The End of the Hillside Season

This year, my hillside was the best it has been since I started this project. Oh, yes the weeds are still abundant and there are still "holes" that need to be filled, but the plants were bigger and more abundant than they have ever been. I was disappointed that their bloom faded so quickly. I don't know if the hot, Really hot, dry weather in July hurried their demise or if that's just their life span. I also see that this will never be a tidy flower garden. I don't know what the first pioneers saw as they entered into Iowa, but plants die as others bloom so there are always plants that have lost their bloom and dying mixed in.

Unfortunately, I had to neglect it quite a bit during July as temperatures were in the high 90's, but felt like 120! That's just not for me, but with the return of tolerable weather, I have been able to get out there and I am pleased to say that I Think I am conquering the vetch that I have been battling since I started this project. Oh there's still quite a bit of it out there but it has gone from 95+% to I would say less than 50.

Here is a little flock of butterflies that landed on a spot where we had just watered, I think looking for some relief from hot and dry.

I also see a lot of these little guys a I'm out pulling out the weedy business and trying not to destroy their habitat.

When I was down at the Farmer's Market a few weeks ago, I learned about monarchwatch.org and I ordered a monarch waystation to plant next spring which will be perfect for one of those "holes" I was talking about.

My hillside slopes towards the back of our property so hardly anyone sees it. My sister-in-law Cindy told me it's too bad I can't throw it up like a table cloth and reverse it. My neighbor recently told me they could see it from their house, but it was too bad no one else could. In a way it is too bad, but earlier I have talked about how it's a sanctuary, my place of rest and peace, my place of worship and while it would be nice to share it, I think I'm fine with it just the way it is.