Classic Summer Days

It has been hot and humid.

The Tiger Swallowtails have been nectaring
in the cone flowers.



The Gold Finches are finding seed on the Sunflowers.



Thundershowers overnight left us with half an inch of rain.

A female Ebony Jewelwing greeted me when I went walking.

She is my new favorite bug!

Funeral Duskywing

The Bright Eyed Cosmos provide food for many varieties
of butterflies and bees.
I save seed each year and resow in the spring.
It also self sows.

When I went to gather some seed this morning
I saw this Funeral Duskywing.

I knew it was a Funeral Duskywing because
of the white fringe on her wings.

Safari Sunday

Katydid



I spent some time with a Katydid this morning.

This is one of the summer night singers
I have been listening to.

This one is a female.
I could see her ovipositor.

She seemed to enjoy the day lily.

It is hot and humid.

Perfect bug weather.

The Swan

Full Buck Moon

I have been going here and there.
There is a bridal shower on Saturday and
I wanted to do up a little something special
for the bride to be.

While shopping today I saw an Eastern Comma puddling

and a pair of Zebra Swallowtails.

The Orange Sulphur was getting a drink of water.

In my garden the Tiger Lilies have opened.
My husband calls them Leopard Lilies.
I think they are charming. They came from my neighbor's yard before she went into a nursing home. My son brought them to me. They are treasures, Joe's Lilies.
Gardens are full of stories.
I hope to help my new niece- in- law begin her garden story!
Happy Full Buck Moon.
Happy stories.

"It's a miracle"

"It's a miracle," my doctor said.
"Your health has been restored!
What have you been doing?"





"Just the supplements and enzymes you recommended,"
I was as pleased as my doctor.
" I also have been drinking the herb teas you suggested and growing
my own medicine. Your encouragement made a difference for me."

I am out in the gardens. I am weeding and deadheading. I am saving seed.

I am connecting with my plants.

I am saving containers to winter sow this coming year. I am dreaming of gardens.

I once again am a plant person.

I feel good. I feel well. I feel whole again.

My knees were fine today, no pain when I unfolded.

My back and shoulders are just fine.

It was hot and humid but I could be outside.

My Doctor ask me if I was allowing my plants to heal me.

I do not know, maybe so.

I do know I sat with the Rosemary today.

I began weeding her bed. I did some layering. I want to propagate her again.

I want to rebuild my Rosemary hedge.

This Rosemary is winter hardy in my zone 5b.

An usual plant. An unheard of "Hardy Rosemary".

She has survived flood waters and late frosts.

She has survived below zero temperatures.

A gift from Mother Nature.

This Rosemary is the miracle.

The Rosemary healed me.

Chippy

There is a little chipmunk that has come to live near my garage door.
I see him scurring about in the gardens.
Last week I began filling a brass leaf with seeds and nuts.
A bowl for Chippy.



Slowly the Chipmunk has begun to trust me.

I hope there is a family.

I would love to see baby Chipmunks.

Sunday Safari

I took my coffee to the deck this morning.
I was thinking about our bug hunt today.
I thought about all the different bugs in my backyard.
I am reading a book called,
"The Birder's Bug Book", by Gilbert Waldbauer
Almost all of the birds eat bugs.

I was thinking and reading when a little bee landed on me!
"Hello, sweet bee!"
Little Bee stayed with me for a very long time.
I wish I knew the language of the bees.

The grasshoppers are growing.
They camouflage well in the grass.
Many of my backyard birds eat them.

The Spring Azure, in her summer dress, nectars on the blooms of the pokeweed.
I have left all that grows wild in my gardens.
The birds love the berries when they ripen.
I read that the tiny Metalmark butterflies nectar on weed blooms.
I have never seen a Metalmark. I am leaving more "weeds" in the gardens.
I would love for the Metalmarks to come and be comfortable.

The female Dragonfly likes to perch on the spent stems of the day lilies.
I can clean them up in the autumn.
Having water in my gardens means I have Dragonflies.
Having habitat for the birds is also habitat for the bugs.
I am going back outside.
I will sit quietly with my book.
Maybe Little Bee will come.
I would love to hear the adventures of Little Bee!

Bug Music

Snowberry Clearwing

The Snowberry Clearwings
have found the Butterfly Bush.

These are medium sized moths,
about 1 1/2 inches wing tip to wing tip,
that mimic bumble bees.

It is always a joy when I see them!

There are other sphinx moths that come in the summer.

The Hummingbird Clearwing is twice as big as the Snowberry.
I am looking for them to arrive soon
now that the Butterfly Bush is in full bloom.
Moths are very good bugs!

Bird Watching

The Bee Balm is beginning to bloom.
The Hummingbirds like it!

The male Hummingbird has finally become comfortable.
He perches on the feeding station.



He chases the bees.



There are two Hummingbird feeders on the feeding station.

One for him and one for her!

I can watch the Hummingbirds all day.

They bring joy into my life!

Sunday Safari

We filled our water bottles
and went bug hunting.

On the wild chicory that grows near the roadway
a Tiger Swallowtail was nectaring.

A Zebra Swallowtail followed us as we hiked.

Colonies of Ebony Jewelwings
greeted us near the water ways.

An iridescent emerald beetle sunned on the path.
Bugs are beautiful!

Queen Ann's Lace

The Queen Ann's Lace is in full bloom.

It is my favorite wildflower.
It is a host plant for the Black Swallowtail butterfly.

Exotic America

Wall.E

I just came home from the theater.

I am smitten with WALL.E

If you get a chance take a special someone to see WALL.E

Watch film making at its finest. Share some popcorn.

David Wester does fantastic movie commentary.
Read his work here.

Holiday Weekend

Tonight is the beginning of a three day holiday weekend.
Many people will go to the lakes to be on boats and in the water.
May they travel safely; may they be full of care on this holiday weekend.

I will be home with the Hummingbirds

and the Tiger Swallowtails.



I have seen the Zebra Swallowtail twice!
No pictures yet.
The Paw-paw bushes are her host plant and they are leaved out!
Maybe this weekend I will get lucky.

Happy Fourth Of July

Cloudy day

Even when it is cloudy the butterflies come to feed.
The monarchs have been visiting the gardens.
I keep watching for when they find the milkweed.

The little Skippers are so cute.

The bees and wasps also come to feed when it is cloudy.

The Black Swallowtail laid more eggs in the parsley this morning.

Big storm last night, with some areas receiving 5 inches of rain!
My gardens were watered nicely with only 1.2 inches.
The clouds are a blessing today.

First Tomato of the season!

We picked our first tomato.

Eating is best straight from the garden!

July

July came in hot and humid.

Perfect zucchini weather.



I picked our first of the season.

Lots of butterflies.
The Red-spotted Purple likes the orange slices
I put out for the Orioles.

The Cardinals perched in the shade most of the day.

Sunday Safari

A cool breeze from the north played the strings of the
wind harp this morning.
I stood on the back sidewalk and watched the bees
in the coreopsis.

The Bumblebees,



the Leafcutters



and the Mason bees found pollen.

The Painted Ladies found nectar.

Coreopsis is a native perennial in my area.
My hedge is 30 feet long, 3 feet wide and 2 feet tall.
It blooms from the first of June through September,
with only one pruning in July for rebloom.
It is a continuous food source for the bees and the butterflies.
Very easy to propagate and grows best in full sun.

Garden check

Last night I stood outside and watched a storm come in from the north.
I gasped at the splendid light display. I went to sleep to the sounds of thunder,
wind and rain.




This morning I took a garden tour.
The morning glories greeted me first.
They are volunteers.
I gave them a twisting willow branch to twine on.
Mother's seeds, Mother's plants.

The zucchini is blooming.
I am checking daily for fruit.
We eat lots of fresh zucchini in the summer.
I freeze zucchini for winter baking.

The last of the poppies were swaying in the morning breeze.
I check the seed pods each day.
I dry the seed for poppy seed bread.

Full circle, back to the Morning Glories.
Yesterday I had planted the last of the saved zinnia seeds.
Mother Nature watered them in very nicely.
I like gardening with Nature.
I like her ways.
We both plant seeds.

Acoustic Brazil

Event

I watched the Black Swallowtail find the parsley.

She was ready to lay her eggs.

I have fennel too for hosting.

Day Lily Lesson

If I only had one day,
one day to greet the world,
one day to bloom, one day to be me,
what would I do?

Hopefully I would be the best I could be!

Teakettle...teakettle...teakettle

The little Carolina Wren has returned.

His call, "teakettle, teakettle, teakettle" tickles me!
I am smitten with this little Wren.

Laying eggs

Watching the female Dragonfly
lay her eggs gave me hope.

She is an ancient insect.

I see Dragonflies for August!

Checking the seeds

The male Gold Finch
checked the seeds in the Cone Flowers.

These are not ripe.

I never seem to ever be able to gather Cone Flower seed.
The Gold Finches get to them long before I do.

Dear Cindy,

I went to a party over the weekend. It was at your son's new home.
A beautiful new home out in the country, on twenty acres of woods.
A dream come true home.

It is a magical place.
So many butterflies and dragonflies I could not keep count.

Your son seems so happy.
Your grandson is adorable!

The years are slipping by.

Sometimes I am tired too.
Sometimes I long to sleep.
But Mockingbird wakes me with his song.

I open the blinds and set my intention for this day.
I breath in the longing for your voice.
The tomatoes are covered in rain drops.

November 16, 1950 ~ June 24, 2000

I miss you dear Sister.

Cone flowers and a Swallowtail

The Purple Cone flowers are in bloom.

The Black Swallowtail found them this afternoon.

I stopped weeding and watched.

I need to take breaks through out the day.

I need to spend time with the Swallowtails and the Cone flowers.

Safari Sunday

Please join Cheryl and I on a summer safari.
We are going bug hunting on Sundays.



We both like bees.

and butterflies,

and Dragonflies.

We both like Lady Beetles.

We like bugs!

What is in your backyard?

A Mid Summer Nights' Dream

Giant Swallowtail

I had been chasing a Tiger Swallowtail
around my neighborhood for over an hour.
When I came into my backyard a Giant Swallowtail greeted me.

My rapid heart beat matched the speed of his wings.

I remembered to breath, to relax
and to enjoy the moment.

I have Mexican Sunflowers in bloom for the Giants.
He did not see them this trip through.

I am looking for a Prickly Ash tree for the Giants.
These are their favorite host plants.
My butterfly book suggests planting one in the back corner of my butterfly reserve.
Sounds good to me.

Full Strawberry Moon

The Full Strawberry Moon is today.




We will have strawberries on the deck at moon rise tonight.

I celebrate this Full Moon.
I decorate in her honor.

For some, June's Full Moon is called the Full Rose Moon.
I honour that name too.

Happy Full Moon

1998 - 2002

Love is Real
Not Fade Away
1998-2002

Grandpa takes care of the Swamp Oak Tree.
He trims the grasses and brings garden mulch.

Grandma caresses the leaves.

We remember.
Our love will never fade.

A quick walk about

The clouds cleared.
I took a walk about the yard.

A female Eastern Tailed-blue was nectaring
on the sweet white clover that grows in our yard.
It is their favorite food for nectaring and for hosting.

I normally see the males in their
shimmery blue iridescent colors.

It is exciting to see the female.

The Orioles are finished with oranges.
The Hackberry butterflies have taken them over.
I am harvesting lavender.

Stormy weather

Another round of storms.



Super saturated soil.

Flash flood warnings have been issued.

On safari

After the rains stopped and the sun came out
I went on a bug hunt.


With all this moisture I was pretty sure I could find some interesting bugs.
Last year I bought the Kaufman Field Guide to Insects of North America.
It is a great way to id what's in the backyard.

The Spotted Asparagus Beetles were in the bird's sunflowers.

This tiny Wolf Spider was in the Coreopsis

as was this leaf Beetle, Oulema collaris.
More showers are on the way.

I can hear thunder.

Father's Day

Happy Father's Day!

Thank you.

Wild Spaces

Off the beaten path,
tucked into a neighborhood I am unfamiliar with,
my husband found a wild space.



The Daughters of the Revolution raised a marker here.
The city is planting the small park in native prairie grasses and wild flowers.
All over my city public spaces are being planted with native plants.
There is a group that is reclaiming these spaces for the butterflies and the bees.




We stopped to watch the Black Swallowtails

and the Blue Birds.

These are like minded people I would like to meet.

Concerto in G Major