Monday, August 24, 2020

What a Summer

 

Summer used to be a favorite season of mine.  I guess it was a carryover of summer vacation from school.  Carefree days going barefoot and lazily enjoying endless days biking and roller skating with my sisters and friends.  Even after getting married and having children, I remember summer days were wonderful carefree days on our boat water skiing and looking forward to our annual week at the beach.  Did I care about the heat and humidity then?  I honestly don't remember that.  I did not grow up with central air conditioning.  We had a window unit that my Daddy would allow us to use on the most hot evenings in our upstairs bedroom.  Well, that was then and this is now.  I have a love hate relationship with summer in Virginia. 

 

  

I do love the pleasant days spent on the patio.  We have had the hottest, driest July that I can remember.  Only during early mornings could you find us enjoying time reading and gardening this year.

 


A baby cardinal was perplexed by his reflection and flew into the window incessantly.  Reading about this behavior revealed that he was demonstrating his need to defend his territory.  The poor fellow kept up this action for over a week!



As soon as the calendar page was turned to August we received rain.  Glorious rain from the heavens!  We have had over 9 inches of rain this month after having hardly a drop in July.  The mushrooms are popping up all over.



 The jasmine has been blooming and sending its wonderful fragrance onto the patio.



The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly enjoys the white buddleia blossoms.  It is Virginia's state insect and is one of the largest butterflies.



The elusive Monarch showed up to our delight.



The Sphinx Moth enjoys nectar on the patio vinca. These little moths are wonderful to view as they go from blossom to blossom gathering nectar.



The Black Swallowtail shows erratic behavior that we haven't observed before.


 


A darling little Pearl Cresent butterfly visited the nearby azalea.  He is quite small, only 1 inch wide. 



Grayden came to my rescue one morning and helped me clean out the periwinkle and lily of the valley that was completely taking over this garden.  With all the rain we've had it made for easy digging, though the tough roots of the invaders made huge masses of roots.  



The Dragon's Head is just beginning to blossom.  It's nice to have plants growing that were given to me by a friend years ago. 



From my research this may be a Fiery Skipper if I'm not mistaken.  If you know please comment.


Yes it's been an unusual summer, but still much beauty to enjoy.  We still walk the trail every morning at the crack of dawn and otherwise stay home tending to our home and garden.  I'm thankful for diversions during this time in history.




40 comments:

  1. You are very lucky to have such a nice large garden. I feel sorry for those with no ground of their own. I thank my lucky stars every day for our 5 acres of land. I enjoyed all your flowers and butterflies. ((hugs)), Teresa :-)

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    1. Teresa, I'm with you, I can't imagine not having a little dirt to dig! Thank you for visiting with me today.

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  2. What beautiful butterflies you have. It must be like a fairyland to watch them flitting about.

    I know exactly what you mean about Summer. Virginia summers are so horribly humid, the only places I found respite were the beach and the malls! Sitting outside on the stoop of a late evening sometimes brought relief too. It must happen as we get older, for I remember vividly all we children running about in the glorious, long, hot summer days and our mothers, all in their 30's or 40's saying how hot it was and how they longed for cooler days.

    As an aside, as I type, we are in the teeth of our second named August storm in under a week. Winds in excess of 65 mph and torrential rain twice in seven days is not much fun! It is unprecedented.

    ~~~Deb in Wales xoxo

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    1. Deb, it's been so sad not to have our annual family beach vacation this year. I really missed sitting by the gorgeous ocean and feeling the salty air bathe over me. Hopefully next year will bring us closer to getting rid of this pandemic.
      You have had so many storms, my friend. Please take care as 65 mph winds sound like hurricane force to me! Hopefully our favorite season will not disappoint us. xoxo

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  3. So nice to see the different varieties of butterfly. Glad to read that you are still able to get out and about for your daily walk. Take care.

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    1. Loraine, our daily walks have been a lifesaver during this pandemic. I hope you and Gerard will soon be able to do the same, my friend.

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  4. What a blessing to have a lovely space to enjoy. Thanks for identifying all the creatures. Glad you got your much needed rain. Enjoy the rest of summer. Our mornings have a hint of fall in them already.

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    1. It has been a blessing indeed having this rain. We now have had over 10 inches! I do pray that the western dry states get some moisture soon. Hearing that fall is hinting in your area sounds divine!

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  5. I am tired of heat and humidity almost as soon as it begins! But, like you, I have learned to see the beauty in the summer season and make the best of it as I wait for autumn. You certainly have an eye for beauty as evidenced in your lovely nature photos and your delightful "noticings." Can it be that autumn is just around the corner? How is it that these times are slow but also fast?

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    1. Cheryl, you hit the nail on the head--"How is it that these times are slow but also fast?" The most glorious season will be here before we know it. I've seen a few red leaves dropping from the black gum tree. Every day is a gift and I try not to wish the seasons away, but as I get older, summer does tend to go on and on.

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  6. So lovely to visit your garden today, Martha Ellen! It certainly has been quite a summer! It's so nice that you and Grayden have been able to continue your early morning walks. Your blossoms attract such an amazing variety of butterflies! Your photos are just gorgeous! I have noticed fewer butterflies than usual in my garden this summer. Perhaps it is due to the changes I have been making changes to my perennial beds this summer. We have lots of bees buzzing about! I like to think that several of them hatched from our Mason Bee House in the spring and chose to stay in our garden.:)
    Wishing you and Grayden happy, healthy summer days! Be well, my friend!♡

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    1. It's so lovely to see you here today, Dawn. I'm sure my mental health has been much better due to our 3.5 mile walks every day. Though some days it's hard to get up so early, we are always rewarded with lovely sights and sounds. The other day we spotted a doe and her fawn creeping on the trail. I'm so glad your Mason Bee House has proved to be beneficial to your garden! We really should make one of those. I hope you and John are enjoying these final summer days relaxing in your lovely garden with a tall glass of iced tea! ♥

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  7. Summer’s heat and humidity have never been my favorite! Only an oscillating fan growing up, I spent much of my time reading under the shade of the large oak tree just to be cool! You are very dedicated to walking to be up at the crack of dawn! We seem to have become lazier as time has passed.:-) Beautiful pictures!

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    1. Nellie, we had those fans growing up as well. There were four of us that would lay in the floor with our faces turned to catch the breeze. We even have an old one that belonged to Grayden's parents. Our time on our walks are some of the best parts of the days during this pandemic. Stay well and healthy, my friend. ♥

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  8. I think our love affair with summer (or lack thereof, I suppose) depends on what part of the country we live in. I'm seeing more fall decor than I want to see right now on blogs from my Southern friends; the Cali people want the heat down to help a bit with the fires and me? I wish it could go on forever. While fall is OK, I'm not anticipating winter and the challenges in social distancing when we can't be outside for extended periods of time!

    I love your garden. The blooms are gorgeous and the variety of butterflies takes my breath away. Beautiful photos, all.

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    1. Thank you, Jeanie, I think your view of summer does depend on your location. The last few years have been quite oppressive here. I dearly love Fall with its cooler temperatures and beauty. Our winters are not as extreme as yours is, my friend. We can still take walks most days of winter.

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  9. Oh that lily of the valley removal...you know, I still have ailments from that adventure seven or more years ago. Glad that Grayden helped. Hope it stays well away, too. I really like lily of the valley, but it needs its own patch away from everything else.

    Glad that you've had some rain or quite a bit of it. It has been very dry here...lawns brown and crunchy. We did get a nice day of storms yesterday, which I am grateful for.

    Enjoy these last precious days of August, before beautiful September arrives.

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    1. Vee, I really like lily of the valley as well. In an effort years ago to fill the space in this garden I really had no idea it would take over! Boy was it a bear to dig. I have another garden spot where it happily grows all by itself, so far, so good.
      We've now had 11 inches of rain this month. Several storms that dropped a lot of rain fast! Hopefully rain will bless your area, my friend.

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  10. All of your flowers and the winged insects are just lovely in your photos! It all looks so fresh and green and inviting. I have to agree, when I was younger, I never gave much attention to the heat or humidity.

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    1. Thank you so much for stopping by my little corner and leaving such a nice comment.

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  11. Lovely post. I always enjoy seeing butterflies. it is cooler here today, the smoke is going away a little at a time. Enjoy the weekend.

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    1. Thank you, Linda. My heart goes out to all of you as you are dealing with such devastation. Take care of yourself. Glad to hear the smoke is dissipating.

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  12. Lots of beautiful butterflies! I have a hate love relationship with lily of the valley. It’s such a pretty flower and the smell is delightful but it spreads very well and is hard to control. I have a small patch I try to contain but it always manages to show up in the driveway. That’s crazy about the rain at least you’ve got it now!

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    1. Yes, that lily of the valley will have to go out of this bed, Liz. I have a small patch in another area. Hopefully I won't be sorry. We've now had over 12 inches of rain in August. Seems like it's all or nothing here.

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  13. Oh, that baby cardinal is so cute. I used to love Summer when I was young and growing up, but as I get older, I don't care for the Summer months. But I still find something beautiful in all the seasons, like these wonderful photos of nature that you've shared. That orange butterfly is sure pretty. And that baby cardinal is so precious. Yes, this is an unusual Summer, and I think Autumn may be unusual as well, especially living here in a different area. But with blog friends like you, Martha Ellen, it helps during this time.

    ~Sheri

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    1. Thank you, Sheri, for your kind comments, my friend. I do pray that Autumn will bring a brighter future for all of us. Take care of yourself and enjoy being near Nel and your granddaughter. I'm sure there is much joy to be found with them.

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  14. Pearl Crescent a pretty name for a butter fly. I never knew the name. You have some pretty flowers in you planter. So full and loaded with blooms. It has been easy to pull weeds but my fingers are showing the wear from it. Feel it too. I didn't know about Robins being territorial like you mentioned. My sister had a horrible time with several flying into her windows and doors this year. She felt like she was in the Birds movie. She had to put out an Owl that automatically moves his head to keep them away.
    Autumn soon and I welcome it. It's cooler in the morning already considerably from what it was even a week ago. Like you we only had a one room air conditioner growing up and we mostly used fans in windows. It was a very old house with windows to the floor, so sometimes my sisters and I would sleep on the floor in front of one with the fan. It was fun and we would try to scare each other. Happy week ahead and stay cool, betsy

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    1. Betsy, I had to look up the Pearl Crescent butterfly to get the name correct. The vinca in the planter has really taken off and is full of many volunteers as well as the ones I planted. I've heard many stories like your sister's, Betsy. That was smart of her to place an owl to keep the birds safe.
      Today was so nice with lower humidity and heat. The rain we've had is really unbelievable.
      Your summer days from long ago sound similar to mine. I hope your week is going well, my friend.

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  15. We need diversions don't we Martha Ellen? Thank you for sharing all these beautiful photos, these in themselves are the most pleasant of diversions and all make me smile. Thank you and I wish you a happy September :)

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    1. Oh yes, diversions are welcome more than ever now, Denise! I'm glad you enjoyed the photos as nature is the best diversion of all in my opinion! Happy September to you!

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  16. WOW! You captured so much beauty, ME!!!

    The one good thing about Covid is so many of us have been lucky enough to be able to truly recognize all the beauty around us.

    Hugs!

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    1. Thanks, Michele. It's a good thing to be thankful for all the beauty that surrounds us. Hugs to you, my friend. Enjoy these last days of summer.

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  17. I saw so many butterflies when I walked yesterday. I think my favs are those tiny Crescents! Love seeing your pretty flowers. It's been hot here but we've had enough rain to keep things growing and green. Hugs!

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    1. The butterflies really are out everywhere, aren't they? The tiny Pearl Crescent is a new one to my garden this year. He's welcome anytime. Have a great evening!

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  18. What delightful photos! And I remember being a kid and loving summer. I still love summer best of all, but then I live in a colder climate. But your talk about water skiing brought back memories of do many times at the lake with friends, and even driving 15 miles to the lake after [dairy farm] chores were done in the evening.

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    1. Judy, when we were younger we used to take the boat out after Grayden got home from work. We'd have a picnic supper and ski the afternoon into the evening. Boy did we have energy back then. We'd come home and still wash the boat! Glad to hear you enjoyed water skiing as well!

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  19. I have enjoyed seeing all of your photographs.
    I think it has been so important to have some time outside, Covid 19 restrictions permitting, and I was pleased to read that you are still able to get out and about for your daily walks.

    Take care, stay safe and well.

    All the best Jan

    PS Happy September Wishes

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    1. Thank you, Jan, for your lovely comments. I hope you are staying well and enjoying the beginning of September.

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  20. It has been a different summer but I've enjoyed it here in Florida. I'm ready for some cooler temps though to get outside more. You've seen some beautiful butterflies and I love that Sphinx moth...would love to see one of those. I haven't seen a Monarch either but we have those tiny cresents and they are so pretty. Enjoy your week! Hugs!

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    1. Thanks, Diane. Nature never ceases to amaze me with her beauty. Enjoy your week as well!

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