Taking a break before the Big Day

Things were crazy here at the NJ AOG Stadium today - butterflies, moths, bees, wasps, birds, squirrels, chipmunks...all were putting in the final training sessions before the Games officially start tomorrow.  The hummers were no exception - careening all over the garden in high speed relay races and displays of aerial gymnastics.  The Buddleia Arena was packed with pollinators and a few shady characters too (I'll be keeping an eye on the spiders and assassin bugs.)  

Seen here, Jezzy is taking a well deserved rest and scratching an itch with her tiny leg.  Look closely and you can see her itty-bitty hummie foot.  And as a side note - hummingbirds are not capable of walking or hopping because their legs are too short.  Fact.  

If you'd like to see a few other recaps from today's trials and practice sessions, I've posted 5 on Flickr, starting HERE.  The last photo in the series is the first of the monarch cats to leave the mother-bush in search of a place to transform into a chrysalis.  Kind of hoping he/she emerges as a butterfly in time to participate in some of the games.  Really thought this one could ace the frassing competition but now the frassing part of its life is done.  Alas.  

Today will be the last day to tag your photos for AOG2016 - now we revert to the letters AOG followed by the date (i.e. AOG5 for 5 August, AOG6 for 6 August, etc).  I can't wait to see what the athletes get up to in the next few weeks, and hope that all of you can join in the fun - if not every day, then when the mood strikes.  As for me, I'll be covering events here at the NJ Stadium on a daily basis - the thrills, the chills, the excitement!

Cheers...
Debbi