Butterflies on the thistles...

I shot this picture just before my husband weedwacked the "noxious" weed (beautiful though it tis)....and watched sadly as the butterflies continued to return again and again to the wilting plant, laying on the warm ground.

Wish that I could allow these lovely to look at plants to thrive, but alas they would take over the property given a chance. We were surprised to see so many of them this summer, they were rare on our site in previous years. Must be the hotter and drier summer this year, the drought conditions. I can still recall "carefully" (the stems have sharp barbs!) picking handfuls of the pretty purple flowers to take home to my mum when I was but a wee little girl and her "seeming" delight at the gift.




Our hand-planted little trees are thriving despite the drier conditions this year. Well into their 6th summer, they tower above me already, having started at a mere 6 inches. This particular section of the property was "wide open" to our neighbors, hence our desire to create a natural privacy fence.



He who plants a tree plants a hope.~Lucy Larcom, "Plant a Tree"