Today I noticed that the Northern Wild Raisins were ripening.

The shriveled surface of the ripe drupes prompts the Wild Raisin moniker.

The above 3 photos were taken from 3 adjacent shrubs, indicating that ripening is quite variable from plant to plant.  They are good to eat, but the elongated flat pits (similar to mangoes) are large.  First Nations folks used to grind them up and mix with game to make pemmican.

I think that this is unripe Common Buckthorn, an invader. Not edible.

The wild spirea were still blooming …

And skippers and beautiful bees were still foraging for nectar ….

… as was this male Monarch.   I played with the image a bit after converting from the RAW file.  Not at all sure that I like it …. but it is interesting …. I guess.