Carolina Saddlebags Dragonfly

Carolina Saddlebags Dragonfly

Both today's and yesterday's dragonflies were on Beech Forest Pond. If you poke around the Cape Cod National Seashore eventually you'll find the self-guided trails. The Beech Forest Trail circles a shallow pond teeming with dragonflies. The ponds aren't even on the seashore maps. The bike path circles a few other ponds as well. I spent some of each day walking the trails trying to catch a dragonfly perching and snap a photo before it took off.

12 Spotted Skimmer

12 Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly - male

I had several awesome days while on vacation. The hawk was one, but catching a twelve spotted skimmer and a Carolina saddlebags dragonfly landing on the same day was pretty nice too.

Red Tail Headshot

The hawk really did let me get mighty close, probably within 8 feet.

Immature Red Tail Hawk

No I did not spend last week at a falconry show. I was on vacation on the Cape where the wi-fi access was too spotty for posting. The hawk above actually landed on my hotel roof, then proceeded to land on a post right outside by porch. It then hung around for about 20 minutes total, though some of that was back on the roof. There were numerous people approaching to photograph and it didn't seem startled much. This photo is cropped slightly to cut out the two people in the background also photographing the bird. I took roughly 10 photos a minute while it was hanging around. You can never take too many photos of an unlikely critter. More cape critters to come, including more hawk pics.

Pickerelweed

It's been several years since I planted these and I'm finally getting flowers in a standard configuration rather then just two little flowers before it falls in the pond.

Damsel

The damselflies are hatching from the pond in impressive numbers. I still feel bad putting mosquito dunks in there as I expect that impacts them as well as the mosquitoes, but I can't have West Nile in my backyard.

Early Grapes

This year I'm going to have to cage the grape vine so I can let the grapes ripen all the way. I also caved and brought two other bagged grape vines on clearance for a few dollars each. Both are white dessert grapes, my preferred type. The Reliance grapes on this older vine are red.

Bee Balm 'Jacob Kline'

Nice tall red bee balm. As far as I'm concerned these herald the start of summer.

Veggies

The cucumbers are coming. We've got lots of flowers. Lots of tomato flowers as well.

Miniature Rose

Roses aren't really my cup of tea. Mostly because I have three rose 'bushes', and all three have withered down to one stick. One is almost 4 feet tall, but again a single stalk with one flower a year from each. They aren't quite worth the space I'm providing. If I'm not going to constantly spray them for aphids they don't survive. The canker worms have also been munching their first leaves to swiss cheese so long term survival seems unlikely.

Monadnock Bonus

I believe the trail is somewhere over to the left in this picture. I use trail very loosely, it wasn't sheer rock, but it was mighty challenging. I'm also bringing the light camera next time.

Mt Monadnock

My cousin convinced me that climbing Mt. Monadnock in 90 degree weather was a good idea. This is a view from one of the false peaks you get to well before the summit.

Heart Rock

Found by my cousin and dutifully photographed before being tossed in the ocean. The only thing that slightly bugs me the the darkness of the shadow. On looking it over again, it makes it look a bit strange, as if I plunked the stone there with Photoshop. It was very early afternoon and the sun was still quite high when I took this.

Spectacle Island Beach

One of several uses for spectacle island was a garbage dump. This is quite clear as you wander the beach. In sections there is actually more sea glass then rock. in addition to bricks, ceramic dish pieces and other flotsam worn smooth by the ocean.

Seagull

Yesterday, I wandered around George's Island in Boston Harbor. We also visited Spectacle Island. The fort was quite impressive, and next time I'll think to bring a flashlight, as there were plenty of interesting passageways, but most were quite dark. Lots of geese and seagulls were hanging around looking for missed food.