Serendipitous Moments

I was outside a few minutes ago, puttering.

I had watered my flower beds and pots.... dead headed a few plants, pulled a few weeds, hosed off the deck....

I was pondering the plants I probably should move before they have a chance to become too established because I didn't plant them in the very best location. This was my learning year with this yard. I wasn't real sure of the sun and shade situation. I wasn't sure how hot it would get, how sunny, how dry, how rainy. So, I did the best I could with the information I had at the time, but in hindsight, I should have planted some things in different locations, and it's not too late to undo and redo.

So, I came inside and grabbed my camera. My thought was to take photos of the beds so that when I start moving things around, I'll remember where other things are, like bulb plants which are no longer "there." And also, so I'll remember next spring when I go to buy annuals which did particularly well, or not.

I started out downstairs, snapping here and there. Loving the Mallow that finally bloomed into gorgeous dinner-plate-sized white and fuscia deliciousness....

I moved around to the side, snapping away....

At the top of the beds, by the driveway, I was focusing on a lovely little Day Lily blooming there, a dainty shade of mauve, who will benefit from the moves I'm contemplating.

A movement in my peripheral vision caught my attention. A monarch butterfly was perched atop a purple coneflower!! As I shifted my camera to her, she clung tenaciously as the breeze tried in vain to dislodge her.... the breeze fluttered, her wings fluttered, the flower head bobbed, but she held on as I snapped off 28 frames!

Now, let's hope one of them is a keeper!!