"Make it your ambition to lead a quiet life and attend to your own business and work with your hands........" 1 Thessalonians 4:11

Monday, August 11, 2014

Looking out across the grounds around the house,

one could think that it looks very dry and barren. And in places, at most times........
it is.............
but look a little closer..........



The pumpkin vines are starting to take over the front part of the yard, 


their yellow blossoms are just as pretty as a day lily in a flower bed........
don't you think? 

Hidden underneath are pumpkins........

in every size and color...........waiting for Autumn to arrive.
and although this looks like regular prairie grass..........
come look..........
a little closer...........

and you will find the wild moss that grows and blooms all along inside of it. 
This is very plentiful and I dig it up and place it in my gardens and containers.
It does very well. 


There are also large gardens of Zinnia
In just about every corner and space on the grounds..............


and they are full of the most beautiful creatures.....
like this butterfly, who finally paused long enough for me to photograph it.........

and this large moth........measured about 2 1/2 inches..........
.which likes the cool rocks along the flower beds.


There is also an abundance of dragon flies.............even in this dry climate. 
They have managed to find the pond. 

Out in the middle of all of this............I hear a baby rabbit cry out.............
and see two large rabbits chasing away a Road Runner, with this baby in it's beak.
Sophie and I are also in chase and the road runner dropped the baby...........it was unharmed

and handed back to it's mother.

Also along  a rock wall , these beetles are busy munching the life out of this weed...........

underneath one of the rocks.........this  Bull Snake wants me to go away so that it can catch itself some lunch.

The mesquite trees are forming their sap balls. It also runs down off from the tree and hardens on whatever it lands on. 

In the same tree a spider has built it's home..........quite a large home..........

I knocked on the door trunk............but no one would come out for a photo.
So, in this dry and barren world..........nature finds her way..........
and it has it's own kind of peacefulness.
So tell me............
what kind of environment are you making your home in??
Is it dry...........barren??
or
is it wet, green.......or full of mountains?
I would love to hear!


16 comments:

Connie said...

Oh my goodness, Kathleen! The snake and those huge beetles would give me pause!! Love the flowers, pumpkins, and bunnies! :D

NanaNor's said...

Greetings, So many changes in the earth and landscape. Here in Colorado, we are seeing signs of autumn and hearing the Cicadas song-which signal the first frost is not far away.
I loved seeing the story on your porches-so inviting.
Thanks for sharing; great pics too.
Hugs, Noreen

Nancy J said...

Hidden in what might seem a wilderness, wonders galore, best of all Baby Bunny, Zinnias so bright, and pumpkin flowers and more to come. A lovely walk through your garden. Hugs,Jean.

lil red hen said...

Our summer has been cooler than normal; quite a difference from 2012 when the pond was dry and no grass for hay. We've also had good rains making everything green and lush. It almost seems like fall already.

I loved seeing your flowers, both wild and those on your pumpkin vines. I have a gourd vine which has a beautiful little white flower on it late in the afternoons.

FlowerLady Lorraine said...

What a great post! Right now, I'm living in an overgrown tropical jungle. It is hot and steamy and I am so ready for autumn weather, which we probably won't see until October sometime.

I think there is beauty to be found anywhere, we just have to look closer. You captured it well.

FlowerLady

Pam said...

I could find a home for some weed eating bugs, all we have are gross slugs that slide over the weeds to get to the flowers and veggies. I live in Wales, very green between the Black Mountain and the sea. It is truly spectacular to me.

Sherri Farley said...

As always a visit with your critters is most enjoyable. Amazing what there is to been seen, if only we look!

Hill Top Post said...

I always enjoy these little strolls around your prairie. My zinnias are beginning to get a bit straggly (but still beautiful) which tells me fall is just around the corner. We have had plenty of rain throughout the summer, and, for that, we are thankful (can't forget 2012)!

Karen said...

I love your nature photos, Kathleen, they are beautiful! I'm so glad you saved the precious little bunny!

Sally said...

I loved this tour of your yards and especially the little bunny. So glad you were able to reunite it with its mama.

Absolutely also love the flowers and the wild ones especially. I keep saying that one year I'm going to put wildflower seeds in part of our backyard.

Very nice post. Thank you for sharing. :)

Elaine/Muddling Through said...

Kathleen, what a joy to see your beautiful photography! Your love for your place in the world is so evident.

Debra said...

I love your place, and all the critters. Wonderful photos of the bugs and the snake. You are brave to get so close!

We are cool here, but it rains every week. At least this summer it has. Everything is lush-including the weeds. I have to mow about every 5 days to keep up with the lawn. It's really lovely, and I can see signs of Fall already.

Connie said...

I love your pumpkin patch and everything about this post . . . Wait A Minute! . . . maybe not the bull snake. You are so brave to get close enough to take that photo. I get goose bumps just looking at the photo.
I've been going through some of your posts and truly enjoying my visit.
Have a sweet and happy weekend.
Your blogging sister,Connie :)

peggy said...

Taking a break this afternoon, I saw that I missed your post a few days back. I was looking forward to seeing your zinnias and pumpkins. They are my two favorites and wish I had more room. Did you hear we had 6.2 inches of rain in Mi? Yours may be dry but it is beautiful and filled with little creatures.

A Colorful World said...

How lovely your yard is! The pumpkins look fantastic! How wonderful that you saved that sweet baby rabbit! How on earth did you manage it (or the dogs, I guess?) I saved one from a crow or raven one time. I knew the baby rabbit lived there with its mother and I tried to make them a "hutch" so they would have a way to get away from animals. But, leaving openings for the mother to get in and out, it was kind've useless. Anyway, I heard the crow and ran out, and the baby rabbit ran straight for me. He didn't know he was running toward me, he was just trying to get away, but I scooped him up and kept him safe until the crow flew away.

Jen's Farmily said...

You're right- I saw dry land in the first picture but the rest of your pictures remind me that there's life everywhere! Your snake pictures still get me. Gah!