Here in the mid-Atlantic, the heat wave has spawned severe thunderstorms two nights in a row. Last night, the lightning was so spectacular that I couldn’t resist trying to catch a few frames.
(This last one convinced me that I had taken more than enough pictures…)
This little Eastern Amberwing dragonfly doesn’t seem to mind the heat, which has me cowering in my air-conditioned office.
I tend to procrastinate, so today is the kind of day I dread. I’m trapped indoors, face to face with a heap of unfinished manuscript submissions and bookkeeping chores. Of course, I could always read a book. Or take a nap. Or both…
The lotus garden near Sandbridge Beach is beginning to bloom. Today I stopped for a few minutes, trying to ignore the ridiculous heat and harsh midday glare.
This weed has always grown in our yard, but I never bothered to look it up because I assumed it was wild strawberry. The little red fruits seemed so distinctive. Yesterday, as I searched for a link to include with this post, I realized that the yellow flowers are all wrong. Wild strawberry should have white flowers. After reading more online and consulting my old wildflower guide, I now believe this is Indian Mock-Strawberry.
(I would love a little help with this one. Please comment with corrections or confirmation!)
I believe these are Japanese Beetles. Every year I see a handful of them, but only a handful. They hang around for a month or two, mating in the roses and stripping a few leaves off the crepe myrtle. Then they disappear.
Fortunately, they have not become a major problem in our yard. The worst part of having them around, for me, is the worry. I watch and wait, dreading the possibilities. Wondering if this will be the summer that our modest population of beetles spawns a hungry swarm…
Rae Spencer 