Life in the Garden

Labor Day has come and gone, hummingbirds have made their departure to the south, mornings are cool, and days are becoming shorter.  Yes, a new season is approaching  and I am happy because fall is my favorite time of the year.  My garden is beginning to experience the cycle of seasons. The birds are quieter and there are fewer insects and animals to photograph.  In the evening the sounds of crickets  dominate the quiet of the outdoors.  Crickets are fine when outdoors, but when one finds it's way indoors the hunt must begin because the rhythmic chirping can become somewhat annoying.  I have always been fascinated on how the temperature affects the time between chirps.  Nature  apparently  provided them with an internal thermometer. As as for me, I must use the man made one.  Enjoy life in my garden, because I do.

 

 



 



This little ruby throat hummingbird made a perfect landing.  He certainly wasn't camera shy. 

 

 



Hummingbirds require energy-rich flower nectar or a substitute which I provide with a sugar and water solution.  The birds are around the feeders most of the day,  They are visible early in the morning until late in the evening .

 

 

We see you!

 

The koi are quite active.  They are feed twice a day and they keep growing and growing.  It becomes rather expensive in the course of a year to feed them, but they are very special and these are the residents of one of two ponds.

Some moths grow big in New Jersey, I was fortunate to be in the right place at the right time to capture his/her pose.

Beep-Beep is no longer with us.  He took the place of having a guard dog.  In his little mind he thought he was in charge and I guess he was.

 



The laurel invites the bee to it's sweet nectar.  Maybe he has stayed a little to long; he looks a little over weight.

The holly tree is humming with the sound of honey bees.  The female tree provides beauty, food, and prickly leaves.

The koi pond has a net over the water to keep out unwanted guests.  This frog was certainly welcome as he playfully hopped about.

Dragonflies are always visible, since they like being around the ponds.  When they land on a still object their appearance is sometimes iridescent.  Their eyes are large for such a small creature but that is better to see you with.