A monarch, pipevine swallowtails, and goldfinches

There was a monarch visiting the Heliopsis and Joe-Pye in the pocket meadow in front of the house today. 

I didn't manage to get back out quickly enough to get a picture, but as I did come out (with iPhone in hand),  a goldfinch was feeding on purple coneflower seeds, and left quickly, with my approach.

This monarch was out on the Blue Ridge Parkway yesterday (my gardening companion's photo).

When I was picking beans later in the day (a twice a day activity), a pipevine swallowtail drifted by, accompanying all of the usual flower visitors in late afternoon.