milkweed deed

 A few signs of the changing season...

...but not much yet.

Although our burning bush is becoming glorious...

...most things look about the same.  And we still have so many insects out and about!

goldenrod soldier beetles

eastern bumblebee

grasshopper

inchworm

oleander aphids

sachem

large milkweed bugs

We're especially seeing tons of these milkweed bugs.

They're eating the milkweed seeds that are just emerging from the opening pods.  They're going to start traveling south soon and need the energy.  The milkweed pods have plenty of seed to spare!

There are so many flowers still in bloom.

The days are still pretty warm.  Up to 87 this week...

still plenty of warm spots

...and down to 33 a few days after.  So while I can...windows open, fall baking...

maple pecan scones from Sally's Baking Addiction

...puppy romps...

...and looking forward to the coming color!

old roses and kitten reposes

 It's already September!  Even though there are plenty of signs, it's hard to believe.  

MORE turkeys.  They really ramp up their foraging in the fall.

Late-season roses already have a tinge of brown.

American lotus are blooming.  I'm not sentimental about romantic flowers...actually, I think it's kind of a generic cop-out as gift from a partner...but I do have a sentimental attachment to the American lotus.  They always are blooming on our late-summer anniversary.

More leaves changing too!

Todd has been helping me to tear down the early-blooming beds to get them ready for winter.

Not too much still blooming in the garden by the house, but we're leaving a lot of the dried plant stalks.  They're providing plenty of seeds for the birds!

The back garden is still "growing" crazy. 

The morning dew is so heavy that it weighs down the sunflower heads...another sign of fall.

Belatedly, Todd and I realized that there are actually ripe tomatoes in our caged-in tomato triangle, and we've been braving the jungle to rescue a few.

Note to self:  if you put chicken wire around tomato cages, you CANNOT reach through to pick tomatoes.  Next year will be better!

Ditto on the corn.  Oh well...despite the crows, I think we're going to get some good ears...plenty for decorating and then using next year for seed!

Grasshoppers are always most active in late summer.

Hot, dry temperatures, like the ones we've had for the past couple of weeks, means optimum conditions for grasshopper egg-laying.  I'm seeing more praying mantis oothecas too, even though I haven't seen many mantises.

Of course, this time of year cicadas are singing their hearts out!

I love the change of seasons and since fall is my favorite, I'm really eager for what comes next!  I'm ready to be done with the heat and humidity of summer.

Frances, however, doesn't agree.

Have a great week!

assassin (bug)'s creed

 While kittens are sleeping peacefully inside...

...we've been working like crazy to get garden things done ahead of this historic heat wave.  As of Friday, I had twenty-two containers of seedlings that needed to be planted.  With my tendonitis and our hard clay soil, I just can't efficiently get the digging done...so I had to have help!

We have a little electric tiller, and thanks to the recent rain, Todd was able to get quite a bit of ground ready for me.  I crawled behind, digging and planting as quickly as I could.  After the containers were planted, I started to direct-seed the summer stuff:  celosia, zinnias, sunflowers, cosmos, etc.  I've never had much luck with direct seeding, but at this point, it was the only option.  If it works...it's going to be glorious!

I love the ground-level view of the garden.  A brown cricket watched me dig, bringing back childhood memories of hauling a wire cylinder full of crickets to the local fishing hole.

(spider warning!)

A parson spider fled before my trowel, dragging behind her egg sac.  It's hard to see here, but it's called a parson spider because the white strip on their abdomen resembles a priest's collar!

A shield bug supervised from a safe distance.

Of course, I love being eye level with the bupleurum and forget-me-nots...

...and oh, those poppies!

All self-seeded from last year.  Another surprise...I planted 'Ice Ballet' milkweed last year but no flowers...this year, it's finally blooming!

I love milkweed because it's a MAJOR insect attractor.  Bees, of course...

...but also grasshoppers (look how tiny...the size of one milkweed blossom!)...

...this battle-scarred soldier beetle...

...this swamp milkweed leaf beetle, hiding under a leaf...

...lots of milkweed bugs...

...and many others.  But let's face it...milkweed is a major Lover's Lane.

This last amorous pair?  Ambush bugs.  They crouch amid blossoms...

...and wait for prey.  I think they look like tiny mythical creatures!  Their bodies are jagged to help them blend into flowers better...assassin bug relatives, they pierce their prey and liquify the innards.  They have a pretty nasty bite for people, too, so best to give them a wide berth! 

I love seeking out unusual life in the garden and am so grateful to have the opportunity to draw them in.  I had almost given up hope of having a garden this year and have been absolutely astounded at what has come back on its own this year.

It's so easy to go out and grab flowers for bouquets, and especially gratifying, because I didn't plant any of this in 2022.  Cue the Hallelujah chorus!

Have a great week!