the prize winner of central MN...

IS ME! A huge thank you to Trish from Off Camera with Trish Van Pilsum! My Minnesota readers will recognize her - she's been visiting in our living rooms via the tv for years (Please, all my readers with teenage kids need to watch her "Room to Live" video HERE now!). She has a wonderful blog that I have enjoyed following as well.
How cool is it that I won my first blog giveaway on this post by Trish showing photos and asking readers to guess where she was. It was easy for me since we had just been up to the north shore and the indian paintbrush was in full bloom as well as waves crashing to shore. A couple of days later she announced on this post that I was the winner and would be receiving a coffee mug from a wonderful gallery, Waters of Superior, in Duluth's Canal Park. Jayme and I will have to check it out on our next shopping trip.

When my package arrived my first thought was "this is kind of a big box for a coffee mug" and then I noticed it had been opened by the USPS with a note included that it was inspected to insure that it was media mail. This was no longer sounding like a coffee mug and once I got below the packaging material it was looking a lot more like a beautifully wrapped coffee table book.
I opened the envelope to reveal a notecard with the store's logo...
with a wonderful message from Trish.
At this point - I "ripped" into the wrapping to reveal the biggest surprise - it was a beautiful book of North Shore photography by Craig Blacklock who is one of the best known Minnesota photographers around. I've already spent hours pouring over the photos and studying his composition so that I can practice my photography skills on trips up north. I can't wait to spend some time relaxing with the included DVD set to music.The photography is stunning and Jayme & I have shot many of these same scenes including the ice piles...
and the beautiful fall colors.
I've even spent time photographing the sunrise over Lake Superior including this post.
This last photo really needs to be enjoyed because just last month the famous Tettegouche State Park arch collapsed as seen here.
I really should have photographed my new book on the coffee table and not the carpet but Hey, I was just to excited to show it off :)

I'll do the early Sept garden walks tomorrow as it has been a busy week. Yesterday, I traveled to NW MN to have a girls' day with my two nieces, Rachel & Emily, and we played photo shoot - aren't they beautiful?

They do buckle their seatbelts immediately entering my car but I hope Emily shows all her friends the "room to live" video as well.

mosaic Monday...part 2

The light is a little better this afternoon so I went out to practice my hummingbird flight photos again.
It's easier when they sit still :)

mosaic Monday...

The lighting was horrible last night but as I was sitting in the garden the hummers were busy at the feeders. I played with different settings on my camera and finally found some where I could "freeze" the wings - I was hoping for sunshine today to capture them in good light but it is raining this morning so I am hoping it clears soon. I love the photo that reflects the house in her eye :)

It is so fun to watch them guard their personal favorite feeders and attack any other hummer that dares come to it.

rescued...

Yesterday, right before I went outside to take photos of the monarchs I heard a bird crash into the patio door. I looked out and didn't see anything so grabbed my camera to go look for monarchs. As soon as I opened the door Hershey came running and suddenly stopped as if to pick up something...it was this little bird and so I called Hershey off before it became a "scooby snack". I picked it up and set it on our grill top and took it's photo (notice it has a hair in it's beak?) then called Hershey to come look for monarchs with me (she was still interested in having a snack) - when we left it was just sitting still with it's eyes closed. I checked back in a few minutes and it still was resting.
After I found the tree with all the monarchs I spent some time taking photos and then remembered the little bird - it was about 10 minutes later and it was now awake and looking around.
He stayed put while I took some photos so I shot away...


I even got a close up of the hair stuck in it's beak...

before he had enough and squawked at me...
and then gave me the cold shoulder.
I left for just a few minutes to take more monarch photos and when I returned he was gone - a happy ending for this little bird who I looked up and it appears to be a red-eyed vireo. The eyes appeared more brown than red to me so according to the description at the All About Birds link it could be an immature one.

monarch migration...

Every year in late August I keep an eye on the garden in late evening. If I see a lot of monarchs around then I know that it is migration time and I will be rewarded with seeing groups of them "overnighting" in the trees in the morning.
This morning they "spooked" easily and many flew off when I moved in closer for photos.
My favorite photo with the blue sky background.
They weren't confined to the spruce trees - the windbreak of ash trees was full of groups of 2-3 but no large masses. There had to be a couple hundred spread out like that, I'm wondering if they had already dispersed by the time I got outside.
There were some in the white pines...

some in the colorado blue spruce...
and some in the tamarisk.
I am hoping more move through tonight but it past years it has been a one night wonder.

In 2006 - we spotted them on August 29-30. (click on the date for the link)
In 2007 - I spotted them on August 24th.
and in 2008 & 2009 I missed spotting them so I am thankful today for noticing them last night!

bird bathing...

With fall migration in full swing I love seeing the different birds come to the rock to bathe.
There are many of these little guys around and I am not sure what they are...some type of warbler - I'm guessing Nashville warbler because of the greenish tone to their backs.
They are joined by a female oriole...
and pose together.
The splashing water droplets create shadows that look like spots on the warbler's back.
A chipping sparrow tries to join in...
but is too shy to join the party.
I just love watching birds bathe :)

mosaic Monday...

August is the month of butterflies in my garden...

and the month of weddings to celebrate. Congratulations to my brother-in-law and new sister-in-law, Lon & Carol! We had a wonderful time celebrating the love and joy surrounding you on your special day.

steeple Sunday...

Holy Cross church, Santa Cruz, CA.


This old church was really beautiful to see but wouldn't it have been neat if the original mission was still standing...