The Hawk and Passion Flower

Once again there's not a whole lot of news to report but I do have some photos to share of stuff going on around the house and such.  We'll start with the bird... a beautiful hawk that sits in the trees in the yard and swoops around the place as though he/she owns it.  I think the closest it ever came to anyone was a time last year when the thing swooped maybe 3 feet behind David when he was visiting, standing on the deck at the time.  He didn't even see it happen :)  Anyway... a few photos of our hawk:

Go ahead... click on the photos... you can see it well.  I really wanted to get a photo of it eating something but no such luck.  I did see it swoop down and grab at a snake but it missed it... guess it was still learning how to grab snakes.



The Passion Flower vine (or whatever) is growing rather splendidly on the trellis attached to the garage.  They're magnificent!  So, for those of you who don't have their own Passion Flower vine, here are some pictures.

OK... here's what it looks like against the garage.

Now, stay with me... this is what the buds look like just as they are about to open in the morning.  At night and when they've growing they are closed tightly. But when they mature, and the sun comes out, the petals open, and then actually reverse themselves, so to speak.

See how the petals opened and reversed to point down?  I told ya!  When they pull back they expose the most intricate inside.

Is that the most incredibly beautiful thing or what?!?!?!!  Remember now, click on the photo to make it bigger -- hit your browser's back button, or just hit the backspace key, to return.  Go ahead... do it.

A little closer.  Loving my new camera :)

And 2 more blossoms pretty much in the center of the trellis.  I really am amazed by the intricate design of these flowers... I really am.