Weird weather, gardens & bugs

The weather here in Sharp County, Arkansas has been very volatile lately.  We had 3 days with temperatures below freezing, then we had a few days close to 70 F.  And now we're back to colder weather.  Night time lows close to freezing and in the 40's during the day.  A fairly strong snow storm passed over Arkansas south of us.  And then freezing rain passed north of us.  We only had drizzle and fog.

We've been receiving plant and seed catalogs in the mail.  I haven't looked at them closely yet.  We have a stash of seeds, but it's always good to see what else is available.  I particularly like Baker Creek Heirloom Seeds.  I try to invest in heirloom seeds, so I can save my own for the next growing season.  I also want to have the old, tried and true plants.  The are more hardy, in my opinion.

We don't use herbicides or pesticides.  Our bees wouldn't like that.  I do admit to using wasp killer around the house. Particularly, on the front porch.  We have those large, nasty red wasps here.  And they seem to believe our front door is the portal to wasp heaven!  They literally cover the lintel if we don't spray.  And their sting if awful!  Here's more information on these beasties. Red wasps

Red Paper Wasps

We don't kill the wasps flying around the flower garden or the veggie garden.  Only around the doors and windows.  They may think they should come inside, but I disagree!

I haven't seen many hornets or yellow jackets.  There are fewer bumble bees around, which is really sad.  We also have mason bees.  And mud daubers (which aren't bees at all). And there is this interesting fellow that my husband calls a "good news bee".  It's actually a fly. good-news-bee-is-actually-a-hover-fly

 

Good news bee

I hadn't ever seen one, until I moved to Georgia.  They are friendly little guys.  Some days, one will follow me around everywhere I go.  

Our "yard" is actually a mixture of many different plants.  Dandelions, clover, plantain, wild garlic/onion, mullein, some traveling saw grass type grass... what else I'm really not sure.  We haven't put any chemicals on the "yard".  Whatever was growing there 11 years ago is what is there now.  Josh keeps it mowed.  It's nice and green.  That's all we care.  We have many species of wild flowers growing along the drive & under the power lines.  Echinacea, blue eyed prairie grass, black eyed susan, cosmos, wild oregano,  beautiful wild Siberian irises all over in the woods, day lilies, a tiny orchid.... I know I'm only touching on what's out there.  I love wandering around taking pictures of them.  If you're interested in wild flowers, check out Arkansas wild flowers