Firstly, I finally made it up to Northampton last Saturday for a morning coffee and paper. It's the first time this year that I was able to make a trip that used to be a (semi-regular) summer routine for me. But so far this season the uncooperative weather and some new obligations have given me cause to adjust the Saturday morning schedule a bit...for now...
But the bright sunshine that morning and the sidewalk sale that was going on that weekend swirled in with the regular Saturday farmer's market, to create a perfect storm of Paradise City pedestrian hubub. The place was jumpin'.
And in that town, where there's people milling about, there are sure to be artists. Musicians and painters were interspersed with shoppers and loiterers...
Meanwhile, outside the perimeters of the concrete-covered sections of the valley, July wildlife abounds, as it does so well in the height of summer. This Bluet damselfly was making the most of it's time by stopping to sun itself between short flights.
The summer blooms, enriched by all the rains, seem particularly colorful this year...
And a tiger swallowtail butterfly was doing it's part to keep those colorful blooms blooming.
Some birds have the good fortune to make their living in cool water, like this blue heron, who was exhibiting his fishing tactics: a study in patience...
Stride ever so slowly...scanning below...stop...very still...don't move a muscle...one more stride...stop...steaaaadddyyyyy....
...PLOOK..!
...nothin'. It's on to the next fishing hole, when prospects are looking slim...
A recent swing by the Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary produced a Red Tail hawk that apparently wasn't the least bit intimidated by humans; not stirring a feather as we drove close by to check it out.
Kelly fended off a curious environmental police officer that had pulled up, while I had gotten out and snuck in for a closer look at the raptor...
According to Kelly, the officer was on the hunt for environmentally dangerous types, like the ones dumping mattresses and other junk in the woods nearby, and had little time to worry about 'those crazy bird-watchers'...
I managed to get right underneath the hawk without sending him flying off; it was really the closest I've ever gotten to a wild one. For some reason this guy had no fear of humans, even the huffing, sweating, mosquito-ravaged variety...
Why should it have any fear; these birds themselves are made solely to kill; they're sharks of the avian world. I'd hate to have been a smaller mammal, with this guy's undivided attention...
On the weather front; although June of this year was pretty much a write-off with all the biblical rains, at least July kept it's summer promise of sunshine, lush greenery...
...humidity-powered thunder boomers...
...and hazy sunsets.
Now if August will just maintain the new sultry summer trend, well then, two out of three aint bad...
4 comments:
I love strolling through the farmers market. Great photos.
Thanks Jeffrey. It's becoming a big thing, farmers markets seem to be springing up everywhere now...
Great dragonfly photo -- and the great blue heron series.
Thanks Mary, or should I say khob-kun-Krub?
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