Butterfly
This beauty was fluttering around Amherst this afternoon and was nice enough to alight so that I could photograph it. The flowers in front of Pasta E Basta do more than just look pretty.
Luna Moth
I surprised myself by knowing that this was a luna moth. I have a terrible head for remembering the names most of insects and plants, but I knew right away what it was. This lovely guy (gal?) has been on the side of the house most of the day. So beautiful. Anyone out there know much about these creatures?
Have a great week everyone.
Cris Loves Hammocks
She is either asleep or reading. It is hard to tell which, but the bugs are out and it is nice to be inside a bit of a cocoon.
Sunflowers
I had to get the oil changed in Cristine’s car early today and as I was driving through Hadley I saw this field of sunflowers. I stopped on the way home and grabbed a few shots. Some of the flowers were huge. Big honkin’ leaves too. / Peggy Ross came over to work with me on the willardsuitcases.com site (which I am so far behind on) and we got a ton done on the FAQ section. I hope to be able to finish it up by early September. / There is a nice interview on the Port Magazine (UK) site about the suitcases. Here is the link. Betty Wood has been following the project from very early on, and she did a great job asking questions and putting it all together. I was really fun talking to her and am so grateful for her interest and support.
Bug
I’ve been “stalking” this guy for a while now. I have seen him many times, but he has always been gone by the time I have made the effort to photograph him. (Although I have a vague memory of an earlier post on the same subject.) He is always in the same spot on this leaf; right at the base. Today he was just hangin’ out and I had a few minutes to grab my camera and take his picture. I think the plant might be a begonia, but I am awful at remembering what plants are called. Can anyone identify the bug?
Tiny Bug on Basil
This is the smallest dang grasshopper type bug I have ever seen. It was hanging out on the basil this morning. I should probably get a longer macro lens; my guess is that those of you who look at this site on your phones are out of luck. Love the green though.
Ladybug (family Coccinellidae)
I have always liked ladybugs. For some reason they make me think of my mom. Looks like this one is drying out one of his wings. / I seem to be spending more time out on the deck following the progress of the tomatoes and herbs. Everything is still growing nicely. This beetle is sitting on the thyme enjoying the morning sunshine.
Dragonfly
Cris and I went for a walk with the Pearl this afternoon. This dragonfly landed on her hat and was kind enough to hang around while I took some shots.
Pink Lady’s Slippers (Cypripedium acaule)
A few months ago I mentioned Pink Lady’s Slippers in a post and I have been waiting for them to show up in the woods next to the house. We have had so much rain lately and very little sun, so I wasn’t sure if we would have a good showing. Each year they seem to spread a bit wider and this year is no exception. There are at least fifty within a hundred feet of our deck. / The US Forest Service has a good description here.
They will be around for another week or so and then disappear back into the forest floor.
Jon Crispin's Notebook 
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