Monarch

The weather report claimed almost two inches of rain fell, but the bucket I left out had more than that.  I believe it was watering the blueberries that did the trick.  A monarch visited the butterfly milkweed in the morning.  When I went over to the aster to see what had become of the camouflage loopers, I startled the bullfrog.  It dived and I did not see it again.  I rescued another robber fly and some more beetles.  The sawfly larva denuded the hibiscus leaves because I hesitated to spray when rain was predicted.  And the Japanese beetles ate holes in the petals. 

Four or more fiery skippers fussed over the mountain mint at mid day.  I saw a couple of skinks.  A female widow skimmer buzzed the mountain mint repeatedly.  Birds were scarce since I was reluctant to put out food in case of more rain.  But a Carolina wren foraged here and there.  A few fat drops of rain fell on the way home from my meeting.  A female blue dasher perched in the front yard.  A twelve spotted skimmer worked the upper air.  The crape myrtlle was blooming, as was the lantana and the leatherleaf clematis.  Two peppers were getting big.