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| Thousands of Rock Maple leaves, Magnolia Soulangeana, Miscanthus and Gray Birch |
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| Miscanthus before Oak |
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| Metasequoia 'Dawn Redwood' |
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| Crabapples before blazing Metasequoia and White Birch |
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| Last of the Birch before forest of Oaks on Walnut Hill and High Ridge |
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| English Hawthorne and Continus with many Oaks in background. |
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| Apple tree before Blueberry field |
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| Japanese Maples and Oaks before forest of Oaks on a hilltop |
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| Buddleia 'Black Knight' |
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| Native Highbush Blueberries |
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| Continus 'Smoke Bush' |
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| Korean Lilac out of time |
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| Native Black Cherry |
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| Magnolia stellata, Miscanthus grasses, Rock Maples |
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| Asclepias before Sumac |
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| Cimicifuga and Bombus |
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| Chrysanthemum and Monarch Too Late for Mexico |
All these photos were taken last week during an afternoon walk around the garden. It was a warm day after a few warmer days and I guess this butterfly finally was able to emerge from her chrysalis. Alas her wings are odd (Being due to a lengthy confinement. ) and she was not able to fly very well. I spotted her hanging in the rabbits veggie garden . . . she looked very vulnerable . . . and as there was nothing for her to sip . . . I waited patiently for her to climb onto my finger and carried her over to these lovely flowers offering sweet nectar. She stayed on my finger until I placed her near the flower. Her proboscis unfurled right away.
A storm was due during the night and all the next day, so just before dark I picked the flower and brought them both inside. She did not object. I would have cared for her, but she was not content to be a house guest. It is better to be one's true self . . . no matter if only for a day or two . . . than to be a prisoner. She did fly out into the garden the next day, when the rain stopped. I never saw her again and hope she escaped the birds and had at least one free full flight as a butterfly. As she was quite a miracle already . . . I like to imagine she somehow smooths her wings and soars over hills of trees, rivers and fields to some place warmer . . . one can hope. It was a lovely walk that day and her presence in the garden made it more magical.
This will be the last of Autumn colors here . . . temperatures are dipping into the high twenties at night and all the leaves will soon fall . . . leaving a naked and cold landscape. Trees are interesting subjects of sculptural beauty at this time of year. The awe and mystery will last for a few months, before I long for them to dress again.
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