Skate Park

Today's post was going to be more butterflies and perhaps maybe a bee and praying mantis thrown in there for good measure, but I decided to spice things up a bit and put on these pictures from back on July 1 of the kids at the skate park.

Joshua got the bug to go one of those 90 degree plus, steaming asphalt days. He was so persistent (persistent or pestering?) that I jammed all three bikes in the trunk and we went. Surprisingly, once we got there, Joshua was the timid one and Ella, who usually is not as confident on her bike, was the daredevil. In the end, they both went down the ramps again and again and again. I am happy to report that we arrived home safely with nary a skinned knee, after a dip in the pool which is right next door. And Gabriel? He rode around and did some swell tricks of his own on his tiny two wheeler.

How happy we all were for the bit of cloud cover yesterday brought us! It felt like Spring again as we skipped over to Kendal to wade through the creek and jump off hay bales. I was so glad I had slung my camera over my shoulder because the butterflies swarming the teasel were spectacular.

First we have the tiger swallowtail:

Next, a female swallowtail in her dark phase:The shy, peaceful looking monarchThe sad tattered red admiralUntil moments later that monarch, much to my horror, attacked the poor admiral pinning it to the ground six feet below! Apparently butterflies can be very territorial.Here is the view I had looking up, quite stuck in the thicket of teasel I had forged into, trying to photograph the butterfly attack.

One of my curious budding naturalists:
Joshua took this picture of us. I am showing Gabriel a dead cicada and he is batting it away with a stick. Here's to many more cloudy days!

And a happy Christmas in July to you!

Joshua said he likes this picture of himself:

Light Show

I feel like this needs to be some sort of monumental blog post. Since it has been quiet over here at Lavender and Rosebuds for a spell it is hard to know just how to start back up again. Fortunately I have my camera card to jog my memory as to what we have been up to this past month. So without further ado, our Philadelphia backyard light show. Hosted by Suzy who brought the poi balls, which are light up color changing balls that you twirl around in mesh socks. For a more detailed account of the history of poi, check here.

Summertime

Pool membership: $200.00
Goggles and sunscreen: $28.00
Watching Gabriel under the mushroom: priceless

Kickball

After all those fun and games at field day, Joshua still really just wanted to play kickball. So we rounded up some folks (including a couple of honest to goodness league playing kickballers) for an intense game between the bubblegums and the BGBs (aka the bubblegum beaters). We all had so much fun, despite the heat, that this may become a monthly event. Joshua was much pleased.

Gabriel and Joshua seem to have similar kicking styles

don't you think?

Ella and Ella

Field Day 2010

For today's butterfly...

We have a pair of Great Spangled Fritillaries. I never tire of watching these beauties. So many fritillaries fluttering in flight on our flowers out front!

Our best find ( I think) while geocaching this morning. The Zebra Swallowtail. Caterpillar likes to feed on foliage of the pawpaw tree, which must be why I have seen several of these striking butterflies in these parts.

Feeding the Lego Mania

Ella and Joshua participated in Lego Quest for the first time this week. Checkout the website to see their flag creations and play along with the new challenge. Oh, and Joshua is trying to trade this guy on Legomen Project.