This guy was hanging around my coneflowers all morning yesterday. A beautiful great spangled fritillary. He shared the coneflowers with several bees.
There’s a lot of bee activity around here and I’m keeping an eye on the milkweed. I expect to see caterpillars soon.
This post will be short today because we have to mow and we have to mow early as it’s incredibly humid, there’s a heat advisory for later in the day, and we might get thunderstorms. As the next 3 days all have the same forecast, mowing can’t be delayed.
Mama robin has been sitting on her eggs for at least 10 days. I expect she will have her babies soon. (Another reason to mow the area surrounding her nest today.) Last night we were finishing up washing the dishes and the late day sun was illuminating her as she sat on the nest. Her very own spotlight. She deserves it. We are so honored to have a ringside seat and to observe this whole process up close.
I finished The House at Sea’s End, number three in the Ruth Galloway series by Elly Griffiths. I have the next one in the series on order. I’m really enjoying the plots and I’m especially enjoying the characters and their development over time.
Had a great phone conversation with my best friend yesterday. We’ve known each other since I was 12 and she was 13. That’s a long time!
Okay. Have to go.
Stay safe.
Happy Friday.
It’s humid here, too, and I think it’s going to rain again. I’m home and headed to the lake again. The next two weeks look to be largely sunny and I hope you get that, too. I came home to find my hydrangeas (and something else I don’t know how to name) bent down to the ground but at least no basement flooding, like my neighbor. A lot of plants died from too much water, though.
Your butterflies and blooms are fabulous. And I’m so glad you like “Ruth’s” adventures. I do, too, and find them interesting in topic as well as a good mystery! I just finished the ninth Simon Serrailer — one more and I’m caught up till the next one is out this fall. Sometimes I don’t like being caught up!
Happy weekend!
Another Serrailer? Yay!!
Oh, a new Serrailer! Thanks so much for letting us know! Yay1
Stay safe, Jeanie.
Love your great spangled fritillary! I’ve seen a few swallowtails, but no other butterflies here. It’s pretty slim pickin’s for them, as we were not able to plant things when we got here so late. (Something is feasting on my basil, though—grrr!)
We accepted an offer on the camp, so we’ll see how that pans out. Anything could happen. At least we should be free of strangers roaming through for a while. Yay!
Mr. Wizard’s new cancer pills will be starting soon…and kids are scheduled for a visit/helping out session. No rain so far today. All good news, I must keep reminding myself.
The camp meaning your lake cottage? Congratualtions!
Thinking of you and Fred, Shanna. Glad the kids are coming for a visit.
Stay safe.
Yes, in the Adirondacks they call them camps, but it is a lake house, too. Not all camps are lake cottages. I’m going to miss it, but still need the work and responsibility gone, at this stage in our life.
http://www.adksrealty.com/149nshorewest.htm
(If you want to see inside)
xoxo
I have never seen a butterfly like that…what a beauty!
I am spending my days at my daughter’s right now so this is becoming kind of a lost summer. My granddaughter is sleeping most of it away. She does seem to be doing better so I hope she will be able to go back to school in Sept.
The gypsy moth situation has improved. The caterpillars have turned into little moths. I look outside and see them fluttering around. Its relaxing to watch them. The caterpillars left the trees pretty bare but they may actually get a 2nd set of leaves this year.
Stay safe
Glad the gypsy moth situation is better, Marilyn!
As always, prayers for your granddaughter’s recovery.
Stay safe.
Oh, isn’t that a beauty!! I have never seen one of those. The bees on our Bee Balm are incredible this year. So many and so happy!! I think they are also pollinating the tomato plants as they are loaded w blossoms and fruit!!
Hope you enjoyed your mowing time. Glad you will be able to cool off in the afternoon. Take care.
Well, getting the mowing done was satisfying, but it was sweltering – even in the early morning – so we were wiped out!
Stay safe, Chris.
Your butterfly is gorgeous! I don’t think I’ve ever seen one like that either. For some reason my bee balm did not come back this year…a big disappointment. I specifically planted it for the bees, hummingbirds, and butterflies. I haven’t seen many butterflies so far this year. But we have plenty of bees and hummers.
It’s become cloudy here…nice breeze too. Hope you are cooling off somewhere from mowing this morning! ;)
Sorry about the bee balm! Sometimes those losses can’t be explained. My poppies that always came up in the big garden bed have not appeared for three years now. I have no idea why that happened.
Stay safe, Donna.
beautiful butterfly, bees and flowers. glad you have them and the robin family nearby.
hope the mowing is done (even though you’ve said you enjoy it, it’s still a chore!), the forecast improves and you have a great weekend!
usual here except that it’s friday and i am happy about that. ready for a weekend.
kathy in iowa
Forecast is for big thunderstorms and heavy rain. It’s like a broken record around here.
Stay safe, Kathy.
Claudia — really like the pix on your instagram AND a big Amen to your text — Ky having increases each day in cases, positivity rate increasing every day, after very low, steady weeks for many weeks — don’t know how people can not see the problem and/or the solution/remedy. How stupid are 40-50% of USA?? What can possibly get thru to these people??? I am at a loss for words & patience. stay safe, healthy.
Thanks Linda. I am so fed up with those people, which led to the post!
Stay safe.
Lovely butterfly photo! I can never get them to stand still long enough!
I have a new Elly Griffiths book on hold at the library – ready for pick up! Can’t wait!
This one, for some reason, stayed on that flower for a long time I was lucky to get the photo!
I’m really loving that series – I have the fourth book in the series arriving in today’s mail.
Stay safe, Ellen!