The view “without” being so utterly depressing, I’ve been reminded to narrow my focus.
Even within my tiny territory life is barely controllable, what with eleven cats, but at least this is my chaos.
Feeling the need, two days ago to calm myself, I contemplated the front flowerbed and decided to relocate a few things that oughtn’t to be there.
At the same time I could test out the success of my latest injection. Weeding had become all but impossible due to resulting neck pain.
There are people, I know, who find weeding therapeutic.
It’s not a claim I shall be making, though I quite like getting down to ground level and viewing plants eye-to-eye, as it were.
Unfortunately, despite lavish spraying of insect repellent, my labors were challenged by biting creatures and others that wished to examine the insides of my ears, something I do not much care for.
Never-the-less, I persisted and completed the small task, discovering that the injection had indeed almost eliminated the neck pain.
A pleasing result!
Patches and Lily were observing from the doorway.
Lily is actively campaigning for an open-door policy.
An Aphrodite fritillary butterfly was flitting back and forth on the Blazing stars, alternately swooping past the door which got her very excited.
“Want to go OUTSIDE!”
she cried: “Want to go aaoouuut!“
No deal. Sorry.
Blackie and Willow keep watch and are practically on speaking terms with the fox, Peanut:
Grant thinks Willow would like to join the walkers when they get their 15 minutes each morning and Blackie was an outdoor cat before she adopted us.
There are some rules I do enforce though, so they remain inside. Maybe it’s unkind?
With the heat and the bugs, who would want to go out?
.
Grant’s new flowerbed is developing character.
One of the “weeds” I allowed to remain has produced delicate yellow flowers which seem to attract bees and other airborne insects.
You can see one in this photograph, centre left.
When I finally went outside for a better look, of course it buzzed off, but I had managed to capture a couple of shots through the window…
Here it is having a conversation with the Monarch:
“Nice morning! May we share a petal?”
“By all means. I’m just going down this way”
The butterfly swooped off leaving the moth to graze.
Or whatever moths do.
A little bit later I happened to catch them together.
The Monarch butterfly and the Hummingbird moth.
Watching butterflies is good for the spirit, like watching fish in a pond. I drifted out observe its flight that seemed erratic, though I am sure it is no such thing.
“What must it be like, to be a butterfly?” I wondered.
According to what I have read, Monarchs need milkweed which is why I have encouraged my crop to thrive.
However this particular butterfly was more interested in the Buddleia and Blazing stars.
Clearly I need to do more reading.
The milkweed is looking decidedly tired, despite daily watering, though the bed which is sheltered is still producing flowers and I saw a Monarch there this morning. Maybe we will get more caterpillars that proceed into cocoons.
It was such a privilege to witness this last summer.
Meanwhile, we just accept whatever turns up.
I cannot identify this butterfly (right.)
I did a Google Image search on the butterfly, (right click and choose ‘Google Lens’) and it is called a ‘Silver Spotted Skipper’. You can find a named photo of it on this link, just hover the cursor over it.
http://www.rougepark.org/butterflywalk2020.html
Best wishes, Pete.
Thank you Pete!
The wasp on the coneflower is very well camouflaged!
Gorgeous butterflies! We’ve not had many so far this year which is strange as there are lots of wild flowers.
Love your butterfly shots!
I don’t find weeding therapeutic but painful as it’s a perpetual job unless you use poisons.
I’m glad the shot worked for your neck. Are you able to sleep at night?
The photos are as always, lovely. Makes me want to experiment a little more with my garden too!
Thank you for small miracles – no neck pain while weeding the garden! Haha 😄, I had such a good laugh about Lily’s “open door policy” … she would have been a great boss! You have so many beautiful photo’s Carolyn – the flowers, butterfly and flying insects in one image is simply amazing!