August Events

I started the month with a visit to James Snodderly's farm. He was absolutely thrilled when I took him his prints. We had a great time, and made a new friend.

The following weekend we had the Sunday School picinic at Wayne and Ruby's house. They live at Douglas Lake so that included a boat ride close to sunset, but not quite. I really enjoyed that and took lots of photos. Used some for my first ever Skywatch Friday post on August 29.

The 3rd weekend of the month my Mother came for a visit (from Stone Mountain, Georgia). John and Lindsey brought Mason up for the weekend and it was the first time she saw Mason. Wendy and Lukas also came up on Sunday afternoon. A weekend with my grandson is always GOOD. But this one was especially good since everybody was here. And of course I made lots of photos that weekend too.

The last week I took off one day and went to Spring City to be with Jimmy. He is now back in Tennessee, but he is still 90 miles away, in Spring City. We looked around to see which area we want to move to, now that he is in his new permanent location with his company. We were suppose to list the house with our realtor yesterday. She had a family emergency and had to fly to Canada. Anybody want to move to beautiful East Tennessee?

Of course I go out daily to photograph whatever is in my yard. With Jimmy not here during the week I don't cook any. Spend my time with camera in hand or blogging....when not at my paying job, it being evening shift helps with the morning photos.

I did work on a new stain glass this month to replace one Jimmy does not want to leave behind when we sale the house. The photograph here is it after it was installed above the pantry door in my kitchen. Jimmy wanted to keep the daffodil stained glass that was there. My favorite that we are leaving are the 3 iris pieces that make up the transom between the dining room and the living room. Jimmy and I made it together, Jimmy does not work on stained glass anymore. He has decided he didn't enjoy it as much as woodworking. Unfortunately, we haven't quite figured out how to take that one out. And naturally the restoration is staying, it was installed before the house was bricked, and it would be MAJOR to take out. That one is not quite as sentimental as the others.

As for the birds, August was not as eventful as July with newbees, but I did have some new ones. The Black and White Warbler, Northern Cardinal, and the Chickadee were all new to my yard in August.

July Events

I started out the month by taking a trip to North Carolina on July 4th. The trip was planned to go to Perry's Water Gardens to photograph the water lilies. We also visited the waterfalls between Franklin, NC and Highland, NC. Went onto Cashiers, and found a neat little park there. We just went for the day.

On the 5th we had a July 4th family get together, and I had a blast photographing the great nieces in the swimming pool.

On the 11th I started a roll to the point I was not sure what new thing I would see next when I walked out my back door. It started with my first EVER Monarch, and it was in my own front yard. Then the very next day I got to enjoy an American Painted Lady in the same spot. Then I saw an Indigo Bunting, don't see these often in East Tennessee, got a few photos, but not great ones. The same afternoon a Bald Eagle flew over. No camera in my hand. He was traveling like he was on a mission, so no time to grab the camera. He was so intend of his travels that we all discussed the possibility of him having been in the release programs and was headed back where he had been in captivity. (Don't even know if that is a possibility.) The next 2 days I saw a bird I had a hard time identifing. Luckily I had camera in hand both days. I knew he was some type of Flycatcher, with the help of my visiting bloggers it has been determined it is an Eastern Kingbird. Then the next day mixed in with the Orange Sulphurs was another Sulphur I had never seen before, and the following day the Barn Swallows showed up in my yard for the first time.The butterflies are out doing themselves this year, and the zinnia are just getting started.

On the 10th I met with Ashlei for pre-wedding day photos of her in her wedding gown. And then Brad & Ashlei's wedding was the 19th. The week following the wedding I spent a lot of hours in front of the computer viewing photos, and making a proof book for Brad & Ashlei, but I got it done before they got home from their honeymoon. I sure was glad too, because I was having withdrawals from not getting out to photograph all God's nature around me.

On the 26th we took a short trip (92 miles one way) to Spring City, where my husband's job is moving to beginning August 11th. We still are not sure what this will mean to us about our housing and church situation. While in Spring City we visited a small park adjacent to Watts Bar Lake, enjoyed and photographed the wildlife there, so we did get some enjoyment out of the trip.

The blackberry photos are because it has been a blackberry month. The bottom photo was right before I picked and ate the blackberries.

Naturally, all month we have spent time with our grandson, who is now 6 months old. He has his 1st cold right now, but it hasn't been too bad. He has 1week old twin 1st cousins (on his mother's side) that also contacted this same cold. Grayson (the girl) has been admitted to the hospital. Please pray for this family.