Taking Flight

So hard to believe that this summer is almost over. With the COVID war it seems that every month is Ground-Hog Month.  Elders, such as I, who have lived a full and rich life have not had to worry or stress as much as those with children or frail relatives.  What is the worse that could happen to us...the shortening of our march to the inevitable?   The non-boomers have been stressed with days filled with juggling acts. I guess I always knew that people were wary of science and found it hard to understand, but I am totally surprised that they want to declare war against it, knowing they were certainly losing and most probably would die. 

Summer moves on in spite of mankind's hubris and my garden is messy with blooms and even messier with pollinators.  They know nothing of the pandemic and are unable to comprehend what climate change might mean.

The butterflies have all emerged as winged fairies.  They dance across the driveway from one flower bed to the next inserting amazing long tongues into parts of the flower that I can barely see!

This "might" be the pipevine swallowtail.  But if you know better feel free to correct me.

Above is the zebra swallowtail.  They lay their eggs in our pawpaw trees and we have many of both.

Everyone loves the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail.  They are the true floaters in the air.

Another Tiger Swallowtail on one of my huge dinner plate-sized sunflowers.  It is so large that he can share it with one of the bumblebees.

This fellow is a skipper.  I "think" it might be the silver spotted.

 

Above could be a painted lady, but I have begun to realize that butterfly identification is truly a science more than an art.  I will leave my decision on identification to the entomological experts.