wet and warm

It rained last night and this morning was wet and warm and, as the sun broke through, it turned into a humid summer day. Except for the noisy Royal Terns on the creek and few Osprey cries, it was a quiet, still morning. Only after the sun came out did butterflies and dragonflies appear -- in some numbers. 

Seaside Goldenrod is coming into full bloom and Evening Primrose, benefiting from the overcast of the past couple of days, is also in full bloom (a bit late because, I believe, they were cut back when we mowed the open areas around the house earlier this summer). Also Groundsel or Baccharis halmifolia is in full bloom with both male and female flowers on different bushes. I assume the male flowers are the ones that look like regular flowers; they are greenish white and not very showy. The female flowers are presumably the ones that look like little white buds; in a short time they will expand into cigarette-like white pappuses (pappi?) that turn the female bushes into a striking cloud of white.

Eric Salzman