What a Terrific Day!

Well, as far as weather, anyway! The temperature never rose above 72 on our front porch (where the thermometer is located) this afternoon. The sky was fabulous....a bright clear blue; the kind of blue that sets my heart to singing. The miserable humidity that has literally hung around here the past several weeks was dissipated, almost as though a giant hand reached down from the heavens and swept it away.

The bird nest that was so lovingly built amidst my New Guinea Impatiens has been evacuated and I must admit I was somewhat happy to see the Junco family leave. Heartless, I know, but the poor plant! It is trying hard to make a comeback after being thirsty for a couple of weeks. I gave it a long drink today.

This afternoon, I spotted a gorgeous Swallowtail Butterfly lighted upon a Coneflower. Michelle bolted in and out of the house when I implored her to fetch my camera. Unfortunately, by the time she reappeared, the Swallowtail was gleefully and without a care in the world, dipping and diving off....leaving the premises for the next landing pad elsewhere! Ah well, since I had the camera in hand, I decided to photograph the Coneflowers...at least THEY wouldn't take flight and leave me empty-handed!

If you look closely, you can see some tall green leaves behind the Coneflowers. This would be the remains of that totally out-of-control Bleeding Heart. After blooming each year, the leaves morph into this ugly yellowish color. That is when my heart grows cold and like Edward Scissorhands, I snip and cut until I am satisfied! You will also notice that those Coneflowers are quite lopsided. They are leaning forward due to the tyrannical Bleeding Heart. Thay had no other place to go, so they bowed down, making way for the giant! I didn't plant those Coneflowers there, BTW. They seeded themselves! The Hosta and Columbine are also heaving great sighs of relief, as now they can see the light of day!

I have the radio on, and the weatherman said it all so well, promising tomorrow will be yet another day of "sapphire skies and golden sunshine". It seems as though an area of high pressure is ruling these days over the Bristolwood, making for days of perfection! I do so love this time of the year when the sun slowly begins to descend back down into the southern sky, causing the afternoon to wash the interior of the house in shades of goldenrod, as opposed to the brighter butter tones of high summer. Sometimes I long to curl up, just like a kitty, and take a long satisfying nap in those rich tones of a failing summer sky. How I long for days like today....not just a few of them, but a whole season!