HAPPY SUNDAY EVERYONE - SHE’S NOT AVAILABLE TODAY…

 

A cute quote, I found it on Pinterest and it appealed to me. No, I am not out with the wildflowers. I will be patiently waiting until next spring to see them again. Today I am adding a few collected from my old blog.

The first photo is Wrinkleleaf goldenrod, botanical name Solidago rugosa. You can click on the link of each flower for more information. I was so focused on the bee I didn't notice the caterpillar until I got home.

These are from my archives. The first three were taken at Big Meadows along Skyline Drive. The others were found at Manassas Battlefield, both in Virginia.

Field Thistle, botanical name Cirsium discolor. A little blurry but better photos at the link.

A favorite, Dutchman's Breeches, botanical name Dicentra cucullaria.

Yellow Trout Lily, botanical name Erythronium americanum.

Just a few today, most you will recognize. It is always fun for me looking back at my old photos. They take me back to places I always enjoyed, and are great memory joggers.

I have turned the comments off today as I am trying hard to catch up with you all. 

Thanks for visiting and have a great day and week ahead.

GREEN SPRING GARDENS 10-1-23 CONTINUED...

 I was very happy to see the Monarch Butterflies on our last visit.  They seemed to like these orange flowers particularly.  They are Mexican Sunflowers and I will have more information about them in another post.  This time I am concentrating on the butterflies.  I haven't had any luck taking photos of butterflies this past summer. I haven't seen many at all, whether this was because of bad timing I'm not sure. I know they are another that has been put on the endangered list, and that is troubling. The following information came from this website.  I read: "Each Fall millions of monarch butterflies migrate to overwintering sites in Mexico and to a scattering of locations along the coast of California. In the spring monarchs return to breeding areas and the cycle begins again: a two-way migration that is one of the most spectacular on the planet. Yet, this migration appears to be declining. Some theories include: 

Loss of milkweed needed for monarch caterpillars to grow and develop, due to habitat conversion and adverse land management.

Drought conditions in California and other areas in the western U.S., resulting in lower milkweed biomass, and reduced availability of milkweed late in the summer.

Insecticide and herbicide use to control insects and weeds, with unintended consequences for monarchs.

Overwintering habitat loss and degradation in California, due to development within and adjacent to overwintering groves, and decay of overwintering trees as they age.  

Habitat loss in overwintering sites in Mexico due to illegal logging.”

There are suggestions on how we can help.

"The monarch migration occurs twice every year.  Nectar from flowers provides the fuel monarchs need to fly. If there are not any blooming plants to collect nectar from when the monarchs stop, they will not have any energy to continue. Planting monarch flowers that bloom when they will be passing will help the monarchs reach their destination. Creating more monarch habitat will help work to reverse their decline."

Plant milkweed! Monarch caterpillars need milkweed to grow and develop. There are 100 milkweed species that are native to North America, many of which are used by monarchs. To learn which species to plant in your region, and how to plant them, visit Bring Back the Monarchs Campaign (click on their name will take you to their website.

Plant butterfly nectar plants! Monarchs need nectar to provide energy as they breed, for their migratory journey, and to build reserves for the long winter.  Include butterfly plants in your garden and avoid using pesticides.

If you click on this link you will be able to download the free Monarch Plant List in PDF format.

From this link I read: 

The adult monarch butterfly typically only lives for a few weeks, unless it is lucky enough to be the last generation born in late August. The last generation is the migratory generation and can delay reproduction to live 8-9 months. They migrate south to warmer weather, because monarchs cannot survive Midwest winters. These migratory monarchs must make the journey to their overwintering grounds in central Mexico. For Nebraska monarchs, that means a 1,500 mile one-way trip; but for some Canadian monarchs, it can be over 3,000 miles!" The information on this website is from The Nebraska Games and Parks, on which you can read a lot more information. 

The explanation/photos on the difference between the male and female monarch, came from this website.

  In the next photo you will see the orange-red and black insect which is a milkweed bug, Oncopeltus fasciatus. It feeds on the seeds, leaves and stems of milkweed (Asclepias). It is found in small groups on milkweed often on the stems, leaves and on the seed pods. The bodies of milkweed bugs contain toxic compounds derived from the sap which they suck from milkweed. Milkweed bugs are true bugs (Hemiptera). Milkweed bugs are more of a nuisance than a threat to milkweed plants. They feed on the seeds by piercing the seed pod and can be found in all stages of growth on the plants in mid to late summer.In the above photo we found these milkweed plants at the garden. There is a great link here explaining all about the milkweed.  In the photo above you can see several milkweed plants. These were taken at another time when visiting Big Meadows on Skyline Drive.

Lastly but most definitely not least, I remember seeing one of Debbie's posts from 'It's All About Purple.' She was giving Monarchs a safe haven, allowing them to go through their life stages until they could be released. You can see her post here.  You can do a search on Monarchs at her blog. She has taken the most beautiful photos of them.

There will be more photos from Green Spring Gardens in a future post. I am spacing them out a bit, so as not to overload on photos.

SATURDAY MORNING NOT AT THE BIRD FEEDER - MOTHER'S DAY WEEKEND!

 Tomorrow we celebrate Mother's Day here in the States. I am dedicating this to my dear Mum, and to all mothers out there.  My dedication is also for those dear mothers across the species, as you will see below.

And so, for tomorrow, and...

These pictures are from a while ago, taken at Big Meadows along Skyline Drive.

Have a wonderful day everyone and as always, thanks for stopping by.

DEER AT BIG MEADOWS

One of the transfers from my old blog from February 2014.  It had snowed but there was only a little left when we visited.

Big Meadows is one of our favorite places and another we have frequented for years.  We would liked to have checked in at the Lodge not far away, but it is closed until Spring.  We stayed at the Lodge for a weekend several years ago, and have talked about going again for some time now.

It is not for just the beautiful scenery we find along Skyline Drive.  At Big Meadow we often enjoy seeing the deer and I have posted about them before.   

Most of the snow had melted but there were still large patches here and there.

On this visit we saw more deer than we have ever seen before.  We counted at least 27 by the end of our walk.

They were aware of our presence, but we were told when we first discovered the meadow that they are well used to people. We watched as parents with two small children and a dog on a leash walked around the first small herd we came across.  A few deer looked up and twitched their ears listening.  I thought that we wouldn't be able to see them much longer, that they would soon be off into the woods. 

I was glad to see that family behaving responsibly.  The children and little dog did not run or make any noise, the dog was on a leash.  The parents had taught them well.  I silently thanked them for not going any further and watched as parents, children and four-legged family member turned around and walked in the other direction. 

There was a lot of tasty grass to munch in peace.

"Look deep into nature and then you will understand everything."

~Albert Einstein~

A few heads came up at the slightest sound.

We saw other humans come and go.

This mother took very good care of her fawn. When the doe ambled away her little one followed.  We thought the smaller one might have been born last Spring.  

"The company of deer can fill one's soul with the love of Nature."  This quote is mine, I think.  It popped into my head as I watched and took everything in around me, but then I have come across many quotes as I love reading them.  I might have heard it somewhere and borrowed it.  Either way, it fit my mood perfectly, I find being out in nature completely soothing and relaxing, peaceful.  

I could sit myself on the ground and watch for hours.....

and hours.....

and hours.

And then come back the next day and do it all over again.  

Look at that one ear turned in our direction?

Always on the look-out.

Used to people they may be, but her wild instincts were still there I am happy to say, ready to take flight if we got too close (I am using a zoom lens and wasn't very close at all).  We stayed where we were as quiet as possible.

Another wonderful walk across Big Meadows, made even more so because of all the deer we found there.

You can go here to read about Big Meadows.

Added note: some of you expressed an interest in the grasses on the meadow.  I found this at the Shenandoah National Park site here.

"In Shenandoah National Park grasses can be easily viewed at Big Meadows where red top (Agrostis perennans) and tall oat grass (Arrhenatherum elatius) are particularly common.  The troublesome invasive Japanese stilt grass (Microstegium vimineum) can be seen throughout the Elkwallow picnic area where it has overrun virtually all other forest understory herbs.  Grasses possess a subtle beauty and provide a worthy botanical challenge to those interested in determining individual species.  Take a moment next time you pass some of the grass to bend down and take a closer look."

Good advice!  I think I could have been a botanist in another life.  I have always enjoyed studying such things up close.  It is amazing what you see.  

Thank you for walking across the meadow with me.  I hope your day is a great one.