The birds' song and the water's drone, /The humming bee's low monotone, /The murmur of the passing breeze,/ And all the sounds akin to these -

Paul Lawrence Dunbar

The whole terrific poem - an amazing series of couplets

In Summer Time

Paul Laurence Dunbar

When summer time has come, and all
The world is in the magic thrall
Of perfumed airs that lull each sense
To fits of drowsy indolence;
When skies are deepest blue above,
And flow'rs aflush,—then most I love
To start, while early dews are damp,
And wend my way in woodland tramp
Where forests rustle, tree on tree,
And sing their silent songs to me;
Where pathways meet and pathways part,—
To walk with Nature heart by heart,
Till wearied out at last I lie
Where some sweet stream steals singing by
A mossy bank; where violets vie
In color with the summer sky,—
Or take my rod and line and hook,
And wander to some darkling brook,
Where all day long the willows dream,
And idly droop to kiss the stream,
And there to loll from morn till night—
Unheeding nibble, run, or bite—
Just for the joy of being there
And drinking in the summer air,
The summer sounds, and summer sights,
That set a restless mind to rights
When grief and pain and raging doubt
Of men and creeds have worn it out;
The birds' song and the water's drone,
The humming bee's low monotone,
The murmur of the passing breeze,
And all the sounds akin to these,
That make a man in summer time
Feel only fit for rest and rhyme.
Joy springs all radiant in my breast;
Though pauper poor, than king more blest,
The tide beats in my soul so strong
That happiness breaks forth in song,
And rings aloud the welkin blue
With all the songs I ever knew.
O time of rapture! time of song!
How swiftly glide thy days along
Adown the current of the years,
Above the rocks of grief and tears!
'Tis wealth enough of joy for me
In summer time to simply be.

This poem is in the public domain.

So I'm here simply being. Hanging out. Taking pictures. BAB (Big Ass Bug) pictures. I wonder, what made it want to stand on the side of the charcoal grill?

These Mandevilla you are beautiful ! I think a variety is “Coral Sunrise” The blue fence is genius.

Verbena bonariensis Purpletop Vervain, Tall Verbena, or Argentinian Vervain.

Stunning Red Lantana!

Another Lantana.- these are new cultivars from a trial garden. I'm sure the orange will end up being called “ Dreamsicle” (pretty predictable with a certain shade of soft Orange.)

That red again -

Coreopsis - because the photo looks good next to the Red Lantana photo. I love Tickseed. Flower machines that will pump out the blooms all summer long into the fall.

I drove 7 miles out of my way on Monday so I wouldn't have to face Barncat without treats. She was appreciative!.

I found an old tack box at the barn. 4 ft long and 2 ft tall and wide. It was painted a muddy Brown with horsehead figures stenciled around the lid in shades of electric blue and dull purple. An old 4-H project. It was piled in the back of an old stall used for tack. I was looking for a crimp ring for a harness. I noticed the old tack box. I opened the lid just to see. It was full of what you would expect. Bottles of horse potions and lotions.- hoof dressings and detanglers. Linaments and vitamin supplements. It was all mostly just thick goo in the bottom of deteriorating plastic bottles, all covered in dust. I wonder where the dust comes from if the lid is closed ? I noticed something though, a large photograph covered by ribbons and show bills. I could only see a corner and uncovered the rest. I was shocked.

Everyone gets murky when you ask where Amos and the Minions come from - “ “Someone knew someone who knew someone and then …” I was never really satisfied with the explanation but I accepted it because - why not ? I saw the photo though and realized - things were not what they seem.

Sam and Fenn wait for their next meal. ( It could be awhile. They just ate.

That's all I got room for-thanks for looking!