Supporting the Monarch Population!

Poking around in the garden a bit ago and I came upon a monarch caterpillar bonanza munching away on the Butterfly Weed!

I suppose it doesn't make much sense to be so pissed at the hornworms and at the same time so excited about the Monarchs.

But I am.

I counted 7 caterpillars in varying sizes.

Elsewhere...the Hibiscus is chugging along in spite of the Japanese beetles...

I caught sight of this fly resting on the okra. I haven't seen it before but admired it's spirit- though badly tattered flying flower to flower.

SOMETHING DASTARDLY ATE MY CANTALOUPE!!!

Summer Boomer

Hooray for much needed rain!

Buggy Things

There were lots of creepy crawlers in the garden today. The Assassin bug that's the size of a 50 cent piece is still on patrol on the porch. The color in this picture does this moth no justice...it was the color of Campbell's tomato soup...

This fierce looking spider had built its nest in the lawn...I walked wide around it in case it had it's eye on me!

Then I got TOTALLY creeped out...look at the top of this trashcan....WHERE IS THE SNAKE THAT LEFT IT"S SKIN ON MY CAN!?!?!?!?!? Ew ew ew ew ew. I hate that it was probably watching me...and I will not be touching that can!!!

Is it wrong of me to be sort of gleeful that this rotten hornworm is infested with parasitic wasp larvae...is this some sort of karma, I wonder??

Is this not the most incredible shade of blue...Agapanthas, Lily of the Nile...

Look my Edamame worked!!

This isn't the best hummer picture by far, but what was cool was that this little guy was less than 3 feet from me as he sat down on the leaf and just looked at me...of course, I didn't have my camera then. I went in and came back out with it, and waited...he returned but was a little more skittish.

Nothing to say about this...I just like it.

It's Not Officially the "Dog Days" of Summer Yet....

...but you wouldn't know it from looking at the garden. Some spots have that August look already in July...too much heat, not enough rain I suppose.
But some things are looking good...the Butterfly Bush has lots of visitors- bees, moths, perched dragonflies and a wide assortment of butterflies.

The acorn squash is coming along...

Okra is standing at attention!

Toothy grin looking at me while I watered...

He moved around as I did...his faceted wings caught shimmering light...

Thitonia loves the hot...

Volunteer morning glory reaching for the sun...last year the plant was blue...the seeds it dropped made this color...hmmm.

Couldn't miss the Zipper...

Storms and a Few Flowers at the End of June

Big storms rolled through the area yesterday bringing much needed rain after a prolonged period of dry. I was really happy, as I have always felt that no amount of hosing will ever replace good ole Ma Nature letting loose a deluge on the garden.

The clouds were cool....

The lightening bolts striking into the ocean, angrily breaking the heat wave we have been sweltering under.

Meanwhile, the flowers are doing the end of June things...the Black & Blue Salvia is waiting for the hummers....

The Hibiscus is outrageous, despite the Japanese Beetles having a feast on the leaves...

The riot area of the garden...disorderly, floppy, blooming every which way....I love it....

                                                 Tomorrow is July 1...how the heck did that happen...

Saturday Miscellaneous

A cherished lazy Saturday in the middle of many comings and goings. Happy to have GoddessSupport back from too much travel...packing our son off for a week away next week. Little in the way of gardening after a week of brutal heat and alot of work on big projects.

This tomato in a pot on the deck is a winner...an orange cherry, it has the best flavor, and the moment it's ripe, I pick and eat it! Not one has made it into the house.

We spent the day on the beach and what a terrific day it was...rolling waves perfect for just laying on a boogie board and the water temperature was an unbelievable 81!! The osprey were fishing and surely jealous of the kid who landed a good sized cobia off the pier.

We were lazy floaters.....loving life....

We returned home to a great dinner of grilled grouper. And this is what I did with my patty pan squash...bacon, onion, garlic, scooped out squash, Parmesan cheese, Italian herbs, s&p sauteed and stuffed, put there little hats back on...baked ~30 minutes...they were great! They have a sweet kind of nutty flavor. I would make them that way again... I think sliced think in a casserole with cheddar cheese and bread crumbs would work well also... So success there...glad there will be more! (And Arizona Garden Goddess will be so proud that I got GoddessSupport to eat squash!!! Yeah me!!!)


BUT The peppers...I thought were Italian ...were HOT HOT HOT HOT.... not good for the inside of my mouth!!! Definitely NOT Italian...hmmmm Oh well...

Today's Harvest...

My first ever cantaloupe! Also....Italian red speckled beans, Italian, Serrano and jalapeno peppers, green peppers, patty pan squash, lemon cukes, Mr stripey and another Cherokee purple tomato....lots of good eatin in that tray!