Choice Morsels

Three pictures for todays Garden Pics: Preening Bee: I saw this Bumble Bee, clinging to this Pampas Grass bloom. It was cleaning  itself, like a cat, washing this leg, then that leg, preening. Then about 6 or 7 minutes later, flew on it's way.  Just One Forget-Me-Not Out of a dozen seeds in a packet a neighbor gave me, only this one Forget-Me-Knot grew. It has just bloomed. I'm going to let it go to seed. Maybe more next year?   Balloon Flower: Despite the purple tone in the sunlight, this Blue Balloon Flower tends toward bluish. They're called that named because their buds, just prior to opening, look like little hot air balloons. I'm letting spent buds go to seed on these, too, though I'll collect them. This plant is actually one grown from saved seed. 

I got to my Interval Training Cardio class this morning. I missed Monday's class because a power-out made my clock wake me too late!  I was honored today that the instructor asked me to be an example of "modified" aerobics for the class, so students unable to do "high" aerobics would have a pattern to follow! ("High" involves jogging and jumping, while "modified" is done without jogging or hopping---easier on the knees & feet.) After I came home and ate lunch, I re-applied anti-pest powder to beans and tomatoes, since the last application was washed off by the rain overnight. Also snipped a bunch a basil to put in my dehydrator today! I really need to mow---but it's 90 degrees right now, muggy as a wet sock and looks like another daily rain is pending. It's just that time of year. Today's Garden Pics are of some of the more unique things in my garden: First is my bi-color Hardy Hibiscus. This is a single plant  from...