While yesterday’s zinnias are pretty, the hummingbirds and insects might like other varieties of flowers better for nectar. The hummingbird clearwing, a moth in the Sphingidae family, liked these blue flowers as it was zipping around the flowers yesterday. The hummingbird clearwing can vary in color from the olive green and burgundy on its back.
Hummingbird Clearwing
While pretty weeds or wildflowers can spice up a scene, so can late summer flowers planted in a yard. The garden zinnia stems back to a native plant found in Mexico and a species sample was collected by Spanish botanists in 1789 and now there are many different cultivars of the zinnia flower. And it is hard to say which is older, this zinnia cultivar or the old milk and pump house, but they are both pretty.
Zinnias and Milkhouse
A field full of weeds can look pretty, but then to some the yellow goldenrod isn’t a weed and is held as a sign of good luck or good fortune. They are good fortune to insects providing a source of nectar and well as historically healing wounds on the skin. Even Thomas Edison experimented with goldenrod to produce rubber, which it contains naturally.
Others might cuss out the goldenrod for allergy problems but another culprit, the ragweed, which blooms at the same time is usually responsible for seasonal allergies.
Pretty Field of Weeds
On the start of another work week, this old cheese factory isn’t working anymore as it closed several decades ago. It produced colby, cheddar and other varieties from 1902 until it closed in 1987 and another piece of rural history slowly fades away.
Norwalk Cheese Coop
Off the beaten path, this 1898 Northern Swedish Mission, or more commonly referred as the Perley Church, is the the only building to survive after a fire in 1905 destroyed the town of Perley Station near Turtle Lake, Wisconsin.
John Perely was an area lumber baron who, in addition to building the church, also developed a strain of lilac called the “Perley Lilac”. Two “Perley” lilacs stand on either side of the entryway to the church so I might have to revisit this building in the spring to see the lilacs in bloom. The church is now a private residence and bell from bell tower is in Turtle Lake.
Perley Church
When mowing by the pond, I normally scare some critter or bird as I near the banks. You can see the frogs jumping into the water, the Red-winged Blackbird flies out of the nest made in the cattails or even ducks or Green Heron takes flight. This week I was disturbing the dragonflies, which were busy in mating activities all around the pond. I believe these little dragonflies are called Autumn Meadowhawk, but I know wildflowers better than insects so they could be some other species.
Busy Dragonflies
It is a nice surprise to see flowers on the edge of the lawn which blew in from somewhere rather than just extra weeds. The pink color of the Phlox brightens up an otherwise dull looking area.
Wayward Flower
Nature can provide many magnificent events in one day; from a meteorite display high in the night sky, to a bright sunny day with puffy clouds on the blue sky and end the day with a colorful sunset on the western horizon.
August Sunset
All around the countryside, the combines have been working overtime to get the summer grains harvested. A combine was busy in the field behind the barn and by now, the front field has probably been harvested during this sunny week.
Summer Grains
At the end of the dog days of summer, it is almost hard to remember that six months ago I was dealing with minus 25 degree wind chills during a very cold winter in which most of Lake Superior was frozen over, as seen here from Houghton Point near Washburn, Wisconsin.
Houghton Point
