Missing butterflies? I am. Richard and I keep looking for butterflies but so far, we have only seen a few. (The above photo was taken last summer.) Climate change to blame? Pesticides? Whatever, it is to be hoped that we will see more.
Earthquakes, floods, tornados, fires, extreme heat... so many are suffering just now. Living in Georgia, we have always had hot summers but this year, it is nearly impossible to be outside. Why, even the cities up North, the heat looks just as bad! I pity anyone who has to work in it. Since our son lives in Chattanooga, I sometimes see stories from there that I otherwise might not know. I recently learned that there was a severe flood in Chattanooga in 1867. The Tennessee River (which runs right through the city) rose 58 feet above the normal levels. As this was just after the Civil War, the city was not equipped to repair the streets and buildings. Here is what they did- they simply brought in soil and packed it onto the flooded streets. The buildings that were on the first floor became the basements. The new entrances were made into the 2nd floor, which then were the 1st floor. Does that make sense? Funny thing, in England, if you get on an elevator (and even that is called a "lift"!) you will see a button for G and then 1, and then 2, and so on... "G" means ground floor! (Richard says that is how it used to be anyway! And it seems I remember that also.)
In other Chattanooga news, the only Frank Lloyd Wright house designed in Tennessee is on the market! Yes, the "Shavin House" in Chattanooga is a cool $1,600,000.00. It is a "Usonian" home. "Usonian" is a mid-20th century architectural style conceived by Frank Lloyd Wright. Usually the homes were small, single stories with L- shaped layouts, flat roofs and had radiant floor heating with lots of natural light. Frank Lloyd Wright got the word from "Usonia" which is...wait for it... an abbreviation of "United States of North America"! (He didn't make it up, I think I read that someone in either Scotland or England came up with it!) Anyway, if anyone wants to buy that house, please do so and I can stay with you and visit our son in Chattanooga! The address is 334 N. Crest Rd. Chattanooga. I have the link below for you!
334 N Crest Rd, Chattanooga, TN 37404 | MLS #1346032 | Zillow
Did you know that I am interested in architecture? It's true! I think I told you in a post that I asked about a building on the front of our text book in 6th grade! (The teacher had another student write to the government of that country about the building. No, I am not bitter. Honestly!)
Richard and I spotted a native plant on a walk recently. It is a spotted wintergreen, and it had the tiniest of buds! It is a native and I hope that we have not missed the blooms. In other floral news, our night blooming cereus cactus bloomed last night!
Hope all of you have a great 4th of July here in America, my fellow Usonians! And for anyone else in the world, you have a great day that day also! What song? Why, "Chattanooga Choo Choo", of course!
I've seen some butterflies around here but most of them came last month.
ReplyDeleteWe really do hope we will see more in July and August!
DeleteInteresting, I think I had been seeing butterflies - but lately in this awful heat none. It is almost unbearable.
ReplyDeleteI love Chattanooga.
I hope you have a great 4th of July - 250 years.
Yes, 250 years. I bet you remember the Bi Centennial, our 200th! Right? You know I do!
DeleteI haven't seen many butterflies, but I've been hibernating inside until it cools off.
ReplyDeleteIt has been so hot, we haven't been out as much either but we have lots of flowers in our yard that usually attracts a lot of butterflies and bees!
DeleteI haven't seen many butterflies either but my neighbors spray for mosquitos which makes me mad because the ones that have their yard spayed never use their yards.
ReplyDeleteCathy
I have read that spraying for mosquitoes is pretty much a waste of money. One can do better by putting up a bat box. Let the bats eat them! (Or make your home welcome to dragonflies, they eat them too.)
DeleteWow, the Usonian house is gorgeous and unmistakable as FLW style. I hope you know the purchaser. I am amazed at the price which is very low compared to Brisbane prices these days. Our market has gone crazy high and people cannot buy homes they need. Population growth seems to be the problem. Now you mention butterflies, we have not seen any at our new house despite there being trees all around. I wonder what is going on. The bees are dying too, about 20 bee keepers near us have lost all their bees and it is widespread. So good to listen to Chattanooga Choo Choo, one of the all-time great songs :)
ReplyDeleteYou know, it is the same thing in England, the prices there make it almost impossible to buy. Chattanooga houses are not as expensive as other US cities, but even there, they have gone way up in recent years. Now, I do hope that you will see more bees and butterflies. It is a concern for me. Glad you like the song too! Hope all is well with you these days, dear Patricia! x
DeleteI have read a book about Frank Lloyd Wright but strangely enough can not find a review for it on my blog; it must have been before I started to post reviews of every book I have read. Anyway, he must have been a fascinating character, and his architectural style became very influential.
ReplyDeleteButterflies here have probably suffered from the way too dry and hot weather, which in turn has meant less food for them and their caterpillars.
In Germany, we use the same system to name the floors of a building as in the UK. The ground floor is Erdgeschoss, the 1st floor up is "erster Stock" (first floor) and so on. Sometimes instead of Stock, for floor the term "Obergeschoss" ("upper floor") is used. Everybody knows that a sign "2. OG" means "second upper floor", counting from the ground; in the US, that would be the 3rd floor.
You know, the early dry and hot weather, meaning death to caterpillars might be the clue to our lack of butterflies. How interesting that you have the same floor system as England. I just looked a bit more and it seems that the USA is the ONLY country who have their floors this way! It also said that our 1st floor almost always has a star beside the number, to make sure you know it is the 1st. I never thought of it but sometimes the number 1 gets worn down and only the STAR shows. (That is why sometimes Richard and I are not sure what button to push!) And Frank Lloyd Wright, interesting thing, that Chattanooga couple contacted him and asked him if he knew of someone who could design their house and he said that HE would do it! So, he seems like a nice guy to me!
DeleteYour right butterfly’s are rare here also, my garden used to be full of them now I see very few. I did see quite a few in a churchyard I was wandering around yesterday so there is hope yet
ReplyDeleteI might add I went out for a walk today at a couple of different places and saw a lot of butterfly’s in the countryside
DeleteOh, I am so glad that you saw butterflies! We have the Admiral butterfly here, same as you! Did you know that its name comes from "Admirable"? I love that!
DeleteSome butterflies here and around...I try to spread flowers seeds specifically for butterflies.
ReplyDeleteHave a lovely day !
Anna
Yes! We try our best to have flowers for our butterflies! We even have some native flowers that came up in our yard and my husband has encouraged them to grow. We usually have lots of bees and butterflies on them. Sadly , not this year!
DeleteGreat butterfly photo. It's not easy to get such a clear image as they are always moving their wings, even when static and feeding. 35c to 38c used to be unheard of in London but they get that every summer now and 28c in Scotland. In recent years they have been planting butterfly and bee meadows everywhere here and it seems to be working. More of them around now this year.
ReplyDeleteWe have butterfly gardens here too, but folks don't seem to realize, that planting a garden is good, but it must be maintained! It is sad when we go to a park and it says there is a butterfly garden and it is just a neglected piece of property with a few straggly flowers.
DeleteShortage of butterflies down to farming methods in UK, and the stuff the spray on the land. Also, gardens have been replaced by concrete for the car. Ground, 1st floor, 2nd floor, is the obvious way to describe a building, only Yanks do it differently.
ReplyDeleteYou know, you are correct. I really had no idea that Americans are the only ones who have their floors like this! What about Canada? No, they must do it the same way the Brits do! And I know what you mean about the concrete for car parking. I noticed a big difference over the years in Eastbourne, in the neighborhood where my in laws lived.
DeleteI too have seen only a few butterflies, Love the picture of the one you got. I don't think I'd ever be able to buy that house, but it's fun to look. Hope you get to visit your son soon. It's terribly hot here too, but the early mornings and evenings have been pleasant.
ReplyDeleteGlad you got to see the house! Isn't all that light lovely! And the views! So pretty! Stay cool!
DeleteConsidering that I live on an Island where the wind can make the life of a butterfly very hazardous I have seen quite a few this last few weeks. However they were all Cabbage Whiles. I wonder where the others have disappeared to.
ReplyDeleteHey Graham! So nice to see your comment here! Hope you are doing well these days! Let me know if you see any butterflies, we keep hoping we will see more of them. x
DeleteI loved living in Tennessee. My nephew and his family are living there now. I must tell you the picture of the butterfly is beautiful beyond description.
ReplyDeleteOh, thank you! It is a bit hard to get a shot of a butterfly, they are so fast! Tennessee isn't that far away, but we have to get through Atlanta to get there! LOL!
DeleteThe photograph of the butterfly taken last year is beautiful.
ReplyDeleteHappy 1st of July,
...and early good wishes for a Happy 4th of July.
All the best Jan
Hey! Happy 1st of July to you too! And best wishes to you for always! xx
DeleteYour posts always teach me something new. I had no idea about the Chattanooga flood solution, and I love learning about Wright’s Usonian homes. Ending with ‘Chattanooga Choo Choo’ was perfect!
ReplyDeleteThank you very much! I almost always have a song on my post. What is life without music? Take care. x
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