BUZZING & SWIMMING

Swimming this morning in the North West Arm

without a Doodle care in the world ~

A two-step was in full swing inside this luscious pink rose

a solo engorgment of pollen by this bee as we stared down inside

so still 

so beautiful 

so Lady Bug 

almost translucent hiding in amongst the stamens

the white roses are a fresh pink before opening up to us

blackberry blooms so crinkly 

I continue to swim

rescuing Mr. Orangie from a fate worse than death.

As I return to the top of the hill 

I hear the buzzing of yet another bee

totally lost in all these blossoms ~

while Jim snoozes on the bench soaking up the beautiful summer warmth

and I take a reprieve from fetching and chewing Mr. Orangie 

within an inch of his orange life.

I do love our summers especially getting lost in the park, 

meeting friends,

swimming 

listening to the bees

and

devouring a green salad

anytime I want.

I Love My Summers!

PAYING RESPECTS ~ WALK ~ SWIM & MORE ~~~~~~~

I heard Ron saying one day:
that leaving the Valley as many people have done over the years
to find fame and fortune or whatever makes them feel whole inside
 always triggers the need to return
He is able to easily because
he only lives an hour away.
This view means
"I am back home!"
I always hear him say.

Ron's GF, GM and mother, Tommy are laid to rest in Willowbank Cemetery.
We always drop in to feel the calmness, serenity and to pay our respects
to these people
(even if I never met them).
I know their lives intertwined with so many others laid to rest here.
Ron always seems so focused and at peace
when he wanders around the grave stone
and looking for other relatives
that he knew over the years.
Take all the time you need Ron.

My 1st visit to the canal this year was a welcomed sight
since I sprained my paw recently and we all know swimming is better for rehabilitation than anything else.

 Short swims fetching Mr. Orangie

is all I need to strengthen my paw ~

and

 from what I can see it is working.

Heading back to the car

wet

energy reduced

at ease 

and 

at peace

I saw ~~

dandelions covered in bees

new sprouts on shrubs along the water's edge

last year's rosehips ( I eat these you now)

and a wee nest that had survived our winter

Spring has swathed it's gentle warmth across our lives

and before you know it these trees will be all in leaf

and the colours will change again.

Come back again to see the cutest ever

wee little black lamb we visited down the road from here.........

See you soon!

JAPANESE ANEMONE and some BEES

The tall willowy Japanese Anemone is displaying quite a few blooms this year.

And the bees are so thankful because they are spending

a lot of time gathering the sweetness

from each blossom.

The colours from 

the blossoms

the diffused light

the giant evergreen behind 

the spent blossom heads

and 

the new blossom heads

all give the view an ethereal effect.

 I wander by with my nose to the ground

with the hope that I can find one of my old bones

that I buried recently.

Two bees are working in tandem to gather every little morsel.

(can you find them?)

You did find them!

YAY

with all of this is going on just above my nose.

Imagine that !!

Buzzin' Bees!

This day was sunny and the garden was full,

literally amass, of bees.

I kept my eyes on them with trepidation.

These female bees

(click this)

are hard at work

gathering pollen for the hive.

Head's up everyone ~~~

Here comes a very industrious gatherer!

This one is tucked away

inside this hellebore

almost like camouflage

for the stamens 

and the bee are so very similar in colour.

Bobbing away on this small epimedium blossom,

you can see the pollen attached to the hind quarters

(pale orange/yellow just by the black body)

I stood there staring at this girl.

She just centered herself in the upside down blossom

and harvested all the pollen.

Off to the azalea blossoms,

so many!

Even other insects were joining in on the bonanza!

I feel much better about bees and creepy crawlies.

Ron just sits or stands quietly with Mr. Camera.

Sometimes I think he's a wee bit cuckoo!

All this excitement over these small fellers

when he could be playing 

CATCH ME

with

MR. ORANGIE!