My Morning Smile 17

Ten More Days, or Less?

Hop vines are filled to capacity. Hop cones will be soon ready for picking.

By mid-afternoon, hop vines provide lots of shade

Hops are hoppin'.

Please link to My Morning Smile 16

Photos GH

Trumpet Vines

Vines Hit the Right Note

 Ready to Burst

 Ta ta ta Da!

 "Kiss me you fool!"

The Wall Flower

Link to I Choose Ice Cream

Photos GH

Blooming Backyard

Trumpets and Beer

I think of trumpets and beer when I step onto my back deck. The trumpet vines are a-blooming and the hop vines are beginning to flower. They signal good times ahead.

 The hops are beginning to flower

 Vigorous vines will be home to hundreds of hop cones

When the hop cones are ready for picking, I will pop a few into a cold glass of light lager or mild pale ale, and gently stir. I'll 'soup it up', so to speak. And I'll sit, relax and listen to some good tunes. Maybe a bit of Louis Armstrong.

Link to Busy Busy Chickadees

Photos GH

Busy Wee Skunk

The Next Generation

I left my backyard workshop at 4 PM yesterday and was quick to notice a skunk prowling about the lawn. I stopped dead in my tracks. When I realized the critter was a brand new 2015 model I reached - very quietly - for my camera.

"Where am I now in the pecking-order around here?"

I don't mind sharing my backyard with a new skunk. It will generally groom my lawn, dig a few holes for grubs and sleep most of the day - once it realizes a human bean rules the roost out back until 6 - 7 PM most days of the week.

Link to Busy Busy Chickadees

Photos GH

Zoom w a View

Hops are Popping

The hop vines in my backyard are flowering.

Next week I should see hundreds of small cones in place of the flowers.

If so, the week after that I will add more flavour to my glass of lager.

Link to Zoom w a View

Photos GH