Second Spring
Sunday, October 5, 2014 at 8:30PM Early autumn is almost like a second spring here. Even as some plants are preparing for dormancy and fall foliage colors are beginning to show, others respond to the fresher, cooler air with a flush of new growth and flowers.
Blue salvia
Gardenia
Toad lily
Hydrangea 'Endless Summer'
LantanaButterflies and bees are flitting around the garden and birds are chirping and twittering.
Cloudless Sulfur butterfly on Autumn Sage
This Thread-waisted Wasp looks vicious but is a good guy for the garden.
Hummingbirds are still passing by on their long journey to Central America.
This is could be a juvenile male, a juvenile female, or an adult female Ruby-throated Hummingbird. Males develop red throat feathers as they mature.
This bluebird is checking out the bluebird house. Birds often choose their nesting sites well ahead of time. After a hot sultry summer, it is a pleasure to walk outside and to be embraced by the sweet arms of nature. I hope you enjoyed these few photos. I wish you could feel the cool touch of the breeze and hear the songs of wildlife that accompanied them. Many blessings to you! Deb
Reader Comments (18)
Stunning captures, Deb! It's a bit cooler up here in Wisconsin, but still beautiful. We flirted with frost last night, but most flowers and plants are still going strong. I will be sad to see them all go. I miss the hummingbirds. I haven't seen one for about a week. :(
Yes, stunning is the word I was going to use; especially the cloudless sulphur. How do you do it? I'm in southern California and not getting the cool breezes yet, but have lots of butterflies and migrating birds; gardenia had a first bud today and lantana (the premier butterfly bush) continues to bloom. The pose you captured with bluebird is so cute.
The blue bird looks very contemplative - he clearly makes choices only after careful deliberation. All your photos, as usual, are wonderful. I'm glad your autumn is off to a pleasant start. I wish I could say the same but the heat is still plaguing us in Southern California. However, that's normal and I'm trying to be patient. Best wishes for a great week, Deb!
So much vibrancy in your garden Debs and I'm glad that you also have autumn to look forward to and enjoy more time doing lots of gardening :)
It's a special time of year. This morning I heard ducks in the distance with crows chasing them.
We have your autumn sage, but I don't have your patient skill to capture the butterfly!
I just love the hummingbird photos! I wish I could smell that gardenia. Down south, fall is so nice since you can actually get outside after the long hot summer. The plants sure look happy for the cooler temps too!
I love working in the garden, spending time there is such special time...Your garden photos captures that feeling so well, truly that is a gift.
How lovely to have a second spring and hummers stopping by. I hope to see our bluebirds scoping out the houses soon as they do look around and then decide in late winter.
The last image of the bluebird is perfect. the bird is looking so inquisitively at the blue house; do they often try to find homes the same colour they are? Autumn is often like a second spring here too.
Thanks for all your comments, everyone! I read them all, and each is important to me. Christina, I once read that bluebirds are attracted to the color blue, so I painted the bluebird house that color. Bluebirds have nested in the house every year since then. I guess it works!
All the photos are great but that hummingbird in action was just amazing. I don't seem to have a lot blooming here -- the same old stuff.
How wonderful to have a second spring. That bluebird is sooo cute!
The sulfur butterfly photo is my favorite too!
(In fact, I think I've got one of those flitting around my coral honeysuckle vines, but my woefully insufficient camera couldn't get a clear photo. Yep, I've got camera envy. And perhaps camera-skills envy too...) :P
I've seen more bluebirds around here recently than at any time in the past few years. Definitely an encouraging sign. And several black-capped chickadees today too.
But no hummingbirds recently. I think they've all gone South. Maybe some of the hummers that were up here in the summer are down your way now? If so, please say "Hi" to them for me and tell them I hope they have a safe trip and come back next year! :)
Beautiful images from your garden, Autumn is a special time of year.
I really enjoyed your photos. The bluebird looks like he is deciding whether his blue feathers are a perfect match with the paint on the birdhouse, which they are, amazing.
I love the picture of the hydrangea and fritillary. Amazing!
We're having a warm couple of days here but will cool down again after this next front comes through. I think the hummingbirds have moved on south -- I haven't seen or heard any bickering over the Brazilian blue sage for a while. I am hoping for good fall color this year. Your garden and Laurrie's always have spectacular color in the fall.
Oh this post made me smile! Lovely shots from a lovely garden, thanks for sharing them with us.