Nature Notes ~ Summer 2024

Home for Bumble Bees

On a warm summer day, I love relaxing on the porch with my mom, enjoying her pretty garden. Every season Mom grows such beautiful colorful flowers that bring us so much joy and happiness. The bumble bees are some of our favorite visitors as we watch them busily fly from blossom to blossom.

In addition to butterflies, moths, and hummingbirds, bumble bees are wonderful pollinators of wildflowers, like the Goldenrod, Wild Rose, and Penstemon in my painting which are very important food sources for the bees. The center focus of this image is a female bumble bee native to Colorado (Bombus balteatus), as she explores a Rose Crown cluster of flowers that grows up to 12 inches tall in subalpine and alpine regions of the West​.

Mom's Pretty Flowers

These amazing little creatures also perform buzz pollination which occurs from the strong vibration of the bee’s wing muscles, shaking pollen from blooms which benefits many flowering plants, including fruit and vegetable crops such as blueberries, cranberries, and tomatoes​​.

Bumble bees are the only true social bees native to North America, living in colonies and having overlapping generations. They are also active in lower light and cooler weather conditions, more so than any other bees, which increases their impact for pollination. To learn more about bumble bees and their conservation, click on the link here!

A Bumble Bee in Mom's Garden

​A favorite quote by May Kay Ash inspires us. “Aerodynamically, the bumble bee shouldn't be able to fly, but the bumble bee doesn't know it so it goes on flying anyway.” So if a bumble bee can fly with its big fuzzy body and relatively tiny wings, then we too, can do the miraculous!

Ever grateful for wildflowers, blueberries, and bumble bees,

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Winner of the Earth Day Drawing!

Three cheers for this year's winner of the Earth Day Drawing! Congratulations to Thomas from Denver! A very busy guy who travels a lot, Thomas is still deciding on his new gifted print. I'm super excited to find out which one he'll choose!

For a little background, Thomas loves being active outside. He and I worked for the same organization a few years ago and we always enjoyed trading stories with our friend, Jean about our cool nature sightings, and sharing fond memories of living in the Northeast.

Thomas grew up in New Hampshire, a dreamy state in the northern boreal forest, and I thoroughly enjoyed living in the Adirondacks of northern New York in the early 2000s. These are magical places for nature lovers to experience beautiful mountains, endless forests, and crystal clear lakes, rivers, and streams. Plus there are endless opportunities for hiking, camping, and paddling.

Thomas is an incredibly talented creative, and his photography is truly awesome. The way he captures a feeling in his images with form, composition, and light is really something special. Thomas can even make a door knob sparkle!

​Jean and I were always excited to see the latest photo from Thomas. It brightened our day more than he knew. A huge thank you, Thomas for sharing so many of your beautiful moments of inspiration with us!

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Conservation Corner

I invite you to join me in the Ladybug Love Pledge! Every spring, a green grocery store encourages its customers to celebrate ladybugs and all the beneficial insects that help plants and our natural world to thrive. The pledge also helps our wonderful bee and butterfly friends too!

Vitamin Cottage Natural Food Market promotes organic farming and believes in providing store items from sustainable natural sources. The market fosters a sense of community and educates folks about the benefits of planting pollinator-friendly plants and veggies. Here' s a link to learn more, and take the pledge to help champion bumble bees and the Earth's native pollinators!

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Gentle Stroll in a Mountain Meadow

How relaxing it is to enjoy an early morning walk in a lovely meadow with the hillsides, pine, and aspen trees all around. The grasses and wildflowers are smiling in their pretty colors and swaying with the gentle breeze. A peaceful stroll is a nurturing time when we can slow down, quiet our minds, and be in the present moment. Just be. In nature.

The Wild Iris Loop and the Bluebird Meadow Trail are part of Three Sisters open space in the foothills west of Denver, an ideal place for a leisurely walk. In the warmer months, it's also a beautiful location to have a picnic with your friends and family. This summer, let's appreciate the many gifts the natural world shares so freely with us. Sunshine, flowers, and lovely meadows included!

Wild Iris Loop

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​Wishing you a beautiful summer, dear friends of nature!

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What's one of your favorite flowers to attract bumble bees and other native pollinators?
Please leave a comment below!