Can do

One of the missing Black Caterpillars was found this afternoon.

I helped her on to the Rosemary I brought in last week.

Temperatures are to drop into the upper 40's tonight.

Too cold for freshly emerging butterflies.

I will keep her warm inside until tomorrow.

Mocking Bird has returned to the backyard.

I always miss him in the summer.
 I know it is autumn when he returns .

Two more Chick-a-dees have joined our backyard family.

We now have six for the winter.

I am reading.

I am thinking in mime.

I am potting up plants to bring in.

It is getting chilly out.

There is lots to do to get ready for Autumn.

I have a can do attitude.

Bugs and birds

I am meditating in the mornings
on the deck with the birds.

The North Wind
played the wind harp this morning.
I was in bliss.

The Orange Dog has grown.
He is over 2 inches long.

The Soapwort has re-bloomed.
It is a non-native herb that has naturalized in the mid-west.

The Grass Skippers are enjoying these September days.
This is Peck's Skipper. I am learning my Skippers.

The Goldenrod is covered with Soldiers and

Ailanthus Moths.

Cooper's Hawk flew in and scattered the
Sparrows and Doves.
I closed my eyes and followed my breath.
The sun was warm on my face.

September

September has dawned hot and humid.
Forecast calls for a high today of 101 F.
 Low tonight is only to be 80F.
We are still in Summer.

Clowns decorate our house in September.
I do love them.

We have a bit of 

Backyard Naturalist activity started.

We have a few inside caterpillar habitats
set up. I have begun our notebooks for 2011.

My husband found the Monarch caterpillar
while weeding this morning.

I found our second Monarch

chrysalis while looking for Black Swallowtail

caterpillars in the Queen Anne's Lace.

We have two Black Swallowtail caterpillars.
One is feeding on fennel the other feeding on Queen Anne's Lace.
It will be interesting to see if the different host plants
create any difference in the butterflies.

There was an Orange Dog, the caterpillar for
the Giant Swallowtail, on the Garden Rue I cut
 for a herb bouquet for the kitchen.

We have begun our Autumn cleaning.
While I hunted for caterpillars my husband washed the windows.
Our roses looked as pretty from the outside of the windows
as they do from the inside.

I spotted a new fig growing on one of our fig trees.
Perhaps I will be able to harvest a few before critters get them.

My theme for September this year is Harvest Home.
Each day we will harvest from our gardens.
Today we will harvest more brussels sprouts.
For supper we will have a garden stir fry with potatoes, onions
carrots and our good brussels.

Each day in September holds a gift.

I am looking forward to untying the ribbons.

Happy September.