Saturday, October 12, 2013

THE GOOD, THE BAD, THE BUGGY, AND THE BEAUTIFUL




Last week was the last hurrah for the zinnias.  A couple of days after these pictures were taken,  I harvested the blooms from my favorite colored zinnias to save the seeds and then pulled the plants out of the ground. 

Sneaking up on a cricket

My grandson visited and had fun catching bugs with the bug catching kit we bought him.  It is one of those types of gifts that will stay here at Grandma and Grandpa's house because I know my daughter doesn't want him bringing any of his insect captives into their house.  He caught moths and crickets, and then we freed them at the end of his visit. 
Serious business

My bug catching was done with the camera.   Here are pictures of a pretty black butterfly and a google-eyed grasshopper.
 
 
 
Look how he has chewed up that zinnia!

There was another type of bug in my  flowers  last week;  but I did not get its picture.  It was a stinkbug!  And when they say "stink" bug, believe 'em.  I accidently touched one of the creatures when  I was propping up a flower.  It released an unbelievable stench that smelled like some sort of horrible mothballs.  The stink got on my hand and on my face, because I touched my face with my hand before I realized where the stink was coming from. I washed my hands with Dawn, then Comet, and then finally rinsed them with mouth wash.  I used Dawn and mouthwash on my face, but the stench was hard to get rid of.  Now I am wondering if the stinkbugs are what caused my hummingbirds to quit coming to the zinnias several weeks ago, before migration time.  Thank Goodness my grandson didn't  catch one of those horrible bugs on his bug catching expedition!

To end this post on a more pleasant note than stinkbugs, I thought I'd show a couple of my plants that are still pretty,  despite the fact that we are well into October.

Petunias, Irisine Plant, and Cobalt Glass
Shades of blue.  Asters and cobalt glass.
 
Asters are such a beautiful purple/blue color. When the sun shines on them and the cobalt blue vase, the color combination is almost hypnotic.  There are several different colored glass vases among my flowers.   They are my redneck, wishful-thinking,  pretend version of Chihuly glass.


13 comments:

  1. Oh I can never cut mine, I wait till frost. But your so smart to save the seeds!

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  2. You have beautiful flowers. What a unique gift for your grandson.
    I hope I don't encounter a stinkbug.
    I found your blog while I was blog hopping. I was born in Missouri but have lived in Illinois since i was a small child.
    Beth

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  3. I know very well about those stink bugs! Yucky they are!!! Gorgeous photos! Your grandson is a darling!

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  4. I'm glad we got one last look at this season Zinnias Susie! What is it about little boys and creepy-crawlies! (PS he is VERY cute)
    Lovely images Susie.
    Have a great week.

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  5. Your Zinnias are beautiful, as is that sweet child :) I think I must plant some zinnias next year. I have those kinds of toys here for my Jaxon too :) Hope you have a blessed week friend.

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  6. I had forgotten about stink bugs! Haven't encountered one in a long while, thank goodness. I hope your cute grandson doesn't experience one as I love it that he is so into garden insects. It was sad for me when our 4 grandsons grew up and no longer wanted to catch bugs when they visited me--or bought in a fistful of wildflowers for a bouquet. Your garden glass is so pretty with your flowers. A Chihuly exhibit was at Cheekwood Gardens here a year or so ago but I never made it there despite my best intentions to go.

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  7. What a little darling and so serious about catching those interesting bugs! The butterfly is gorgeous and your flowers with the 'Chihuly' glass are so pretty. I've never touched a stink bug and now I never will! Thanks for the warning! xo

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  8. Susie, I loved the name of this post. So clever! Little guy is having such a fun time. Kids love catching bugs. You caught some great ones too. Those darn caterpillars do play havoc don't they? I just harvested my Zinnia seeds also. You still have some lovely blooms!
    hugs,
    Jann

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  9. Hi, Susie! Thanks for visiting and leaving me a comment. Your little black pom is so cute. I don't think I've seen a black one. He's hard to photograph, isn't he? My black pug is impossible unless we're outside. She just soaks up all the light. I'm Following you back! :)

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  10. What great pictures..and yes, some of my flowers are spent too. I was hoping the mums would last longer..but they are browning out now.
    What an adorable little guy! He is really into what he is doing..ALL boy!

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  11. Some beauties here in little boys and flowers. And we well know about stink bugs and to avoid crushing them even though that thought is so tempting because they are such pests in the gardens.

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  12. ..Hello Susie.... your photos are beautiful and the colours are so bright and lovely..
    I love them...
    Barb xxx

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  13. Your Grandson is so adorable! I am amazed at the pictures you got of the butterfly and grasshopper so beautiful!! I came over to see your cute little Pom he does look just like my girl Lilly :) Thank you for the sweet comment you left me.

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