Oh Baby its Hot Outside

July 18, 2010July 18, 20101 Comment

Its been so hot that the bees are spending much of their time hanging around on the outside of the hive. Especially at night. Even though the temperature drops down into the 70’s they will still be found bearding on the front of the hive. The sound of thousands of little wings fanning away the heat is mesmerizing and will go on for hours after the sun sets.

1:30 PM: They were very busy flying to and fro, in and out of the hive all day today. Their mission in life, in spite of the heat, is to find nectar and keep the hive going and growing.

10:30 PM: It is amazing to see everyone sitting on the front stoop and fanning to draw off the heat. I switch off the light. I love standing there in the dark to listen to the hum of all those little wings.

And tomorrow they will go out and do it all over again.

A Garden Sprite

July 17, 2010July 17, 20102 Comments

Out in the garden this afternoon I survey my little bit of earth and it is hot. Parched really. What’s new, huh?

But the heat is always made bearable when I find something so lovely as this.

This little Garden Sprite is known as a Clearwing Hummingbird Moth and with good reason! It can hover, sip nectar, and then reverse direction just like a hummingbird. Very clever moth don’t you agree?

Keep your eyes open the next time you go out into the garden, and who knows, you may discover a little hummingbird about two inches long. But look closely… for you may have found a little Garden Sprite on your own bit of earth.

You can read up on her here: http://www.birdsandblooms.com/Butterflies/Summer/Hummingbird-Clearwing

Seven Miles

July 15, 2010July 15, 2010Leave a comment

Getting back into riding seemed daunting to think about. I rode everywhere in the city, but once I moved here I quit. The country road is just two lanes, and in the morning the commuters are late, and just like in the city… they drive too fast. Hence my fear of narrow riding spaces and being found dead in a ditch bank, have weighed heavily on my mind. But I have resolved to ride again, and so begins my journey back to health and fitness.

I started back last week actually, and I have surprised myself by surpassing my expectations for distance. Each ride’s distance starting with 4 miles, then 5, and today’s 7 mile ride serve to boost my confidence.

Today I took pictures.

Of grazing cattle.

A cotton field softened by the humid haze in the air.

A cotton blossom drenched in dawn’s dew kiss.

A newly plowed field that want’s planting with perhaps another chance at corn for this year… we’ll see.

A small working farm… well OK, it excites this X-City girl to see such things. I can’t help it!

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And then its the end of the road. I did not expect or plan to reach this goal so fast, and yet, here I am.

Looking across the highway…

… at tomorrow’s ride.

Where will it lead?

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I turn around and head home. Pedaling down the road I feel summer’s hot breath against my skin. Perspiration beads on my face and rolls down my spine. I pedal harder to reach the top of the hill and wonder if I can break 20 mph on the downside.

Push, push, push up the hill… I crest…

Now pushing faster the wind blasts down into my helmet cooling my head, and leaning forward I gain the speed to hit 24 mph!

I love to ride.

Something to smile about…

June 29, 2010June 29, 20103 Comments

I woke up at 2:30 this morning and unable to go back to sleep I got up and went to the kitchen for a drink of water. Standing there I notice this strange sound in the center of the kitchen. I have been hearing it for the past three days, and once again wonder what it is and where exactly it is coming from. Suddenly it hits me… its running water! Dropping to the floor I put my ear to the wood and sure enough it is definitely running water.

Quickly I grab a flashlight and run out to the meter to turn off the water to the house. I go to the crawl space, pull open the door, and look inside to find that the soil under the house is wet and sweaty looking. The smell emanating from under there is nothing short of awful, and I now realize that I had smelled it coming through the vents last week. I had passed it off as mouse bait at the time. Not so!

Now I really can’t sleep.

I wait for dawn and for Bob to get up so I can tell him the bad news. After Bob goes to work I wait some more for the plumber to open up so I can call for them to come fix it, and I tell myself, “We can’t afford this right now.” But then who can these days?

When I finally reach the plumber they promise to send someone right out to take care of it. (yeah right!)

So while I wait some more I go out into the garden to try to cheer myself up, and as always, I take my camera.

I was surprised to find these caterpillars on my parsley that I’d let go to seed! Aren’t they beautiful?

And although the coneflowers were ravaged by Japanese beetles this year it did not affect the all important source of nectar, and the bees of all kinds and butterflies too were glad for a sip in this heat. Oh, and do you see the little crab spider?

This little lady could not sit still, so you will not get to see her true lavender beauty, but I promise you it is there. Don’t you love her bar striped antennae? Can you spy the little black ant?

This fellow, as I imagine him to be, had the most intense coloration. Simple yet intense. Slate gray with hints of turquoise and rose, an orange mantle, and every other bit of him jet black. Moths that spend their time out in the daylight are few and this one never left the oregano blossoms.

This little bee is a living jewel of emerald green. There were several in the herb bed this morning!

It needs to be said that I have owned several Buddleia bushes in my time and never liked them. They just never lived up to their name of “Butterfly Bush.” I loved the smell, but saw nary a butterfly… till I planted one here in the country that is!

This beauty spends half the day here. Sipping nectar in great draughts it seems unbothered by its close proximity to me on the front porch. Apparently, being beautiful as we flutter along on a summer day is hot work!

And finally, I have no idea if this a wasp or bee, but it certainly proves that God has a sense of humor!