Nature at Her Very Best…

I tend to my thirsty and rather impressive Zinnia beds still beautiful at the start of August, having bloomed since the middle of April.

Flowers

“Anyone can grow Zinnia,” Daughts had quipped during the spring emergence until she saw them mature,

“Obviously you’re having no problem!” and admitted that perhaps I did have a green thumb after all!

Bees and insects visited the pretty flowers and they just grew and grew,

a riot of colour.

Flowers2

Then this weekend there appeared a giant butterfly who flew about languidly from flower head to flower head, gracefully alighting on the blooms, not in the least bit bothered by my hovering with a camera,

FlowersButterfly

Just one,

no competition,

no breathless squabbling,

FlowersButterfly2

a very calming presence in my garden.

Not so with the humming birds who have continued to visit our feeders despite the heat and unnatural temperature of the sugar water that I replenish every week.

Their intricate ballets as they swoop in and out for a sip of nectar makes my head spin and agitates the poor cats whose eyes can’t keep up with the velocity of these mouth watering delicacies.

There is a bully among them who fiercely guards his food dispenser; he’s a ruby throated handsome fella; fearless and unstoppable.

Sitting on a salvia stalk just below the bottle, he darts at unwelcome visitors with his needle-nose beak.  Not happy with flying them off he gives chase and they flit and swoop at break neck speed between the trees, blurring against the blue sky and green undergrowth.

Mr. Bully swings from side to side like a pendulum, buzzing loudly, denoting his territory, daring any other humming bird to approach at his peril.

Intruders are driven off for a moment but return, hardly missing a beat, to continue the complex dance.

The sweet water level continues to go down each week proof that his efforts are thwarted from time to time!

The tiny birds are too quick to photograph and provide a lively contrast to the giant butterfly who goes about her business with no furor and reminds me of my faith walk.

Sharing the Gospel doesn’t always have to be noisy; a quiet, meditative example is equally as effective.

Godly lessons from nature at her very best!

 

 

 

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