It Was Summer Yesterday

We don't have a thermometer out front in the sun but yesterday it had to have been in the upper 70s . . . maybe even 80? Hubby and I both switched to shorts right after lunch. (You would have laughed - as we did - at the lily-white legs. Not pretty.) The black flies were also in evidence for the first time. (Pox be upon them!)

"Mom, you got burned a little today!" was my daughter's comment when she stopped by on her way home after work. Luckily, I tan easily and this morning the redness is already gone.

The temp overnight went down to 46 degrees so it's not like it's time yet to leave all the windows open all night.

I've been trying so hard (and not succeeding) to get a good picture or two of Mama Mallard and her ten little ducklings.

Every afternoon hubby puts a little pile of grain on the bank of the pond (toward bottom right of above pic) and Mama brings her brood up for a snack. Yesterday she knew something was fishy with me standing there with my camera, and refused to come out of the water for the longest time.

It was only when I backed away quite a bit that she cautiously came to the food. Here she's standing watch while her hungry little brood gobbles the food. (You can click on picture to enlarge.)

The babies are still just little fuzzballs but spend 90% of their day in the water zipping all around like tiny remote controlled motor boats. They dive down under the water and then pop up again like little corks. One could sit and watch them for hours.