This gorgeous black swallowtail hung around these coneflowers for several hours yesterday. Before the torrential rain came. As many times as I’ve seen them, I hadn’t noticed that the body had dots. Mother Nature is the best artist. Ever.
I’d like to thank this beauty for being so fixated on the flowers that I was able to get several photos.
We had unbelievable amounts of rain yesterday, starting off with a huge – and I mean huge – thunderstorm in the afternoon. It seemed to last forever, you could barely see through the sheets of rain, lots and lots of thunder and lightning. And then we had another one a couple of hours later – tons of thunder again. And then more heavy rain overnight.
I have had my fill, thank you very much. However, we have more in store today, so pardon me while I emerge from the cottage during the thick of it and let out a primal scream.
Mostly, I worry about mama robin. I mean, she had to have been bombarded by heavy, heavy rain. There she is, this morning, sitting on the eggs. The eggs, which, if I have counted correctly, should be hatching any minute. I pray for the safety of mama and her babies.
As Don said, she doesn’t look for praise, she doesn’t have any ego in it, she just does what her instincts tell her to do, and she is totally committed. Hero.
I started another Elly Griffiths but, as I read the first chapter which had some updates referring to what was the previous case, I realized I’d missed one of the books, as I’m reading them in order. I relied on a website which had the wrong information. Nevertheless, I will continue and then catch up with the book I missed.
I started another painting. I usually spend a couple of days trying to get the correct outline of the shape of that particular piece of pottery. After gazing at it this morning while having coffee with Don, I see that some tweaking needs to be done, so I’ll do that today.
Other than that, life is peaceful here at the cottage. We are content and at this point in my life, content is everything.
Thanks so much for clicking on Don’s bio! You’re the best.
Stay safe.
Happy Sunday.
wow … what a beautiful butterfly! glad you could witness it directly. appreciate seeing those incredible photos … that first one especially is full of lines and dots. love the colors and nature’s beauty.
and the beauty of what mrs. robin is doing makes me cry.
sorry you’ve been inundated with so much rain. glad you can get back to painting.
suppose to be 85 – 94 here all next week with no chance of rain. not my favorite forecast, but will try to make the best of it.
been clicking as you requested for don. will continue.
got some things done here this morning. heading over in a few minutes to visit with some members of my family and will go for a walk, watch church online, go for a ride and enjoy being together. am glad and grateful for that and for them all.
happy, safe sunday!
kathy in iowa
Thanks for clicking, Kathy.
We so appreciate it!
Stay safe.
It’s great that Mama Robin is hanging in there. Mother Nature is certainly going crazy at the moment. You’ve probably seen the terrible flooding in Germany, Belgium and The Netherlands. Sadly so many lives lost too. Last week it was the dreadful heat waves in Canada.
Stay safe, Everyone
Oh, those floods are heartbreaking, Dee Dee! Such a tremendous loss of life and property.
Stay safe.
Incredible shots of that butterfly—which is now my favorite butterfly! Hoping and fingers crossed for your robins. (I’m still devastated and wondering what happened to ours.)
I’ll be joining you in that primal scream any time now…
Those losses are such a mystery – usually unexplainable and heartbreaking.
Stay safe, Shanna.
Primal screams are good for the soul. It probably is something we all should do, and I have done just that into a pillow a few times!!
Beautiful butterfly! We have noticed so many more this year. Such fun! Last night we saw our mama Robin bombarding a squirrel who was, apparently, too close to her nest in her opinion. She chased him through the yard. It was pretty funny. He didn’t come back as long as we were out there!
So sorry about the rain. It has been a crazy summer with the weather for sure. Mother Nature does the over or under abundance of rain resulting in heartbreaking floods and drought…and then She paints the beautiful butterflies and birds. Oh, mysteries.
Love the robin/squirrel story! Those robins are feisty!
Stay safe, Chris.
I hate it when I accidentally read out of order and now if I have more than one in hand, check the copyright dates to make sure I’m not messing up! Some books, it doesn’t matter but with her the characters really develop, as you know.
What WILL you paint after the Roseville collection is done?!!!
And good luck with the rain. You’ve probably heard about all the problems in Detroit with rain as well. I’m beginning to think we’ll start hearing about your guys next. Stay dry!
Oh, it drives me crazy, too!
I have no idea what I will paint but I expect some idea will come to me.
We’ve had flood warnings and flash flood warnings for days now. Endless. My nephew live in the Detroit area, as do several friends. Too much!
Stay safe, Jeanie.
The butterfly is absolutely beautiful! Thank you for posting such amazing photos. I am wondering with all the rain you are getting, where does it all go?
Does your cottage have a basement? I’m sure you have posted this before, but I would love to know more about your cottage. How big is it? Do you have more photos of it somewhere? I’m curious what rooms are on the main floor and what is on the second floor. It just looks so adorable from the outside picture. How much land are you on? I know….a lot of questions!
Stay safe.
We have a basement but it’s a wet basement – stone foundation, built in 1891. We have a dehumidifier down there.
There are lots of photos of the cottage on the blog and on my IG account. It’s small, less than a 1000 square feet. 2 bedrooms upstairs and a den, living room, and kitchen on the first floor.
We live on just a bit less than 2 acres.
Thanks, Deb.
Stay safe.
Okay, so let me COMPLAIN to Mother Nature that this is UNFAIR that the Northeast gets ALL the rain and the West gets NONE.
(I’m feeling petulant.)
Beautiful butterfly photos, Claudia.
I understand.
But please remember, we (the residents of the Hudson Valley) have been dealing with flash floods, damage to property, loss of trees and flooding of homes. All this rain comes at at cost.
Stay safe, Vicki.
Content is everything!
It is indeed!
Stay safe, Kelly.
What a beautiful painting a butterfly pic would be
It would, wouldn’t it?
Stay safe, Sue.
Beautiful velvety black swallowtail today. Loved the one yesterday also.
Husband has purple finches – a whole flock – about to hatch their second brood. (Is that the right word?) They have such a cheerful song, which helps David endure the work.
Does he raise them, Martha?
Stay safe!
Claudia – beautiful b – fly !! sorry re: rain. perfect name for the ghog: Scamp !! stay safe/healthy
Thank you, Linda.
Stay safe!