Hobomok Skipper

This is the first skipper species I've seen this year so worthy of a snap.  These are small (an inch or less), flitty butterflies and I was not able to approach with a macro lens so used the 300.  Not ideal, but sufficed for today.

Had a nice FT chat with my parents this morning which was an excellent way to start the day.  Then Hubs and I headed out to a garden center to look at shrubs for the front of the house.  Didn't buy any shrubs, but I bought some native foxglove (digitalis) and echinacea as well as some small herbs.  So either tomorrow or Tuesday I will be planting.  

I spotted my first female ruby-throat hummingbird this afternoon which bodes well for later in the summer.  I also heard a huge racket in the woods before a Cooper's hawk shot out with three blue jays in noisy, hot pursuit.  The blue jays probably have a nest nearby as they usually don't go after the small hawks so aggressively.  Make no mistake, the Cooper's hawk is capable of taking down a blue jay.  Last seen, the hawk was headed east at speed.

Jax went with us to the garden center and was thrilled when a small girl wanted to pet him.  He loves kids.  He is happily napping now while Hubs watches the Indy 500 qualification on the television.  I'm getting ready to edit some more of the CR pics - which is a very fun thing to do, allowing me to relive each moment of a wonderful trip.

Dark with passion fruit today.

xo
Debbi