Zinnias and butterflies

I like the bold, colorful blooms of zinnias.

My brother, who lives on a farm in southern Missouri, likes them too, and plants a long row of them each summer. Their many blossoms create a bright spot, even on cloudy days.

He also enjoys the butterflies that the zinnias attract. While visiting him recently, I was pleasantly surprised to see a wide variety of butterflies nectaring on the flowers. Here’s a sampling of what I saw.

With the coming of fall, I know there will be fewer butterflies and flowers, and I enjoyed this last splash of summer. I also know the colors of fall are right around the corner.