birds-344

This is how I felt on Sunday. All I wanted to do was curl up in my hammock and take a snooze in the late summer sun. But, the squirrels ate my hammock last summer. So I lazed on the porch, puttering in the yard here and there when guilt over my laziness set in.

birds-165

While parked on the porch wishing I had a hammock, I snapped this picture of the Spice Girls. When the first chick in this clutch hatched, we named her Spice. What we didn’t realize is that four of the five chicks would look all but identical. So we refer to them as the Spice Girls. I think we got a Spicy Rooster, too.

birds-253

This is the odd chick out. We call her Smokey. She’s the cutest little thing, but don’t let that fool you. She’s the trouble maker that instigated my chicken quandary?which has yet to be resolved.

hairy-woodpecker

This Hairy Woodpecker (or is it a Downey?) was one of dozens of birds to visit on Sunday. The yard was teaming with birds including Chickadees by the dozens, Goldfinch, Dark-eyed Juncos, and Mourning Doves. They all seemed unusually busy. Maybe they sense, as do I, that summer is waning.

birds-308

At one point, Paul lured me off the porch to explore his pumpkin patch. Three large pumpkins are ripening on the vine with many more baby fruits that won’t make it much longer. Tonight, lows in the 30s are predicted.

birds-388

And just when I though my favorite symbol of summer had moved on, this little hummingbird appeared, checking out my chimes.

How much longer will she stay with summer moving on its way?