Late, late summer and early fall

What I’ve loved lately

Some of this happened a while ago but I wanted to share it here…

The prairie was dry and mostly full of golden rod in early September, but then it rained and a second bloom of aster and roisin weed appeared.

My best friend Heidi came with her family to visit and we did many exciting things, but maybe the most exciting thing was was going to the beach with everyone to look for pebbles and sea glass. Also Heidi is an amazing painter and you should buy her work!

There were more monarchs this year than I’ve ever seen, both on the prairie in our backyard. This monarch and others loved the Joe-Pye weed we let grow in our bed of hostas. They visited us daily for a while.

In a summer full of apocalyptic news the monarchs reminded me of how life is capable of miraculous transformation. The exoskeleton of the monarch caterpillar splits open and sheds, and the pupa's skin takes the form of a protective jade chrysalis while its interior body liquefies. After this painful labor, it turns into a butterfly.

Digging holes, making patterns with pebbles

I did a three day meditation retreat at home in early September and much of it was in our backyard. Eventually the wildlife came to see what I was doing.

A monarch on echinacea, photo by Heidi Lowell and her superior iPhone model.

Rosin weed in the prairie, early August.