Summertime!

I hope everyone is having a good start to the summer. Well, I spent a few days up North and did a short hike at Mount Ascutney in Vermont. There I saw several butterflies flying around. I didn't know what they were, so I quickly tried to identify it when I got home. It is a White Admiral butterfly. We have Red Admiral butterflies in Brooklyn, but I've never seen a White Admiral. If you want to see some butterflies close to home, check out the butterfly bushes in the school garden on McDonald Avenue. I've recently seen Red Admirals and Painted Ladies there.

I also saw this pretty pink flower. I also researched it when I got home, and I believe it is a Deptford Pink. (Related to the carnation.)

Finally, I went to the Path of Life Garden in Vermont. It's a meadow-like garden with sculptures and paths. You follow the paths, which takes you through the stages of life from birth to childhood (you walk through a maze of bushes!) to middle age to death and rebirth. I got to sit with the Buddha for a while to reflect.