Rain is a Good Thing Here

Updated with pictures 8/12/2024

Finally got a good amount of rain, so my dry spell is over for now. I got about 4" of rain spread out thru last week, so no flooding issues. Even the remnants of Debby only put down about an inch since I was on the west side.

I was able to mow Thursday evening, after the first 3" of rain, but before Debby hit. I still didn't have to mow the part between the house and the rhodies. That section also extended down to between the driveway and the rhodies (except a couple of tall weeds), but I did mow everything else. That was the first time since July 2 - so 37 days (except the drainage ditch which was mowed once between those dates).

The Clethra (Summer sweet) busted the blooms out after most of the rains and the air is full of its sweet scent. Various insects are enjoying the blooms. I've seen bumble bees, honey bees, blue mud wasps, and a bunch of others, including this beauty.

Well, okay then - I can't upload pictures again, so I'll try again later. I also need to upload my first Rose of Sharon bloom since I planted them fall of 2020.

RoH - the bud apparently opened during some of the pouring rain, so isn't in the best form. But, It is the first flower from either shrub since planted, so wanted to document it

Comments

[Cop Car]

Looking forward to your photos. (Another tip that I failed to give you but you've probably already tried is to open a photo in Paint and resave as JPEG from it.)

Glad you got the rain. We are still in drought - under water use restrictions. "Those south of James Street can water on Fridays after 8:00 p.m. through Saturdays before 10:00 a.m." I have turned our irrigation system off (Fescue will go dormant on that little water, anyway) and am talking with Tendercare about rock scaping the front and putting in fine-bladed Buffalo grass in the actual yard part in back (about 50 feet back from the house, the rest being drainage area).

Elder Brother tells me to credit the past few days of cool weather (from a triple-digit high on Tuesday, we slid down to a high of 68 degrees F, yesterday - lowest temperature in past 2.5 months) on the monsoon pattern in the gulf. I am taking the coolness while I can, though I didn't get out of the house yesterday due to HH's being under the weather and cranky. He was bad enough that I am now up getting him and our bedding washed.

[bogie]

Hurray for cooler weather. Hope it lasts for at least a couple of days for you.

[Cop Car]

I’ve never seen anything like your butterfly, but after much searching am guessing it is a White Admiral? It is, indeed, a beauty!
Your blossoms are sweet, too!

[bogie]

Huh, I had assumed it was a different version of the swallowtail I had a picture of the other day (8/6/24 posting). But, you are right, it is a white admiral. Apparently its range is northern USA and they don't migrate, so there is good reason you haven't seen one before.

[Cop Car]

You're not alone. My first guess was a swallowtail of some sort - until I noticed no tail. At that point, I saw something that made me think it was an Admiral, but the only Admirals that I recall ever seeing are Red Admirals. White Admirals appear to be quite variable, but the pattern is right. What detectives are we?!