Little Whys

I looked back to a year ago.
I saw the Ebony Jewel Wing photographs.
I fell in love all over again.
She is amazing.
I hope to visit her soon.

I was looking to see if the Buckeye Butterflies
were here last July 29th.
They were.
We have not seen a Buckeye this year.
I wonder why.

We have packed up our July things.
We have cleaned the house.
We have decorated for August.
It did not take very long.
We worked together.

Tonight I will read the journals.
I love reading about our past Augusts.
I filled a journal last year. I have filled many.

I will begin a new journal.
I have been doing the monthly decorating for many years.
I have always kept journals.
I will work on our calendar of events for August.
We will celebrate Lammas on the 1st.
Our August theme is Sunflowers.

My husband brought up music for us to listen to in August.
The heat and humidity continues but we are finding ways
to be delighted.

Next year I am planning to have a huge Sunflower garden.
I already know where it will be.
I will need to have a fence around it to keep the Deer and Ground Hogs out. I think something decorative would be good.
Sunflowers bring a smile every time I see them.

I am working on a personal retreat.
I am thinking sometime in September would be nice.
I am planning to take a week and devote myself to meditation
and renewal for Autumn. Perhaps the weather will allow for a Prairie walk. I would love that.

Yoga continues to inform my everyday life.

I love my daily home yoga practice.
I find I am able to do more not only in the garden
but in my everyday activities.
Decorating was easy today. I was mindful of my body.

When I read The Inner Life of Asanas 
I was inspired to take my practice to a deeper level.
Slowly I am understanding how a pose can teach me.
I have created a couple of my own poses.
For August I created "Sunflower."
I redid my altar for August.
I will cut a sunflower tomorrow in honor of the second New Moon
of July. I have named it the New Wise Moon.
We will celebrate.

Herbs are also a part of my every day life.
I love them.
I love learning about them.
I love growing them and harvesting them and using them.

I took the camera out into the gardens.
I had finished my work and I wanted to see bugs.
This tiny Leaf Hopper was so cute.

I was not pleased with my first set of Gray Hairstreaks.
So I went back out for another round.
One of the many joys of Summer is just popping outside
 for a few minutes to take photographs.

O my second round I spotted this very different tiny bug.
I will get my insect field books out.
 It will be fun seeing if I can id him.

Tiny, tiny wasp like insect in the Garden Rue.

The Road Runner is our bird for August.
It would be great fun to see one again.

Last night we watched as storm clouds gathered.
We watched the lightening after dark.
We heard an Owl hoot
three different time.

Then he flew right over our heads
and over the house.
It was magical.