Welcome to this week’s edition of Nature Friday where we join our friends from the Adventures of the LLB Gang’s blog hop. Don’t forget to click on the link to see what great posts and pics were shared in Blogville.
This week we’re taking a different approach to our post since Mum and I are sick of whinging about the relentless heat. You’re welcome. I told her, I’m done with it and we should focus on something lovely that Nature is providing instead. Instead we’re going to yammer on about the August full moon which is called a red “Sturgeon Moon,” said moon due to arrive tomorrow. So what is a red Sturgeon Moon, you ask?
The Mum: Well, look at you Mr. Science Dude. Nicely explained. Sadly none of the moon pics I have do the term justice. I understand a Sturgeon Moon is especially important for indigenous peoples as it reminds them of the interconnectedness between nature and their communities.
Wilson: That’s right, Mum. Anyway, we could try to capture a photo this weekend.
The Mum: I’ll definitely give it my best shot, House Pony. I understand you have a few photos of flowers that are coming into their own right now. Why don’t you show us what else you’ve got.
Wilson: Ooh, I’m so glad you segued to the flowers we captured this week because are there some real beauties. Check out these Gladiolus.
The Mum: I never think about planting these bulb standouts…until they start blooming and then I tell myself…next year.
Wilson: No worries, Mum. Some good neighbors seem more than willing to step in and share their beauties. Those same neighbors had some lovely dahlias, too! This one is practically iridescent on the outer edges.
The Mum: Yes, they were truly gorgeous. It’s not likely I’ll ever plant any Dahlias because I’m too lazy to dig them up, wash the tubers and then store them in the garage. And even if I did go to that effort, I’d probably forget them the following spring. Things tend to be forgotten in the depths of the nooks and crannies in the garage. I’m still looking for a 5/8″ crescent wrench that I know I have but just can’t seem to find. Every other size is right where they are supposed to be, but the 5/8 inch one is MIA. Sigh.
Wilson: Ahh, so that’s what you were doing the other day. I think I heard some grumbling about a lost tool. You know if it’s even remotely near a treat, I could find it. Just saying if you want some help, my sniffer is pretty good when it comes to finding things if treats are involved.
The Mum: I’m sure you could, buddy. You do tend to be helpful like that. {changing the subject} So what else do you have?
Wilson: Well I came across some sunburned flowers that sure were pretty.
The Mum: Sunburned? Oh Wilson lad, you crack me up.
Wilson: Well that first one seemed like nature put a low SPF sunscreen on the flowers because it’s not too burnt, but the second one is well beyond the bronze stage, in my humble opinion.
The Mum: Hahahaha. Well I ‘ll give you an “A” for your interesting observation. Sunflowers actually can come in a variety of colors (i.e. yellow, shades of orange and red, white and even green) although most of them found in our neighborhood are the bright yellow variety.
Wilson: You mean they aren’t sunburned? Hmm…guess I have a bit to learn about flowers. Well, the one thing that we can both agree on is that they are rather lovely. And the birds sure like them.
The Mum: Oh yes, birds are pretty crazy about sunflowers, no matter what color they are.
Wilson: Well that’s it from me. We had a visitor to the front garden but he didn’t want to stay for long. Mum said she hasn’t seen many of them and spent a lot of time trying to get close enough to actually be able to see him. A beautiful Monarch butterfly! He was enjoying the nectar from the blue flowers of the plumbago. Isn’t he grand? I named him Felix and hope he comes back.
Mum, Felix and I hope you have a terrific weekend and are able to get out and check all the wonderful gifts Mother Nature provides us, like this month’s full moon and garden visitors. Cheerio mates!
Live, love, bark! 🐾
What a GRATE name for THE Monarch Butterfly Wilson!!!! Wee hope Felix reeternss two.
Wee sorry there iss not rain there. Wee had a breef rain storm last nite. BellaSita was OUT in it enjoyin THE cold rain…Wunder what THE nayburrss thott?
Those Gladyola’ss due look glad to bee out there. Dhalia’ss lood feevine an THE Sunflowerss are truly sunny!!! Purrfection!!!
**nose bopss** BellaDharma an ((hugss)) BellaSita Mum
So glad you enjoyed the flower pics. Absence of rain is ongoing…we’re probably more likely to receive snow than rain anymore. 😉 Hope your mum enjoyed the cold shower. We could only hope a scene like that bothered the neighbors though my Mum wouldn’t give a whit!
Your fur-iend,
Wilson 🐾
True DAT Miss Monika!! BellaSita doess not wurry about THE nayburrss anymore 😉
An wee heer you about gettin snow beefore rain…butt wee HOPE you due get rain soon!!
goodness, these are brilliant!
Thank you very kindly! Glad you enjoyed them.
Lady really liked seeing your sunflowers – something ate all of hers this year so they did not gro. The River Cats Tigris and Styx
Thank you for swinging by the Ranch. We always welcome visitors. So sorry your sunflowers ended up being salad for some critter and very glad you enjoyed seeing some from our neighborhood.
Thanks for the explanation about the Harvest Moon, Wilson. It didn’t cooperate with me when I was trying to photograph it, but I did see it. The flower photos are gorgeous. As for that wrench, I’d gladly trade you one of my my 5/8″ jobs if you could help me find any one of the three 10mm wrenches I own. They are never where they’re supposed to be, and neither are the 10mm sockets.
I hope you have a wonderful week.
Thanks Dan. I understand about trying to photograph the full moon. My attempt wasn’t great and I’m still trying to decide whether to keep it. Glad you enjoyed the flowers.
I’m convinced there’s a universal tool conspiracy in garages and work sheds everywhere. So maddening! Hope it’s been a great weekend.
Glorious images as always. Thanks.
Thank you J.W.S. You’re too kind. We hope your weekend has been wagnificent!
Wow, Wilson, you are a genius to dig up all that moon info! We must not have too much haze from the smoke, but there is an air quality advisory…our moon su=till looks white. Maybe it would be a lot redder when it first rises.
That Monarch, has relatives here…we had one the other day. There is milkweed down by the nearby creek, we sure hope they are ‘breeding’ there. W=Each fall I go and ‘harvest’ their pods, but then I forget to plant them…silly me.
Hope you can find your wrench. I hate it too, when I know I have recently seen something, but then when I want it I cannot find it no matter how hard I look everywhere, LOL!
Thanks! Even with all the smoke we’ve been experiencing, the moon was fairly bright white a bit ago. Most harvest moons start out red when it’s low on the horizon and gets brighter as it rises. Because my neighborhood is old with lots of mature trees, I don’t get to see the moon when it’s low too often but full moons always are amazing.
It’s funny you said you saw something but not can’t find it. That’s exactly what happened to me with that doggone wrench! Maybe I just hallucinated seeing it! LOL 😂 Have a super weekend!
Beautiful blooms. I am sick of the heat too. XO
Thanks so much, Ellen-glad you enjoyed the flower photos. Yeah, summer wore out its welcome weeks ago in our opinion. We hope you and the kitties have had a great International Cat Day with a pawsome weekend to follow!
Great flowers! The first ones look more like flowers in Hawaii than Colorado but wherever they are, they are gorgeous!
Thank you! Gladiolas are a summer bulb and so striking. I’m just glad my neighbor plants them on his sunny all day lot-my large trees are conducive to them doing well in my garden. We hope you have a lovely weekend and that the smoke has moved out.
Hey Wilson, those are all such beautiful flowers and the butterfly is pretty too. You are quite the nature hound!
You’re very kind, Terry. Thank you. We hope you have a terrific weekend. Happy International Cat Day!
I had no idea it was called a “Sturgeon Moon” until our favorite science pawfessor taught me that. And more. Seriously, he’s got the looks and the charm and the smarts . . he’s the entire package of treats!
These captures are beating the heat, tell you what. The colors rock. And umm . . . sunburned huh? I have to agree!
Have a great weekend ranchers!
Thank you, Marc-as always you say the sweetest things. It was news to me as well on the full moon moniker. I’d always called it the Harvest Moon! We hope your weekend is completely “pawtastic!”
I speak the troof.
Very cool though, I like it. Whenever I hear Harvest Moon, my first thoughts go to Neil Young.
We’re here!
I went outside just before 5 AM and the moon was high and very red. It was beautiful!
I bet!
The glads are spectacular, as is that Dahlia. It was a lovely walk and I enjoyed the photos. The sunflowers are spectacular. Felix should stick around till its time to hit the road to Mexico for the winter.
Thank you, John. Aren’t they simply stunning? So glad you enjoyed the walk about. We hope Felix will come by the garden more often. Have a wonderful weekend. Stay cool!
Such beautiful flowers sweet Wilson and so lovely to meet Felix here too! 🦋 Wishing you and your mum a wonderful weekend and we hope you’ll get to see the sturgeon moon tomorrow 💕🐕 xxx
You’re very kind, Xenia. Thank you for coming along our little neighborhood tour. Enjoy a beautiful weekend!
Beautiful flowers! (Hi Felix)
Thanks so much, Lisa. Those Glads were truly spectacular. Felix waves his wing at you. 😉
Have a great weekend.
Your “glads” made me glad, your other flowers are a delight, and thank you for the science lesson, I always enjoy learning something new.
Thanks for swinging by the Ranch and for your kind comment. We 💙 visitors. I never knew how harvest moons came about so it was fun researching it. Have a pawsome weekend!
Beautiful photos!
And I know what you mean about losing the crescent wrench … I know I have picture hooks in the garage. I *know* I do. But can I find them? No.
Thanks, Amy. It’s so infuriating to not be able to find things. I’m pretty good about returning things where they need to go but know others who use my tools aren’t quite as religious as I am. Have a great weekend!
Well done Wilson! Meowsome information.
Me, (Jerry Underfoot), Dot, & huMom have been watching the Moon wax. One of our furiends recently borrowed a telescope so they could watch the sky over the weekend.
Purrfect photos of gorgeous flowers. We loved the sunflower with the Bee visitor. Felix is pawtastic & so purrty.
Have a pawsome weekend,
Dot & Jerry Underfoot 😻head boops😻
Thank you, Dot & Jerry Underfoot-thrilled you liked our photos of the flowers and Felix-wasn’t he something?.
Oooh, how exciting to watch it through a telescope! Sounds furbulous! Have a terrific full moon weekend.
wilson..total lee pawsum flowerz N flutter bye fotoz for fry day fotoz day…🦋‼️😸stuff heer in trout towne iz most lee fried for de seezon…two much 🥵 thiz yeer..yeow …even mozt oh de bee 🐝 said we R outta heer.. thanx for sharin de snap shotz 😸💙💚N joy de week end 🌼
Thanks, kitties! Yeah, it HAS been a brutal summer and we’re counting down the days until autumn arrives (just 45 days-woot). Have a pawsome weekend!
Love the Wilson chats. I have a special favor for Wilson. Please send positive canine thoughts to my beloved dog Casey, recuperating from ACL surgery in both legs. I can’t wait until he can run around again like you do!
Oh gosh, so sorry about the ACL surgery. Of course, we’re more than happy sending loads of ‘pawsitive’ healing energy for your Casey. It’s a long recovery process I’ve been told but hopefully with plenty of rest and time, he’ll fully recover and able to run around spreading joy again soon enough. Hugs and tail wiggles. 💙
Happy Friday! Oh, my, those flowers are all so beautiful. I’m so envious as I wish I could grow a garden, but, sigh, alas, my thumb is the furthest color from green! I had to chuckle at yours and Wilson’s conversation! And “House Pony?!” Love it!
Aww, you’re too kind, Dorothy-thank you for the kind comment. A lot of the flowers we take pics of are from around the neighborhood. While my garden is big, I’ve managed to keep it simply with groundcovers and a few perennials as I have large shade trees that complicate gardening. Wilson is your typically big OES floof, that’s why I call him a House Pony. It especially fits his personality as the dog has no spatial awareness at all and resembles a bulldozer with feet. 😉 Have a spectacular weekend.
I don’t do dahlias and gladiolas either. It has to be easy peasy for me! Your shots are gorgeous. Good color saturation!
Thanks so much, Kate. Yeah, there’s no way I’d dig up and store bulbs over the winter and glads need loads of sun so they don’t flop over. Too much trouble for me plus my garden is shaded more than sunny. Those glas were spectacular and close enough I can enjoy without the work. Win-win! Have a great weekend.
Charlee: “Wait, a ‘sturgeon moon’? Does that mean in addition to everything else, it’s going to rain down caviar from the sky?”
Chaplin: “Fish eggs! Yummy!!!”
Sorry hipsters, no caviar. Just a big red hunk of a moon in the sky. Maybe your Dada will offer some fishy tasting treats? Have a great weekend.
oh your photos are always so intense and beautiful !!!
funny how all the moons are named nowadays, I have noticed the moon seeming brighter lately, last night through the smoke it was so dynamic.
I saw a glad yesterday, love them with their height and intense color, never saw one here before
LeeAnna
Aww, thank you. You’re too kind. Glads are so beautiful and wish I could plant them in my garden but with the trees, they’d surely flop over if they weren’t stacked. They are sooo pretty and the ones the neighbor planted are breathtaking. LOVED the pinks ones. This weekend’s full moon should be pretty cool. Hopefully I’ll be able to see it but if it’s real low, the trees will hide it around my house. Enjoy the weekend!
Thanks for the info Wilson – we hope we can see that moon but we have some major “haze” from the wildfires in Canada around here….BUT we have had relief from the heat – it’s in the high 70s and mid-80s which is a welcome change…..the heat will be coming back but it’s nice for a break. Those flowers are gorgeous – Mom sometimes (only sometimes) wishes she still could keep up with gardens in our yard. She says she “needs good knees” which she no longer has but I told her to look on Amazon. They sell everything.
Hugs, Teddy
The haze may actually make it look even more amazing, depending on thick it is. So glad you’ve had break in the heat. Good for you! Enjoy a pleasant sit on the porch and have a wagnificent weekend!
It promises to be a clear sky tonight, so hoping to see a stunning Sturgeon moon. Enjoy your weekend and I think Felix is a Felicia, maybe some eggs have been laid on the milkweed? 🙂
Oooh, hope you are able to capture a good shot of the full moon! Felix or Felicia…we were just thrilled to have had the visit. It’s been forever since I’ve seen one in the city. Enjoy the weekend!
I’m raising about 10 larva I’ve found in my patch in an old aquarium. A fair amount of commitment, but well worth it. Their odds in the wild are pretty dire, only 5 in 100, if that.
Oh wow, that’s dedication. I saw what they do at the butterfly pavilion and it’s not easy. Best of luck!
Thank you, fingers crossed I can get them launched on their way to Mexico!
Wouldn’t that be something special?!
It is a thrill to release them, such hope heading skyward on fragile, yet strong wings!
Mom is a big fan of Sunflowers. She said she has never seen dark ones like you found Wilson. She and I think they are gorgeous!
Thanks, Carole. We love those bronze and the mahogany colored ones-they are just so incredibly striking. Sunflowers are one of the happiest looking summer flowers. Here’s wishing you a pawtastic weekend!
The butterfly and flowers are just gorgeous and we especially love the sunflowers!
Why thank you very much, Duke! Sunflowers always make my Mum smile and she especially loves it whenever they pop up in unexpected places. Wishing you a very wagnificent weekend!
What beautiful flowers this week…the gladiolas are soooo colorful, and the “burnt flowers” always make us happy! We haven’t seen any Monarchs down here, they sure are the royalty of the butterfly family, aren’t they?!
Thanks for joining Nature Friday this week…paws crossed for cooler temperatures!!
xoxo,
Rosy & Sunny (and Beth too!)
Thanks so much for hosting. We love Nature Friday’s! That Monarch was such a cool thing to watch-I hadn’t seen any around here for so long. Aren’t those glads something else? We hope you all have a swell weekend!
If you plant some milkweed the beautiful monarch will surely come back. Loved the glads! Have a nice weekend and try to stay cool. 😉
I have some milkweed but think the heavy traffic around the neighborhood has pushed them to less dense areas. I was just very grateful and excited to see one in my gardne. Here’s hoping you have a terrific weekend.
Well done, Wilson … and outstanding photos as always. We rarely, well never, actually, see the moon or stars anymore. Living in the city, right downtown, lights block all night sky. It is missed for sure …
I never knew what conditions led to those big red baslls before so that was kind of interesting. Monarch populations have been steadily declining so to find one in my garden was very exciting! Wishing you and The Thugs a wonderful weekend.
that gladiolus are the true queens of the flower kingdom.. we love them so much… happy furryday to ya
Thank you. They were so vivid and gorgeous, I was totally blown away. Have a furbulous weekend.
I remember the Harvest Moon…..but now the harvest comes in a lot earlier than it used to….
Lovely flower photograph…and that butterfly!