As we begin to notice later dawns, earlier sunsets, flocking birds, and cool nights, we realize we’re on the “downside” of summer. Soon it will be Autumn. So we savor these lovely, sunny days by paying attention to things we might otherwise have overlooked.

This amazing yellow Dahlia was grown by our aunt, Giovanna Fellin, at her Drums, Pennsylvania home. An expert gardener, she artfully arranged the giant bloom in a centuries-old Japanese technique called Ikebana, emphasizing form and balance.

From time to time, we’ve glimpsed our friend, a Great Blue Heron, fishing at Brookhill pond in Sugarloaf, Pennsylvania. Shy by nature, he’d take off silently and gracefully as soon as he had sensed our presence. This time, however, he was content to pose for a few portraits …

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