Hazy August Daze

I finally ventured out with the camera Sat., and naturally it was an overcast day...the days before and after were sunny and clear...I'm just really out of it this year...and am also trying to pretend that summer isn't winding down...but the curlycup gumweed and goldenrod are in bloom...

I meandered around the usual farmland area to see what nature had to offer...

I thought I'd found a flock of lifer birds but they turned out to be yellowy-colored house sparrows...

(Update: Thanks Hap, you're no doubt right about this being an immature or female bobolink! I knew something was off about ID'ing it as a yellowy sparrow! LOL)

Sigh...a flock of European starlings...in their winter color no less...yikes...

The wild cucumber is in bloom...this vine took a hold by a nail on the post...

The Eastern kingbirds are still around...

...Some with plenty of 'tude...

An American kestrel was out hunting...

Two bucks ran across the road in front of me, into the underbrush...I tried to get a focused shot, focused on the buck and not the grass but that didn't happen...

Sunflowers and chicory are still in bloom...the blue and yellow are pretty together, even on the side of a dusty dirt road.

Sturgis Skulls

The 71st Annual Sturgis Bike Rally officially ended Sunday...it's always fun to see the bikes pouring in and it's always nice to have traffic back to 'normal', heh. Now for the four-wheeled tourist traffic to die down...can you say, Mt. Rushmore? Anyway, the Huz and I owned various Harleys for about twelve years, until '08, and before the Harleys we had other bikes...we still go to Sturgis during bike week to check out the bikes and nosh on some vendor food...this year we checked out some custom bikes...clearly skulls are a popular theme...

...There was an orange skull...

...Hard to see but the white designs all have skulls...

 Skull and angels, hmm.....

...A sea creature like the one in Pirates of the Caribbean...looks skull-ish...

 ...Even the seat can have custom skulls carved in leather...and some foul language...oopsie...

...A charming trio of skulls....

This is what Main Street in Sturgis looks like during bike week...no cars allowed.

I haven't been out w/ the camera stalking nature very much at all this year, but hopefully I'll follow thru on the threat to get out real soon.

Mariposa Lily

“And the stately lilies stand

Fair in the silvery light,

Like saintly vestals, pale in prayer;

Their pure breath sanctifies the air,

As its fragrance fills the night.”      

Julia C. R. Dorr