Monday, August 22, 2016

Around OakMeadows


A quilt that I made several years ago. 

We have had a variety of butterflies in the garden this week.  Lovely Eastern Tiger Swallowtail, Monarch, Queen, Gulf Fritillary, and an unidentified brown skipper. We've also had several big black and yellow bumblebees on the salvia; they are so heavy that the salvia sags with their weight as they hang on to feed. 

The last of the barn swallows left sometime last week.  Everyone else left two or three weeks ago.  This pair pulled off a late brood and had to wait until the babies were strong enough to make the long flight to Central America.  How I would love to know where my swallows spend the rest of the year!  Speaking of birds, the mockingbirds are feasting on the beauty berries. Thanks to all the rain, we have a bumper crop of beauty berries this year. 

I'm reading The a Invention of Nature: Alexander Von Humbolt's New World by Andrea Wulf. So far it is excellent. He is really the father of environmentalism.  He saw and wrote about in the early 1800's the absolute interconnectedness of everything.  I am now reading about his journey in 1800 through what is now Venezuela. Fascinating.

It has been so hot and humid that my rosacea flared up. I had to go in to see the doctor to get a new prescription.  I really didn't want to go in because I have my annual physical appointment at the end of October.  The problem is though that it causes inflammation in my eyes and I couldn't wait 2 more months. So I jumped through the appropriate hoops and got my Rx. It usually takes about a week to start improving. Soothing eye drops in the meanwhile.  

4 comments:

Hattie said...

I hope your rosacea clears up soon. Sounds nasty. It's been too hot and humid here as well.
I like Humboldt. I remember going past the gate at Humboldt University when I was in Berlin years ago and wondering who he was. Since then I have studied a bit about him and have developed more of an interest in the places he visited.

eileeninmd said...

Hello Florence, your quilt is beautiful. I have been seeing loads of butterflies lately and my sweet hummers. We have a new set of berries coming in for the migrating birds, I hope to see some warblers. With the hot weather lately I have been staying inside and reading a lot more.
I hope you feel better soon, take care! Have a great day and new week ahead!

Anonymous said...

I like Wulf's boos, and Humbolt was a jewel.

Rambling Woods said...

The quilt is amazing.... I use that or my eyes have problems too... Michelle