Garden Visitors

70 and muggy this morning, with the promise of a hot day ahead. Maybe a thunderstorm on the way? We can hope.

This butterfly has been hanging around here for weeks. Or perhaps it's just several of the same variety? I used to know all the names of the butterflies I've seen here, but I've forgotten them now. This one has blue and orange on the underside of his wings, so pretty. He seems to be particularly fond of this plant that I call stevia but I know it has another proper name. The hummingbirds like it too, as does the tiger swallowtail butterfly that is also a frequent visitor.

Another visitor this morning is this little lizard. Nope, don't know his name either, but he likes rocks. There are quite a few of these little guys living in our rock walls. 

A sort of visitor--I "rescued" this hyacinth from a roadside ditch a couple years ago in the spring when it was quite small. It's grown huge this year, and is covered in flowers.

Such large, pure white blossoms, with that tinge of reddish-purple in the center. Just lovely.

Jenny, if you're reading this, I bought the REPELS deer deterrent you recommended and it's amazing. This morning Larry watched a black snake crawl up the hill and when it got to where he'd sprayed this stuff, the snake actually turned around and went back down the hill! The deer don't like it one bit. It's well worth the money. So thank you, thank you for telling us about it. It will be a garden staple from now on.

Back to the kitchen I go to can green beans--again--and put more lima beans in the freezer. Might get into some pickle-making too. There's never a lack of stuff to be put up around here right now.

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