Know I've complained and griped about the garden during this torrid Summer in the southeast. Know many of you in other areas of the USA are suffering too........no rain to speak of, temperatures hovering in or near three digits daily, nights requiring even less than flimsy nighties or a loose cotton
t-shirt…...... because it just won't cool off!
Although Nature struggles there are still some lovely surprises in the garden every day. I always have a camera handy....................one morning last week three goldfinches arrived on the dying sunflowers in a large pot in front of the porch. As they pecked out the black seeds I just managed a quick shot through the dining room window. Such beautiful little birds.
I mentioned recently that the bees were busy on the fading Stargazer lilies.......now they are feasting on the phlox buds and blooms.
Having a good supply of large bumble bees for pollination is always a good sign.......this hot Summer they appear to be thriving in the heat.
The Eastern Tiger Swallowtails left the lilies and moved on to sip their nectar from the buddleia bushes. Quite large with 3-51/2 inch wing spans, these beauties are a joy to watch.
The heatwave continues...........in fact the national weather map shown on tonight's news reports was quite frightening with heat indexes showing as high as 131 degrees! Here, we are expecting 100+ through the coming weekend................I'll continue to be out there with my camera when I can. I just know there are more surprises in store in the garden.......sweet smelling moonflowers, twining morning glories, and ripening figs.
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Wow! Your weather sounds...well, hot! We here in western Canada are anything but! We've have rain, rain, rain all spring, a week of warm weather in the beginning of July, now rain, rain, rain for the last week, with more to come! Everywhere you look, people are out in sweaters and long sleeved shirts. We've barely made it over 20C many days.
ReplyDeleteSo you can package up a little sun and a little heat and send it our way!
Love your blog!
PS I love your new header! The American goldfinches are my favorite birds, and I'm so happy when they find my feeders in the spring. But, sadly, today I had to take them down...thanks to Templeton the rat. Yucky!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photos Mary. The heat here is not quite as hot as your area. It is 11:20 at night and it is 76 degrees. We are suppose to be in the low 90's this week during the day.
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Penny
I've read about the heat there in the States. We had a hot June but a cold and rainy July. Weather is always interesting-but can be hard to live through.
ReplyDeleteLovely photographs Mary, can you send just a little of that heat to the UK, yesterday was like an Autumn day!!! Jackie in Surrey UK.
ReplyDeleteMary, your photos are beautiful. Would you mind telling what camera you use?
ReplyDeleteSandra
You sure are having a hot July! It's been 'hot' here too. Hot for us. It's been in the 80's and low 90's for a day or two and humid. Last night it went down to 51 so it was great for sleeping. It will be 90 today but the 'fever' heat will be breaking later tomorrow up here. Your photos are just beautiful Mary. Stay cool. Pamela
ReplyDeleteBeautiful photography and what special visitors to your garden, even on a hot day. Most of the country is sweltering and here in the Northwest we have had about 3 days of summer. It is cool and cloudy with a chance of showers. I think I would really want this weather if I lived in a hot climate, but it would be nice to hit 80 occasionally.
ReplyDeleteMary, you always find beauty in that around you. These are awesome shots. Hot here, but we still manage to take our morning walks. A nice rain would be the best. ~ Sarah
ReplyDeleteGorgeous images Mary!
ReplyDeleteIt is hot here as well. We are staying in, as much as possible, only venturing out in the early morning, if we need to. I don't know how we did it before AC!! Guess we were used to it.
We're getting the same weather, Mary. Tomorrow and Friday the heat index is going to be over 100 degrees. This morning, I went outside and just missed getting a photo of a goldfinch on our sunflowers. So I'm glad I got to see yours!
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Claudia
Your photos are really wonderful, Mary. Wow, I'd love to see that huge butterfly in person. Much larger than any I've seen around here, though a gigantic moth that looked more like a small bat did flutter gently though my open slider one night and into the living room. I was amazed; but he was not so pretty as that butterfly.
ReplyDeleteHow glad I am that I'm here in nice cool England and not having to cope with the awful heat you are having. The goldfinch is really beautiful but different to the UK version. Hope you manage to stay reasonably cool - indoors with blinds and curtains closed would be my choice in a heatwave.
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