My backyard is as cluttered as my house, at least in summer, but with a living profusion of grass and leaves and insects and birds and small mammals, instead of papers, books, clothes, furniture, nicknacks, etc., etc. – inanimate all, so the comparison mostly fails. Still, profusion is the thing.

Outside, flower buds taking turns according to however it is that flowers “know” when to bloom. At the moment, coneflowers are opening.

I was inspired to spend a little while this afternoon documenting other parts of the profusion. An exultation of color, this time of year.

Animals are out and about. Such as the ants that are vying to rule the world.

And monarch butterflies going about their business.

The odd thing isn’t that I saw one today, but that it was still long enough for me to successfully fiddle with my camera and take the shot.