in the yard – Page 36

New Rabbit Nest

July 21, 2012Rae Spencer13 Comments

This morning, one of the rabbits built a new nest in the irises. It looked like a lot of work. She pulled grass in huge mouthfuls, carried it into the iris bed, arranged it carefully, then returned for more grass. She also spent a great deal of time digging, uprooting several irises in the process. (The irises will survive. They always do.)

I can hardly contain my curiosity, though I know better than to disturb the nest today. Maybe sometime mid-week, I’ll take a closer look.

I’m looking forward to a new litter of bunnies, and I’ll be very disappointed if the nest fails. Or if the hawk returns…

June Bugs, Escaping a Spider (Arachnophobia Alert!), and a Publication Note

July 20, 2012Rae Spencer4 Comments

The June bug invasion continues.

This morning, one of the June bugs had a narrow escape after flying into an orb weaver web. (Look away!!) It was a failure of either bite or venom for the spider, a triumph of size and strength for the June bug.

Publication Note: My poem “Means of Dispersal” appears in the July/August 2012 issue of Eclectica. Many thanks to poetry editor Jennifer Finstrom!

Dragonfly Weather

July 19, 2012Rae Spencer5 Comments

The heatwave continues. Every so often, an afternoon thunderstorm brings brief relief, but these storms are too scattered to offer any reliable remedy. The only creatures who seem to thrive are dragonflies.

My camera struggles in this weather. The lens fogs, whenever I step outside, and the camera’s body absorbs so much sunlight that it actually becomes uncomfortable to hold. I’m still getting my twenty minutes per day, but time in the yard is increasingly forced. Perhaps I’ll try the park, where a stretch of beach and plenty of shade might defuse the relentless heat.