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Wednesday, August 27, 2008

Tuesday, August 26, 2008

Grasshopper, Damsel Fly And Green Bottle Fly~ My Garden Critters

Here are some shots of my winged garden visitors over the past several weeks.

grasshoper
grasshopper
grasshopperTwo striped grasshopper blending in with the hosta.

damsel fly
damsel fly
damsel flyDamsel flies are so photogenic, and always pose for awhile.

green bottle fly
green bottle flyGreen bottle flies are pretty, although you don't want to think about where their little feet may have been:).

grasshopper
grasshopperAnother two striped grasshopper on a daylily. I'm not sure what vegetation these grasshoppers consumed, and didn't notice any significant damage in the garden.

Monday, August 18, 2008

Veronica



After four weeks of rain, the sun is finally back again! Time to enjoy the rest of the summer. Here is some veronica, self seeded in my garden. These are tall specimens, and add a nice visual contrast to the other plantings.

Monday, August 11, 2008

Fossilized


We took a trip to Arisaig Provincial Park in Nova Scotia, a 20 minute drive from home.It's an interesting place with a maritime flair.


The rocks and fossils of Arisaig cliffs have been studied by geologists from around the world for over 150 years, and represent 40 million years of earth's history.



Brachiopods are the most common fossils at Arisaig, and were readily found by small fossil hunters.



It is not permitted to remove or disturb the fossils embedded in the cliffs, however the loose fossils on the beach may be collected at this time. We had a very successful fossil hunt:).

As Busy As a Bee


purple coneflowerI've been as busy as a bee.
purple coneflower
purple coneflowerThe bees and I have been sharing our space.
purple coneflower
purple coneflowerElbow to wing and wing to elbow, we have been working side by side in the garden dabbing and collecting pollen.


It has become a relationship of mutual respect.
Early in the morning the air is filled with an amazing sound of buzzing.


There are numerous types of bees in the garden. They are varied in size and color. Some are as large as a loonie~ I'm always amazed when I see these fly by. I've developed a new appreciation for bees since the news of declining bee populations. Our time together seems a little more special:).

Saturday, August 9, 2008

Hemerocallis~Blue Eyed Whites

Destined To See

Delta Blues

It's been a busy season in the garden, with such a fantastic display of daylilies. These are a few of my blue eyed whites. Some of them have very interesting eye zones. The whites aren't exactly white, but different shades of light cream. I tend to cross these blue eyed whites with each other.
Gerda Brooker

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Mesmerizing Moon Snail



During a walk on the beach today we discovered a mesmerizing moon snail. Lewis moon snails, polinices lewisii, are large predatory snails which feed on clams by drilling holes into their shells to secure a meal. It was interesting to watch this large specimen, plowing into the sand with surprising strength and speed. After watching for a few minutes we let him go about his business on the shore.