Summer Solstice 2017

Astronomical summer rolled in at 12:24 a.m. today. We continue to have abnormally wet weather, so I took a few photos on mid-summer's eve, June 20th while we had a little sunshine.

6/20/17 Mother Catbird protecting her eggs- photo by Ian

We are adding depth to a hedge between our yard and next door to

protect smaller wildlife. That will be a topic for a future blog post.

6/20/17 A particularly happy photo of Fairy Tale pinks with ladybug. There are many ladybugs on my day lily blossoms in the front yard. They eat aphids. No need for spray here. If I did do anything, it would be to use a homemade spray with just water and dish detergent. I've had to use it on vines in the backyard a few times. Not this year though.

6/20/17 Our first waterlily blossom opened! We learned a valuable lesson. Waterlilies do not like to have water splashed on the leaves. They will yellow. Ian added a small fountain this year which splashed a little water on the leaves. He lowered the fountain head so it is just at the water line. This aerates the water, but there is no height and therefore no splashing. It actually looks better. Now I can pretend that there is an underground spring feeding the pond.

6/21/17 Summer Solstice and my first goldfinch sighting on the yellow pincushion flowers (Scabiosa columbaria var. ochroleuca). They love the seed heads of these plants.

Happy solstice! Maybe we'll see the sun in Durham, later today. Ian is thrilled with all of the rain. The local rivers are running high enough for him to do a little kayaking today.