The bees were busy in the blossoms of the lupines and the flowers add a splash of blue-violet color in the fields.
Spotting the Lupines
Picture of the Day for June 23, 2019
This large green moth is not rare, but it is rarely seen due to its short life span of about a week and nocturnal flying. And because of its short life span, the Luna moth doesn’t have a mouth or digestive system since it doesn’t eat (although it is a favorite snack for bats). To protect themselves from bats, the moth spins its tails to disorient the bats and can sometimes get away. During their short life, the female releases pheromones, which the males (like this moth) detect via their large antennae and the female can lay 200 to 400 eggs.
Luna Moth
Picture of the Day for June 22, 2019
There is something about the white petals and yellow centers of daisies that always says summer to me. A Daisy symbolizes innocence and purity. It can also symbolize new beginnings, so maybe it symbolizes the start of summer.
Summer Daisies
Picture of the Day for June 21, 2019
The first day of summer has the longest daylight to enjoy activities outside, like spending the day on the water.
Summer Start
Picture of the Day for June 20, 2019
I have covered the soil in my flower pots with rocks trying to keep the chipmunks from digging my plants out. But my flower destroying chipmunks are rather determined and speedy. If they were slower like a Stegosaurus, I might have a chance to catch them when I hear the rocks hitting the porch when the chipmunks are tossing the rocks and flowers out. I wonder if this stone creature would scare the the chipmunks away.
Rock Dinosaur
Picture of the Day for June 19, 2019
One patch of my wild roses did not come back this year so maybe the increased number of rabbits running around my lawn is the cause like the declining roses folklore implied.
Bad Bunny
Picture of the Day for June 18, 2019
The wild roses have started to bloom this year. And like many wildflowers, there are various legends and folklore stories for the flowers.
One story for the wild rose tells how abundant they once were and no noticed their decline until one summer there was no roses. Everyone was alarmed and at a meeting, the world was searched and a hummingbird found a solitary rose in a far off land. It was brought back and the medicine men and women tended the rose until it was healthy enough to give an account of the rose decline. The rose said the rabbits ate all the roses. The assembly was angry and the bears and wolves seized the rabbits by the ears and cuffed them, causing the rabbits ears to stretch and split their mouths open. The rose intervened so the animals didn’t kill all the rabbits as the rose stated the rest hadn’t watched out for the declining roses either. The rabbits retained their scars and roses received thorns to protect them but the rose never attain their former abundance.
The Disappearing Rose
Picture of the Day for June 17, 2019
The full moon today is called the Full Strawberry Moon, which came from the Algonquin tribes in eastern North America who knew it as a signal to gather the ripening fruit of wild strawberries. And the Strawberry Moon has the bright planet Jupiter next to it this year.
This barn doesn’t have a full moon and has stars instead of a planet but it is an interesting nighttime sky theme.
Moon Barn
Picture of the Day for June 16, 2019
Many are celebrating Father’s Day, with gifts to dad or activities like fishing with the family as tribute to fathers. The birds might not observe holiday events, but the father of these red-winged blackbirds was doing his best to protect his children by making noise and swooping to drive me away from the nest. His song was not the nice melody when they return in spring, but the scolding chak chak chak noise that red-winged blackbirds make when you’re in their territory.
Baby Red-winged Blackbirds
Picture of the Day for June 15, 2019
The pink lady slipper flower, also known as the moccasin flower, is a wild native orchid. Pink lady’s slipper takes many years to go from seed to mature plants and can live to be twenty years old or more.
Among several Native American tribes, there are tales revolving around the pink lady slipper. One story is of a young Indian girl who embarks on a snow winter journey for desperately needed medicine for her family and tribe. On the journey she loses her moccasins, but continues on bloodying her feet, leaving a trail behind her. In the spring the bloody footprints are replaced by bright pink lady slipper orchid and all return to health. In other tales, the maiden does not survive after getting the medicine to her tribe and the beautiful flowers grow as a reminder of her bravery.
Pink Lady’s Slipper
