Well I certainly am enjoying them, just beautiful! I already have a bit of snow and the last butterflies to leave here were the monarchs in late Sept. This was my last photo op on Sept. 15th. Winter is horribly long here...sigh.

Lovely photos, Rhonda. Hope all is well for you.

Nice pics! Love the Mexican Sunflower!

If it's real quiet in the neighborhood, and you listen real hard, you can hear the Monarchs yelling (such as as it were) "WAAAHOOOO" as they come in to feed!

Thanks Iris! I have the feeling that as the butterflies disappear in the colder climates that we'll have more lurkers here to get their fix until spring :)

Peren, what a beautiful photo and I LOVE that sedum. I sure wish they would grow well here since they were a top tier Fall nectar plant in Ohio.

Tom, thanks so much! I've been battling food poisoning
since Saturday evening. I don't remember ever feeling so bad and that
includes my 4 kidney stones and delivering two 10 pounders! I am
feeling a little better and sure hope that I am over this in a day or
so. I had to go to work yesterday and today because I have 5 days of
intense training for my new job this week. Feeling like crap sure makes the days drag. Poor Joe, he now has the same symptoms :( I am more worried about
him due to his age but he won't let me take him to the ER. If he is
worse when I get home tomorrow, he won't have a choice.

Thanks Mblanc! I didn't really know much about Mexican sunflowers until I saw them in Tom's garden 2 years ago. The bright orange is so eye-catching and definitely attracts the monarchs. Yes, I live in a quiet (55+) neighborhood so I will listen hard for their calls :)

Those pictures are gorgeous. I would love to have it in my yard. I had a small vine, that was a host plant for the Longtail Skipper, lost it with the hurricane. Need to see if I still have seeds for it, Florida Hammock Milkpea Galactia Striata. This site talks about that vine, http://www.miamiblue.org/butterflies/zestos_skipper.htm  Host plant for Zestos Skipper butterfly which is believed to be extirpated (extinct) in FLorida. Also used by Cassius blue, longtailed skipper, and Zarucco duskywing. Your camera takes really good pictures.

Iris, Rhonda isn't employed as professional photographer, but she has the skills and the camera. I've seen her work in different venues. She's awesome.

Rhonda, what kind of work are you doing? Hope Joe is better. I still have a few of the Mexican sunflowers blooming and I have a few growing. Very warm here today and saw quite few butterflies.

Thanks ily! I'll have to check out the info on the Florida Hammock Milkpea Galactia Striata if it hosts that many cats even though I don't know where I could put another vine (unless I can talk my neighbor into letting me plant it on his chainlink fence bordering our property).

Tom, you are too kind as always :) After taking 6 months off to get settled, I decided to apply to only non-management, non full-time jobs. I am working as a patient registrar in the ER of our local hospital. Once I am fully trained, I'll work 2 12hour shifts (Saturday and Sunday) and have the rest of the week off unless covering for call-ins, vacations or holidays. For now, I'm working pretty much full-time. I love the job...nice people and we are so busy that time goes pretty fast. Although, I am now wondering if working around so many different illnesses has made my immune system wacky.

Joe is still feeling pretty crappy and I'm beginning to think it's a stomach flu, not food poisoning since he didn't get it until 2 1/2 days after me and we eat the same food. Just about the time for a bug to spread from me to him.

BTW, my friend/neighbor Helen and I visited St. Pete Tom a few weeks ago. He had some cuttings (pentas, cupheas, porterweed, and a few others) that he wanted me to have. He has a beautiful property in a subdivision on a salt water lake that he has landscaped in some unique ways to add privacy and color.

I'm sure glad that you got me hooked on Mexican Sunflowers. I started mine from see in I think late July and they got flattened by Irma in September, I cut them back to about a foot tall and they came back shorter but much bushier and are blooming like crazy!

Rhonda, the vine is not that aggressive. I was thinking of putting my next one in a pot, with a trellis. I might have some seeds if you're interested, just let me know. I'll look for them.

Ily, if you have extra seeds, I'd like to try some. No hurry. If anyone wants any Mexican Sunflower seeds please let me know.

I think I have Mexican Sunflower seeds too. Send me a message with your address, and I will send you the seeds.

I never saw any cats on my vine, but I don't have the Longtail Skipper in my yard either. I do have a smaller skipper, looks brownish. I have about 4 them throughout the yard.

Thanks Ily! It doesn't appear that you have set up your Houzz account for others to message you. Can you message me your email address so I have a way to get my address to you please?

I love the long tail skippers...their torso is a gorgeous metallic bluish green when the sun hits them right.

Just sent it. I would love to see one.

Beautiful pictures, Rhonda! I love those long-tailed skippers, had a lot of them this summer and fall.

Sherry

I agree, beautiful pics!! Thanks for sharing.