Larry Weber can't get enough awesome August. Despite shorter days, the temps have cooled just enough and the winds have switched just enough to make the perfect mosquito repellent. A lot of the little ones that were born and hatched over the summer are out and about these days, new wildflowers are cropping up all the time, and it's a berry good time for a walk in the woods!

Larry Weber is enjoying all the ingredients of a Perfect Mosquito Morning plus he's got all our stats for July and a look forward into August. Larry also reports a young barred owl at his place, calling for its parents. You can listen to the barred owl's call here.

Larry Weber's not on social media, but its tentacles reached out to him anyway so he could answer the trending question: are there more white pelicans around here than usual for this time of year? And here's some Phenology phenology: what we were talking about last year at this time:

Larry Weber says he can accept the warmer-than-usual temperatures of the past week, but he's having trouble accepting the precipitation totals - less than a third of normal so far this month. Plus the wide range of plants, birds and animals that are just getting started with the spring thing ... and who's already on their way back south. And here's some Phenology phenology: what we were talking about last year at this time:

Today, July 12, Larry Weber recounts how July in full swing with hot weather with less then desirable rainfall. However, big summertime storms can bring rainfall measurements back in line in just a few hours. This time of year is good for wildflowers, berries, birds, insects which means lots of spiders, and beautiful spider webs. In July we also are in butterfly, moth and dragonfly season. Other highlights include and of course great Jupiter viewing and plentiful fireflies.

Forget May; July is bustin' out all over! From summer frogs and turtles to flies (dragon-, butter-, and deer-) to berries and wildflowers, July is just begging for you to get out into the middle of it. And here's some phenology phenology (phenology about phenology?): what we were talking about last year at this time.

The universe's answer to broadcasting's "seven second delay" is aphelion and perihelion . The sun is closest to Earth about two weeks after the winter solstice in December (perihelion) and furthest from the earth about two weeks after the summer solstice.

As we prepare to head into summer this morning (!), Larry reports that while the average temperature is colder than normal, so is the rainfall amount. Roadside flowers, ladyslipper orchids in abundance, berries and trees in bloom, and why you should be glad children aren't whippoorwills, all in this week's installment of Backyard Almanac . --------------- And here's some Phenology phenology: what we were talking about last year at this time:

The so-called ancient Chinese blessing/curse, "May you live in interesting times," is probably neither ancient or Chinese.

Maybe you can't leave right away to look for wildflowers with Larry Weber (or Bryan French , for that matter!), but here is a slideshow of many of the flowers Larry mentioned on his show today to tide you over. Bryan French is a phenologist, photographer and the founder of the Duluth Phenology group on Facebook .