Saturday was sort of magical. Almost at every turn, I saw a butterfly. It was a day of swallowtails. From the den window:
Flitting, floating, flying through the air while I was working in the garden.
At first I thought it was the same swallowtail I’d seen from the den window, but this one’s wing is torn. It seemed to have no effect on this beauty’s ability to fly.
Thank goodness. Because she was clearly hanging out with me. I thanked her for the visit.
My coneflowers have self-seeded. There’s a patch of them right by the maple, a hop, skip and a jump from a group that I did plant.
There are more and more in this little patch every year. And then there is this lone coneflower that sprung up in the dog corral a few years back.
Every year, I almost yank it because I think it must be one of the many weeds that grow alongside the chicken wire fence. In the space of time between summer and spring, I forget that it grows there. And every year, when I see this tenacious flower, I’m so grateful I didn’t.
This group, planted on the other side of the house, is giant in size and amazing in color.
I did not do one bit of retouching or enhancing. This is their true color.
If I was starting a garden and I was unsure as to the quality of my soil and I was strapped for money (wait, I am strapped for money!) I would plant coneflowers. They are extremely tolerant of all kinds of soil. They self-seed. They last a long time. They look beautifully cottage garden-y. And if you leave them intact at the end of the season, the birds will thank you as they snack on them throughout the winter.
Bees like them, too. What’s not to love?
On to another topic.
Because both Don and I have worked in the theater for years, plus lots and lots of television and film for Don, we’ve worked with a lot of well-known and in some cases, quite famous, people. It just goes with the territory. If I made a list of them all, I think you’d be quite impressed. But I won’t, because it’s no big deal. We’re used to it.
Do you remember the television series, Medium? We were big fans and never missed an episode. Both Patricia Arquette and Jake Weber, who played the two leads, had a natural, easy quality on the screen that was a testament to their formidable acting chops.
I had a little crush on Jake Weber. Husky voice, easy smile, good actor. Don’t worry, Don knew all about it.
Guess who was performing in a play at Williamstown? Yep. Jake Weber. Don got to know him and they had some good conversations. Jake’s play closed yesterday afternoon (he was excellent in it, according to none other than my husband) and when my phone made that little ‘ding!’ that means I have a message, look what I saw:
Oh boy. My crush and my husband. Together.
Don later informed me that he told Jake he had to take the picture because ‘my wife has a crush on you.’
So, even though I’m not easily impressed or awed by ‘famous’ actors, I must admit to a little swooning here. Never mind that Jake is about 15 years younger than me. Or that my adored husband is in the same frame.
They’re both smiling. At me!
I’m swooning.
Happy Monday.
