Oh yeah, here's the basil.  I have to go out there really early, before the sun gets on it.  And I take a container of water with me, because if I don't put it in water immediately, it is wilty by the time I get back to the house.  

 

And, I needed it to stay fresh all day;  which it did.  Yay!!!

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

 

I also saw this little guy resting on a pepper blossom.  It wasn't that cold, but he seemed a little lethargic for a bumbler.  

 

And he sat still long enough for me to get this picture for you.  I thought you'd like it.

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER STILL!!!

 

I went out to the garden to cut some basil for our dinner project, and everything was so pretty!!!  Look, there's dew on all the leaves, and well, you can't hear it, but it was so still and quiet.  

 

The Jalepeno peppers are absolutely loaded.  I only planted three plants, but there are going to be at least a hundred peppers.  I have no idea who is going to eat them all, but they sure are pretty.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

I know I've shown you one of these before, but it is always so exciting to see one.  

Jon was putting the cover on the Jeep, and said, "Hey, come look at this!"  It was a stick bug, about 3 and a half inches long.  The Seek app told us that males are about 3 inches, and females are 3.7 inches.  

 

Hmm.  Do we really need to know?  I'm thinking that WE don't, but probably:  they do.

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!!

 

This is my neighbors' Crape Myrtle.  This color is definitely my favorite.  Mr. Bridges preferred Natchez, the white one, probably because it is mildew-resistant and works so well in landscaping.  But I love this lavender one, because, well, it's  lavender.  We see the lavender ones all along Interstate 40 in mass plantings, and they are gorgeous.

 

Have you ever heard Crape Myrtles called "the tree of a hundred days?"  Well, I have searched and I can't find my reference for it, but I have.  It blooms from July into September, and if you can prune off the old blooms before they go to seed, they will re-bloom.  What a gorgeous tree/shrub.  I hope you get to see them in your travels.

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

Look at this beautiful butternut squash, next to a squash blossom.  Next cage over is swamped with morning glory.  Anyway...

 

As you can see, this squash isn't anywhere near maturity:  it's still green.  Each one takes about 90 days to mature, and at the end it turns a gorgeous shade of pink.  In the meantime, I get to watch them grow from tiny babies into these 1-3 pound beauties.  There are about 20 in some stage of growth, and I love checking on them every day.

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!! 

 

Oh, yes, the Morning Glories:  another "weed" in my garden.  

 

I know better, but I don't care.  I love the morning glories when they bloom, so I let them grow up the tomato cages along with the butternut squashes.  

 

What are a few weeds among friends?

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

As we were walking in the park, I saw this caterpillar on the ground.  I probably wouldn't have seen it at all, except it was resting on this yellow tulip poplar leaf.  It really grabbed my attention.  I've seen this kind of caterpillar before in my garden.  It is a Gulf Fritillary.  This leaf is NOT one of its host plants;  it is just hanging out here so I would notice it.

 

I have seen many of these caterpillars in my garden because their host plant is...Passionflower!!!   The leaves of the passionflower feed the baby Fritillary caterpillars.  And this is so cool:  if there isn't enough food to get the caterpillars big enough to cocoon, they will overwinter as larvae and continue feeding in the spring when the passiflora regrows.  Another good reason to let the passionflower grow:  they support Fritillary butterflies.

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!! 

 

It may look a bit weedy, but this is Downy Scullcap, Scutellaria incana, and it is a native wildflower in the mint family.  

 

We saw it the other day in the park.  When I looked it up in my wildflower book, I learned that this one is very typical:  blooming mid-summer, in a shady woodland setting.  

 

I hope you notice flowers on your daily walks.  There is always something interesting in bloom.

 

 

HAPPY SUMMER!!!

 

I know I shouldn't, but every year I let them grow.  I don't let them ALL stay, because the vines can take over the tomato cages, the pathways, the fence, the yard, and yes, the world!!!  But I love these flowers so much, I let some stay.  

 

As you can see, the leaves are kinda chewed up, but that's ok:  I'm not looking at the leaves.  I only see the flowers.  Maybe that's why it's called Passionflower:  we love the flowers with a passion.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING !!!