Fountain Grass Weather Report

For a second, I thought I was seeing the first frost of the fall on the fountain grass. But it was way too warm to be frost and just the morning's rain drops on gorgeous display.

Big Bird Interlude

The geese from Canada I knew. The other big bird is new to me. A juvenile Yellow-crowned Night Heron is what I'm thinking.

Mid-August Glimpses or Gleanings?

Gather your rosebuds while you may or sweet moments with blooms you pass and learn the names of along the way.

So We Got More Than a Little Rain

And then this happened. 

Mushrooms spotted on this evening's short walk. 

Foliage Focus

There are leaves, and then there are OMG, check out these LEAVES!!!

Where My Bees At?

 Vitextree blooms and a bumble bee

Side Benefit of Weeding

An encounter with a future butterfly.

A Weed Not in New York News Today

Pokeweed.
As far as I know, no one smokes it because it is poisonous but people do forage and eat young shoots (they are cooked though) in salad in spring. 

Not Tired Yet

The Queen Anne's Lace is in bloom for a long time every year and then there is when it goes to seed and then also there are those dried seed heads which linger for even longer still. And I'm not tired of it yet.

Swirl

This time of year it seems like the Morning Glory vines that nobody planted are growing, oh, like a foot a minute. 

Anticipation

I'm waiting on the Anemones, but in love with the beauty of the buds at the same time. Win/win.

The Heart Wants what the Heart Wants

I guess they aren't for everyone, but if I had a yard I might not be able to resist putting a crepe myrtle in it.

Fresh SeedPod Brings You the Current Weather Report

Yup, it's wet. 

Aging Gracefully

Or should I have said "drying gracefully" instead or dying?  Some things are pretty fine on the way out too. 

The View Right Now

Looking up and out.

Japanese Clethra at Hofstra

Among the many lovely specimens at Hostra, there are a few Japanese Clethra trees which are getting ready to bloom right now.  Such pretty things they are too.

A Little Treat by the Sidewalk

A little treat by the sidewalk is always appreciated. Coneflowers are a favorite of mine.

A Little Bit of Light and Anticipating a Bloom

A little bit of light through the petals and anticipating a bloom; just some fleeting moments spent looking at a plant I passed while out walking this week. 

First Week Seeing Monarchs 2018

And I got a picture too, first of the year, this evening. 

Monarch Monitoring Milkweed Blooms

The swamp milkweed at the Children's Museum is blooming so pretty in pink, coinciding with my first monarch sighting of the year. (yesterday-- no picture though) Bees and other butterflies, like a skipper for example I saw today, are digging those pretty pink blooms too.

Future Dinner

Future dinner. Or maybe lunch? (Well not the flower, but the fruit that hopefully will follow.)

Summer's Bloomers: Black-eyed Susans

Seems like a bit of a tradition for me: snapping at least one picture of black-eyed susans this season.

It's a Scorcher Out There

Today's weather report brought to you by a dripping wet pine cone. She says it's hot, hazy and humid out there today, a real scorcher.

Goldenrain Tree: Summer Bloomer

I haven't had luck with getting a picture of a bee on the blooming Goldenrain Tree this year, but one place the bees are right now is visiting this summer bloomer.

Clues at my Feet in June

Learning about plants can be fun if you are the kind of person who likes to play detective.

Seems Like Every year is like the Year of the Dog(wood) to Me

Last year I renamed the Chinese year and for me 2017 was the Year of the Crow. This year I'm being a bit more traditional and going with the Year of the Dog(wood). ☺

Most years I think the Dogwoods are pretty fantastic so I guess every year is like the year of the dogwood to me.

Cornflower Blue and At The heart of a Red Poppy

Someone planted a sweet flower garden in between the sidewalk and curb around the corner. I stopped there once or twice. Or maybe it was three times already?

Fennel at the Fortune Teller Window

I joined Instagram recently and sometimes it can be overwhelming seeing so many stunning landscape pictures in rural and lovely locations around the world. Overwhelming like making me want to travel or even jealous in a way. But then I remember that just passing by some fennel, growing wild on a suburban street makes me kind of happy.

The plants and beauty are here where we live too.

Sweetpea flowers again as spring gives way to summer

Its not a bad send-off for spring,catching some sweetpea flowers in the last light of the season. I recommend it actually.

Photography and Editing Lesson from My Niece

I learned some things from my nieces and nephews. They tell me the kids will never join Facebook and also I got a lesson on photographing and then editing pictures of flowers! I said it before but I can repeat myself. These kids rock.

Grass Flowers: Karl Foerster Feather Reed mid-June

Well, I dig this grass, but didn't (and still don't) know much about the plantsman it is named after. A quick search tells me he was an east German man who loved plants and photography. And now, of course, I want to know some more.

Driveway Tomato Flower

Not too many people plant vegetables in the front yard or along the driveway, but some do.

Free Lunch! Mulberries and Juneberries For Those in the Know

Yes Virginia there really is free lunch. Or at least free snacks. However if I tell you where I found these mulberries and Juneberries, well then I would have to kill you. Those are the foraging rules I think and I don't make the rules, I just follow them!

Spring's Grace Followed Winter's Grace

You will find grace in the garden.  And likely, I'd wager, even in the smallest patches (or pots) of Earth someone decides to dedicate some time to tending.

 (These are some pictures of a yard Madonna with plants I have passed in two seasons so far this year. )

Cactus Buds in the Bright Sun

I don't think it's ideal to take pictures in the bright afternoon sun like this, but I couldn't resist giving it a whirl these sweet fat buds about to bust open.

Fallen Flowers: Catalpa

In the gutter this morning, some fallen flowers from the Northern Catalpa.

Juneberry

I'd tell you where I spied these nearly ripe Juneberries, but then I might have to kill you. 😜