today in the garden

I swear I saw a hummingbird moth. Saw an odd sight: a large insect with wings whirring very fast, spinning like a top in the air. It went up, then faltered and fell down. I stepped close to look briefly then it spun up again, landed in the marigolds, flew up spinning once more and down onto the lawn again. I went inside to grab my camera but couldn't find it anywhere when I got back outside. I wonder if it had a damaged wing, and thus couldn't fly straight but only spin? 

Proceeded to take more photos. One of my sweet pea flowers is a deep purple.

My cardinal climber has crawled up far beyond the little supports I gave it, but no flowers yet. (Picture hazy from humidity in the air).

Checking the sunny sideyard for the hummingbird moth, found the joe pye weed very busy. Lots of those blue-winged wasps again,

a few fat bees

and two of these little blue-grey butterflies with tails on the hindwing.

Plenty of skippers in the garden too; I only saw orange ones today.