Zinnias, Zinnias Everywhere!

   On a whim a few years ago, I bought a pack of zinnia seeds from the local dollar store simply because they reminded me of Pop and his lovely gardens.  I had no idea if the seeds would even sprout since they were so cheap compared to other "name brand" seeds.  Well, every last seed sprouted, grew and bloomed for the entire summer.  Being who I am, I saved seeds from those blooms.  In fact, I saved far too many seeds since so many people remarked "Oh, I love those!  Save some seeds for me!"  Long story short, no one came to get the seeds so, the next spring, I planted even more zinnias.  The saved seeds did remarkably well and, as before, I saved seeds...far too many seeds.  In fact, when I went to plant this spring, I had an entire gallon of zinnia seeds!  Oops!  That is an awful lot of seeds when you consider how flat they are.  Needless to say, I planted more zinnias this year than in previous years.  Once again, the flowers are outdoing themselves and I find myself hating to toss the spent blooms aside.  So, the saving has commenced.  Who would have thought that a one dollar pack of seeds could bring so much brightness to the gardens for so many years??

  Of course, all of those zinnia blooms attract a myriad of nectar seeking critters.  The zinnia bed is a literal kaleidoscope of butterflies, moths and bees.  At any given time, fifty or sixty different insects can be found flitting about the blooms.  I am beginning to think that was the best gardening investment ever made and plan on never buying seeds from any other place.  The zinnia bed is going to be extended to twice the size this next year and will be home to hundreds of plants.  In fact, since the vegetable plot has already gone the wayside, my plans are to sow the remaining saved seeds (from last year) in that space.  The ground will not sit idle as I await for time to plant the fall garden.  The critters will be happy campers and the yard will be a blast of color!  (The photos only show half of the existing zinnia bed!)

A Day Too Late

   Last week, I made a mental note to pick and dehydrate the parsley as it was flourishing.  I put the plant in a hanging basket which seems to be the brightest idea I have had in a while.   The plant was dark green and very lush!  How nice it would be to have a Mason jar full of dehydrated, homegrown parsley!  From the looks of it, I should have gotten nigh on a pint jar full of the dried herb!  From the looks of it last week.  Canning figs got in the way of dealing with the parsley and, now, I am too late!

  Early this morning, I was out picking figs.  This chore has to be done at daybreak before the birds start to feed.  They will clean a fig tree in a matter of minutes!  While I was picking the figs from the small trees on the west side of the house, I checked the herb tower.  This is a large arbor with lots of shelves for pots and lots of space for hanging baskets.  This is where that parsley WAS!  Yep, WAS!  It was gone.  The hanging basket was there but instead of being filled with lovely, curly parsley, it was now filled with caterpillars!  Forty-seven caterpillars to be exact!  

  The black swallowtail butterflies that visit the zinnia bed decided that my parsley was the perfect nursery for their little ones.  In only one day, the critters munched the plant down to little nubs!  Now they are in a fine fix!  There is nothing else to eat!  Even though the critters ate my best plant, I felt sorry for them and tried offering them other herbs.  They are having no part of that and keep wandering around on the stripped parsley.  Thankfully, most are large enough to pupate so perhaps some will survive.  The tiny ones, however, had better get to changing their eating habits and stop being so persnickety!  Yes, it is sad that I did not get to dry my lovely parsley but I am not too upset as I do love my pretty butterflies.

Zinnias and Butterflies!

 While the rains have made a complete mess of most of the vegetable gardens, the flowers are doing superb!  In fact, they are getting a little too large and the place is beginning to resemble some sort of florist shop gone berserk!  One bed, in particular, is growing with wild abandon.  The "miniature" zinnias are all of 3ft tall and covered with blooms.  This is all good since I have no problem with hodgepodge gardens and they are serving a purpose.

  Zinnias seem to attract more butterflies than the other flowers around the yard.  Ruby lilies, marigolds, day lilies, four o'clocks, roses, gloriosa lilies and parrot lilies have all set forth blooms for the past two months but the butterflies all seem to gravitate toward the zinnias.  Oftentimes, the insects seem to be almost intoxicated as they lose all fear of humans once they find that zinnia bed!  While out snipping the spent blooms, the critters were literally crawling too close to my snips!  Extreme care had to be taken not to harm the butterflies!  What fun it is to be that "up close and personal" with these beautiful creatures!  I think I shall plant zinnias in the vegetable plot and attract more "flying flowers".

Meanderings of the Brain

   When wandering through the Small Gardens at daybreak, the beauty of this old world never ceases to enthrall me.  While most would see the flowers or plants, I see things in a different mode.  I see the transparency of the butterfly wings, the soft bends of the petals or winding path that a snail has left behind on its nightly journey.  These things purely astound.

  This morning, the zinnia bed was the object of my interest.  The "old fashioned" zinnias are the best.  They bloom profusely with an assortment of sizes and shapes.  These are not the forced hybrid types of blooms where the natural beauty has been sucked out of existence but rather are the blooms that were originally meant to be.  These are the ones that appeal to me and are the only type flowers that can be found in the Small Gardens.  It is the same with the vegetable plot.  There are no fancy plants that produce things far bigger (yet tasteless) than the old style vegetables that yield deliciousness on demand.  The zinnias were out in dominance of the gardens this morning and they drew not only my attention but that of several butterflies and a myriad of bees.

  I guess as I grow old, I can see the beauty in things that are simple and carefree.  I am simply tired of the demands that we all fit someone else's idea of what is perfect.  Life is too short for that.  Enjoy what is meant to be and not what others deem should be.  Those folks are not the important ones.  Happiness and tranquility lies only in oneself.  Nowhere else.

Bees Do Sleep

   The Bayou area is full of surprising finds.  With nearly every hike about the place, something new catches my eye and causes the wheels in the old brain to start whirling round and round.  With each new discovery, there comes a thousand questions.  What?  Where?  Why? When?  And the big one...How? How is usually spread out into a bajillion segments.  It makes life interesting and keeps the brain working.  

  My hikes, as a norm, start before dawn and then wind up when the sun rises above the pines.  That is when the outdoor chores begin.  This morning, Mark went fishing so I wandered about the place.  At one point, I stopped to admire the goldenrod that was in full bloom.  Goldenrod is one of those misjudged plants.  People give it a bad rap thinking it causes their allergies.   I have given up trying to explain that ragweed is the culprit as no one wishes to ever admit they may be wrong.  Oh, well, so be it.  But, I like the goldenrod and wish it would bloom year round instead of just the fall.  It seems that the bumblebees wish it would, too.  Early this morning, a tiny bumblebee was found asleep nestled down in the downy soft blooms.  Obviously, the little bee had been busy last night and decided to sleep the night away in the bloom.  It chose a full cluster that would completely surround it.  This would camouflage it from any predators.  Once it awakes, it does not have far to go before it has breakfast!

  Bees, butterflies and other insects do, indeed, sleep.  Bees and wasps that make hives usually head back inside for the night but solitary bees sleep where they find shelter.  Flowers provide that nicely.  Butterflies choose a thicket and then hang upside down among the leaves.  Just as an added note here, the cutesy butterfly houses are not a good idea.  Butterflies prefer bushes not houses.  While it may look adorable, you are more likely to attract wasps than butterflies.  Red wasps love to build their nests in these things.  (That spoken by the voice of experience.) Yep, I was given a butterfly house.  Yep, every year red wasps have claimed the house.  Nope, nary a butterfly has even looked at the adorable little house. 

  The next time you are out at the crack of dawn, check the insides of flowers.  You may find loads of little friends are using them as their beds.  During rainy times, be sure to look inside of lilies.  The cup shape provides a nice shelter for our insect friends!  Bees DO sleep!  

Faeries Exist!

   Sometimes I have to wonder about the those who get all up in arms about the beliefs of other folks.  What does it matter?   If I want to believe that the world is a giant snow globe or that there are actually purple snakes that spit darts, what business is it of yours?  To be honest, the snow globe thing was an awfully real dream of mine one time but purple snakes?  That said, if you really stop and think about a lot of things that seem impossible, there is usually a plausible explanation.  I tend to ponder things and can honestly understand how things become believable at times.  Still, it is of no concern of anyone's so if my ideas do not suit you, kindly move along.  Most everything here is for pure enjoyment anyway and not to be touted as evidence of any sort.

 My plausible ponderings of today revolved around tiny beings that are said to inhabit the woods, gardens, bayous or any spot anyone wishes to claim.  Faeries, sprites, elves, whatever you wish to call them, were flitting around in the brain today as I weeded the gardens.  There are those who fully believe that these creatures exist...and who am I to say contrary?  There are a lot of unexplained things on the Bayou so faeries may as well be real here.  These beings are a lot like Big Foot and the Loch Ness Monster.  A lot of folks claim to see them but any "photographs" usually just show a blur.  Does it take photographic proof to deem something as real?  Nah.  Some things are just camera shy.  The lack of clear pictures does not dull the interest in the tiny beings of the Bayou, however.  Plus, I have proof!  In photos!  For sure!  Ok, but the photos do sort of explain how some folks may come to have the idea in the first place. 

  While photographing butterflies in the Small Gardens, I found it highly difficult to catch any in flight.  I have a very old camera that does not do well with "action shots" so the wings are skewed and blurry (think Big Foot here).  Still, when looking at the photos, if one sort of squints (or has bad eyesight), the images could be of faeries...maybe?  If nothing else, the photographs lend themselves to be the basis of fantastical tales to amuse small children or easily entertained adults like me. (Also, look at the bottom colorless photo.  If you use the imagination, a faerie appears!  They exist!  Proof! hehe!)

  

  The point is that all of us have beliefs that could possibly be proved false.  We are human.  We are not infallible.  Get over it.  We are not made to be all carbon copies of one another.  That would be boring, to say the least.  So, if my purple snakes, snow globe theory or butterfly faeries are not your thing, I am ok with it.  Just like I am ok with whatever you wish to believe.  Life is too short to fret over others. (You do have to admit that Bayou Faeries and Swamp Nixies are rather intriguing!)

Flying Flowers Brighten The Day

  As of late, my early mornings are spent weeding the flower gardens.  This, at least, is something that I CAN do.  It is also something I SHOULD do since the Small Gardens are my realm.  Keeping them tidy goes a long way in my pleasure in spending most of my time here.  A well kempt garden was something Granddad taught me.  He always said that if the gardens were neat, the plants were happy and the flowers would bloom.  Tending the gardens keeps me happy, too.

  Along with the zinnias and phlox that are blooming, there are dozens upon dozens of "Flying Flowers".  At any given time during the day, there are fifty to sixty assorted butterflies flitting about the place. These add to the beauty of the gardens.  (Yes, I know they are laying eggs which will hatch to caterpillars but it is a price I will gladly pay for the gorgeous Flying Flowers.)   Just a couple of weeks ago, there were only a few swallowtails and an occasional sulfur that visited the gardens but now there is a plethora of the winged creatures.  The Flying Flowers fill the day!

I had ONE!

  I have always loved the photographs of the thousands of Monarch Butterflies clinging to trees as they rest during migration.  There is just something special about seeing them finally getting a well-deserved rest after their arduous flight.  In a way, it gives a sense of hope.  If fragile butterflies can make such a trek, surely we can face our every day trials.  At least it seems that way to me.

  While taking the old dog down for his afternoon hike, I noticed the Monarchs flitting overhead.  Several dozen of the orange "flying flowers" made their way across the marsh.  It seemed as if their migration was heading in the wrong direction, however.  The butterflies were coming across the Bay, over the marsh and, then, northward.  I would have thought that this was backward!  As I stood there pondering the misdirected critters, one came in to alight in the old oak tree,  A single Monarch hung in my tree.  This pales in comparison to the photographs I have seen but my loner made me smile.  You can do it, buddy!! Take a little snooze then catch up with your friends! Happy flights!

Butterflies do sleep!

  As a kid, I was taught in grade school that butterflies only lived one day as an adult.  They had to morph, find a mate, eat, lay eggs all in twenty-four hours.  By morning, their lives ended and a new generation took over.  My later years proved this "fact" as fallacy.  Most butterfly species live at least a week and some live up to a year!  There may actually be a "one day wonder" but not according to most butterfly websites.  School taught me a lot of things but, the older I get, the more I find that what I learned was not always fact.

  That said, if butterflies do live longer than one day, they have a lot of time on their hands!  Then came another question...if butterflies live more than twenty-four hours, do they sleep?  Well, yes.  Butterflies do sleep.  In fact, it would be rather ridiculous to think they do not.  At night, butterflies find a safe spot under a leaf or branch or in the midst of a shrub to hang upside down.  There, they do sleep.  In inclement weather, they will find a more sheltered place (thicker shrub or under the eaves of a building if available).  The butterflies will stay hanging in this manner until the morning sunshine warms their bodies allowing them to fly.  As the day begins, the butterflies flutter about the area seeking sustenance from flowers and letting us admire their beauty!

  This small Gulf Fritillary Butterfly was found on my pre-dawn hike around the lower part of the property.  The path led past some weedy spots and I was fortunate enough to spot the beauty.  Since the sun had not risen, the butterfly stayed put and I was able to photograph it quite easily.  This is how butterflies spend the night!  Butterflies do sleep!

Taking the Shot

  Getting a nice photograph of some critters is just about impossible.  The yard has been full of the Cloudless Sulphur Butterflies lately which made me  desire a photo.  The butterflies are quick and not as "friendly" as some of the larger ones.  These keep their distance.  They do not sit long even when feeding.  It is more of a dash in..dash out thing.  When they are at rest, these critters are smart.  They use their pale, greenish-yellow coloring as camouflage.  Once they land and settle in for a nap, it is quite possible to walk right past one and never see it at all!  It seems as if they can choose a leaf with a nigh on perfect match of color as their wings.  With wings fold together (they rarely sit with wings flat), the butterflies look just like leaves!

  I was determined, however.  The other morning, there were dozens of the butterflies in the garden.  Each time I neared one, it would flutter out of range.   So...I sat and watched.  Sure enough, one pretty butterfly decided it was nap time and landed on the bell pepper plant.  With it being so hot and dry lately, the plant was wilted and not in the best condition but it served the butterfly well as a resting spot.  If I had not seen the butterfly slip up under the plant, I would have never found it.  As it was, I was able to get a few nice shots before the butterfly decided it was flight time again! I got my photo!

My Butterflies are Missing!

  Normally, September and October are the months when the yard is filled with butterflies of all sorts.  Of those that visit, the Monarchs have all ways been the most prevalent.  They would come in swarms as they migrated.  There were times a few years back, when the Asclepias and Ageratum were simply covered with the orange and black butterflies.  For the past two years, however, the sightings have been sparse, to say the least.  I miss the butterflies.

  I was reading the other day how the plight of "missing" butterflies was not just a local thing.  It seems that the Monarch population is on a sharp decline in this country.  Part of that is due to weather changes but a good bit is due to the loss of habitat.  One of the main sources of food for these butterflies is the milkweed plant and, as the name implies, most folks see this as a weed.  The plants are promptly destroyed to keep those "well manicured" lawns and gardens in shape.  No one wants a weed in their garden.  This is a shame.  Sorry, folks, those things you deem as nasty weeds are actually wildflowers and should be left to grow where they will.  Here on the Bayou, I leave as many as possible.  Yes, I do cut the grass but wildflowers are welcome to grow in the flower gardens and vegetable gardens because I know the importance of having native plants.  The native flora helps the native fauna survive.  Cut out one of the two and both are soon decimated.

  The milkweed plant is of the Asclepias genus.  These plants grow readily in just about any type soil.  (I have one that grows in sand!) These plants require little to no work so can be a lazy gardeners dream plant!  Mine is dubbed "Butterfly Weed" and it truly seems to attract the Monarchs.  This type Asclepias has orange, red and yellow clusters of blooms and looks quite striking when mingled with the purples of the Wild Ageratum and the towering fluffs of Goldenrod!  My wild gardens are never boring but they sure miss the butterflies!