Saturday, July 31, 2010

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 :(

Thursday, July 29, 2010

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!

Tuesday, July 27, 2010

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.

Monday, July 26, 2010

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


Sunday, July 25, 2010

Random Beauty


Zinnia up close and personal

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

Saturday, July 24, 2010

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 :)

Friday, July 23, 2010

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.

Tuesday, July 20, 2010

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.

Monday, July 19, 2010

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.

Saturday, July 17, 2010

The Secret Life of Bees :)


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

Friday, July 16, 2010

Majestic!


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

Tuesday, July 13, 2010

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

Monday, July 12, 2010

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.

Sunday, July 11, 2010

Zinnia Skippers


Four Skippers enjoying some nectar from one of our Zinnias.


I love these little insects :)

Friday, July 9, 2010

Zinnia Moths


For some reason moths really love our Zinnias.


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

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

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

Tuesday, July 6, 2010

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

Saturday, July 3, 2010

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