A Real Summer Day!

I can't get enough of this day, mainly for fear that it will all come to and end and go back to cold and/or rain tomorrow or very soon. Can't trust any forecasts, just what each day brings, along with the radar maps.

For now, though, it's been a busy day outside and running.
Gonna head to the river soon for a swim to cool down and then clean up for the evening - get all this yard dirt and grunge off me. Although, it feels good to get dirty, and to play amongst the plants, and enjoy the fruits of my labours.

I picked my first ripened strawberry
and noticed that the critters stole several of the others that were nearing ready. lil shits. I sprinkled cayenne pepper all over the plants yesterday, only to have it downpour last night washing it all away.
So I've just finished re-applying the pepper and picking the one unsampled strawberry for my treat. First of the season always tastes best.
Anyway, here are some pics of some bloomers (the daisies are starting), an iris, and heaps of silly little dragonflies which must have recently hatched and were flitting about the yard, in the sunshine, sunning themselves on the branches stored in the fort.

Enjoy!

The asters are coming up nicely

Later, I took a ride to the Skyline Parkway, passing through Hawk Ridge and the scenic overlooks, on my way for an evening swim in the Lester River, along the Seven Bridges Road.

Lake Superior Scenic Overlook

The Hawk Ridge release area and scenic overlook

Lester River at The Smilies

Lots of sun, and rushing water (big rain Friday night)

One of the Seven Bridges above,

and the view above is from on the bridge, looking upstream.
This view from the bridge is looking downstream on The Smilies (if you look on this photo, there's a rock in the upper left which has a smile face painted on it in white spray paint - hence this being known as The Smilies) swimming area.
It was so lovely; the water so refreshing.