Mama Wren Hard at Work

Mama Wren feeding her second brood of babies a nice, big
grasshopper. I took this picture the other day. As of today
the baby Wrens have left the bird box. This is the last brood
of the summer. I'll miss them :(

Bees & Butterfly

The Amazing Skipper Moth

It's amazing how many different kinds of skipper moths there
are. Our garden is full of them! They love the yellow pistils on
our zinnias. I guess that's where all the nectar is.


The long, coiled tube the moth sticks into the flower is called
a proboscis.


Here's lookin' at you!

Almost Open

Garden Friends :)

I was in the garden the other day when this little skipper moth
landed on my hand. He sat there long enough for me to snap a
picture.


Up close and personal with a Swallowtail butterfly enjoying
one of our Zinnia flowers.

Butterfly

“Happiness is like a butterfly which, when pursued, is always
beyond our grasp, but, if you will sit down quietly, may alight
upon you.” ~ Nathaniel Hawthorne

Random Beauty

Zinnia up close and personal

We call this our Jack and the Beanstalk sunflower :) This
thing is still growing.

Milk Crate Nest

Me and Terry were cleaning out our garage a couple of weeks ago.
We came across this bird nest that was built in a milk crate that we
had on a shelf. I'm figuring this is a wren nest.


What a cool little nest :)

Mr. Mantis...Say a Prayer for Me

This Praying Mantis took a fancy to the new ceiling fan on
our backporch. I love these little critters. They look like a
cross between a grasshopper and an alien.




He seemed to enjoy hanging upside down.


I got him onto a broom and took him down to sit on one
of our sunflowers.

Standing Tall

Wake Up!

Sunflower just before opening :) This stage of growth is called
the early R-4 stage.

Strange Kitty

I don't know why this picture turned out the way it did,
but I like it :) Looks like Libby has two sets of eyes.

Queen Anne's Lace

Queen Anne's Lace is considered an invasive plant, but I
think it's kind of pretty :) Found these growing in our side
yard.

The Secret Life of Bees :)

I loved that movie and love all the bees that are attracted to
our garden by the sunflowers!

Majestic!

Light-enchanted sunflower, thou
Who gazest ever true and tender
On the sun's revolving splendour.
~ Pedro Calderon de la Barca

Sunflower Pods

I love how sunflowers look before they open.

Red Sun

I love this color! One of my faves!

Sunflowers & Bees

Huge Bumble bee feasting on one of our sunflowers.

Ah, Sunflower, weary of time,
Who countest the steps of the sun;
Seeking after that sweet golden clime,
Where the traveller's journal done;
Where the youth pined away with desire,
And the pale virgin shrouded in snow,
Arise from their graves, and aspire
Where my Sunflower wishes to go!
- William Blake, The Sunflower

The Sunflowers are Here!

My favorite flower of all time! These big guys really brighten
up the garden. You can't help but smile when you see them.
The bees love them too.

Zinnia Skippers

Four Skippers enjoying some nectar from one of our Zinnias.


I love these little insects :)

Skippers

I thought these little winged creatures were moths. After
some internet research I found out that these are actully
called Skippers.

Although Skippers appear to be moths, they are actually a
third group that is related to both butterflies and moths.
Skippers, like moths and butterflies, are found worldwide.
Skippers share characteristics with both moths and butterflies
and sometimes have the appearance of being a cross between
the two. There are, however, groups of characteristics that
allow observers to confidently identify skippers.

Skippers can be the most difficult butterfly species to identify;
their markings are maddeningly similar.


Notice the curly tongue. Too cool!

Zinnia Moths

For some reason moths really love our Zinnias.


Not sure what kind of moths these are, but they're really
pretty!

Random Garden

Orange Zinnia


Yellow cherry tomatoes up close and personal.


The scurge of every yard and garden...the Japanese Beetle.
I really hate when these things start making an appearance!

Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in
the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally
taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity.
~Lindley Karstens

Zinnias

One of my favorite summer flowers is the Zinnia. We planted
several rows of Zinnias in our garden this year. They're so easy
to grow and the butterflies love them, so that's an added bonus!

The Earth Laughs in Flowers ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson


The name of the genus derives from the German botanist
Johann Gottfried Zinn (1727–1759).


Each flower is a soul opening out to nature.
~ Gerald De Nerval

Shoo Fly!

"God in His wisdom made the fly And then forgot to tell
us why." ~ Ogden Nash, "The Fly"

"To find a prince, you gotta kiss some toads." ~ Foxy Brown

Happy Birthday Robert!

Robert Flynn Mabry was born on July 3, 1963. He was
the youngest of my siblings. Today would've been his
47th birthday. Missing you today and always!


"See you in another life, brother!"

"Missing someone gets easier every day
because even though it's one day further
from the last time you saw each other, it's
one day closer to the next time you will."
~Author Unknown