A Sense Of Well-Being

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Looking South (toward the back of the property) from the center of the Native Species Habitat we first notice a volunteer non-native Indian-Blanket Flower (Gaillardia pulchella) fully blooming in the foreground to the left, native Rose Sage (Salvia pachyphylla) beginning to bloom on the right, Sulfur-Colored Buckwheat (Eriogonum umbellatum) blooming profusely in the center with tall spikes of Scarlet Penstemon (Penstemon labrosus) scattered in the distance.

The spiked yucca, mid-left, is Banana Yucca (Yucca baccata) and behind that is what is commonly called Great Basin Sage (Artemisia tridentata).

While weeding this part of the garden earlier today the fragrances of Rose Sage and Artemisia gave me a great sense of euphoria as I worked amidst the countless variety of insect pollinators visiting the Sulfur Buckwheat, where two Anna's Hummingbirds also fed from the flowers of Scarlet Penstemon and Rose Sage, while Pygmy Nuthatches twittered at me from a nearby tree and several species of juvenile woodpeckers ventured to & fro between drinking at birdbaths and nibbling 'peanut treat' from suet cages.

In the background are picket fences which, to the left enclose the chicken yard, and to the right, the vegetable garden.

Thunderclouds are forming overhead to tease with a possiblity of more rain today and all seems right with the world when one is centered in the garden.