Today's Butterfly Beauties

Late Summer Visit to Shenadoah National Park

One of our favorite places to visit are the Blue Ridge Mountains and Shenandoah National Park. The weather was amazing the past few days, and we were lucky to be able to make a trip out to the park to enjoy the views and beauty of nature that abounds everywhere in this scenic location. I'm posting a few of the photos I took this time. The first 3 photos were taken in the Big Meadows area of the park at sunset. The next set were taken while hiking along the Limberlost trail which was so lush with vegetation. Just as we were leaving the trail to get back into our car, we came across a very curious doe who'd caught a glimpse of herself in our car mirror and seemed to like what she saw :) The final photograph gives a glimpse of the lovely layers of blue in the mountains taken from one of the overlooks on Skyline Drive, the road which runs through the park.

Around the Corner

We're still experiencing the simmering days of summer, but the cool and crisp days of autumn are just around the corner. My current ACEO art is reflecting the colorful days of fall to come.

Picking Pink

Pink is the color of the day …

Another Cute One ...

We've seen so many bunnies this summer! With all the rain we keep getting, our yard is lush with vegetation and provides food in ample supply. This evening we spotted "Red," so named because of the bright orangey-red spot of fur on the back of his or her head. Red was much more curious than skittish, as most rabbits are. I was able to get quite close for pictures, and, as I drew closer, Red stared right at me and just kept on eating :)

Eye to eye with "Red"

Notice the red-orange patch of fur on the back of Red's head!

Ethereal Beauties

The delicate beauty of a Monarch Butterfly on our butterfly bush

The lovely, fairy-like Luna Moth lives only long enough to breed

Halloween Colored Caterpillar

Milkweed Tussock Moth Caterpillars

With its bright orange, black, and white coloration, the milkweed tussock moth caterpillar looks like its ready to go trick-or-treating for Halloween. In this photo you can see a large size caterpillar and its "mini-me" instar.

Bright & Early

I like to get up early on summer mornings because it's much cooler and more comfortable outdoors. The early morning light casts a gentle glow on everything it touches.

Morning sun shines through the crepe myrtles

Hummingbird enjoying a restful morning

Cottontail bunny choosing which plant to nibble on next

Mourning dove sitting pretty in the sun

Early morning light brightens the tree tops

Growing Up

On this steamy hot day, we saw the two fawns who frequent our yard. They've grown quite a bit since the last time we caught a glimpse of them, a testament to good parenting from their ever vigilant mothers. A pair of does and the two fawns are always seen together. We think the mothers may be the grown fawn siblings we saw frequently last summer. The four often bed down in our front and side gardens for the night and for afternoon naps.

Butterfly Bush Buddies

First Monarch Butterfly of the Season

Dark Eastern Swallowtail Butterfly

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail Butterfly

All three of these large sized butterflies flit among our towering butterfly bush this afternoon. There were multiple swallowtails, but just one monarch. All of them cooperatively shared the tasty flowers. At times, it looked as though they were dancing an orchestrated dance among the branches. It was an extraordinarily beautiful sight to see them all together as they were.

Look Closely

Female ruby-throated hummingbird seeking the last nibbles of beebalm nectar

Skipper butterfly's curly proboscis

Ring of honey bees around the sunflower's center

Two more for today ...

Coming in for a landing ~

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail landing on butterfly bush

Honey Bee beelining for the center of the sunflower 

Beautiful Blue

After a brief rain shower this afternoon, the sun reappeared in all its brilliance. Out on the patio, the skinks basked in the warmth of the rays. The shimmery sheen of their long blue tails was beautiful!

Snake in the Grass

It's always a good idea to be observant when walking around our yard. All sorts of creatures are about and some can catch you off guard. Today, we observed this beautiful, sleek black snake winding it's way through the front lawn. We like their presence, as they keep the small rodent population in check and help to maintain a healthy ecosystem. We also have poisonous snakes, which are just as beneficial for their dietary preferences, but we have to maintain a safe distance when we come across the copperheads or rattlesnakes we see from time to time.