October is one of my favorite months in coastal Georgia. The weather is finally cooling off, the sunrises and sunsets are gorgeous, and you never know what birds will show up to feed in the marsh.
I’ve been seeing gorgeous morning skies at sunrise.
Coastal Georgia Sunrise
The cooler temperatures are perfect for taking a morning walk.
Coastal Georgia Salt Marsh
I need to clean out the dying plants from my butterfly garden but I decided to wait before pulling them up. As long as there are butterflies stopping by for some nourishment the plants will stay.
Gulf Fritillary on Mexican Sunflower
Large flocks of White Ibis have been feeding in the salt marsh around our neighborhood.
This week, Patti has challenged us to bring attention to the subject in our photo by filling the frame with that subject. I chose a selection of photos from this year’s butterfly garden.
Summer Sunflower
Zinnia in the butterfly garden
Mexican sunflower in the butterfly garden
Bee in the Butterfly GardenGulf Fritillary on Zinnia
Although several varieties of butterflies visited the garden this summer, the Monarchs have been few and far between until today. Early this morning, there were about eight different Monarchs feasting on the flowers.
Monarch ButterflyMonarch on milkweed in early OctoberMonarch on Mexican Sunflower in early October
Although most of the plants in my butterfly garden are finished blooming for the winter, some of flowering plants continued to bloom in late December and early January.
Mexican Sunflower in December
Hibiscus in December
Sunflower under bird feeder in January
The milkweed is blooming and attracting Monarch butterflies. Because Hurricane Irma destroyed my butterfly garden in 2017 there were no butterflies or caterpillars last winter. I replanted the garden in the spring of 2018 and in December, 2018 I was thrilled to find monarchs and caterpillars on the milkweed once again.
Monarch on milkweed in JanuaryMonarch Caterpillar
Two days later, this caterpillar had changed into a chrysalis.
Monarch Chrysalis December 24, 2018
I checked on the chrysalis every day. A week later, on New Year’s Eve, it was starting to change.
Week old monarch chrysalis after rain December 31, 2018
I continued checking on it daily and I could see subtle changes each day. Just when I knew it wouldn’t be long before a butterfly emerged, I found it lying on the ground the morning of January 5. We did some research on the internet to find out if there was anything we could do to save it. We tied it to a branch with piece of thread and let it hang in a jar. It’s been over a week since then and still there is no change.
We rescued the Chrysalis after it fell on the ground on January 5, 2019
I wish there had been a happier ending to this post. I’m sad to say that our butterfly didn’t make it.
Our 2018 was filled with a few short RV trips, Daytona 500, parades, festivals, Universal Studios Orlando, gardening, Georgia Bulldogs, wildlife, beaches, mountains, and lots of fun!
Icicles in January
Start/Finish line at Daytona 500
Glass bottom boat at Silver Springs
Bagpipes at Savannah Scottish Games
Tybee Irish Heritage Parade Junkanoo from the Bahamas
Universal Studios, Florida
The Tybee Island Lighthouse displays the American Flag on 9/11/18 in honor of all those lost on 9/11/2001
This photo of the walkway at the beach shows us a lighthouse when we look away from the beach.
Swallowtail
Painted Bunting on twisted vines
Mexican Sunflower
Georgia Peaches from Ellabell, Georgia
Boat ride in Georgia waters near Tybee Island
Sanford Stadium at UGA
TEAL Walk Savannah 2018
Osprey looks over the salt marsh
Early morning in the Georgia Salt Marsh
Fall brings wading birds to the Georgia salt marsh
Wandering Dawgs at the top of Brasstown Bald
Blue Ridge Scenic Railway
Big Shoals trail on the Suwannee River
Festival of Lights at Stephen Foster Folk Culture Center
Most of the flower beds around our house are planted with drought tolerant plants that can survive the summer heat here in coastal Georgia. On the summers we take off on an RV trip I don’t have to worry too much about these established plants back home.
When we are home for the summer, I like to plant a butterfly garden. This year I added new milkweed, a butterfly bush, zinnias, black eyed susans, purple coneflower, and Mexican Sunflower to attract the hummingbirds and butterflies. With all these blooms I enjoy having cut flowers from the garden.
Black Eyed SusansCut Flowers from the garden
In addition to my flowers I had a small crop of basil, jalapeño peppers and cherry tomatoes. The peppers are still producing but the tomatoes and basil are gone.
Bounty from my little garden
Earlier in the summer we weren’t getting very many butterflies but lately the Gulf Fritillarys and Swallowtails have been visiting the garden regularly.
Wandering Dawgs 