Bougainvillea

These will brighten up your day. They look great on a wall. I'd love to see them in the wild and wonder how different the wild plants are from the cultivated versions.

Thistledown

Thistledown in the air. Today is much cooler because of the wind. Unfortunately, the wind is also making California burn even faster.

Back to the Crape

These are certainly the dog days of summer. The crape myrtles still look crisp and cool. I love their bark.

Sunstruck

This was just before tonight's sunset really got going. The color progression: gold, orange, purple, pink, crimson. Mother Nature's fireworks.

Bee Being on Bean

Just watched a brilliant sunset. It was cloudy all day so that helped with the drama. It was a tossup between the sunset and the bee--obviously the bee pic won.

Pelargonium

They'll always be geraniums to me. And a terracotta pot of the red ones in the front yard will always be a welcoming sight. They just seem right.

Ugly Bug

Apparently I have favorites in the insect world. This isn't one of them. In fact, it would have been disconcerting if it had flown toward me.

Dragonfly on Amber

Common Green Darners (Anax junius) started appearing yesterday around these parts. Today they're everywhere I look including clinging to the stuccoed wall in the courtyard. They're beautiful up close.

Common Checkered Skipper

These aren't as common as the gold colored skippers that frequent the garden despite its name. It felt like fall today with a breeze and cloud cover. Guess it will be fall soon.

Hidden in Plain Sight

Grasshoppers sure are noisy critters. They were out in force today. So were the lizards.

By Jupiter

No moon tonight. Jupiter is glowing in the southeast. It's still eighty degrees out.

Moth

I don't see much of a resemblance to a moth in the phalaenopsis. Doesn't matter. They make me happy.

Sweet William

The heat broke. So much nicer. I approve.

Garden Ghost

Just when I thought the flowers were done for the summer, the autumn-blooming bulbs started up. Is this earlier than usual? I need to keep a better garden journal.

Compound

Overly hot to my way of thinking. Plus it's Monday. Got up on the wrong side of the bed.

Deer Me

This might be the same buck we saw a couple of months ago. His antlers have definitely grown. And, he seems to have gotten used to having his picture taken.

Anthophora (Maybe)

The coreopsis attracts different bees throughout the season--something I'd never have noticed last year. In fact, I thought there were only a few different kinds. Silly me.

Swallowtail

I really need to plant a (some?) buddleia for myself. Every time I see one, butterflies are hanging out on it. Gorgeous butterfly, gorgeous day.

Crape

Drowsy day. Cooling evening. Breeze blowing.

Umbelling Along

The temperature topped 100 again sort of unexpectedly. The cornstalks in the garden have dried and rattle in the breeze. The days are getting shorter.

Like a Bird on a Wire

This meadowhawk was clinging to the barbed wire in the wind. Yes, the breeze picked up, the smog cleared, and the temperature dropped. Thought the sky might clear enough to see the Perseids but there's too much light pollution, alas.

Minty Fresh

It's broiling outside again. That means the mint patch wafts minty freshness through the garden. Not a bad thing.

Uplifting

Made it to the end of the tunnel and the light was not an oncoming train. Two weeks of only normal work hours ahead. I must make plans.

Withered Chicory

I'm feeling as withered as the flowers. Day not as planned. Spent most of it catching up on sleep.

A Naked Lady

One lonely amaryllis looking cool in the heat. The last bit of summer has fewer flowers than expected. Nice to see this one.

Lamb's Ear

Windy and cool weather kept most of the butterflies in hiding. But the bees were out. And the lamb's ear was fuzzy.

Duskywing

Many tiny skipper butterflies today. They were drawn to the flowering mint--and the tomatoes, for some reason. Our tomato harvest has been outstanding this year.

Helios

I'm so sleepy, my chin is trying to hit the keyboard. Still a long way to go before I can be horizontal. I did get outside for a while and enjoyed it.

Make My Day(lily)

Getting to bed at a reasonable hour is a pipe dream. Maybe next week. At least we're not dragging through hot days.

Andricus kingi

It seems like these particular galls have appeared more than a month later than they did last year. They're like mini, red chocolate chips. It was grand to do our usual walk by the river again.

Bounty

A fresh tomato warmed by the sun is luxurious. The good part of summer. One of many.