A Green Jewel Among the Ruby Red Blooms

The monarda in my butterfly garden are in full bloom; they almost look like July 4th firecrackers! And the hummingbirds have returned to my backyard to enjoy them. It's like Christmas in July, with those green jewels hovering among the ruby red blooms!

I like to take 20-minute or half-hour breaks throughout my day when I'm at home, just to sit in a lawn chair near my butterfly garden in the shade and watch the little birds. They come and go quickly, sometimes their visits only a few seconds.

When I was sitting in my backyard on this particular morning, my heart felt very full to see them. Each year in the fall, the little birds fly south - great, long distances. And in the spring, they return north again. It seems so precarious: such tiny things, traveling so far. But somehow, they find their way. For several years now, I've had some of the same birds return to my yard each year. This year, they've been a bit scarce. Until now.

I planted my butterfly garden several years ago, with the intention of helping out my local pollinator population, and - to be honest - to use it as bait so I could lure in butterflies and hummingbirds (and the occasional elusive hummingbird moth) for my own enjoyment too.

These blooms were meant for you, little green jewel; they are my gift to you. When you are far away in winter time, do you ever dream of these red blooms? I dream of you, little green jewel. Do you ever . . . dream of me?

The soundtrack: Jewel, You Were Meant for Me.

P.S. You can do a lot for your local pollinators, just by planting a tiny patch of something tasty in your yard. To find plants for your local region, google "plants for pollinators" and look for something applicable to your region. If you are hoping to grow butterflies in your butterfly garden :-) you will need to plant both nectar plants for the butterflies and host plants for the caterpillars. The birds and bees and butterflies thank you, and I thank you!

P.P.S. Note: teensie, ultra-cute hummingbird feeties! :-)