Moving Into Fall…
Well, I would say Fall has truly arrived here in Western Massachusetts. We’re starting to see some beautiful colors, though the warm weather lingers. And, continued warm weather means continued flowers. My hydrangeas are still putting out blooms… …and the zinnias remain colorful and are a favorite with the bees. The salvia has gotten its […]
This Week’s Garden Visitors
Here’s something I’ve never seen…a chicken’s egg laid in weather so hot, it became hard boiled. That gives you an idea of the extreme heat we’ve had this year. Not non-stop heat, thankfully, but enough to make me glad to see the return of cooler temperatures. The garden hasn’t seemed to mind the heat too […]
Backyard Entomology
It’s been a good week for spotting insects. With so much in bloom, the yard is alive with flying and crawling things. I’m often at a loss to name the insects I see, but I have a Peterson First Guide to Butterflies and Moths and, with that in hand, I’m trying to become more familiar with […]
Fall Fun – and a Sister’s Visit
First off, I want to share this fun photo of CPT A, working on his computer in the backyard with the dogs. Since this was taken, we’ve lost all of those colorful leaves in the back woods. A wild storm came through on Halloween and knocked everything down. Much of our town was without power […]
The First Tiger Swallowtail of Summer
Today, we saw our first Eastern Tiger Swallowtail of the season. It was hanging around the butterfly bush in the front yard, looking fresh and dainty despite all of the thick heat. I say “thick heat” because that is exactly how the air felt. Thick. It was incredibly humid – one of those days where just […]
