Peacocks

I took these peacock photos at Magnolia Plantation and was happy to have the opportunity to see such displays. Of course, it is known that the male peacock displays his feathers to attract the female. We also witness a male shaking or fluttering his feathers. This is also done to attract the female or to scare away predators. The noise it make is like hundreds of wings flying by. I do wonder why our creator gave this bird such beautiful feathers but such an awful vocal call...very unpleasant...that's why I would never have peacocks on my property ;-)

They are all trying to outdo each other but then it was spring, time for mating.

My favorite

 I am fascinated by the structure of each individual feather but when I looked it up to get further information it was way to complicated and I decided that I wasn't that interested...ha! They are quite beautiful.

Spring flowers

I'm in love with this Iris

Clematis

Inside Barn #11

What was so strange about the inside of this barn was the feeling that the horses were just out to pasture for the day....except for the fact that everything was covered in cobwebs. It had a very eerie feeling about it. I wish that I had taken my tripod so I could have gotten more inside pics.

 The work shop

 Some old tools

 I love the light in this one

Barn Cat

My Yard in May

 Beverly Sills

I've talked before about doing more downsizing in my garden because I need to cut out the back breaking work that I can no longer cope with. The front bed Irises  (I have 4 varieties) have few blooms this year as they have borers and are just old and need divided and transplanted. My one remaining peony in the front has some kind of fungus and has just a few buds right now. I'm going to have my son help my remove most of that bed just leaving a circular bed around the light pole. There are 3 healthy saliva that I will transplant to the back as well as several hostas. I want to start over. There is a beautiful Hydrangea next to the light pole as well as the clematis so those will stay. In the fall I will plant some "Apricot Beauty" tulip bulbs.(my favorite) The rest will go to grass or ground cover.
In the back yard, I planted a new climbing rose next to the house and put in herbs and some annuals. I have some big issues with my grass, front and back, and will treat for grubs in July. Then, I may plant some ground cover on the edges...that periwinkle takes off and I have plenty to transplant. I should start some roots in pots. Jeez, this is the most garden planning that I have done for a few years.
I am jealous of some of my face book friends that attract so many birds but with my sparrow problem I'm not going to try that. I may pick up some meal worm and see what that brings in. I do know the best thing back there is my bird bath. I feed the finches and sat out there this morning for about an hour trying to get some decent pictures...they are skittish. No hummers yet. I am keeping the feeder clean and fresh so I hope someone will show up.
I think the sparrows have moved their nests from the house to the back of the garage. I am afraid to look. They are like a rat infestation.

Morning Ablutions

Can I please have some privacy here?

One of my favorite photos from the day's barn shoot.

Sunday is our last photo shoot for the spring semester and we are doing Woodmere Cemetary in Detroit. It looks like the weather will be nice. Looking forward to that and letting up on the yard work for awhile.  Still trying to get my garden and porches ready for summer. The pesky seeds are falling from my Birch tree in the back and from the Oak tree in the front....a big mess. There is no point in trying to set up the porches until they all fall. In the back yard it is like snow falling. Ugh!
My granddaughter is due to arrive for a visit on June 4th. Can't wait to see her. I have all kinds of things planned. Then toward the end of June our Summer Photography class will start up again. The end of July my brother and sister-in-law are going to visit and in the mean time I hope to do a lot of porch sitting and also take in a Tiger game. I know that the summer will fly by so I have to get out and walk once or twice a week and enjoy every minute. Life is good!

Barn #11 on Clinton Road

This was such a beautiful property...so well kept. At one time they raised Clydesdale horses but now the barn is empty. I have some great pictures of the inside of the barn that I will post tomorrow. A lot to photograph here...one of my favorite! Aren't the dormer windows lovely?

 The owners were so nice and the woman invited us in to this building to see her "Christmas Room" upstairs. It was all decorated for Xmas with trees etc.

I Googled this company and they are still in business making various types of pumps.