Bearing Fruit at Last

It's been a few years since I planted two apple trees just past the big barn. I've forgotten how many years exactly. I've forgotten the names of the apple varieties. (We chose a couple we liked.) But this year the trees are bearing fruit at last, and that makes me very happy. It reminds me, too, that while keeping expectations realistic  may hold heartbreak at bay, it's also important to keep hope alive.

Sighting Just South of Northport -- Hawk on Line

Last Farm Market Day in Northport

I want to feature my friend Kathy from Windy Ridge North today. There are many fine vendors and many growers of beautiful fruits and vegetables at our county farm markets, and I've shown you others before, and today is her turn. Her booth looked so beautiful I had a hard time putting my camera down -- and then I couldn't stop finding more produce to buy. Here's why:

My haul

You can't see it all very well, but there was a bag of tomatoes, a bag of peaches (I pulled one out to have its picture taken), a big bunch of Swiss chard, one small zucchini, some gorgeous onions, and darling little patty pan squash. Thank you, Kathy!

Another Beautiful Commuting Encounter

Coming to work by back roads this morning, I was so intent on scanning the sky for hawks that I almost missed these two sandhill cranes in the straw stubble, far back from the road. They are brought closer through the magic of zoom.

Also this morning I discovered, for the first time, the wonderful "Sharpen" [image] feature on Photoshop, which has somewhat improved otherwise disappointing shots.

Encounter on Back Roads

Joe-Pye-weed with goldenrod in foreground

See the bee?

I turned up a side road on the way home, a side road that is one stretch of my usual backroads route to town in the mornings, because I wanted to photograph Joe-Pye-weed and goldenrod. Flora cooperated. An insect joined in. 

Then down near the bend, something more exciting came into view. A great blue heron had just skewered a frog and was making repeated attempts to get it down. Then, being a heron and clearly still hungry, he resumed a statuesque pose and waited patiently. Sarah and I continued to watch from the truck, also trying not to move.

Slowing down to look more closely at wildflowers paid unexpected dividends.