Subscribe

RSS Feed (xml)

Powered By

Skin Design:
Free Blogger Skins

Powered by Blogger

16 August 2007

Grey on White

I'm always tickled when a hairstreak stops by. This Grey Hairstreak was enjoying my white almond and only briefly put up with my intrusion

before flitting over to a meadow beauty. When that didn't dissuade me, he turned, gave me a 'look' and flew off to seek a more private dining establishment.


These two were sitting side by side, siphoning minerals out of the dirt road. The Palamedes Swallowtail is one of our most frequent guests.

The Zebra Swallowtail is less frequent, but always very welcome.

My butterfly bush is starting to respond to TLC. Hopefully, we'll have more lovely leps in the coming weeks. Meanwhile, the birds are thrlled with the millet that has taken over the rose garden. They're not a particularly attractive addition to that area, but I don't have the heart to yank them out just yet.

One of my very favourite Florida wildflowers, the Blue Curls, has been blooming the past couple of weeks as well. I was surprised to see a Ruby-throated Hummingbird nectaring from them the other day. They're adding to the crowded conditions in my little rose garden, but how can I kick them out?



You can't tell from these pictures just how tiny the flowers are. It took me months to get a halfway decent shot of one. And the minute the temperature becomes bearable, I'll be out there trying for a better one. 8-]



Remember today to stop and smell whatever flowers you come across.

When you take a flower in your hand and really look at it,
it's your world for the moment.
I want to give that world to someone else.
Most people in the city rush around so,
they have no time to look at a flower.
I want them to see it whether they want to or not.

- Georgia O'Keeffe

11 comments:

SwampAngel65 said...

I commend you for being able to get such great butterfly pics. I try and try and can't convince any to hold still for me. I've been getting lots of snail and spider shots lately. They're much more cooperative ;) but not quite as pretty.

SwampAngel65 said...

I doubt your MIL is any kin. My husband's family was from Maine. My family is McCollisters, Poores, Millers and Renuarts (in case you might know any ). Except for the Renuarts, they're all from North Florida...Dixie Co. mostly.

I never realized if you click on the pics, they link to a bigger shot. D'uh! I'm not too observant, I guess. Don't know why they don't all open up.

Yes, I work in a beautiful place, but unfortunately, the job itself is extrememly boring. That's why today I spent a good hour on the trails taking pictures :)

Anonymous said...

Cool. Butterflies and skinks. I always learn some much from you.

Steve said...

Love the butterfly shots. Zebra Swallowtails just make life better.

Meems said...

again... such beautiful photos. the butterflies are plentiful now so i guess they don't mind the heat like we do (or i should say like I do). love the flower snaps- you have everything i don't have in my garden.

my sentiments as well re: o'keefe writing... it's taken me some time to learn it but i'm seriously on a quest to enjoy the moments (not just work to get to them) and to to soak up all the lovely world around me. great post.

SophieMae said...

SwampAngel the trick with butterflies is to catch them with their proboscis fully involved.

As I recall, my MIL is originally from AL. She's really into genealogy, but I can't remember where all the rest of her family came from.

Cathy, I was thinking of you last night as I started reading Death in the Everglades. It's part of the FL History & Culture Series.

Steve, I agree! The zebras are truly delightful. I seem to favour black and white birds, as well.

Meems, I can't take much credit for the Blue Curls. They just spring up and I sit and enjoy. 8-]

I've always been a detail person, but I'm trying to keep myself slowed down enough to savour all God has given us to enhance our lives. It's getting a lot easier as I get older. 8-]

R.Powers said...

I remember the OTHER lovely picture that traveled with your comments, a perfect blue curl photo. I was impressed by it because I DO know how tiny these blossoms are.

Butterflies are bigger, but equally challenging to photograph.
At least blue curls don't get up and fly away!

Meems said...

i spotted a zebra longwing in my yard today. i saw it several different times unless there was more than one. no photo ops unfortunately but i certainly got excited watching it float about.

Anonymous said...

Wow, love that zebra swallowtail picture.

SophieMae said...

FC, yes the blue curls are quite cooperative. Except when the wind blows. Then, they get carried away and forget all about their promise to pose. I'm trying to remember when I took that one and where I stored it.

Meems, I love the longwings! We don't see those nearly often enough.

RCW, thanks ever so! They really are beautiful creatures, aren't they?

Anonymous said...

I thought of you too, yesterday when we were at Rainbow Springs State Park, (just for the weekend alas) and I was impressing my friends with my butterfly and flower knowledge, much of which has been learned from you! As for your question on my blog, yes, I have two other projects I am working on now, a devotional book and a book similar to John McArthur's 12 extraordinary Women, but on 12 modern day women I know who went through the refiner's fire, some lived to tell about it, others did not (at least not until I join them in heaven). Plus when I get to a stopping place in Eliza's Story, there will be her children and grandchildren's tale to tell. I am trying hard to get the novel finished by the end of October so I have time to edit and rewrite and have it ready for a publisher by the Florida Christian Writer's Conference in February. If that happens, it will all be God's doing! I have to work three nights this week so will lose a week of time unless as been happening lately, Eliza (God really) gets me up in the middle of the night to get more written down. Thanks for your encouragement, it means a great deal.