According to the plans for the new presidential library, Perennial Garden in Jackson Park (Hyde Park, Chicago) would be demolished to make way for a reflecting pool. I’m sad about this because Perennial Garden is home to butterflies, hawk moths, and even a hummingbird or two, which is what parks should be. Photos from a quick stop yesterday — click the photo for a few more on Flickr.
Tag Archives: Chicago
Autumn serenity at Promontory Point
A Sunday morning promenade around Promontory Point.
Fall color, Hyde Park, Chicago
View north from Promontory Point
Meet the snowberry clearwing (Hemaris diffinis), the garden fairy
Snowberry clearwing
While this snowberry clearwing was intent on seeking nectar, I was intent on photographing it. I couldn’t get crisp photos with an iPhone, but this is one of my favorites. It looks like it’s playing hide-and-seek with me, but I have no idea of how this little hovering moth perceives the world. Maybe I was just an annoying anomaly of movement, shadow, or strange colors. To me, they are like garden fairies. I haven’t seen one in a couple of weeks, and I miss them. So long to summer, and hope to see your progeny next year.
Butterflies, bees, moths, oh my!
Click photo for more on Flickr and hit the slideshow icon.
Lately I’ve been lurking at Perennial Garden in Hyde Park, a favorite spot of mine. Right off where the pavement turns in I found a bush where butterflies hang out. I’ve learned it’s called “butterfly bush.” It’s an invasive species, so I don’t recommend it for your garden. (Try something native, like butterfly weed.)
Some days the bush is visited by butterflies. At other times I see more little moths. One day to my surprise a hummingbird whizzed in and out. I’m not sure it even stopped. It (or another) did the same thing the next day, never when I was ready for a photo.
After the hummingbird sightings, I started thinking that my life would be complete if a hawk, or hummingbird, moth showed up. I’d seen only one once before, near the Cascades in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It was a fancy, not even a hope. The next day my jaw dropped when one of these little garden fairies buzzed in. Now I wish I hadn’t waited until August to start my lurking.
My life is complete. Until I figure out how to get better photos or get my camera over there. By then it will be September.
Spring afternoon at Promontory Point
Playing with a new wide-angle lens that has better peripheral vision than I do.
Promontory Point
Late afternoon sky in May at Promontory Point
I dread the spring and summer tempests that ravage the Midwest, but I love the clouds of the seasons after the uniform gray of winter.
Promontory Point under a late afternoon sky in May
Can a May day get better than this? (at Promontory Point)
Fog monster creeping into downtown Chicago
This was an Approver’s Choice at Weather Underground.
Fog monster creeping into downtown Chicago, 4.29.2014
Chicago Botanic Garden and fun with Nikon color sketch
Here’s the original photo at the Chicago Botanic Garden: And here’s the same photo with the Nikon color sketch tool applied to the hilt: The detail that came out in the color sketch version is amazing (see the wispy dangling … Continue reading →
For every rainbow, there’s a storm
A full rainbow off Promontory Point in Chicago . . .
. . . followed by a thunderstorm.