A Long Drink of Water

It rained today - a long soaking rain that only occasionally let up.  Polly and I had a lot of driving to do (we went into Philadelphia THREE times - but that is a story for another day.)  The rain made for some challenging travel, but I just kept thinking about how much my thirsty plants were appreciating it.

The photo above is of the milkweed and yarrow in our front boarder strip, now in full bloom.  It is pollinator heaven.  The plants are not only swarming with big fat bumble bees and happy honey bees, they are also attracting a host of other pollinating insects.  There is also a pair of milkweed beatles, which look like huge lady bugs.  They nibble the very tip of a milkweed leaf and then move on to another leaf.  The toxic fluid in the leaf drains out through the tiny opening they have created.  They will then return to eat some of the leaf when enough toxic has leaked out to make it safe for them to eat.  They don't appear to be doing any real damage to the plants, so we have left them alone.

Speaking of "leaving alone,"  I think the picture below is a great demonstration of how well many plants can do when just left to their own devices.  I love California poppies, but didn't plant any this year.  I had quite a few of the yellow variety reseed from last year in the small border outside our backyard fence.   I have tended them carefully - fed, watered and mulched.  But this one seed found its way to a tiny crack in the driveway behind our fence.  It sprouted and without an ounce of attention (and barely an ounce of soil,) created two perfect brilliant red poppies.  I am very concerned about being a good steward of the earth.  I try to engage in practices in my daily living and in my gardening that return resources to the environment, although I am quite sure that I have yet to balance the strain that my existence puts on those resources.  However, seeing this gallant crimson sentinel, thriving in the least nurturing location, gives me great optimism.  Life will have its way on this planet.  The imperative to grow and reproduce is far stronger than all the effects of all misguided behavior.   Ti is ironic, but perhaps it is the ultimate hubris to think that we puny humans, here for such a short time in the great span of earth history,  could really pose a serious permanent  threat to the survival of the planet.  Oh, we have the power to do significant damage, and may indeed do ourselves in.  But the planet will survive quite well, greening and regreening as long as there is a sun and a few clouds to bring the rain.