Nature Notes: Rain, rain, rain and more rain

I am very happy that the hot muggy weather has given way to much cooler weather which is a nice break this time of year. It is raining pretty continually but at least when it stops briefly it feels great outside. I'm not a big fan of heat so I'll take any cooler days in the summer I can get.
I was pleased that I actually managed to capture a reflection of the leaves within a single water droplet which was hanging on to a spent flower for dear life.I am not complaining about the rain. I'd rather have too much rain than too little but it does seem like feast or famine. We had a long drought from the spring of 2007 to the spring of 2008 but that is being replaced by rain, rain, rain. We're even having flash flood warnings although my house isn't affected.
The garden is still flourishing although some of my flowers and ornamental bushes are getting beaten down pretty badly.
The bird below cracked me up. Maybe it's just me but I swear I thought he was giving me a "you talking to me" look.
The damselfly or dragonfly below is practically a permanent fixture on my car antenna, returning to it again and again.I have been checking my blackberries every day and this one is getting closer and closer to being ready. I wonder if the birds will get the first ripe blackberry or if I'll have that honor.
The way these mushrooms are growing up under the rosemary it's almost like they are telling me to fix some sauteed mushrooms with rosemary, potatoes and white wine. Too bad I don't know which mushrooms are poisonous and which are safe.
I'm listening to the raindrops pelting down as I type up these nature notes and I do so love that sound.
I guess I'll end with a big old broad leaf filled with . . . . yep, you guessed it, raindrops.
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