Woodland Skipper

The other day I was out watering the garden and I noticed the oregano plant had little orange butterflies all over it! These little guys were flitting from one bloom to the next...

Of course I had to figure out what kind of butterfly they were! After doing some searching and comparisons to some photos online, I determined they were a kind of Skipper Butterfly.

While looking through the super zoom camera lens it can be hard to find the little buggers, especially when they turn...

I determined that specifically they are Woodland Skipper Butterflies or Ochlodes sylvanoides. They are considered a very common species that range from British Columbia south to southern California and east to Montana, Colorado, and Arizona.

Woodland Skipper / Ochlodes sylvanoides

Look at the proboscis, or the tongue, that they use to collect nectar!

 I learned something new today... I hope you did too!


- Dan

Fading

Remember these Crocosmia I showed you?

The first ones starting showing on 06/12

Crocosmia or Montbretia / Crocosmia × crocosmiiflora on 06/26

 

Well... now the blooms are long gone and the bright green seed pods are fading. Sometimes the leftover pods on flowers can be quite interesting and colorful in their own way. See the wonderful gradient from green to yellow to brown.

 

 

Here is an idea of the full effect... I know the picture is out of focus, but you get the idea. Next year when the clump of Crocosmia is larger, perhaps it will be an even better show!

 

 

 

- Dan

 

 

 

We've Got...

HOPS!

 

 

- Dan

Gettin' a Bath

The Pumphouse got a little wash down this last weekend. We took the pressure washer to it, in order to remove some moss and loose paint...

This was the portion that we did the most pressure washing on...

We also did the inside to get rid of the dust and also several old wasp nests.

The paint we washed off before I sprayed it off of the slab.

 

 

- Dan

Pico de Gallo

There is only one thing to make when you have a ton of fresh tomatoes... pico de gallo!

Look at the fresh veggies from the garden! We picked two different kinds of tomatoes, some green onions, a green bell pepper, fresh parsley, a few basil leaves, and some green jalapeño peppers! The large onion at the top and the three larger bell peppers were given to us by our uncle.

 

Usually pico de gallo calls for cilantro but we substituted parsley in. We also have more onions than usual and the bell peppers were a nice addition. Notice that our ratio of tomatoes is less than normal just because we like all those other things more... to each their own!

Add some lime juice, salt, and pepper and you are done.

Looking forward to chowing down on this deliciousness!


- Dan

August Sunset

One of the most glorious sunsets I have seen this Summer!

 

 

- Dan

Weather Talk

The last few days have not been typical Oregon summer weather. As an Oregonian, born and raised, I pride myself on loving any weather that mother nature can throw at us, and often in one day! But if there is any kind of weather that I can't tolerate, it has to be muggy weather...

That feeling of constantly being hot, sweaty and sticky combined with no breeze and overcast skies is not fun... I would rather take a cool rainy day over a muggy forecast any day!

Here's to hoping it changes sooner than later! I got my mini rant out. Now I am going to go stand in front of the fan!


- Dan