Rain and egrets.

Last night after we got home, we hung the seed feeder back up and before it was even dark, three raccoons showed up.  Have they been waiting in hope for two weeks or did they smell the seeds? 

This morning a gentle rain is falling and all I've see are egrets.  It is good to be home anyway.  About 8am, the cardinals and chickadees discovered the Sunflower Cafe had reopened. Doves and squirrels are feeding below.  An osprey flapped downstream. I made fresh juice and hung the hummer feeder. 

As the afternoon dried out, the usual suspects were joined by two titmice and a hungry hummer.  Black and tiger swallowtails were looking for places to lay eggs.  The parsley and rue have gone to seed and even the lavender looks done, but the rosemary is coming back into bloom.  There are still blueberries, but not ripe ones.  Not much is blooming - the day lilies are done and the hibiscus is resting. Egrets have been on the move all day.  Hummer warz have begun with a dogfight over the dogwood.

And after dark, a thunderstorm.