Summertime

Spending time outdoors every day plays an important part of my days.  Being a gardener there is always a reason to spend time tending to our plants and shrubs.  Whether it be pruning, weeding or just enjoying the beauty outdoors, it is my happy place.

While we were away through spring, I missed a lot of blooms that appeared this year.  Summer is hot and humid in Virginia so spending time in my garden has to be early morning.  

Grayden and I try to have Afternoon Tea on our patio.  The birds and butterflies join us.  I try to take my camera out with me to capture anything unusual.

Seeing a Monarch butterfly is so thrilling for us!  Do you see them in your garden?  If you plant a Buddleia (butterfly bush) you may find you see many butterflies.

One afternoon we spotted this Zebra Swallowtail.  He has never joined us before.

As you can see he has escaped harm somewhere in his life, but still so nice to see.

Even though I got a really late start at taking care of my garden, it brings me so much pleasure.  Do you find being outdoors for some part of your day is important?

  

August in the Garden

 Rainy days in August is quite unusual for us here in Virginia.  Our family beach week proved that to be untrue.  Though rain and the beach don't often go together, we still enjoyed time spent with our children, our grands and our nephew and his family.   

Thunderstorms have been abundant since we returned home.  Many large limbs have been pruned by the wind and heavy weight that rain brings.  Last week found us cleaning up the garden.  I noticed another large limb has fallen in the back and will need to be taken care of soon. 

Between raindrops I've gathered rudbekia blooms for the dining table.  

Looking outdoors there is much to observe.

The Hummingbird moth enjoys time gathering nectar at the buddleia.  They are members of the Spinx Moth family (Sphingidae).  

The buddleia is such a wonderful shrub to have close to a window to attract the wonders of nature.

The vinca on the patio is also attracting butterflies.  Just when I thought we wouldn't be seeing many, they have come in abundance. 

 The Black Swallowtails are quite busy gathering nectar on the patio.

 

The Eastern Tiger Swallowtail made his appearance as well.

He is also the Virginia state insect (Papilio glaucus).

I love all butterflies, but I'm always honored when the Monarch visits my garden!

Please indulge me while I click away with my camera.

"We delight in the beauty of the butterfly, but rarely admit the changes it has gone through to achieve that beauty."  Maya Angelou

 

The Magic of Nature

Cooler temperatures and lower humidity has graced our area for the last couple of days.  Shouting for joy about the beautiful weather, we can now take our walks through the neighborhood and enjoy it!  As most of us have endured one of the hottest summers on record, it changes my days.  I adore the outdoors, but not the sweltering days we've had.  It's much easier to check on the garden and just relax on the patio when the weather is tolerable.  While relaxing outside we enjoy reading or solving a sudoku or just seeing who will come to the feeder next.

Black-capped Chickadee

The cicadas are really tuning up their song these days.  As I was hanging sheets on the line yesterday it was quite loud.  They are also dropping from the trees as their brief cycle begins.  We were supposed to miss this years Magicicada invasion, but you can't tell it around here.  As creepy as they look and sound, they do not bite or sting.  As I swept off the patio this morning a large dead one came into view.  Here is the sound they make if you are not familiar. HERE

Cicadas have a 17 year life cycle.  The bugs are under the ground for almost all of this time.  When they come up  they find mates and then lay eggs and die.  If you dislike bugs you may not want to look at this photo.

Let's take a look at "cuter" creatures.

The Sphinx Moth (Sphingidae) or Hummingbird Moth is so interesting to watch as he gathers nectar.  He's quite magical.  Some folks think they are watching a hummingbird, but he is a moth.  I find him so fascinating!  I do hope you have witnessed his antics.

The birds are beginning their migrations south, so you may have seen many hummingbirds and other birds fly through your area.

Another magical moment came for us as we were visited by a Monarch Butterfly!  We have many swallowtails, but hardly ever see the Monarch.  If you want to learn more about the king of butterflies go HERE .  Depleting milkweed plants are really affecting the population of this beautiful butterfly.  If you have a wild area on your property, consider letting milkweed grow.

"Happiness is a butterfly, which when pursued, is always just beyond your grasp, but which, if you will sit down quietly, may alight upon you."  Nathaniel Hawthorne 

A rather large frog found a cool spot in a pot of begonias.

These are just a few of the magical creatures that may come to your garden.  I hope there is time in your day to look at the wonder of nature.  Have you seen anything interesting in your garden recently?  I'd love to hear about it.

“The world is full of magic things, patiently waiting for our senses to grow sharper.” ― W.B. Yeats