Happy Explosions Day y'all! It's well past midnight now so I suppose it's technically over but the fireworks are still going off so I'm going to count it. Seems we made it through it without anyone shooting up a parade, so I'm calling it a success.
We celebrated the holiday in high style, and by that I mean we played in the yard. The heat index was flirting with 100F, didn't take too long in that for me to declare independence from pulling weeds.
Realized that I hadn't taken nearly enough photos in the yard this year. Shooting things seemed much more in keeping with the spirit of the holiday than petting horse nettles with a pair of pliers, so I had to get out the camera.
The butterflies and bees were having a blast on the buttonbush and I just couldn't pass that up. It's still too early for the monarchs but there were at least one or two yellow swallowtails flitting about all day long.
We're trying to teach the yard to grow itself, so most of the annuals are volunteers this year. Been a little slower coming in that way, so far it's mostly been the perennials blooming. This was the last of the lilies but the black eyed susans are about to pop.
The Rude Beckys already are. Damn things are already over six feet tall but half of them are drunk and falling down. The bees love'em though so it makes up for them getting all sloppy and falling down.
This was my first time growing drumstick allium. Also the first time I got to see a bee do gymnastics. One of these days I'll remember not to plant things the bees love right next to the gate.
Bees and butterflies don't get along especially well either. Or at least they don't like to share the same flower. Snapped this just as the butterfly was flying away.
That's enough yard for one day. Anybody else got some flowers the flying things love?