Lazy Afternoon

Looking straight up into the tangle of cottonwood branches near the irrigation ditch. I walked about trying to focus the camera for the best light, not looking where I was putting my feet, head cranked back. I remember as a child staring at the sky that way until I felt that I might lift off my feet and go dizzily up into the blue.
Aspens growing on a bend of the ditch. The leaf colors are changing daily. There was a slight haze--smoke drifting over the mountains from a forest fire on the other side.

Shades of gold and green against blue.

A flicker perched on a lobbed-off limb in one of the cottonwoods. If you double-click on the photo you can see the bird's markings. I was shooting directly into the shade, and of course I'm not going to master the settings on this camera. I don't suppose birds and such would sit still while I pondered the buttons and dials and tried to remember how they work.

It has been a beautifully hot golden day for late September. We warmed up shepherd's pie for lunch. Our daughter ambled down from next door and thought it looked appetizing, so she rummaged out leftover veggies to go with it.

Our good neighbor arrived with her grandson, bringing us a share of the green beans she picked yesterday. We all sat in gentle clouds of cat hair, enjoying the company.

When everyone departed, J. [who definitely over did things yesterday with his damaged hamstring] went in for a nap, followed by several companionable cats.

I wandered out to the west-facing porch, kicked off my sandals and rolled up the legs of my jeans the better to enjoy the hot sun. I had just gotten comfortably immersed in my book [reading Nella Last's War] when I thought I heard the call of an owl from the cottonwoods near the pond. A pair of great horned owls lurk there through the autumn weeks, but are usually silent during the day.

I fetched the new camera and trudged down the drive past the little cabin which over-looks the pond and irrigation ditch. I gazed up at the branches the owls favor, but didn't spot any. The flicker was busy on his high stump, a reward for my curiosity.

By the way, I so enjoy the comments you leave. I hope you check back to the comments section, as I will answer you there. It seems wonderful to me that folks from such faraway places can enjoy a lively and interesting round-robin exchange of ideas.