What Is It?

taken:
day forty five
08.04.2014

What is it? A dragonfly, or a damselfly, or something completely different? Whatever it is, I love it's lustrous wings and it's iridescent eyes.

Snow Puff Cosmos

taken:
day forty four
08.03.2014

This is my first year growing these, 'snow puff' cosmos. They are sweet and delicate with layers of frilly white petals. I enjoyed them in the garden and I do believe I'll be growing these again year after year.

Welcomed And Loved

taken:
day forty three
08.02.2014

A wild vine leaf. This vine appeared all on it's own, taking over one whole side and corner of my garden fence. Something wild and unplanned has become welcomed and loved. It may be unruly at times but all it needs is a little tender loving care to tame it and keep it in shape.

Split Second

taken:
day forty two
08.01.2014

It's a blue sky, 

a cloud with a window,

rays of sunlight,

birds in flight. 

It's one perfect fleeting moment, 

a split second,

a glimpse into heaven.

Glimmer

taken:
day forty one
07.31.2014

After a morning shower from the sprinkler the baby's breath in my garden glimmer with shiny water droplets.

Draw You In

taken:
day forty
07.30.2014

It's always a lovely day when the stargazer lilies start to bloom. 

They draw you in with their divine scent,

their striking pink spotted petals and 

their prominent stamen and pistil.

When near a stargazer

a closer look and a deeper breath

is surely a good idea.

Monarch Caterpillar

taken:
day thirty nine
07.29.2014

I was so excited when I noticed two monarch caterpillars on this late July day. Here's one of them. For several days after, every time I walked through my garden they were there, gradually munching away on the leaves of my butterfly weed. Then one day they were gone. Maybe it was time for them to crawl away to find a safe place for their transformation? I searched around trying to find their chrysalises but didn't have any luck. It would have been so fun to find them and watch for a monarch butterfly to emerge.

Ruby Eclipse

taken:
day thirty eight
07.28.2014

One of the most stunning sunflowers, a 'ruby eclipse'. They have the most beautiful burgundy colored petals with pale yellow tips. Pretty in any light but especially show-stopping when backlit by the evening sun, illuminating their rich ruby petals. Their name couldn't have been more perfect.

Peekaboo

taken:
day thirty seven
07.27.2014

Peekaboo, little tree frog, I see you! 

I caught this cute guy hiding out in one of my daylilies. 

A daylily must be a comfy spot for a tree frog since I seem to find them there often.

I think they like lounging in the shade of the petals, sheltered from the hot summer sun.

Peachy Pink

taken:
day thirty six
07.26.2014

A peachy pink zinnia in the hot July sun.

County Fair

taken:
day thirty five
07.25.2014

On this day we went with some good friends to our local county fair to watch the tractor pull. After the tractor pull we walked through the rest of the fair and let the kids play games and ride rides. The lights of the rides always catch my eye. I love the look of this colorful little county fair ferris wheel against the dark night sky.

Graceful

taken:
day thirty four
07.24.2014

A graceful little hosta blossom.

Showy

taken:
day thirty three
07.23.2014

The 'hoary vervain' is a showy wild flower. They sprinkle prairie grasslands with their eye-catching lavender flowers on tall attractive spikes. Pollinators find them irresistible and so do I.

Abundance

taken:
day thirty two
07.22.2014

An abundance of echinacea growing at one of our favorite parks.