I refer to Eastern Black Swallowtail caterpillars whom I found eating one of their favorites, dill.  Meanwhile, having decimated the sunflowers, unidentified critters have moved on to picnic on the immature corn.  I’ve caught the ravens and rabbits eating my veg garden.  I’m glad I can feed the neighborhood!  It’s a regular buffet out there.

They weren’t kidding about okra tripling in size overnight.  You turn your back and it turns into a monster.  They must be happy to see me.  The tomatoes aren’t too shy, either.

Here are more flowers blooming in the hot sun.  The purple ones are native delphinium AKA larkspur.

Here’s what water-kitty does on a hot day.  She’s no dope.  Stay hydrated!

Yesterday’s visit up on Avdi’s hill was kind of bittersweet, as it was the last time I’ll see the kids before they go back to PA.  Who knows when I’ll get to see them again.  Plus Avdi will be away for quite a while himself, so we’ll be on our own.  Life must go on; like irreversible river currents, you may as well go with the flow.

So I tried to make the most of my time with them, playing outside for the much of the sunny day, while Avdi got stuff done.  There were pretend fire pits, lean-tos, leaf nests, hose rivers and dams, water guns, and just hanging around with them and with D.  The latter let me sample some of her good home-fermented Scandinavian sima (like a lemony mead).  Add a couple of decent beers, and the day was complete.

It’s a botanical rainbow out there.  Did you know, some species (not necessarily the ones shown) of each of these plants are edible or medicinal?  I didn’t either!  I learn new facts every day.  Also, peppers, finally!!

Yesterday was mowing day, then mojito day.  Here are some flowers and pollinators enjoying the rare sunny day.  The veggies are pretty happy, too.

Today was challah baking day, by E.

Many observers of butterflies are reporting how unusually scarce they seem to be this year, due to harmful  environmental practices.  I’ve noticed their absence myself, so when I see one, it’s an event.  This one was enjoying the buddleia (butterfly bushes) out in the field.  I think it’s a type of swallowtail, possibly a female.

We got almost 4 1/2 inches of rain in a 24-hour period.  It appears to have set a new record for the location and date.  Fortunately we’re on a hill, so we’re not underwater like other parts of the country.  All my tree saplings are happy, and a gang of rabbits are camped out in the meadow, where lots of wildflowers are blooming.  Misu chose to camp out in a box.

Thunder and a hint of a coming storm seem to bring out the vividness of flowers and the life they attract.

Here’s another random sampling of veggies and flowers after a heavy rain.

I refer of course to how well done you’ll get in this scorching heat.  And we here don’t even have the worst of it.  Someone we know in upper NY state had to go to the hospital from just moderate heat exposure.

I myself have to pace myself when working out in the garden, as I did today.  My years of conditioning at work probably help, but I’m still feeling it.

It’s almost too hot to take many photos.  Here’s the latest hibiscus bloom, and Misu surveying the queendom.  All kinds of colorful birds (and squirrels) have been tearing it up in the sunflowers.

Time for an icy drink, such as this homemade fresh strawberry daiquiri that I forgot to post the other day.

You know it’s an unprecedented heat wave when the northeast, midwest, and upper south are way hotter than Florida, the deep south, and Texas, in many places over 100º for a sustained period.  More of same is predicted for the coming years.  Once again, we’re just on the edge of the affected area, and it’s extremely hot and humid as it is.

Misu and we stay cool the best we can, while tomatoes and okra are thriving.  I was gone for one day, and the okra went berserk, as you can see.  Also I found evidence of the growing family of ravens having wreaked havoc in the sunflowers while we were away.  They’re a lot like human toddlers, only smarter!