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
