When I was least spectin' ...

While crouching low to fetch some shots of this years lil hyacinth muskies, a familiar lil fluttering elsewhere - caught my attention.

Yep, I was down-right determined to get some pics of my first '06 newbie! And, was most delightedly thrilled, when this beauty finally came close enuf for me to see most of the whole of him!! (hee) I swear to goodness, that I've never had to stay crouched for so long, so still, and on so many of the doggone sharpest lil rocks, in all my life!! .. LOL ..

Twas worth it tho' .. for me.

- Magpye

.. Pic #1 of 5 ... The lil Muscari Grape Hyacinths in 'bloom' ..

.. Pic #2 of 5 ... Then, this beauty fluttered into the shot ..

What a picture! My grapes are in a rock garden alternated with purple border iris, all going around in circles. I'll never have a butterfly like that tho. What contrast.

.. Pic #3 of 5 ... After a few fly-byes, s/he lites to feed right in front of my camera ..

Magpye,

WOW!!! What awesome photos! I love that contrast between the butterfly and the blooms!!! GORGEOUS!!!

We don't get those beauties this far south - thanks for sharing!!! :o)

~ Cat

That is really beautiful!

(( .. thanks so much, you guys! .. ))

I was surprised to see this striped feller so early - let alone, be even remotely interested in the lil hyacinths. I've never had a clue (or jes never noticed before)! But, then .. there's not a whole lotta barely anythin' else, to be partakin' of, yet .. either! (LOL)

I'll bet your rock garden is mitey spectacular with the hyacinths and Iris and the lay-out! Be careful: never say, never! (hee) Ya jes mite spyball a few special sumthins that ya may've never noticed before .. yourself!!

TexasPuddyPrint .. There ya beez! ~ I've wondered, jes where da dickens ya been akeepin' yaseff, kiddo!?!

((huggs))

- Magpye

.. Pic #4 of 5 ... A wee lil closer with the zoom ..

.. Pic #5 of 5 ... Ya can't tell at all, how xcited I was .. can ya!?! .. LOL

takes my breath away, the artistry, so thankful to see such beauty

Ohh kiddo .. I do feel so truly blessed, and am most thankful .. that I am still able to see nature and its awesome beauty. Thank you, angele ..

((huggs))

- Magpye

no kidding Magpye, I'll be smiling when I lay my head on my pillow tonight because of those pictures. #3 just makes my heart sing

edited to say, they all make my heart sing :)

This message was edited Mar 23, 2006 10:51 PM

((Such a sweet-heart, angele))

But, we mite oughta thank that there flutterbye .. for puttin' up with and co-operatin' with me!

Now .. I've gotta figger out 'who' sings that song .. that your statement has rattled loose in my head! .. (heehee) " you make my heart sing "

G'nite kiddo ..

- Magpye

( .. bo-ing! .. ) I got it!!
That line is part of another line .. "Wild thang! You make my heart sang " .. or something similar ... LOL
Goodness! The 'sillies' have come over me!! Now, I KNOW I've gotta hit the hay!! (HEE)

- Magpye

nite dear Magpye, my contacts are sticking to my tired eyes!

edited to say, LOL wild thangs do make our hearts sing ... love you Magpye

This message was edited Mar 23, 2006 11:15 PM

Beautiful pictures Magpye. How delightful to have the butterfly choose such a lovely plant to pose on
Ken

What kind of butterfly is it, anyone know? Karen

I b'leeve .. s/he's a Zebra Swallowtail ..
There's probably more 'attached' to the name, tho'.

Ken, Cat .. step-up to the plate, if ya will ..?
(hee)

- Magpye

Thanks, it is a beauty!

Ahhh Magpye - your wonderful pictures have soothed my typical spring anxiety. We are having another cold and wet (sometimes snowy ugh) spring. I just dug up 5 daylilies that are half rotted. They are resting in pots in the garage while recuperating from their surgery. And yet again its rainy a cold downpour. Kind of dampening my spring joy. That is, until I saw your wonderful butterfly shot. sigh - so spring is comming after all! That little butterfly has charged me up with hope again and the realization that blooms and critters will be here soon. Thank you!!

Here are a few spring shots that I would like to share back atcha (and all youall lol)! No "flutterbyes" yet but I did catch a very slow honeybee the other day on the mahonia blossoms

Here's a mocking bird I've made friends with while working in the yard these last few weeks. He has learned that I sometimes throw fat juicy grubs into the street while I'm digging and he watches and then swoops down for a snack.

and here is a chickdee that has not only already built its nest in one of our bluebird boxes but there are 3 eggs in it.

and the bluebirds are hanging out and pairing up.

Thanks again, you guys ..

lilyfantn ..
There's nothing that could be more pleasing, to me .. than for you guys to share your excitement and your wonderful photos!! We've had some mitey s-l-o-w wasps, out already. But, I've not noticed any bees. Some mitey beautiful bird shots .. The BB's pack an awesome 'blue' don't they!!!

Gosh awful disappointed with you, about your lilies. What is the plant the bee has settled to?

We awoke yesterday morning, to a snow covered yard! But it was all gone within a few hours. I failed to get out there quick enuff, to 'document' it - it'd melted so quickly. Didn't seem to affect anything that had already sprouted and flowered tho' (thankfully).

The ol Coot's just informed me, that he's prepped the Kubota and is ready to dig a flat spot out, up behind another bed - for placement of some more Peonies that I'll be fetchin' in a day or so.
I'll check in later ..

((huggs))

- Magpye

Oh boy!! A new bed to fill up! How fun :-) I just went out to pick up the mail and stopped to take a bigger picture of the mahonia shrub. It has become skimpy because there is a tree nearby that casts so much shade now that it has grown up that the mahonia isn't as nice and full as it once was. The aforementioned tree really needs to come down as it is now growing over and touching our roof. The mahonia gets really nice blue berries in the early summer.



This message was edited Mar 24, 2006 12:47 PM

I am so bad... I also took a walk over to the house where the chickadee has its nest. Momma wasn't around so I opened the door and snuck a picture. (worse than a national enquirer reporter lol!)

By the way, the fluffy nest liner belongs to my cat Lily. I put it out for the birds in the spring. Here is Lily making a little nest of her own in one of my dresser drawers.

Yes Magpye your butterfly is indeed a Zebra Swallowtail (Eurytides marcellus) http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/distr/lepid/bflyusa/usa/694.htm

Magpye,

Haven't had a chance to go out butterflying...I work until 8pm during the week...and weekends have been either too windy or too cloudy and cold for butterflies. Am waiting for the weather to warm up and have some days off!!!

Keep showing off your photos...love them!!!

~ Cat

Great moments captured in photos.


lilyfantn-What kinds of foods does the mockingbird like? lol...looks like you leave a feast for the birds...you even have strawberries!

Hi Greenlife! I have a lot of berry bushes in the yard that they really like. The fruit in the feeder was actually a fluke. My son was home from college on spring break and I had bought lots of tempting "healthy food" for him. The fruit was from a fruit tray from the super market. This was the part he didn't eat and was starting to not look fresh anymore so instead of tossing it out I tossed it in the feeder lol! I don't know HOW he got to be 6'3 when he doesn't eat veggies! Here is a picture of my mockingbird friend on one of his favorite shrubs, a female winterberry. I have 3 near each other and he is in piggy heaven.

Magpye - you should submit some of those photos to a contest - they are just wonderful. And you know you started me thinking about how I could find something red, white and black to plant with muscari. I planted what I thought was a lot of scilla last fall but they are so tiny they get lost pretty quickly - but what a great color of blue.

G'mornin' folks ..

Thank you, Ken .. for the confirmation. How's the struttin' along in them re-newed body parts coming along? I'll bet the missus has to keep you tethered a bit .. in order to keep up with you. (hee)

Ah-hah - a bloomin' Mahonia is what the bee is on! I've seen such shrubs before, but never knew what they're called; I do now. Quite an interesting plant! Ohh, but the berry bush! I am now consumed with shear jealousy kiddo!! The photo of the mocker in there, is gorgeous - but the bush is a 'gotta-get' for me! Winterberry bush; I've gotta jot that down & tape it to my forehead! .. Q: How long before they ever flower & berry-up .. ? ..

Good grief .. Cat/TexasPuddyPrint! I'm more anxious for some warmer Spring weather - just so you can take a good breather!! Will certainly be lookin' forward to your flutterbye escapades and photos ...

alyrics .. You're jes too sweet! (but, your lil pats on the back sure does makes my ol heart plum mushy!) hee .. Thank you. I haven't thought much about it till these pics, but there is a lil something 'catchy/flashy' with the colors. But I'd've never tried such, before the flutterbye indicated the possibilities. Renews the belief that nature indeed does very strongly influence 'design', 'ey!?! But, where (or what) would provide the 'black'? Other than the incorporation of some black garden art, props, etc. Hmmmm .. now, that's certainly an idea worthy of good trial - and far more easy to create. I'll bet a slow hill or sloped bed may would lend far more display impact. Guess I'm gonna be keepin' closer tabs on you now .. (hee) Just be sure to share and post any manifested ideas, with the rest of us, will ya .. please .. ? ..

((huggerooners))

- Magpye

This message was edited Mar 25, 2006 9:53 AM

Believe it or not, winterberries are deciduous holly. They don't look like what most people think of when they think of holly. the leaves are soft and drop off in the late fall leaving the branches encrusted with red berries. You have to plant one male for every ten females. I have three females - Winter red and two Sparkleberries. The male is kind of in the corner because he doesn't get the berries but you need his pollen lol! he is an Appollo. I think I have a picture of one of the females before it drops its leaves.

I forgot to mention the scientific name is Ilex Verticillata and the names in the above post are the variety names. You need to match the males with the right females based on when the flowers bloom. If you are interested I know I have seen a chart somewhere of the different varieties and which ones are compatible. There are basically two groups if I'm remembering correctly. But any knowlegeable garden center that sells them should know. Mine took a few years before getting berries but I did plant pretty large sized shrubs.

((thank you, lilyfantn)) ..
And truly appreciate the particulars, (names, growth, etc.) .. associated to them.

And, yes ma'am .. IF you wouldn't mind sharing the charted info. (and, only when it's convenient for you!) You're probably right there, with the rest of us: having so many irons in the fire - ya can't tell if you're goin' or comin'. Feel like I'm running in circles!! .. LOL

I've got ample time .. before I'll be off to check out any 'new' bushes ..

There are a whole mess of Serviceberry Trees right here on the property, that I'd like go and dig up. Wanting to have a few, here .. in the immediate yard. Have tried a couple of smaller ones - but these boogers have got one mitey deep tap root!! .. Egads! ..

- Magpye

This message was edited Mar 25, 2006 11:53 AM

Magpie, I found this site that lists good pairs but I know I've seen an easier to read one somewhere (I recently had to get a new hard drive and lost everything on the old one - ack). I have a serviceberry that I really love but last fall I pruned it pretty hard and now I'm a little concerned because I haven't seen any new growth yet. I sure hope I haven't killed it.

http://www.hort.uconn.edu/Plants/i/ilever/ilever1.html

I'll keep looking for that better site.

Magpye Love all these great pictures and the beautiful butterfly!Spring is here.....Yeh..........

cuckoo

lilyfantn You have great pictures but I love the bluebird and mockingbird. Oh I guess throw in the chickadee picture too. Yes I like it a lot also!!!!!

cuckoo

What a feast that surrounds the mockingbird. If I had more space, I would love to plant a winterberry in the garden. I'm glad my neighbor has a firethorn and holly that's planted right by my backyard because I can see the mockingbirds snacking on berries. But, I noticed that they don't seem to be as heavy eaters as the rest of the birds. I used to leave out raisins for the mockingbirds but most of the time, the sparrows would gobble up the raisins while the mockingbirds were either singing or just watching all the birds. hmmmm....I'm trying to figure out if there's anything I could leave out on the feeder to thank them for their singing. You mentioned that you sometimes throw out a few snacks for the mockingbird. Is there anything in particular that he seems to like?

lol...I thought strawberries were a part of the birds' regular meal. After looking at your picture, I had to get some strawberries to give to the birds.