I took a wander over by the Best Western. I'd spotted a Red Tailed Hawk, but he also spotted me, so I didn't get any photos. But I saw lots of other things.

When I got home I eventually made it out onto the small patio and watched the Hummingbirds come and go at the butterfly bushes and the feeders.

So, here are some more photos for your enjoyment (I hope): http://www.picturetrail.com/sfx/album/view/24184804

And I also hope you had a chance to get outside and enjoy the refreshing day.