Isn't it wonderful to see? I get grins and chills everytime I see one of ours.
And I hear ya about the alarm clock. My daughter has done the EXACT same thing. Or she'll hit snooze and go take a shower. And the darn thing goes on and on and on..... I don't own a gun, but I have a shovel.
finally sticking around for groceries
Hehee, Blaine, You are such a good daddy!
I am so glad I've been there. Makes your post most interesting.
Glad your Hummer zoomed in while you were out.
sidney
one from today. Do you know what it is? I haven't seen it before.....
Maggie you are really good at getting these pictures.
They are all calendar shots if you were to ask me.
sidney
I'm guessing one of the fritillaries. The intricate patterns, symetrical markings, colors and shadings always fascinate and amaze me.
Thanks sugar. I think most of the time its luck, and the fact that the digital has sequence shooting.
Blaine, thanks - that's where I'll start looking. I saw the Zebra Swallowtail again today, but I just sat there with my mouth open and watched it. They really stand out....
Blaine, I think you're right - how does the Variegated Fritallary look? This is my first hyper link, so I hope it works:
http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/va/62.htm
I ended up going out and seeing if the Zebra was still around:
#2 (I thought I did this once.....)
You on a roll today, or what!!
Your link worked perfect and you found your butterfly.
The tiger.. that is just wonderful and the 2nd shot shows how stripes continue through the body.
Our selection (well, at least around the house) of butterflys isn't very big. Besides different moths, basically Painted Lady, Viceroy, Mourning Cloak, Monarch, black and yellow Swallowtail.
Really nice shots Peggy!
Reading this thread has me gasping and spewing. This last butterfly. Well I'll just have to make a butterfly quilt! Can I use Ya'lls pictures? Please.
sidney
Fine by me. I've got some favorite shots from other years.
I've been busy but I'm trying to keep up! These pics are GREAT!! I LOVE the Zebra ST's!!! You are SO lucky to have both Tigers and Zebra's!! I love the hummers and hummingbird moths too.
I've had some Giant ST's lately, and an occassional Monarch. I've not even seen one Sulphur in months!! The ants have eaten all my GF eggs and all my milkweed is covered in aphids! gggrrr
I have a new Joe Pye Weed. I hope that it survives and blooms again!! I have had another for a few years but it's apparently a dwarf and has never bloomed. :( What does that Chocolate JPW look like?
Well here's one I potted up for a trip to TX.
They only get about 3' tall have dark maroon foliage. But I found they start to green up when they bloom. The blooms are white with maybe a pinkish tinge.
At least that's what they did where I have them. I like the Gateway bloom heads much better.
I was just looking back to see if I had any shots of the Chocolate and ran into this one from Jul 03. Haven't seen this butterfly since.
What is it?
natch!! Ok, what's this one from Jul03
I can't really see it too well, but I can see those Rude Becky's back there! Is the Gateway what Peggy has? I think that might be what I have.
O/T...how do you all keep up with everyone's names? Do you write it in notebook and keep it handy? I feel like I need to do that, and write what I know about each person too. I start reading and then my brain gets overloaded, then I sleep, and confuse it all the next day. lol
So let me start here since I like this little thread...
RedMaggie = Peggy
8ftbed = Blaine
sugarweed = Sidney
KKB = Paige
Sidney, well I am absolutely flattered that you would even consider using some of my pics. Feel free to do so. Like Blaine, I have photos from last year I can dig up if you want to see more. Yeah, the Zebra is pretty cool. this is the first year I've seen one, and only twice so far. Of course its the first year I've seen the painted lady and the variegated fritallary, too. My garden is relatively new. I've got a couple pics in other threads from this year as well.
Paige, My Joe Pye Weed is definitely not dwarf - it stands at least eight feet tall. It towers. I got it last year, and had no idea it would get so big. it was a lot smaller last year when I bought it. But the flutterbyes seem to like it, so its here to stay. I don't have the name - I think it was just called Joe Pye Weed. I can look in the morning, and see if the tag is still there. Maybe I should read those things more closely. lol Usually its only requirement is that it be Zone 7, and attract butterflies and/or hummingbirds....
I'm terrible with names. I lapse back and forth between screen names and real names. I think starting a list might help me. :)
Blaine, I think that is the Giant Swallowtail:
http://www.marietta.edu/~biol/butter/giant.html
http://home.earthlink.net/~schmetterlinge/BflyListThumbsOnly/ButterflySightings/GiantSwallowtail/GiantSwallowtail.html
I haven't had one of those yet. Its pretty.
I have had a lot of fun on this thread. And meeting people, who don't roll their eyes at my plants and butterflies, on Dave's is awesome....
My eye's roll and flutter and cross and sometimes... maybe even a little tear. (awwww)
when I meet other gardener's who share their pics and appreciation of flowers, plants and insects. Now why are we all dispersed around the country. I don't know of any two passionate gardeners living right next too each other!! Maybe a bigger plan. We're purposely scattered to give butterflys snack shacks in their travels like McDonald's. :)
Ok, here's that Chocolate this morning. The foliage is already greening up a bit getting ready to bloom.
Here's my Gateway. This is it's 2nd year. Last year I had 1 stalk. It's about 6' but in my street bed, doesn't get as much water. I think I'll mulch with manure compost next year and see how big a monster I can grow.
For snorts and giggles, this looked good in the early morning light. This digital doesn't give the same quality but it was a FD present last year and gives instant gratification.
Oh my, that pic gave me instant gratification this morning too! Wow!! That's beautiful! What all do you have in there? I love seeing other gardens and getting new ideas. Obviously some things won't do so well in my heat, but it's nice to dream. :)
I love the color of that Chocolate JPW, and it sure shows up great next to that potato vine. I hope my JPW gets that big!! I really need to give mine a touch of some fertilizer and some mulch today tho if I want it too.
Peggy, you are having great success with your garden! I would never know that it's new with your list of plants and beautiful pics. You go girl!
Oh yay for me! I've only had one hummer this year and I see today it's brought a friend!! :))
Holy Cow, 8ftbed! I think I see a piece of heaven--beautiful!
It's really an awesome place to be , just one goodie after another.
Blaine is the best gardener I've met in many years. He's the kind of gardener I aspire to be, but don't really see that happening.
About the quilt, That last picture of the Zebra you posted just turned on lightbulb in my head for some reason.
I will be downloading those and working with them for inspiration.
Thanks,
sidney
Good thing you've got pics Sidney. I found a written prayer this morning by the DW that "... I'd love the family more than plants". A knee-jerk mental response was to post a note to my garden club and any DG members within the area to come take any and all plants. Bring topsoil to fill holes and a case of bud light for me. Day one whole plants. Day two cuttings. Day three everything left starts getting dug and piled. This time next year someone else can be living here in another stupid little suburban plot with a house in the middle of a golfcourse fairway.
Drastic but I've been known to jump bigger ditches when pushed to the edge.
Well hope you get something to calm that knee down! Please don't call or write anyone until I can get there for first choice!!
In the mean time Hug everyone more and take care of MY plants until I can get back up there to reteive them.
sidney
What a hoot! I don't follow the horrorscopes but look what I stumbled upon in a Chicago paper at lunch.I starting laughing out loud!!
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): A knee-jerk response is dangerous. Take a breath and think things over before you act. To avoid confusion, get everything in writing. Oral contracts are relatively worthless -- just ask your lawyer!
CAPRICORN (Dec. 22-Jan. 19): Even though you have to deal with shared property and the wealth of others at this time, today is not a good day to make major decisions regarding this. You could give away the farm. You might not appreciate all the subtle nuances involved. Lie low.
Good advice! Take it!
I think I'm a little lost here. Blaine, you suddenly WANT to get rid of your plants?? And Sidney, you keep confusing me, but then you finally said that you've been to Blaine's! That sounds fun and very interesting, since you are so far away. How did you end up visiting? I've got local friends that I met online and just love them. I've got another that is in Ohio, but no chance of visiting them on my budget.
Oh my! What fabulous photos on this thread! Just when I start feeling as though I'm a real gardener I see what 8ftbed and RedMaggie are doing. I feel like an intruder but thought you might like to see a shot I got of a Sphinx Moth a month or so ago.
The last week of July I went to Chicago for a convention. I played Hooky on Wednesday and he drove into town and picked me up at 5:30 am to avoid the traffic.
We returned to his house, I met wife and two beautiful daughters.
Blaine's garden is awesome to say the least. It sports a nice sign that says City of Zion Yard of the Month.
He took me some miles away to a friends yard that has many plants Blaine hasn't gotten yet and it was fantastic too.
Then wwe went to Craig Bergmans Nursery where I was just blown away. We had lunch and then trecked off to Milingers in Wisconsin. Then the "Daddy" Milinger's store.
Then we went back and thru his garden and Larry's garden.
Had a fantastic day. Got back to Hotel in downtown with a dozen plants and lunch leftovers about 9:00pm.
The best day I've had in 5 years.
sidney
That sounds like a wonderful day!!! How fun to get to meet someone and spend the entire day playing together! And how nice of him to pick you up that early!!
sierramp, come on in! I just got my first shots of a hummingbird moth recently too. I've had one Clearwing and one Sphinx. Not a lot but sure glad I got to see them both.
Very nice shot, Paige!
sierramp - what're you talking about? That's a great shot of both the monarda AND our winged buddy. Uhhh, I'm pretty sure I see running water in the lower right. You gotta stream set up? Don't be shy.... I doubt I'm the only one that likes to look . :)
Paige - very nice shot!
The digi I got as a gift has been pretty good but I need to upgrade if I stay digital so I can get the closeups. Oh, and not that I "want" to get rid of anything...well, any plants, but there's a squeaky wheel around here that needs a 55gal drum of oil to shut it up. heh heh
Bwahahahaha
How observant of you Blaine! I think you are right, I see something wet in that pic too. I can already tell, I'm going to be really jealous. I would love some sort of pond but it would just be a toy for my 6 yr old.
Ohhhh...well if you do decide to oil that wheel a little, just let me know what thread to watch so I can get in my requests!
Sugarweed, what have you got growing?!
Oh yeah Paige.. I already checked and see you're just a couple of skips south of Dallas. I've got DS in Plano and DS in Grapevine. The current wild hair that's nagging me could turn into a road trip. :) 16 hrs... yeah I can do that.
For Butterflies and Hummers, Mexican Milkweed, Lantana, Parsley, Mexican Petunia(?), Salvia(s), Pipevine, Duranta, Petunias in season. Heletrope sedium, bachelor buttons, Brugmansias, Nasturstrums Gardenias, Impatients, and a few coleus. And many other plants I can't remember the names of.
Here's my latest planting. http://davesgarden.com/forums/t/520620/
It doesn't hold a candle to Blaines.
sidney
You are very observant 8ft. The drip system was on when I took the photo. Konrete, I hadn't heard of the Clearwing moth before. If it's the same monstrous size as the Sphinx I haven't seen it in this area.
There aren't any butterflies or hummingbirds in this photo... it is a shot of the waterfall we built a couple of years ago. We have more rock here than you can believe. In fact we uncovered so much of it when we trenched for the sprinkler lines that we piled some of it 2 1/2' deep, put a little soil on it and laid sod over it - and it took. This little waterfall was our first attempt at this kind of project. It was just something else to do with rock and plants. We may have another larger stream-type project on the books for next year.
Someone told me these are Painted Ladies on the Pyracantha. For about a week there were so many they were like a river, flying SE to NW. There were thousands in the yard at a time. It was incredible.
