Tuesday? Miscellany

My work schedule has shifted somewhat recently, so I'm a bit out of sorts. It feels much like Monday this morning, so I figured I'd just share some recent unconnected photos. (Or are they connected?)

I'll start with a guilty pleasure of mine: flicking stink bugs off the window screens. I am a person who pretty much enjoys all creatures and leaves them alone, but in this case I can't help but interfere a bit. I love the feel of launching them, the gentle drumming sound the screen makes, the way it takes them a meter or so before they realize what's happening and start flying. So much fun!

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The sight of termites would panic me at the start of my gardening career.

Now I know that unless they're chewing on your house they're just another part of the chain of life that is a garden. (These were under a log that had been sitting undisturbed on my driveway for several months.)


The sight of bush honeysuckle berries discourages me:

This plant is top of the list in Missouri forest invaders, and the birds help spread this scourge because of these berries. These bushes are everywhere here.


If you followed me on Instagram -- hint, hint -- you'd have seen the following photos already...


These little spiders with the bright green legs were quite prevalent in the garden recently:

The orb weavers and other large spiders are spinning their you-will-taste-this-web-if-you're-not-paying-attention structures across most of my garden paths now:

I've been doing a lot more creative building recently -- more on that soon -- and keep experimenting with the cube design, colors, and finishes:

Mantises everywhere, making me so happy!

And finally, autumn plant combos surprising me with their color...

...even if they're accidentally created and temporary, like when I put my new Persicaria 'Chocolate Dragon' next to the kale on the driveway. So nice!

Like the weather: temperatures back up into the mid 70's and 80's F (20-30ºC) for the next few days -- the last taste of summer for the year?

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