Cape May Point State Park ~ Green Heron

While out walking this morning I came across this Green Heron down near the duck blind. Just as I came across him he caught this dragonfly for a tasty snack.  He was only 12-14 feet away from me at times and paid no attention at all to me.

North Cape May ~ Beth's Patch ~ Royal Terns

I had a great time watching the Royal terns fishing on the beach in front of my house this afternoon. There were over 100 of them trying to catch dinner.  Found out it's really hard to capture the splashdown.

My Yard ~ Ruby-throated Hummingbird

Today's the first day I have seen a Ruby-throated Hummingbird since back in early May.  I love when they return and start using all of the great flowers we have planted for them.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Osprey's fishing the Bay

And Fall Migration begins...

Every year in late summer I see the different birds come through and feed off of the Coneflowers in my yard.  Today I saw the first American Goldfinch of the season.

My yard - Gray Hairstreak Butterfly

Wordless Wednesday ~ CMP State Park ~ Black Skimmers

Wordless Wednesday ~ My Yard ~ Cabbage White Butterflies

Hand-dyed fabrics and Shibori

One of my online postcards groups is having a swap using shibori dyed fabrics.  One of the members thought that meant ribbon.  The shibori I have always done was to take a piece of fabric that I have already dyed but that I am not thrilled with - maybe it's an off color, maybe it's dull but in some way I feel the need to change the fabric. I wrap the fabric around different sized poles depending on the look I am after and place it in a bucket of dye.  Here are some of my results.

Goshen CMBO ~ Birds & Butterflies

I have always enjoyed going to the Goshen CMBO to see the birds and butterflies.  Normally, I visit there in June but this year time got away from me.  Today after work I was able to stop by.  Must say I was very disappointed to see how the grounds are overgrown and haven't been maintained.  This year there are no hummingbird feeders with Ruby-throated Hummingbirds flying into feed. And I saw very few butterflies as compared to prior years.  The Barn Swallows are sitting on nests.  At the pond the Pickerel Weed have Broad-winged Skippers as they do every year.  Also on the Pickerel Weed was a Smeared Dagger Moth caterpillar. The only other butterfly I saw was a Gray Hairstreak Butterfly.

Wordless Wednesday ~ Cape May Point State Park ~ American Cooper Butterfly

Wordless Wednesday ~ Cape May Point State Park