penstemon (maybe?)

My gardens are surrounded by neighbors' flowery landscaped yards, one of which probably threw seeds to the wind for this result.

Many of our favorite plants have struggled in this cool dry summer to develop their best blooms. But this beauty seems to have taken advantage of the situation to surprise us. Along the neighbors' fence, a few days ago I noticed some stalks of intense magenta blossoms among the cattails. Research has led me to think these are penstemons, although I am not sure of the exact species.

These plants seem to have self-seeded in an area that is wet enough to nurture their germination. Another welcome addition to the wild woods.

bird bathing

The birds love the "bubbler" that continuously moves water in the crockery bowl that serves as one of our bird watering sites. This week the American Robins (Turdus migratorius) have been lining up and sometimes are rudely impatient as they take turns in the bowl. When this bird finished the vigorous part of her bath, she spent several minutes just relaxing in the water with her bottom on the bubbler.

garden harvest

The kitchen garden at the edge of the wild woods produces a precarious harvest of veggies when the grazing deer stay outside the rabbit fence. On most afternoons there are just enough tomatoes, summer squash, beans, snow peas, or leafy greens ripe for our small suppers.