Independence Day Cool Down
Local firemen turned on the water at a street corner today. It was all part of the combined Independence Day / Emporia 150th Anniversary celebration. The temp had quickly climbed to 84 so I imagine this felt really great.
Union Colors -Emporia’s 4th of July Parade
Gray Comma Butterfly
With wings opened and closed
Zebra Swallowtail
The position of the coneflower behind the butterfly clutters the composition but this is my only good photo of a zebra.
Spice Bush Swallowtail
Painted Lady
This painted lady butterfly got my attention with the intricate graphic designs on the underside of its wings. It was one of many types fluttering around Toad Hollow on Sunday.
Roses
Photographed at Toad HollowI find the colors and texture of wilted flowers very moving at times, so you'll find them in the mix here.
Ottawa County Fishing Lake
This has always been a tranquil, beautiful lake. And it has long suffered from a build-up of agricultural run-off. The water is thick with moss, duckweed and wild lotus. In many ways that enhances it's beauty for me. It becomes an emerald green retreat.
Bee on Purple Coneflower
Butterflies, moths and bees were all thick around the purple coneflower at Nina's (Toad Hollow) last week.
The Dark Side of the Web
I peeked inside of a spider's lair today and this is what I found. A common garden spider nestled among his strands, beads of rain clinging at the junctions.
Flooding Corn Field
Corn fields east of Emporia along the Neosho River bank.
Rainy Day at the Farm
Muddy Country Road
Road N, east of Emporia Not a good day to "do dirt". I had to cancel my extended road trip today, though I did get out a little bit. Rain continues to fall, the Neosho River continues to rise, and the woods are turning into rain forests. I went out to Toad Hollow...
Old motel
Last evening I visited Toad Hollow Daylily Farm to see how they are faring as they prepare for this weekends' open house. Nina and a helper were out in the pouring rain "deadheading" the plants so they'd look nice today. Weather hasn't given them much of a break this...
Rocky Stream Waterfall
Lyon CountyToday's rain floods a woodland stream and spills over the gold colored stones of a small waterfall.