The meadow is really just a field that we mow once a year – whatever grows there is sown by Mother Nature and it changes from year to year. There’s a good display of black-eyed susans this year (Rudbeckia sp.). Lots of fleabane (Erigeron spp.) and yarrow (Achillea) too.

Black-eyed Susans and Fleabane

We have our share of buzzy pollinators in the meadow, but I’m more attracted to the big colorful insects that float over the flowers and grasses – the dragonflies and butterflies.

Calico Pennant

Black Swallowtail

An incomplete list of some of the native flowers blooming in the meadow today:

• Black-eyed Susan (Rudbeckia sp.)
• Fleabane (Erigeron spp.). We have at least 2 species of Fleabane, and I haven’t positively identified them.
• Yarrow (Achillea millefolium)
• Maryland Meadow Beauty (Rhexia mariana)
• Mountain Mint (Pycnanthemum sp.)

Thanks to Gail at Clay & Limestone for championing native wildflowers!

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens) is blooming. (This deserves its own post and a better photo.)

Downy Rattlesnake Plantain (Goodyera pubescens)

Stink Bugs are ruining my tomatoes.

On the other hand, I picked 6 or 7 ‘Matt’s Wild Cherry’ tomatoes this morning and they were fine (and delicious as always).

Salpiglossis will grow in Virginia.

Salpiglossis 'Kew Blue'

Squash Vine Borers are ruining my zucchini.

We will have more okra this year than last.

‘Aji Crystal’ peppers have great flavor, but not much heat (so far).

I think I picked the first Hungarian Almapaprika peppers too soon because they didn’t have much flavor and the seeds look very immature. Maybe they’re only used ripe and dried?

Wish I knew the identity of these huge trumpet-shaped mushrooms in the woods.

Huge mushroom; at least 6 inches in diameter.

Hummingbirds adore Bat-faced Cuphea flowers.

Zinnia ‘Carousel Mix’ gives you some flowers that look like ‘Zowie Yellow Flame’ at a fraction of the cost.

Zinnia 'Carousel Mix' (this is just one of several colors)

Dianthus ‘Rainbow Loveliness’ is blooming for the second time this year.

It might be true that petunias repel bean beetles.

‘Fin de Bagnol’ beans have very tough strings.

I moved the RRP birdbath to Tangled Branches South and the bluebirds were very appreciative during the recent heat wave. (Robinson Ransbottom Pottery went out of business in 2005.)

Bluebird on Robinson Ransbottom Pottery Birdbath

I saw a Great Crested Flycatcher this afternoon.

The garlic is ready to dig, the Yellow Moon Dutch shallots are ready to dig, and the red onions from sets are almost ready to dig.

The first bin of German Butterball potatoes didn’t amount to much because the soil was too dry. Still tasty.

I ♥ dragonflies and I photographed a new one this afternoon.

Bar-winged Skimmer (Libellula axilena)

The spouse wasn’t home for dinner tonight, so the first pepper and egg sandwich of the year was all mine.

Twelve-spotted Lady Beetle, a native

And these are the dragons.

Widow Skimmer, male

Widow Skimmer, female

Eastern Pondhawk, female

Common Whitetail, female

Arrowhead Spiketail (I think)

These photos were taken yesterday morning in the garden and meadow. I’m just learning to recognize our local dragonflies, but wish I had a better reference book. I’m using Dragonflies Through Binoculars, but find that many of the photographs aren’t detailed enough to just flip through the book trying to match a photo with a dragonfly I’ve seen. If you know of a good photo reference, please let me know. If it’s a regional reference that would be even better.

I wrote earlier that I was going to do a post about the meadow wildflowers, and I did get as far as taking the photographs but haven’t edited and uploaded. And the meadow looks different now than it did two weeks ago. Maybe I’ll save that post for some snowy winter day when I need reminding that there are such things as sunny summer meadows.