A wonderful and unusual fungus growing like fingers from the earth along the path of old tree decomposing lying just below the earths surface.
There were several cluster each with a wonderful beauty that made us ponder life myriad forms. Each form with a place and each important to the whole.
The diversity of life is natures greatest gift.
As the grass now turns to brown the insects follow suit. Once a succulent green a mantis turns to brown.
Moths stay hidden beneath a golden cloak.
And while most flowers have gone to seed a few beautiful prairie coneflowers remain to brighten the fields.
Simple sights on a late summers afternoon.
With wings tattered and torn a Fritillary takes a sip of nectar on the coneflowers. Those tattered wings sure feel like a metaphor for the month that has passed.
We don’t know about you but we are looking forward to autumn this year.
This summers bounty of Indian Paint Brush was like getting that big box of crayons you always wanted as a child. So many colors, so much fun to be had.
And the best thing about getting the big box is that there are plenty of crayons to share.
I can’t say it better than it is stated in this NY Times article “There’s simply no way to talk about the beauty of Orobanche uniflora without raising a lot of eyebrows.”
Commonly called Naked Broomrape or sometimes Flowered Cancer Root this wonderful flower with unflattering common names was a new one to us when we came across it in meadow on a recent hike.
It is a short leafless plant unable to photosynthsize thus gaining it’s nutrients by parasitism. Often using sedum, saxifrages and asters as a host plant. Typically growing only up to 3 inches tall we found this cluster buried deep in the grass.
It is a beautiful little flower and very unique to say the least.
A quiet walk on a summers day.
Where shapes of flowers and the textures of the forest were combined.
Formed the memory of that day.
A wonderful duet between pollinators and flowers. In this instance Blanket Flower was the host of the party which had numerous attendees all lining up to dance with the host one by one.
A few weeks back the wild Buckwheat plants we in full bloom along a trail we were hiking and they proved irresistible to a wide variety of butterflies seeking a nice sip of nectar on a hot summer afternoon. With both the Sulfur-flowered and Yellow-flowered species both in full bloom there was a buckwheat to meet the tastes of even the most discriminating species. While the Acadain Blue and Juniper Hairstreak we more partial to the Sulfur-flowered buckwheat….
The Fritillaries, Checkerspots and this beautiful Field Crescent favored the Yellow-flowered variety.
A beautiful collection of butterflies all within the span of 50 meters along the trail.
Late July and the birds are quiet, the landscape is parched in many places as drought has tightened its grip, yet along a creek where the last water flows wildflowers are still in bloom the flowers are topped with beautiful butterflies.
While the Checkerspot photographed above is a species we frequently see each summer the butterflies below are ones we either have never seen or perhaps never noticed.
The Black and White species above is anything but black and white sporting iridescence that glows like a rainbow in the proper light. In addition to being beautiful this species was also fairly small measuring about 0.75 inches in length.
Another small and iridescent species measuring just the length of a petal on a wild sticky geranium. This individual was difficult to photograph always darting from flower to flower. Luckily they found what they were looking for on this flower and stayed long enough for a photo.
The smallest butterfly we have seen this summer was perhaps this species which seemed to favor the white sticky geraniums along the creek. Perhaps half the size of the flowers petal, small indeed.
Now that August is near the wildflowers are quickly drying and dying for the season and along with the flower the butterflies go as well. Well, next summer is just around the corner.
Wishing you a great week.
Rocky Mountain Penstemon, Firecracker Penstemon, Yellow Columbine and a lovely pinkish painted Brush.
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