Today's walk report: A purely voluntary activity I am being forced to do

 Sometimes I feel that way. My daily constitutional, a pleasure so great it feels like a punishment. Turns out, it was okay. I mean, it depends on how you look at it*. Company with Docken on the phone was nice. I think being able to converse misery has its benefits. It was uncomfortable though, I walk fast and for me 78º F and 48% relative humidity simply is not pleasurable. Tomorrow is the autumnal equinox, I'll feel better soon. 
☯
Basically, I did half of yesterday's walk. I also chased after several butterflies. Most of them got away. Here are some pictures.

 The plant is Tradescantia pallida a species of spiderwort native to the Gulf Coast region of eastern Mexico. I actually donate to the Wikimedia Foundation so don't give me a hard time, okay?

The first shot was kinda rough. To be honest, all were a PITA, it was way bright and tracking at 250-300mm with a close-up lens on top wasn't especially smooth. But the first shot was fun because the smaller hoverfly was getting really testy with the bee and was insisting on that flower.

 Gaillardia, AKA, blanket flower. It was named after Maître Gaillard de Charentonneau, an 18th-century French magistrate who was an enthusiastic botanist and apparently an egotist.

 Verbena bonariensis and a grass skipper, specifically an adult male fiery skipper, Hylephila phyleus.

 I followed four or five different monarch butterflies but this is the only one that cooperated. The plant is Salvia farinacea (I think).

*What have you got to lose?
You know, you come from nothing
You're going back to nothing
What have you lost? Nothing!