For a change...

I realized that I haven't posted a bird in a while, so I set out today with the idea of posting a goldfinch.  Then, the hummingbirds came and stole the show.  Actually, our hummingbird numbers are much lower than usual this year - not sure why.  Usually by the first week in July we have over a dozen hummers swarming the garden; this year maybe 4.  Disappointing, but I hope that we'll see an uptick as August progresses.  

Meanwhile, I was thrilled to see Great Black Digger Wasps for the third straight day in the garden.  I think that this may be the start of a small colony, which makes me very happy.  Like the Great Golden Diggers (see yesterday's blip), the Great Blacks are quite large but extremely docile.  They also hunt katydids and crickets as hosts for their larvae, while feeding on nectar themselves.  They are excellent pollinators and definitely considered "beneficial" in any garden.  If you'd like to see a photo, click HERE - I think you will agree that she's a beauty.

No gym today, but I did do a pretty good upper body weight workout at home.  Tomorrow I'll be meeting up with my nature group so will be putting on some miles (hopefully without any chigger encounters this time!)

xo
Debbi

On depression...if someone you know shares that they have depression, it may be hard to know how to respond.  But the kindest thing you can do is ask if they want to talk about it.  When I was first coming to terms with my own depression, I found that the few people I told didn't really seem to know how to respond, which made me feel very alone at times.