A Summer Day

Yesterday was a perfect day to work outside and enjoy the season. I weeded the garden and tied up the tomatoes. I pulled buckthorn. Then I tackled anther chore - burning a big pile of brush. Of all the chores, I like burning brush the best. What other chore requires you to sit and watch the fire to all the work? Once in awhile I got up to move a branch but mostly I relaxed in the quiet stillness of a Saturday evening. While I sat I tried to identify all the bird sounds I heard. It's hard! I saw bluebirds, blue jays, goldfinches, chickadees, flickers, mourning doves, crows and robins. I saw a handsome pair of catbirds. This is a first for my yard. They're very unusual in appearance, don't you think? That hawk that is eternally soaring above crying was back. I WILL get that hawk identified one of these days. I just love unplanned days like this where I can wander about the yard and putter on projects. The grapevine that I planted in April has finally started to grow. I was about to ask for my money back on that thing. I planted it right next to my garden gate. I see my gate post has rotted at the soil line so that is my next project to work on. Here is a photo of the more traditional looking catbird. Notice their sleek gray body with black caps. They have some reddish colored vent feathers.