I am all done with my calendar for this year’s Christmas. iPhoto does a great job and offers lots of different templates and colors. Most of my pages are single shots, but two and three shot set ups are available in the template I used. All the information for birthdays and other occasions we observe is sent over automatically from iCal, another program I have on my Mac computer. This is the second year I have made calendars and have already decided that next year’s calendar will be herbs.
Here is a page from inside-

A small scene caught in the garden.

I wish I had focused on the butterfly instead of the flower.

I took these shots yesterday at my friend’s farm in Phippsburg, Maine. Her asters were covered with monarch butterflies, and every one of them in perfect condition. I have more photos from the garden she and her husband’s beautiful garden to post tomorrow, so come back and look!

I have already posted a painted lady this season, but these shots show the markings so well, I am doing it again. This little lady was on the marjoram when I went out to gather today’s tomato crop.

My attempt to draw more butterflies to the garden didn’t go as planned. I did get lots more butterflies, but not as many varieties as I expected. My garden was swamped with monarchs, sulphurs, white cabbage butterflies, and american coppers, and I did have several swallowtails, an american lady, and a red admiral early in the season. But not anything like I had last year, when I wasn’t trying to draw them.

Here are two shots I took this week. Yes, I have posted copper already this year. And, I think I have a shot of a monarch perched on every plant in the garden, and half of the wild things in the field! The second shot, a common ringlet, is a bit less common this year. Oh well, I will try again next spring. All of these will go well on the butterfly calendars I am making for Christmas.