Happy Sunday! We’ve had what seems like a cooler and wetter June than normal here in north Alabama. That may be changing this week. We shall see.
“The Lord is righteous in all his ways and kind in all his works.
The Lord is near to all who call on him, to all who call on him in truth.”
Psalm 145:17-18
Our first dahlia of the season…Dahlia Avignon. We enjoy these blooms but so do insects. We have a real problem with damage to the petals and it’s not always clear what is munching on them!
There is something calming about a lily right after a rain. Maybe it is because this particular lily is called Echoes of Mercy!
Crown vetch is quite pretty but might not be so welcome if it happens to end up in the wrong place. Like kudzu, I believe it was originally planted in areas for erosion control. Some states label this member of the pea family as an invasive. It is very fast growing. I have not seen a lot of it but happened to find it doing very well along a nearby roadside last week. I had never noticed it at this location before.
The Queen and Princess sharing a little sister love with a walk in the pasture.
Not to be confused with Queen Anne’s Lace, elderberry is very abundant around our area in June. It is amazing to discover how numerous these bushes are, especially near ditches and low lying places. I forget about them until these white topped branches give them away!
The trumpet creeper or “cow itch” vine is one of those look but don’t touch items found in the landscape. Some people do get a rash from being in contact with it. Typically the leaves may cause the reaction. I don’t recall that it has ever bothered me but I don’t plan to tempt it.
Growing near the crown vetch was a Tree of Heaven which was all decked out with it’s showy “pinkish” blossom clusters.
Another non-native invader that has been in the U S for a long time, the Tree of Heaven grows rapidly and can reach 80 feet. This particular tree was small enough that I was able to get some close up pics. Planted originally as a shade tree and ornamental, it is not so popular these days as it can cause problems for sewer systems as just one reason many urban areas would rather not see this tree!
The Golden Rain tree is also a non-native tree that was first introduced to America in the last half of the 1700’s. I noticed the leaf structure is similar to the Tree of Heaven. This tree is a popular landscape tree, but again, this species has escaped cultivation and has become naturalized in some places (like Alabama) and is surely considered invasive by some folks as it can crowd out other native species.
Our Sunday throwback pic this week is from 2010. This colorful and intriguing village is called Vernazza and is one of 5 such towns that make up the Cinque Terre region on the Italian Riviera. We enjoyed our time here immensely!
Milkweed has arrived now and a lot of insects will be pleased. It’s kinda like a super market for insects as over 450 species are known to feed on some part of the plant. And of course milkweeds are the host plant for the caterpillars of the monarch butterfly!
Late afternoon thunderstorms were common last week, resulting in some of the most unusual and interesting skies we’ve seen recently.
The timing of the storms was key, passing through near sundown.
We experienced these skies on 3 different afternoons. When the rain ceased and the danger of lightning passed, we put on insect repellent and headed outside to take in God’s handiwork!
Wishing you a good day today and a blessed week.
”Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever”.
Hebrews 13:8
Linking with:
Pieced Pastimes, Between Naps on the Porch, Katherines Corner, Follow The Yellow Brick Home,
Imparting Grace,Life and Linda
Beautiful, recap of this past week’s sightings and storm art! We had very similar weather as you, and the rainbows after the storms were spectacular (a couple of evenings!). My undergrad alma mater is directly across from our state capital, on the river here in town, and they planted crown vetch for exactly as you mentioned – erosion control. It seems to be working – overtime – as it makes the river gravel path single file only now! The girls are growing up right before our eyes, wow. Have a great week, Butch & Pam.
Good morning, Rita. Our weather is beautiful this morning, hopefully we will dry out a little. Have a wonderful week!
I look for your post first every Sunday morning. You have such a wealth of knowledge about plants and trees. I so enjoy looking and learning. Thank you.
Good morning, Nancy. Thank you for your encouraging comments. Happy Sunday!
Loved the Queen and Princess hand and hand walking through the pasture. Sisters! What memories they will make together. The different species of trees with their blooms to feed even the insects is another of Gods proof of taking care of our world. Cinque Terre is a place I would
Like to visit. The home sitting on top of each other looking like they could tip over into the water makes me think I wish I knew how to swim. That wasn’t something I ever got around to because I love going into the water. We finally have warm weather and I’m loving it, not the mosquitoes that accompany it. Have a blessed Sunday.
Good morning Alice. The houses do appear they might tip over, but they have with stood the test of time. I am so glad you have warm weather, oh those pesky mosquitoes! Wishing you a joy-filled Sunday my friend!
Pam, this post is so soothing. From the powerful words of truth to the beauty~the girls, the flowers, Italy, the sky…it gives hope. Thank you. Hugs and blessings. 🙏🏻💛🤗
Thank you Karla for your sweet comments. Hugs and blessings 💗
You’re so welcome. 💛🤗🌸
Beautiful flowers, as always a part of my early Sunday morning. Love that little red head. Waiting for a little red head to be delivered to this family in October.
Thanks so much, Pat. I know you all are excited about a baby!
Beautiful photos, love the flowers and the changing sky.
Thanks so much Carole!
A wonderful botany lesson today! Yes, I must say I am tired of rainy days! Loving the sunshine this morning~ the girls look precious hand in hand… The colorful Italian Riviera photo is amazing! I hope you both have a wonderful week!
Jenna
Thank you Jenna…Happy Monday!
Pam, The opening pic is magnificent! It would make a beautiful painting. The girls taking their stroll is so cute! Those cloud and sky pics are gorgeous. That lily is so pretty. We were over 100 with the heat index yesterday. Summer has arrived! We enjoyed the milder weather so much this year. Enjoy your day! Clara❤️
Good morning, Clara. Yes, the heat index is climbing every day. Have a wonderful week ♥️
Such lovely photos this morning. I enjoyed the storm photos – they are amazing. I had to laugh about the Crown Vetch – it was my mom’s enemy. She truly declared war on it and thought it to be dreadful. Things do have their place though. As always, my favorite is of the girls. They are getting to be big girls all to quickly.
Have a lovely day and week ahead! Blessings to all.
Thank you Sandra for your sweet visit. Wishing you a wonderful week♥️
Good morning friends. You continue to amaze me with your knowledge of all the plants growing in the wild. My first dahlia looks exactly like yours and waiting patiently on new ones. The girls are growing and these memories at everyday living will be with them a lifetime. I planted milkweed hoping to attract butterflies. I have a monarch that I see almost daily but he quickly moves on so I am unable to capture his image on camera. Your photos of the sunset are truly amazing…some of the most beautiful ever. Have a blessed week and thank you for the beauty.
Good morning Dianne. Don’t give up on the monarch photo. Thanks you and have a blessed week!
Oohing and aahing through all the beautiful photos. Those post storm pictures are timed just right and are awesome… how
great is our Creator…The Queen and the Princess just added to the glory of it all. It would seem the weather will always be
comment-worthy… ever changing and ever notable. Some of the temps really got up there this week… A few days in
Cinque Terra would certainly fill the bill for a colorless life… how happy those people must feel, given their surroundings.
A blessed Sabbath, dear friends, and thank you for sharing your particular everyday living.
Good morning, Mary. I believe we are now in the throes of summer with heat and humidity. Wishing you a blessed week!
I love your dahlia! So pretty and exciting.
Your evening photos are so beautiful. I love love your rainbow capture. Mike saw a rainbow through the trees in our backyard last week. I jumped in the car and found it but there were so many moving clouds I didn’t get a good capture but felt the majesty of God that afternoon as I marveled in His creation.
Love the pic of the girls. Very sweet.
I have been overwhelmed this week catching up after being gone for 12 days. I hate to admit but I can’t seem to do all the things I used to do.
Have a blessed week.
Good morning, Bonnie. I understand not being able to do what we used to do. Thank you!
Wonderful pictures and Bible verses! Adorable girls,so sweet. Love your post.Thank you,dear friends.
Thank you Maristella!
The opening photograph looks like a gorgeous painting, and the last photos of the storms are striking. I hope you both had a wonderful weekend. We had a cooler spring, but this past week the heat and humidity has hit with a vengeance and doesn’t look to be letting up anytime soon. I hope you both a have blessed week ahead!
Thank you Shannon. We had a lovely weekend. The heat and humidity have arrived, it is summer in the South. Have a blessed week my friend!
Hello Friends!
As you can see I am late for your beautiful Sunday post. We spent Sunday visiting with old friends.
The girls are growing and they look to be best of friends. That’s how my sister and I are.
And all the plant knowledge is fabulous! I learn something every Sunday with Butch.
That first picture is gorgeous! I see a beautiful Heron on an island. This capture would make a perfect painting! Where is this gorgeous setting?
Your clouds and skies are amazing!
And the dahlia and Lily and your gardens… extraordinaire!
Have a most beautiful week my friends!
Good morning, Nancy. The first photo is Gibbs Garden in Georgia, beautiful gardens! Happy Monday my friend!
Pam and Butch, for the last two weeks I’ve noticed a certain plant in ditches and alongside the road and hoped Butch would one day identify it! Elderberry!! And now I realize I’ve seen Tree of Heaven and crown vetch also. Thank you Butch! It has been a weekend of intense t-storms in Charleston. Downtown was closed due to flash flooding on Saturday night (we had been in town all afternoon when there was not even a puddle!)
Good morning, Roxanne. I know you enjoyed time with your sister. Did you find something interesting while shopping in Charleston?
Have a wonderful Monday!
Even the weeds are beautiful in your world! Not as beautiful as those two little girls, but darned pretty! Happy week!
Love that ‘Echoes of Mercy” daylily and the ethereal lacy look of the elderberry’s flower. Look how tall your Queen and Princess have become. Have a blessed week!