Summer is Not Over Yet!

I haven't posted in a bit.  The summer has been zooming by, but it is not over yet!  Hurricane season peaks in a few weeks and we might be in for a hurricane visit later this week.  Irene is expected to make landfall somewhere on the Atlantic seaboard.

A few weeks ago, our family vacationed at Sunset Beach, NC.  The view was outstanding and I was able to identify a bird I had not seen before - Boat-tailed Grackle.  We also saw mockingbirds, red-winged blackbirds, some kind of swallow, mourning doves, some kind of gull, pelicans, egrets, starlings and cardinals.  Who knew cardinals lived at the beach!  We also saw bunnies and some kind of rat.

Upon arriving home, we discovered the hummingbird moths were in full-force, sucking nectar from the four o'clocks.  I was glad to see they had survived last year's repeated attacks by Rusty, the Mighty Hunter.  We also discovered the crafty squirrels had been in the bird seed can.  Ah, the fun they had!

And today, one of my daughters noticed something moving around in the back yard.  She investigated and found an Eastern Box Turtle.  He did not shyly pull into his shell as you can see.  
Visit this website below to learn more about Eastern Box Turtles.
http://www.bio.davidson.edu/people/midorcas/research/Contribute/box%20turtle/boxinfo.htm

Hummingbird Moths vs. Rusty, The Mighty Hunter

I guess the presence of a predator put the hummingbird moths' reproductive instincts into full gear!  We now have many of these moths and many of them are babies!  Every evening at about 7:30, the moths begin showing up to feast on the Four O'Clocks and the Rose of Sharon.  It does my heart good to visit with them each evening and to know that Rusty, The Mighty Hunter, will probably not be able to wipe out the entire population of hummingbird moths. :)

Marvel of Peru

Who knew Four O'Clocks are also known as Marvel of Peru?  And that they originated in South America!  Our Four O'Clock bed is again filled with hardy green stems and leaves, all of which seem to be growing right before our eyes.  Any evening now, the flowers will open and fill that part of the garden with bright and bold colors.  Ahh, summer!