The rain is drumming on the roof. It’s a welcome break from the hot sky of the last two days. A sky the color of skim milk; the weakest, lousiest blue. The nearly unbreathable blue. I had to drive home from my Nashville musical work stint to Vermont as the eastern storms made air travel completely unreliable. I saw that sky for two days straight as I made my way through Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania and New York. It clung to everything. This mild breeze with a couple hummingbird visitors is most appreciated at this moment. They are poking holes in my accumulated pressure clench. (Thank you, wee birds!)
I got home last night (I know… I keep “getting home”) and the air was sticky and thick. Air quality supposedly bad and the dams are really to give in several more places in Vermont. We are taking it hard. Pennsylvania is getting it bad too. Ugh. I don’t need to tell you. You know…
***I’ve not yet vetted the many orgs offering disaster relief here but I’ll post soon if you’d like to help. Folks will be going through recovery for a long time. If you have any good info please feel free to share. Thanks :)
BUT! The bees are here! The tachinid flies! The buzzing is loud and strong. The new hummingbird (I don’t have a name for him yet) has a mate (who will also have a name!)! She’s tiny and elegant. There’s a very punctual indigo bunting who can sing for hours at a time. I haven’t seen Slinky and Stroopwafel but I’ll keep you posted. They are surely around here somewhere. I saw hints of monarchs as well so I’m hoping a walk with the dogs will reveal hundreds flitting about the milkweed fields.
So what's new and what's news? Well, I have a few things this week which I will keep you posted on as I pass into book writing mode, as well as a buried nugget for paid subscribers. My delphiniums are perfect gods of their species for a second year in a row, so of course the storms have blown them down. Oh, well. A minor thing. Stay tuned for real info, haha!
What’s new with you, dear readers? I missed you :)
poop.
you asked, so here are the news: the hedgehogs families that we've been feeding for 4 years have had babies. we spotted 2 and have named them avocado and avogado. nature, and some bubbles, are the only thing keeping my soul alive - and, of course, your posts and voice.
Have your flowers ever been visited by a hummingbird moth? Quite something! They look a little scary at first, but are totally benign... and super-beneficial, too, of course. Enjoy the buzzes!!