Butterflies

I've really been making myself get some things done outside because I go back to school in only two weeks!
I am happy to see I still have butterflies as the neighbors sprayed for something that killed many grasshoppers. But there are still hundreds out back and in the pasture grass. :-(
This monarch was quite happy in the veronica.
I just couldn't get it with its wings open!
Sarah took a great picture several years ago that she framed for me and hers is so clear. The white dots on the body are just cute.
I've also seen the usual painted ladies, the sulfur butterflies, and some tiny black ones that I've never seen before. Plus my favorite~the black swallowtail. I have lots of parsley that I plant just for it to lay eggs on.

Arts Picnic and Stainless Flower Art

I'm joining in the fun with two blogs today, again. The Tablescaper, for all kinds of summer fun and Today's Flowers, for world wide floral beauty.

The Greeley Arts Picnic is this weekend. Sarah and I went early on Saturday morning to get there before too many people headed downtown to Lincoln Park.
This park is two blocks long by one block wide so there is room for many talented people to display their work. There are also several stages set up so people can enjoy performances from bands and others.
The parking lot I favor is in the middle of another block and on the way back to the car I had to take a photo of this cute balcony above a shop of some kind.
I brought home this stainless steel "flower". Even the leaves are stainless and were cut with a plasma saw. The artist had so many choices, all different. Some were made from spoons and reminded me of sunflowers.
Other pieces were put together from gold flatware ~ all rustproof!
I'm thinking it may stay with this asparagus fern in one of the window boxes for now.
Join the fun and visit more places today!

Petunias, pests, and Veronica

It's a good thing everything is doing well all by itself. I've gotten nothing done around here because I was reading a trilogy. Each one about 360+ pages~I could not do anything until I finished! I have no self control in the summer!! There was an Irish cottage in the books with a garden of flowers. I doubt there were any petunias there.
The petunias have been extremely happy. I have been feeding them regularly this summer.
They must like Miracle Grow!
I think this is veronica and it tends to come up where ever the seed drops. Now this is a flower I'd like to think could be in a cottage garden in Ireland or anywhere else for that matter! It made me think of dancing fairies this morning.
These pests are EVERYWHERE! Getting bigger and bigger, no matter what.
I just know they are the reason my crabapple died last summer. =( They ate all the leaves and now want to take care of my catalpa, too. Trees are precious out here on the plains. So, it is WAR with the grasshoppers and I'd sure like to win.

July Heat

I'm linking to Today's Flowers. I missed out last week because of internet issues, but they've been fixed so I can enjoy so many beautiful places around the world! It's amazing to see other places with just a click or two!
It has been hot. Been cleaning and weeding and moving garden stuff around. The wind blew my spiral off where it had been last year so when I hung it up I put it on my iron wheel. I love how it spins in the wind.
This flax still had a few blooms so it hasn't been cut back yet.
Petunias and zinnias seem to like the heat more than I do.
This is my view out the front door.
Same thing. I've been sanding on the door to get it ready to paint! Wally was the painter, not me.
More happy petunias and alyssum from the High School Future Farmer's group.
The last of the lilies...I moved these from another place last fall and they are doing well now.
It's too hot for my roses, but there are a few buds forming. I tore out the iris that was choked with grass. One blade that I measured was 31" long. Still working on that project and now more work to do to get the iris back in the ground. If you want a closer look, click on the pictures as they will enlarge. ♥♫

Cooling Off

My Weather Bug is set for Wiggins and it reported a high of 106 degrees, but the temperature has dropped to 104. I decided to come in and cool off! (My Weather temperature is current for Fort Morgan.)

Last night Sarah told me to post as I now have internet service again! While we were gone or as soon as we got back there must have been a wind storm that blew the antennae out of alignment with the "tower". I really needed a vacation after our road trip because I can't even remember if it was windy/stormy when we got back!

Perhaps visiting this amazing garden at the motel in Salida will cool me off.
There were two deer and a huge bear in the garden.
California poppies were scattered in the gravel. One guest wondered what they were and thought they couldn't be poppies as they must look different/bigger in California. Anyway, that's what they're called around here.
I'm wishing this lupine was in my garden. I think it gets too hot here as this one was at a motel in the mountains. I was out early to take some pictures of the beautiful gardens and was fortunate to finish just before the gardener came to turn on the water. I think she and her husband are the owners because he was serving the breakfast while she was outside. Our room had hand painted walls and a texture done with stencils.
More cooling thoughts because it's HOT!! Walking in the river at the Great Sand Dunes was cooling. The ripples flow on and on.
So much fun to walk in and watch our footsteps disappear.
I am pretending that it's 80 degrees!
Now I just need a refill on the ice water to make it through the afternoon. Summer vacation is sweet. ♥♫

Today's Flowers from the Land of Enchantment

Summer is for VACATIONS!

I'm joining Today's Flowers and Summer Sundays with flowers we saw on our Road Trip. These red lilies were in front of a fast food place where we stopped for lunch the first day.
Pink hollyhocks in Taos.
Another lily in Taos in the square where we enjoyed strolling and shopping.
Yellow bush in Santa Fe.
Close up of the blossoms. Will need to research the name of the plant.
More pink in Santa Fe. I actually have this at home. I've heard it called Mexican primrose or Missouri primrose. The grasshoppers here just love it!
Not a flower, but just typical desert bush. Thank goodness for water in this high desert area that keeps everything looking so healthy.

Happy 4th of July!

Many thanks to our friends for hosting today's links. Please visit The Tablescaper for more summer fun and Today's Flowers around the world.

TODAY'S FLOWERS TEAM: Luiz, Denise, Laerte, and Sandy

Road Trip

Last Monday DOT and I headed to the Land of Enchantment-New Mexico!
The overpasses were more decorative than ours in Colorado.
Lots of Native American labels. Much easier to read things in Spanish!
First stop was Taos where we spent the first night.
Then on to Santa Fe.
I enjoyed the flowers in these high desert areas.

Artists' plaques on the sidewalk.
Georgia O'Keeffe.

Many displays on the sidewalk outside the Palace of the Governors. The spaces are drawn lottery style each morning and the vendors are not assured a spot. The artist must place her/his name on a waiting list if a number is not drawn. All of the work that is sold on this side of the square is of high quality and workmanship is guaranteed.
Adobe style buildings.
On the way home we stopped in Pagosa Springs and soaked in the mineral pools. Then drove and drove to get to the Sand Dunes.
An AMAZING place!! Click on the pictures to enlarge. Loaded the wrong size picture.
We walked in the sandy stream for a while and just marveled at our surroundings. Earlier in the year the water is much deeper and swifter. To see the people that are walking way over on the sand dunes you can click on the picture to enlarge it.
This was the first trip I've taken in many years. I'm glad to be back home, safe and sound, and ready to celebrate the 4th of July and "Grampa's" birthday! #88, I think!