made in the shade

 We've had...a lot of rain lately.

Some torrential downpours.

It brought out the frogs...

grey tree frog

...ferns...

...and fungus.

oyster mushrooms

bolete rubellus

scaly shield mushroom

Our walking path has been littered with storm debris.

It's nice to NEVER have to water any plants.  Things are growing well!

Plenty of rabbits around to eat the foliage (poor early-morning cell pics).

The kittens (fearsome hunters) are keeping a close eye on this development.

See the rabbit just outside the window?  Our string trimmer has been broken so a lot of green has sprung up in the walking path around the house.  It's a common place for rabbits....with a convenient perch for rabbit hunters.

Some fun discoveries in the garden!  I love seeing ladybugs there, eating the aphids.  

Here's the empty molt of a young ladybug:

Here's a larva, eating the remains of its former exoskeleton:

Here's a milkweed beetle!

Cicadas are out and about...

And so are luna moths.  I was lucky to see this one...they only live for about a week!

Some other nice fliers...this eastern pondhawk dragonfly...

...and a southern spreadwing!

A few headaches this month...

...but it's been a little better...have been able to spend more time out in the sun...er, shade.

Some quality non-headache time inside, too.

I've even finished another puzzle!  Woo hoo! Two thousand pieces, a great challenge.

Hopefully more in the next few weeks.  Cool weather is coming!