It's True What They Say
It's true! Plant it and they will come. In 2008, I planted the Echinacea hybrid 'Big Sky Summer Sky'. My feelings about these coneflowers have been lukewarm until the day this Monarch landed on one of the flowers. At first, I thought it might be a Viceroy, but my Audubon Butterfly Pocket Guide confirms that it's a Monarch. The Guide mentions that there are attempts underway to designate it the national insect of the United States. Do any of you know if that was successful? Guess I could check that out myself.
I've been away from blogging for a while. This brief post is an attempt to get back into it on a regular basis. I may be blogging about my summer garden well into winter, otherwise what would I do with the hundreds of photos on my computer.
Hoping to visit all of you soon.
Okay....why am I unable to successfully change the photo in my header? It's all blurry and not the right size. Have I been away so long that I'm not doing it right? Grrrrrr. No photo for the time being.
ReplyDeletedonna
Welcome back, Donna! Good to hear from you again. Coneflowers are my all-time favorite, no matter the variety. One of the reasons I love them is that they are such bee and butterfly magnets. Great job on capturing the Monarch.
ReplyDeleteI've had problems with my header photo, too. For months, Blogger wouldn't shrink it to size, so the photo I wanted turned into some random part of the picture. Finally, a week ago I got it to work. Blogger has made some changes, not all them user-friendly, so I would just keep trying until it works.
Seeing your summer garden this winter sounds great--much better than seeing all the snow we're bound to have:)
Glad to hear from you! This photo is amazing! Hope you have been having a great summer.
ReplyDeleteWelcome back Donna. We all missed you. Great photo of the butterfly. You must have had your camera at the ready. I would have had to run back into the house to get my camera and by the time I got back...the butterfly would have been gone.
ReplyDeleteSeeing your garden all winter sounds like a really good idea to me.
Hi...Donna I was just thinking about you...Thank you for stopping by and leaving such nice compliments.
ReplyDeleteYes girls will stick around a little longer...When my nephews visit I try to get them interested, NOT going to happen! lol!
Say hello to little Phillip for me...I missed you guys.. But I understand that other things can take us away from blogging at times... And other times we just need a little break.
... Vetsy
Oh, I hope they do! Would love to see the whole country get behind helping this delightful little butterfly...
ReplyDeleteHi Donna! Glad to see a post, especially of the beautiful flower and bonus butterfly!!
ReplyDeleteP.S... It's an added plus when we plant flowers that attract those beauties like the Monarch...
ReplyDeleteI can relate to you about particular plants.. I don't particularly care for Bee balm...
But it is noted over and over again about it's ability to attract Bees and hummingbirds, So I'll plant a few in the future just for them..
It would be a cool thing if it's true about the Monarch becoming our national insect.. It should it's so lovely...
It is great to see you back blogging again. Love the photo. Any plant that attracts Monarchs would become a favorite in my garden!
ReplyDeleteMonarchs are the most seen butterfly around these parts! Occasionally a Swallowtail, or yellow (Sulpher) butterfly. That would be cool if it were the national insect. I will have to check it out! Hope you adn your Coo Coo Kid are having a nice summer! The grands and my daughter and I are all playing together most days! FUN!
ReplyDeleteHeeeelllooo sweet lady glad to have you back on a regular basis. I'm so in love with this shot. Just wonderful.
ReplyDeleteAnd your new header, keep trying you'll figure it out.
See you all the way through summer.
Dagmar
Hello Donna, nice to see you posting. I know what you mean about the photos stacking up waiting to post.
ReplyDeleteYour butterfly is gorgeous. You seem to have much more vibrant butterflies than we do. The coneflower looks as if it'll be a hit.
Wow! That is just beautiful, it looks like it should be a card or framed. We don't get Monarchs here so I just love seeing pictures of them in other peoples gardens.
ReplyDeleteI love the butterfly picture. My coneflowers are butterfly magnets too. We seem to have more butterflys than usual this year in many different colors - a happy occasion!
ReplyDeleteThat's a beautiful colored coneflower. Congratulations on seeing a monarch on it. I wish I had more butterflies on mine! Don't worry about not blogging. It happens. :-)
ReplyDeleteStunning photo, Donna. I'm here there and everywhere this summer too. Delighted to have a moment to catch up. Happy remains of July :)
ReplyDeleteWe missed you Donna! I like your new look. I am looking forward to some spunky posts from you.
ReplyDeleteYour header looks fine to me.
Rosey
Beautiful photo! And if the rest are like this one it will be quite a cheery winter ;)
ReplyDeleteHi, Donna!
ReplyDeleteSuch a lovely capture of the Monarch butterfly. We have few monarch flying around at the backyard but it is very hard for me to take photos. Your coneflower is beautiful.
It is been cold here as we are in the middle of our winter season.The kids are having 2 weeks school break and will be back to school this Tuesday.
Have a great week ahead.
What a perfectly perfect shot!!!
ReplyDeleteOh Donna! This is one gorgeous picture. I am not a huge fan of the run of the mill purple coneflower, but there are several new colors that interest me and this one is just beautiful! And the butterfly?! This is a postcard. Or a calendar!
ReplyDeleteI'm so glad you are back to blogging Donna, I was starting to worry about you! My Summer Sky echinacea didn't return, darn it. But the monarchs and other butterflies always come anyway, to visit my buddleia.
ReplyDeleteHi Donna,
ReplyDeleteYou have some pretty lilies. I love the red and yellow one. It reminds me of what another blogger calls tango lilies. I keep forgetting to look those up.
I see you haven't put a header photo up yet. When I change mine, it shrinks, so I have to start over with "add a widget" (or is it "gadget") each time. I hope you are able to get a header up. I like the new template.