A mixed bag -

 It's been one of those weeks. . . . . . routine doctor check ups, cat sitting for the
 neighbor, quick stop at the mall (only because it's near a doctor's office and I was
 an hour too early for my appointment - am I losing it?). Men digging up our
 cul-de-sac searching for water pipes, duh!  Interrupted sleep due to shoulder pain. 
Too much online time dealing with VISAS for travel to new islands - more on
 that later! Deadheading hydrangeas fried to a crisp and looking so sad, while
 almost frying myself in 90F plus humidity in the garden that day. . . . . . . .definitely
 a mixed bag of daily ups and downs.

Can you believe this?  After celebrating their 30th birthday with this pretty

 Sept/Oct issue, a card in the mail this week announced the demise of

 bi-monthly issues and mail subscriptions, which many of us have.

Traditional Home will become one of those 'special interest' publications now

 and then, perhaps overpriced and often full of already published articles.  

Sad, sad, sad - this was always a classy magazine and seeing it go the way of

 others only makes one realize how turning real pages may become a thing of the

 past in the world of print journalism.

Next door neighbor Nala. On a diet and looking good - but still

 really a hefty girl to lift!

Yes, that whip round the mall included a stop at H&M where I found this zebra print

 caftan-style dress on sale - very inexpensive!  Light, comfy and may be perfect for

 travel to hot places - moonlit evenings on deck, or even as a robe/coverup. 

I like that it has hidden buttons too. At home, I can wear on the front porch or in

 the gazebo for a casual supper and not look like I'm still in my robe! 
Actually, I had forgotten just how cool a flowing dress can be on a hot day.

The hummers are really busy and hungry this week - perhaps they feel Autumn 

in the air with the slightly cooler nights starting.

 Thankfully, if they are planning to migrate further south, they don't have the journey

of UK swallows migrating to Africa. . . . . . 6,000 miles and they travel at 35 mph!

One more purchase - from Pier 1 - this week.  Fell for this pretty pillow when

 killing that time before the doctor appointment.  As we'll be traveling in October, 

sadly I won't be visiting our favorite pumpkin farm for the real thing. I just knew this

 would be perfect on my chair, and give me the feeling of my favorite season
 approaching.  Again, with 25% off, it was a great buy.

I was able to dry this basket of hydrangeas, the ones I cut on my return

from Ireland, prior to the heatwave which lasted the past 6 weeks or more.

They are pretty, mostly muted greens with a little dusty blue remaining on

some heads.

It was lovely today and will remain sunny and in the high 80's over the Labor Day 

weekend.

With approaching Hurricane Dorian, this holiday weekend may not be a good, 

safe one for our Florida friends. If you live there, please know you are in our
 thoughts and prayers. . . . . .and our fingers are definitely crossed that it won't 
be as serious as expected. We here in the Carolinas may get some bad
 weather from this storm later the week after next as it may hang around 
far too long!

Hummingbirds -

Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Archilochus colubris

Our resident pair were busy this morning.

This summer I hung a new feeder on the front porch for the visiting

 hummingbirds - thankfully no ants have found it. I use only sugar and water 

now, a clean batch every few days during the heat, none of that red tinted

 commercial stuff.

In summertime we always have a visiting pair, the red-throated one being the 

handsome male - of course they're both beautiful!

They're the most difficult birds to photograph due to their speed, but every now

and then I just manage to catch a few shots through the dining room window - 

after standing there for what seems eternity, camera at the ready, usually 

early morning or late afternoon.

Hundreds of kinds of hummingbirds nest in the American tropics, and more

 than a dozen in the western U.S., but east of the Great Plains there is only 

the Ruby-throat. Here in the southeast it is fairly common in summer in

 open woods and gardens. Hovering in front of a flower, or a feeder, to sip

 nectar, it beats its wings more than 50 times per second. Impressive migrants

 despite their small size, some Ruby-throats may travel from Canada to Costa Rica.

I love to see these tiny, busy birds in my garden.

Hummingbird days. . . . . and the house project!

I cleaned out and refilled the feeder hanging on the front porch yesterday.
 It will be the last time for this year as these amazing tiny birds will be heading
 further south soon. . . . . also work has started on the exterior of the cottage
 so the feeder will have to be taken down. . . . . . . .more on that later.

We have a pair of ruby-throated hummingbirds flying back and forth - mostly when

 I pass the dining room window without a camera in my hand - of course! No other bird

 is as tiny, or flies backward like this one. It also hovers and flies up and down. I did

 manage to get these few half-way decent photos during the past couple of days.

Sometimes I sit outside on the porch but they aren't too happy when they see
 me and take off. They move so quickly, sometimes buzzing me with a soft
 chatter and whirl of those wings - they do not sing.

Weighing in at just 2-3 grams, it takes about five average-sized hummingbirds to

equal the weight of a single tiny chickadee! The heart beats an incredible 1,260 times

 a minute, it breathes 250 times a minute, and the wings flap 50-60 times a 

second.

Above and below - Mrs. Hummingbird

Iridescent green back among the wet oak leaves.

Mr. Hummingbird - you can just make out his ruby colored throat which ends in a lovely scalloped design. 

I took this photo, one of my favorites, a couple of years ago. This female loved the
 morning glories clambering up the porch, and perched on them often.
  I often wonder if it's the same pair returning each summer, or perhaps their offspring.

Do you have hummingbirds in your garden?
I hope so as they so pretty to watch - if you're quick!