Dreaming of Summer

Milkweed and Ants.

Milkweed with Monarch Butterfly.

Milkweed with Bumble Bee.

Milkweed with Monarch Butterfly.

Dreaming of Summer, taken in July 2009.

Praying Mantis

Bjorkboda Marsh 060613

Near Bjorkboda Marsh in Hamilton County.

Native prairie plants at the marsh.

The marsh has water once again, it took a LOT of rain for the water levels to return to normal.

American Robin

Robin taking advantage of the freshly tilled ground, hunting up worms I'm sure.  I love how it's plummage blends in with the ground.

Summer Legend

Summer Legend by Françoise Hartmann, National Film Board of Canada

Summer Legend Françoise Hartmann 1986 This animated short retells the Mi’gmaq legend of the great spirit Glooscap, who in the cold white dawn of the world, battled with the giant Winter in order to bring Summer to the North.

Inspiration

Am looking forward to spring this year!

Taken north of Ames, sometime early summer 2009.

Brown-eyed Susan

Rudbeckia hirta

Tall or Giant Sunflower

Helianthus giganteus

Swamp Milkweed

Swamp Milkweed or Asclepias incarnata

Doe

A young White Tail Deer, somewhere in Story County, Iowa.

She was running like she was injured.

Yellow Coneflowers - Ratibida pinnata

I See You!

Snowy Owl at the Grimes Farm Conservation education center, Marshalltown, IA.

Thistle

In my garden.

Not Native But...

I am happy to see both of them none the less!

Bloodroot

White Tail Deer

Cup Fungi

I'll identify it later ;-)

Skillet Creek Indian Mounds

I'm not sure if there were more signs that these or not.

Dutchman's Breeches

Dutchman's Breeches (Dicentra cucullaria) Skillet Creek Indian Mounds

Common Buttercup

Common Buttercup (Ranunculus acris)  Skillet Creek Indian Mounds