A Beautiful Day in the Courtyard

All of these photos were taken on August 31st, 2015. It is not the date that is important but the fact that the photos were taken on the same day which is quite remarkable to me.I have received so much joy from my garden this summer.I have had two broods of painted lady caterpillars and have had black swallowtail butterflies lay eggs in my courtyard as well. I had a Giant Swallowtail butterfly which I never had in my Lakeville garden and are pretty rare in Massachusetts. We have had many beautiful sunny days and I will often think I might like to go to the beach or take a day trip to Cape Cod.Then I will look out my window and see the water lillies in full bloom, a black swallowtail butterfly nectaring on my fuschia buddleia or a goldfinch stopping by to eat the seeds of the coneflower blooms which I have left for him. I generally reach for my camera instead of the car keys.

I knew my Lakeville yard like the back of my hand. I knew where the butterflies would be during each part of the day because of the position of the sun. I knew each species’ favorite nectaring plants. I knew which branch the hummingbirds landed on before they swooped down to the feeders.This summer I got to know my courtyard.This is the second summer I’ve hosted a chickadee family and I know the special branches they prefer to land on before they enter the birdhouse.I know the frog’s favorite rocks. I know that the butterflies love to sit on the warm paving rocks of my courtyard.I can count on a show every day at 4pm performed by The Hummingbirds.

I went for a swim one afternoon at the neighborhood pool and one of my neighbors remarked that I hadn’t been down to swim very often. I told her some days I had trouble leaving my yard because I didn’t want to miss the butterflies. She responded that was the first time she had heard that one as an excuse! But if you haven’t seen much of me this summer, it is in fact because I cannot resist the allure of my courtyard garden and all it’s goings on!

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