photos from the woods at our end of the cul-de-sac (plus more and better hummingbird pics)

“The whole earth will worship you. It will make music to praise you. It will make music to praise your name.” Selah – Psalm 66:4

It’s Saturday morning, and I’m dedicating the balance of today to my novel. So, instead of writing, I’ll share the latest batch of photos from around Maul-Hall.

First, this summer has really highlighted what I enjoy about living in the woods. My parents’ house, in the middle of extensive exterior remodeling, sits beautifully among the trees – then the other photo shows how our homes line up together on our part of the cul-de-sac. Trees may create extra work in some ways, but I wouldn’t exchange the shade and the beauty.

Then – as my patience and timing has improved over the past few days – I managed to capture an even better series of photographs featuring the hummingbirds.

During the family of hawks’ three-month stay, Rebekah and I stopped putting out bird food (we didn’t want to lure the songbirds to their deaths!). But then, exactly one day after the hawks left the neighborhood, a bluebird perched on top of the feeder pole as if to remind us it was time to fill the trough. We did, and within half an hour the back garden was overrun with more than ten identifiable species. It’s been food-court palooza ever since!