Surrounding the home I live in are meadows that are not mowed until late fall. So grasses grow tall, flowers bloom and animals, insects and invertebrates take full advantage of it. The orange flowers above caught my eye as I drove out yesterday so I stopped and took some pictures today. I was hoping not to run into the resident snapping turtle nor any snakes. I have an unhealthy fear of snakes. I am getting better and can view them without much fear from about twenty yards but closer and they give me the creeps. I don’t really mind the relatively harmless large black rat snakes we have but it’s the really fast racers that make my skin crawl. Anyhow I digress, the orange flowers grabbed my eye and I was treated to a killdeer family who was out and about for a brief fly from their nest in the driveway gravel of an empty lot. At night coming home from work I often see a herd of deer curled up in the grass in the back meadow. Sometimes they stay as I drive by but more often than not they flee. I have been getting a kick out of the mockingbirds nesting as well as the bluebirds, barn swallows and purple martins. I don’t know where the three families if osprey or one eagle family nest but I enjoy watching them hunt on the river and ponds out back.

The moon was beautiful rising last night and tonight. I tried to get a decent shot of it with the bottom picture but it doesn’t do it justice. It is quite lovely. I never tire of looking at it.,

We had some fairly intense weather blow through Maryland Friday afternoon and evening. As of now they have confirmed nine tornados that touched down on the Western Shore. Sometimes the Chesapeake Bay churns up storms and makes them stronger but this time it seemed to help push the storms a bit north and dissipate them prior to them crossing the Bay. Other times in the past the Bay can be just enough of a kick to get a storm going. We are in the warm month weather ritual of warm sunny hot humid days though lately it hasn’t been too humid and then storms at night. One always hope the storms don’t turn violent. I have spent some time in bathrooms huddled with pets waiting for storms to pass or tornado warnings to expire. Unfortunately where I live our water table is too high for people to have basements or underground shelters. A home with a basement is a rarity. Tonight I was out walking the dogs admiring the moon and was not really paying attention to the approaching clouds and was surprised to see lighting come from them. The dogs and I went back inside quick. I do not fear weather but I have a healthy respect for it.

Now that the clouds have passed by I am heading back out to check out the Moon, Saturn and Mars and to try to learn a few more stars and constellations. I hope the weather is pleasant where you are, you stop and enjoy what life has to offer and never stop learning. Have a great day!