yesterday afternoon

But first I'll start with yesterday late afternoon...once more I looked out the window and I saw a butterfly, but there was something different. I grabbed the camera and went to get a photo.  This is why I ruin socks all the time! I didn't bother to put shoes on and till I was done chasing uncooperative butterflies my socks were wet and dirty. Again.  But I also don't care :)  It's just socks right?

Anyhow...the butterfly.  Had to be a tiger ...but a black morph. Not yellow, but not so much black either.  I think. No good photo. When I came close to getting a photo 2 other ragged tiger swallowtails chased after it. And kept chasing it away until she gave up. A dark morph would be a female of course, so maybe the other two were males. The experts say, since butterflies don't have mouths or claws they don't 'fight' ...that when you see butterflies fluttering around each other they are interested in mating.  I dunno....but some times they do seem at least territorial?
Anyhow this is the best photo I could get:

If you look at it full sized you should be able to see the two colors on the top most butterfly.

I also saw a monarch while I was out.  It's tough chasing 2 butterflies going all over not one but two yards! My neighbor has a large buddleia so I'm always checking over there too.  The monarch was fast moving, and visited a lot of plants. Again, not very cooperative in getting it's picture taken.

Here it is on what might be wild turtlehead. I wont' be sure until it blooms in another month.  She visited the swamp milkweed too...so I looked for eggs but didn't see any.

One other butterfly visitor was a red admiral. I haven't been seeing them lately, so it was a welcome change from the dozens of silver spotted skippers I have!

Then there is Little Dude. My resident groundhog that lives under my shed.  The smallest of several that will visit the yard. I'm wondering why he is still so small.  Then again,  I've had such big ones out here, maybe HE is normal size!?

He runs like crazy when he realizes I'm watching him, or when I call out his name ...dives into his burrow, then promptly turns around and stares at me for several minutes.  Probably trying to figure out what I'm saying to him or why I keep bothering him.

And I did do my inventory.  I have more plants then I realize.  I'll have to get it typed up one of these days.  The list should help me figure out what to add for next year.

Here is a fun wildflower! 

These grow along the stream. It's a native annual called Jewelweed or Spotted Touch-Me-Not. Part of the impatien family.The seed pods, when ripe, explode when you touch them, sending the seeds far and wide.  I LOVE touching the pods, turning the seeds into little projectiles.  I don't know why but it makes me laugh and think it sooooo cool!  Just a bit of my weirdness :)  This year I must carefully capture some of those seeds! I want more of these plants to grow along the stream.  Of course they are a natural for hummingbirds too.