An invitation to the garden

By Sharon Parker, Arty Didact

Photo by Penguin Palace

Let's linger on the patio this evening and feel the lazy breeze wafting across from the southwest, as the humidity drops out of the air and onto the grass and the temperature falls with it. The sun sinks below the treetops, then pauses for a moment while everything takes on a rosy hue.

Weary late-summer male bumblebees, evicted from the hive, crawl into a flower to sleep. The moths and fireflies come out to play.

The lilies and nicotiana release their fragrance.

Note card by Cindy Lindgren

Hear the "cheeeep" of chimney swifts darting about high above us, snatching a meal on the fly. Was that a bat swooping low over our heads feasting on mosquitoes? Bon appetit, my friends!

Do you see how the white and pastel flowers begin to glow as the reds and darker blues and purples gradually disappear? As everything darkens and the mosquitoes finish their evening repast (*slap!*) and finally subside, those light-colored flowers float mysteriously on invisible stems.

Tile Candle Holder by My Little Chick

Now the swifts return to their chimney and the bats to their roost. The crickets, moths, owls, and frogs remain outside with us. Shoo that moth away from the candle flame; it's mistaking it for a flower.

Let's pour another glass of wine and sit a bit longer; evenings like this are just too rare; the moon is waxing, and tomorrow's Saturday.

Winter is long in Minnesota; the summer has been hot and sticky. These Minnesota artists know how to capture the charm of the summer evening garden.
 

(Click on the image to view the treasury on Etsy.)