The lilies and other flowers had some sunshine today before getting another bath from heavy rain, but at least it wasn’t hail.
End of June Lily
Picture of the Day for June 29, 2017
Unlike crops like corn or soybeans, which have to be planted each year to harvest a crop, cranberry beds are not planted that often and one cranberry bed in Wisconsin is said to have been planted over a 140 years ago. The average bed is around 40 years old, as older beds are replanted with better varieties of cranberries. The old soil and cranberry vines are removed before the bed is prepared for the new vines.
Cranberry Bed Makeover
Picture of the Day for June 28, 2017
On cold or rainy days, the honey bees are not too active and when they are, they often bypass these small cranberry blossoms, about an quarter of an inch long, in favor of large white water-lily blossoms, 3 to 6 inches, in the nearby ponds. Europeans named the fruit “crane berry” because they thought the cranberry blossom looked like the head of a sandhill crane.
Tiny Cranberry Blossom
Picture of the Day for June 27, 2017
The nice temperature and low humidity made today a very nice summer day, which people may have enjoyed some fishing, hiking or other outdoor activities if they had the day off from work.
Summertime at the Lake
Picture of the Day for June 26, 2017
Since lupines prefer sandy soils, I don’t have any growing in my heavy clay soil, so it is a treat for me to see road ditches filled with the colorful display. Large-leaved Lupine is native to the Western US as well as a popular cultivar introduced by gardeners in the Midwest and has become invasive in areas. The Wild Lupine, found in the Eastern US is the only host plant for the Karner Blue butterfly caterpillar. Habitat loss has led to the decline in plants, and put the Karner Blue on the endangered species list.
Lovely Lupines
Picture of the Day for June 25, 2017
Weekends during the summer are often celebrations like weddings and reunions. And some family reunions are held at parks, which often have sandboxes and were there is a sandbox, there are kids!
Sandbox Playtime
Picture of the Day for June 24, 2017
Wild Bergamot, also commonly called Bee Balm, attracts more than just bees. A variety of insects comes to the flower blossom for pollen, including hummingbird moths, honey bees, bumble bees, beetles and butterflies like this Monarch butterfly.
Monarch on Wild Bergamot
Picture of the Day for June 23, 2017
Between the chipmunk and the deer, I doubt I will get to harvest much from my garden. And I can’t figure out the eating habits of the deer either since with plenty of green grass on the lawn, why would they eat the prickly, thorny raspberry canes.
Wandering Deer
Picture of the Day for June 22, 2017
Although it wasn’t stormy today, it was still a rainy day which could raise the river level slightly. The forecast of a drier day tomorrow may allow people to enjoy some time on the river on a summer day.
High Water on the River
Picture of the Day for June 21, 2017
The old truck has seen a lot of years and its running days are over, but it still has a purpose as it corrals some pretty flower for a summertime display.
Flower Truck
