I really feel like I've fallen behind this summer with blogging, and showing you what's going on in the garden. Maybe one day soon I'll just do a huge collage of recent blooms... In the meantime, I wanted to give you a closeup look at two recent visitors.
A few days ago as I was doing a little deadheading in one of my perennial beds, I caught sight of this fine fellow. He was perched in my baby's breath. I ran inside, grabbed my camera and macro lens and hurried back. He was patiently waiting for me, and posed for a minute or two before hopping away. Don't you think he's handsome? (well, okay, "handsome" as grasshoppers go....)"Hello Mr. Grasshopper..."
(How's this for up close and personal?)
Another visitor last week was enjoying the echinacea (coneflower.) This is a Red Admiral butterfly which paid no attention as I took many photos. The red admiral belongs to a group including anglewings, painted ladies and related species, most of which have an orange and black pattern on the upperwings.
When they rest on trees with their wings closed, the bright upperwing pattern is largely concealed and the dull mottled underwing blends with the tree bark. Camouflage! Isn't nature amazing? He wasn't interested in showing me his pretty colours... his wings were closed much more than they were open. I guess he was watching me, and trying to camouflage himself..?
Speaking of "garden visitors", we DID finally catch Mr. Groundhog in a live trap... He's been
Peace,
Linda
"The glory of gardening: hands in the dirt, head in the sun, heart with nature. To nurture a garden is to feed not just the body but the soul." ~ Alfred Austin
8 comments:
Hello, pretty collection of your garden visitors. Have a happy day!
Gorgeous photos......the grasshopper looks metallic in the first one! Here's hoping that the rest of the groundhog family follows the errant one, and stays away.
Nice captures Linda. I haven't seen many butterflies in the gardens this summer since early July. Strange. I hope Mr. Groundhog is happy in his new surroundings but I expect if you've seen babies then you'll have to put that trap to work again! Such a nuisance.
I am just amazed by your close up photos. I think I'd like that lens. It's so very interesting to seem them up close like that.
By the way, do you know if it's too late to register for the KV show? I've written emails but can't get a response of find the forms.
Yes, I agree, he is a handsome grasshopper. Your photos are just lovely...I really enjoyed your post.
Lovely photos of the garden and its visitors. Good to hear that Mr Groundhog has been evicted. Those Echinacea flowers are stunning. I saw some yesterday for what I believe is the first time ever. I hadn't realised they were so big.
Gorgeous images, Linda! I like especially the wonderful grasshopper photos. They make me think that every girl should have a macro lens. :)
I hope the groundhogs will not damage your crops anymore. We have many small nuisance animals but not groundhogs. Have you ever heard them whistle?
Have a lovely weekend!
Good macro of the grasshopper Linda, not so sure about the handsome part though as they like to chew my plants. The butterfly with it's camouflage abilities however is a beautiful sight.
Hopefully you can lure the rest of the groundhog family away to join the other family member.
Haha, everyone I'm visiting today is saying how they've not been blogging much - I'm in the same boat and don't plan to get bogged down again even when it turns colder. I'm enjoying visiting and commenting when I have the time, sure I miss the odd post of my friends but they don't seem to mind.
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