nature

Every so often, there are days when it really hits you how lucky you are: to be healthy, happy and working at a job that could not, in all honesty, be called working, but doing what you like to do. Yesterday was one such day for me.

I was at a client's home, where I visit weekly to deadhead the container plantings that we potted up in May. We also prune the landscape bushes, trees, perennials and rose bushes. The lantana topiaries are huge, as you can see above, and they need to have the seed pods removed for the plant to flower at its maximum capacity. No easy feat. There are probably a couple hundred on each tree that need to be snipped off every week, which can become rather monotonous. Look below- you can see the seed pods in the foreground. 

The day was cloudy, a blessing, as the area is in full sun and when that sun is out, it is brutal. I was into my zen mode, enjoying the sounds of the birds and crickets surrounding me. I need to share the lantanas with the bumble bees and mentally negotiate with them. They know I'll leave them alone if they leave me alone and, thus far, we all have gotten along fine. (I swell up tremendously if I get stung, so this is important to me.) Here are two visitors>

I was blessed with even more visitors. I had just seconds to grab my camera, so please excuse the poor image quality as the settings were wrong, but I had no time to change them. Two butterflies stopped over to visit and then Ms. Hummingbird decided to rest a bit. She watched me for a while, would fidget, change position and then settle down again. She claimed her spot and even stuck out her tongue in the second photo. She was downright friendly!

That is until both she and a bumble bee decided to leave at the same time. They "met" above the topiary and butted heads, but flew on to their separate ways. I felt like I had a great seat at the movies!

Joining Cindy at My Romantic Home!