Serene Scenery Sunday

Hello, everyone!  It's me, Cammie!  For this week's dose of serenity, why don't we take a look around the gardens here at Ao4 Headquarters to see what's happening!?!

"I think I see some activity over in the Friendship Garden!"

Look at how colorful the Sedum are!

A sea of Sedum!

They were all planted as cuttings from friends!  Isn't that nice?!?!

"This place was fluttering with butterflies before we got here!"

I saw butterflies all over the Sedum, but they flew off before we got over there.  Let's look at a couple things in bloom, then I'll send Mom out with the good camera to see about those butterflies!

The Rose of Sharon bushes are in full bloom!

Mom and Dad cut them WAY back this Spring, and they seemed to like it!

Our Mums are just now starting to bloom:

Actually, Mom did take that shot with the Canon 7D, not the iPhone.  There had been a butterfly on them, but she wasn't quick enough to get a shot.

Down in the Butterfly Garden, though ...

Monarch!!!

There were Monarch Butterflies all OVER the Butterfly Garden!  This really made Mom happy!

They especially like her Hummingbird Mint!

When she looked closely at the Butterfly Weed plants, she was delighted to see several of these:

Monarch Caterpillar!!!

The gardens have really struggled this year, due to the drought, then the flood, then workers setting up scaffolding in the Butterfly Garden, so Mom is just so happy to see all the Monarch activity!

There are also all sorts of bees buzzing around:

Mom is considering it all a big success - and yes.  It makes her feel very serene!

"WHEE!"

We hope you have a wonderfully serene Sunday!

Cammie!