2014 Photo Overload

Happy Monday, y'all! Here are (hopefully) the last of my 2014 photos. Hope everyone has a great week! Will be checking in during the next few days.

The Leaning Gazebo at City Park Lakes

Male Ruby-throated hummingbird
Magnolia, MS, Sept 2014

Jumping spider - my back yard
Oct 2014

Anhinga readying for take-off - Lake Martin
Oct 2014

White Pelicans - City Park Lakes
Nov 2014

Snowy egret - City Park Lakes
Nov 2014

Lord, give us this day our daily fish. Amen.

Happy birthday to my dear daddy!

Stretched

It's been a couple weeks since I posted any hummingbird shots. Thought I'd give y'all a break. These are from our local arboretum on September 19th. This little gal staked out the flowers that lined the walkway leading into the arboretum, guarding her area fiercely. There was one dry plant limb she favored that was closest to my camera set-up, about 6 ft. away. It was truly a gift. All that guarding and chasing off competitors required lots of stretching to stay limber. Her dedication was admirable.

Today is our 24th wedding anniversary. Since my aunt's 38th anniversary was on Oct. 23rd, we celebrated together at a seafood restaurant over the weekend. It's such a blessing to see my aunt free of pain, able to enjoy the simple things of life. My uncle (her brother) gave her a rose bush he started from a cutting off my grandmother's rose bush. He brought it to me and I gave it to her on Saturday, along with tissues. :) The rose bush has been around for decades and survived being run over by my granddad's lawn mower for years. The rose bush is a survivor, so it's only fitting that a cutting goes to JoAnne. It already has three buds on it and will have the deepest, velvetiest, red blooms you've ever seen. My uncle promised to start a cutting for me, too.

Thanks to the wonderful hosts of:

Link

Mighty Miracles

When this post goes live, my aunt will be going through surgery to relieve intense pain from the trigeminal nerve located in the brain. She has been living with this awful disease (formerly known as Suicide Disease) for years. Diagnosed at various times for a myriad of other disorders, we now suspect the root of it all is Trigeminal Neuralgia. It's been very debilitating for her, so I'm praying the procedure is a success.

Here are more shots of the Ruby-throated Hummingbird from our local arboretum. Hope you all have a delightful weekend. I'll catch up with you all very soon.

Do small things with great love.

Mother Teresa

Extra-territorial

This is a female Ruby-throated Hummingbird that I observed over a two-day period at the local arboretum. She had competition and was not going to concede in any way, shape or form. Her feistiness was inspirational. A female warrior. She didn't care that I stood close by. No, this girl had a one-track mind: keeping the competitor away from her flower patch. What a treat this was and worth the sunburn and mosquito bites.

Sharing with Anni at

And also Stewart at

(Link)

Please visit the links to view other birds around the world!

Blessed

Last week I made a quick dash to the local arboretum with the express purpose of photographing butterflies. Instead, I was blessed with a female ruby-throat who guarded her patch of flowers tenaciously. She was so obsessed with protecting her territory that I don't even think she noticed me, since I stood a mere 5 feet from her perch. Below are shots of her preening. I have many more. Oh, so many! I thank God for this beauty and for the opportunity to click to my heart's content.

I know I'm behind in visiting. For whatever reason I cannot seem to get back into the blogging routine which is why I don't like to take breaks. If any of you are on Facebook, please connect with me there (see my badge on the sidebar). Thank you for your patience as I slowly get around to making visits.

Sharing with Anni at

And also Stewart at
Wild Bird Wednesday

This post was chosen by Hilary at The Smitten Image for her Phine Photography category. Thank you, dear girl!!! I am honored.

Hummer-mania

Greetings everyone! Sorry I have been a bit absent from my blog and visiting. I am trying to rectify the situation, but it seems that something always comes up. For example, tomorrow and Wednesday I will be in Mississippi, fishing with my dad. While there I will get to see my 5 lb. bass that Daddy mounted for me!

Last Friday, a friend (Annette), from the Spring birding class, invited our entire class to her home to see her hummingbirds. It was so fun and I am so thankful for the experience. Annette let me hold a feeder and as I stood very still a bodacious hummer came and drank from it. He did not perch on my finger, but I could feel the cool air from his wings and I was super close, able to make out every tiny detail. I was in awe, as you can imagine. It was also nice to photograph them drinking from her plants in addition to the numerous feeders she has placed around her magical yard. They seemed really smitten with the Firebush plant. Annette let me come back again later that evening for round 2. Thank you, Annette!

Cat's Whiskers

We did not get to go the the Hummingbird Festival in St. Francisville because when Double D came home from CA, he had burned the bottom of his feet at the beach. He has been limping and hurting, so no walking for him for a while!

A Humdinger of a Weekend

I'm SO excited!! Today and tomorrow will be filled with hummingbird activities. If you're reading this post between 9AM and 10:30AM, I will be at a friend's home to see and photograph the multitudes of hummingbirds that are visiting her yard. She has trained them to perch on her fingers as she holds the feeder. Not all of them participate, but the gutsy ones do, apparently. I believe my camera's video feature will come in handy for this. Hope I remember how it works!

Saturday morning Double D and I are headed to St. Francisville's Annual Hummingbird Festival where hummingbird biologists will capture and band birds at two private gardens.

In the meantime, I have been enjoying the pair that have visited my yard this week; an adult male and a juvenile male (I think).

Lullaby...and goodnight....

Depending on which web site you consult, below are the collective nouns for hummingbirds:

Charm (my personal fave)

Troubling

Hover

Glitter

Shimmer

Bouquet

Chattering

Drum

Sharing with next week's.

Thanks so much, Anni!