Sunshine Days
The power of sunshine.
A Sunny Day
After a long winter a blessing in Ohio.
Hearing the chirping of the birds.
The smell of spring is in the air.
Take today to enjoy this early treat of warm weather.
And do whatever makes you smile!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Seeing is Bee-ing
Bee’s vision.
As a Bee Does
We cannot possibly see a flower the way a bee does.
The crocus is a symbol of spring and new beginnings.
Although we cannot see these flowers as a bee does. We can understand the attraction.
Nature, or a creator. They know that each spring the bees need certain color blooms to get the season started.
Somehow these colors always come.
Somehow these flowers always come.
Somehow spring always comes.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Garden For You
Garden for the soul.
What can growing a garden do for the soul?
There's a gift to nature and self.
Many of us get stuck in life.
Remember there's always a way back.
Spring is finally here.
There's a chill today, but warm teasing spring days to follow.
Find the beautiful and fantastic of it all!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Pandas That Buzz
Bees in Ohio.
Those Flying Pandas
There are 45 bumblebees native to North America.
In Ohio we have 12 of those very humble bumbles.
Call them Teddy bears or pandas. The bumblebee is a happy sight after a long winter!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
The Red and The Hummingbird
Hummingbirds love red flowers.
Compared to birds. Humans are colorblind.
Hummingbirds birds have the same 3 color photoreceptors as we do. They also have a 4th.
Hummingbirds can see ultraviolet light!
Hummingbirds love red and pink flowers. A garden full of those colors will bring them to your blooms.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
My Kind Of Garden
How a bee sees a garden.
A Rainbow Shooting From The Ground
That's my kind of garden!
Poems, paintings and music have been written about the flower garden.
Imagine being a bee in this garden. Did you know that petals change color to a bee?
It's called "iridescence", within the "UV Spectrum".
Bees can see petals just turns colors. Humans cannot!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
The Buzz of Pollination
Bumblebee pollination.
Bumblebees are able to do something marvelous.
They contract muscle in flight. This produces strong vibrations.
Directed to their antler, by using their legs and mouth parts.
Producing a buzz worthy spread of pollen, via their antlers.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Seeing in UV
Bees see in ultraviolet light..
Do You See What Bees See?
Nope, we don't see ultraviolet, but a bee can!
Humans base their color combo on red, blue and green.
Bees base their colors on ultraviolet light, blue and green.
Bees cannot see the color red!
They do see reddish wavelengths. Like orange and yellow!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Seeds For Monarchs
Fall gardens and the monarch butterfly.
The growing season is about to begin.
However, it’ll continue long into autumn.
The pollinators that you grow during fall are very important to the migrating Monarchs.
Those Monarchs that winter in Mexico are the superstars that get the cycle of life restarted every spring.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Monarch’s Need Nectar
A variety of flowers and the monarch butterfly.
The Monarch is on the decline.
Non-native plants are essential to regaining the Monarch population.
Planting native is a great idea and practice.
However, it's not going to help the Monarch if you remove helpful non-native plants. If they are providing a strong nectar supply.
A better solution. Figure out how to add native plants around the non-native plants. If those plants are beneficial to the Monarch.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Bread Eggs & Milkweed
Milkweed and the monarch butterfly.
Planting a variety of milkweed guarantees a viable milkweed leaf is always available for caterpillars who need one.
What kind of milkweed do you want to plant?
Common and Swamp milkweed are a double Ohio delight. All have the nectar for butterflies and their leaves are the perfect nursery for their caterpillar kiddos
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Thinking About Monarchs
Benefiting the Monarch butterfly.
Nothing keeps me warmer than thoughts of the Monarch.
We can help them.
Beginning with planting your garden early.
You've heard that in Ohio you plant, starting Mother's Day weekend. But, you actually have an entire season of other planting before.
The "cool crops" are planted beginning on the 1st day of Spring and throughout the early season. It will be those crops that entice the pollinators and Monarchs to your garden.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
The Queen’s Duties
The life of a queen bumblebee.
There's a great deal to understanding bumblebees.
The Queen is the only bee to survive through Winter. Hibernating alone.
Male bumblebees have no stinger. Only the females.
Before the males die in Fall. The Queen mates and stores it in her abdomen until Spring.
Then she'll make new baby bumblebees in Spring.
Dies off when she has a successor. Another crowned Queen. The cycle repeats.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
A World Of Flowers
Inspirational flowers ideas.
There's no such thing as too many posts that celebrate nature.
You cannot share too many pictures of the pollinator posse.
The world has far too little sunshine and flowers.
Inject a ray of light on your community whenever the opportunity!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Never Enough Flowers
Colors and gardens.
There's no such thing as too many posts that celebrate nature.
You cannot share too many pictures of the pollinator posse.
The world has far too little sunshine and flowers.
Inject a ray of light on your community whenever the opportunity!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Bee A Bright Flower
Celebrating flowers.
Poems, paintings and music have been written about the flower garden.
Imagine being a bee in this garden. Did you know that petals change color to a bee?
It's called "iridescence", within the "UV Spectrum".
Bees can see petals just turns colors. Humans cannot!
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Radiate Your Friday
Recharging yourself!
Nature is about finding the balance.
How does a tender of nature seek balance in a world of chaos?
Good question and complicated answer.
First, tend to yourself. Exercise and self-care are vital to your needs. Tend to yourself, as you care for nature.
Then, in your small ways. Put forth beauty back into the world. Anything positive is beneficial.
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
They Were Called “Humblebees”
How did the bumblebee get it’s name?
Did you know they were called “Humblebees” until around 1910.
A woman named Beatrix Potter and “The Tale Of Mrs. Tittlemouse”.
That’s right “Peter Rabbit” changed humblebees with the introduction of “Babbity Bumble”.
This bumble caused mischief in Mrs’ Tittlemouse’s backyard gardens. By making mossy nests. She said, Naughty Bumble!”
Until Tomorrow! Smile On!
Victoria’s V-Day Bouquet
Five Victorian Zinnia meanings.
A member of the aster family. It was common for people to wear and gift zinnias in the Victorian era.
But what made the perfect Valentine’s Day bouquet for your love?
These are only 5 of the zinnias available during the era and their meaning.
“Violet Queen” meant everlasting affection.
“Orange King” meant friendship.
“White Purity” meant the receiver was a truly good person.
“Purple Zinnia” meant absent friend.
“Canary Yellow” meant daily remembrance.
Until Tomorrow! Happy Valentine’s Day!
