June 3

The warm spell of last week has accelerated the arrival of the mosquitoes. We seem to have two versions just now, small ones that don’t sting when they bite and large ones that most certainly do. The former tend to congregate in the periphery of the yard, near the wood’s edge and low to the ground. It’s only after you’ve glanced down at your exposed ankles that you notice them and then too late. And my, do these little ones cause an itchy reaction.

The big ones are roamers, and they will follow persistently wherever you go. I just walked down to the lower garden from the porch, crossing over 100 feet of lawn, all the while waving my hands and slapping at my exposed skin. From a distance, I imagine I looked like a man out of his mind, walking and slapping (and cursing).

By coincidence and design, the dragonflies are also appearing. Each afternoon I’ve seen more of them hovering in the air ten feet or so high up, darting about looking for food.

Notes:

Spiderwort in full bloom.

King Devil beginning.