I was working in my yard yesterday and was delighted to see my first butterfly of the season.
He (or she) was enjoying the blooms on our Majestic Hawthorn bush, and almost landed on me.
His wings were torn and tattered, as if he had just arrived after a long journey from wherever butterflies go in the winter.
But I thought he was beautiful, and I ran inside to get my camera so I could capture that bright glorious spirit, gracefully flitting from flower to flower, as if he was sent to personally wish me a "Happy Spring!"
I hope your weekend is filled with butterflies ... and flowers ... and the sound of birds singing their songs of Spring. The rain is over and gone. The flowers have already appeared in the land; The time has arrived for pruning the vines, And the voice of the turtledove has been heard in our land. The fig tree has ripened its figs, And the vines in blossom have given forth their fragrance. [Song 2:11-13] |
Yesterday, while traveling on the Natchez Trace between Natchez and Vicksburg, I did a double take when we passed by some trees on the side of the road. At first, I thought their bright bluish-purple clusters of flowers were Wisteria, but as we got closer, I could tell that the flowers were "spiky," and growing upright instead of cascading from a vine like Wisteria blossoms do.
We turned around and went back, and I, very carefully (as in "looking for snakes"), made my way down a hillside covered with wildflowers and thistle, and captured some pictures of the trees and flowers.
When I got home, I downloaded my pictures and did a quick search of Google Images, to try to identify the trees, but was unsuccessful (the closest I could find was a tree called Jacaranda, but its leaves aren't the same).
If any of you gardeners or tree experts who read this know what kind of trees these are, would you please let me know? Here are some close-ups, including a couple of pictures of their leaves (you can click on the pictures to enlarge them).
As I was taking pictures of the trees, I enjoyed the company of this pretty yellow Swallowtail who was happily exploring the thistle blooms surrounding me ...
As if the colorful "mystery trees" weren't enough, the butterfly was nice lagniappe for a beautiful Spring afternoon.
It didn't take long for someone to identify the tree for me. Here is a comment I received from Dot, who lives in North Georgia: "This tree is called Royal Empress tree or Paulownia. A very quick growing tree that kids love to climb in once it is strong enough to hold their weight." Thank you, Dot, for taking the time to clear up the "mystery" for me. I googled "Royal Empress" and found the following information: There has been lots of hype generated lately about the Royal Empress tree. It's one of those almost "too good to be true" plants, a fast-growing, easy-to-care-for, shade-producing hardwood, that has cascades of beautiful flowers. It does have its downside, however ... The Royal Empress tree originated in China and was bought to the United States about 160 years ago, and has since become an invasive tree in many parts of the country. It grows in most any type of soil, and has an uncanny ability to survive fire, drought, logging, and even bulldozing! It is best known in our eastern and southeastern states, but grows from coast to coast, though not in the northern plains states or parts of the upper Midwest. There are so many wondrous tales told about the tree that you would think everyone would want to have one. They are very fast growing. You can't sit back and watch it grow, but its daily growth is measurable. I also read that it can grow up to 15 feet in a year! Sounds kind of like kudzu in tree form, doesn't it! |
The plants in our courtyard are attracting lots of butterflies and moths these hot summer days. Yesterday afternoon, I braved the heat and enjoyed watching a yellow swallowtail and black swallowtail fluttering from flower to flower on our Chaste Plant. There were lots of bumblebees swarming around the flowers, too, but they didn't seem to bother the butterflies (or be concerned about me).
Have you ever noticed how much butterfly wings resemble stained glass? I don't think even the most accomplished stained glass artist could ever duplicate the delicate, intricate patterns God created especially for butterfly wings.
The black swallowtail isn't as colorful, but is still beautiful in its own way. This shot reminds me of a Manta Ray.
Although a little out of focus, I love this next picture. It looks as if the butterfly is standing on tiptoe to reach an especially "juicy" flower.
The moths seemed to prefer my Lantana blossoms, and I love this little guy's soft and fuzzy look.
I hope you'll have a chance to get out this weekend and enjoy the butterflies in your yard. They won't be here much longer now that summer is winding down.
