Summer's End

Mid-August already.  It's been a cooler than average summer overall...legitimately bearable weather (for this heat-hating woman, anyway) except for one really miserable week in July.   Today, the high here might have been 75, which is crazy.  It was actually too cold for the kids to go swimming.

Dad and I took the kids out to breakfast at a diner-type place, and then mini-golfing on the way home.  Breezy and cool, not a cloud in the sky.  After lunch, we went to a nearby playground, and I actually wished I'd brought a sweater.  In August.

On the way back into the house afterward, took a minute to look at the butterfly bushes.  We have four giant ones (one of which is actually obstructing the front walk and must be moved!), which have collectively been the setting for a riotous aerial ballet for a good six weeks now.  Mostly tiger swallowtails, some monarchs, although not as many monarchs as in past years for some reason.  Since I had my phone in my hand and the butterflies seemed ok with my presence, I snapped a couple of pictures.

As I turned away, I caught sight of another butterfly on the ground near the bushes.  When I looked more closely, I saw that a good chunk of one wing was missing and that the edges of the rest were ragged.  I couldn't bring myself to put it out of its misery, although I thought about it.  Summer's ending for sure; the first few leaves are beginning to fall as well.

About three weeks until school starts.  Another new season coming.