tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-116618362024-03-13T09:37:37.307-04:00MélangeA Medley of Lifesrphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.comBlogger1571125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-79539994453848352202011-07-29T23:19:00.001-04:002011-07-30T13:24:22.371-04:00Sometimes The World Seems Out of Focus<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3co7odAQOOw/Ti4sd4CpI8I/AAAAAAAAGbA/g9FsqByiysc/s1024/IMG_7484a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-3co7odAQOOw/Ti4sd4CpI8I/AAAAAAAAGbA/g9FsqByiysc/s720/IMG_7484a.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><br />
<blockquote><i>"There are things that we don't want to happen but have to accept, things we don't want to know but have to learn, and people we can't live without but have to let go". ~ Author Unknown</i></blockquote>This is a post my head knew I would have to write someday, but my heart hoped that day would never come.<br />
It is hard to say the words, or type the words, or make sense of the words or even really believe the words in that most real sense of believing.<br />
It wasn't supposed to be this way... this cannot be happening.... but, I see the sadness in my Dad's eyes and it <b>is</b> real.<br />
Our mother, Nyssa's grandmother and Dad's <a href="http://melange1.blogspot.com/2011/06/june-2-1951-june-2-2011.html">beloved wife of 60 years</a>, passed away on Monday, July 18th, 2011.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sg9tRJ4pabs/Ti4seM_DHLI/AAAAAAAAGbI/vi-HJImaVTY/s1024/IMG_7529b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-sg9tRJ4pabs/Ti4seM_DHLI/AAAAAAAAGbI/vi-HJImaVTY/s720/IMG_7529b.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"Give sorrow words; the grief that does not speak whispers the o'er-fraught heart and bids it break." ~ William Shakespeare</i></blockquote>There was a fall, a small fracture in the hip and a three day stay in the hospital for pain control with plans to move to a rehab facility. But the delicate balance keeping her myriad of health problems in check was overwhelmed and one by one, small problems became bigger problems and interventions simply did not work. Three days turned into four and four to seven. To say the end was "sudden" is a cliche... death is always sudden even when expected. Her final struggle was short and now our struggle to live without her has begun. <br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DscjhOXb8BM/TjIn0lrIiZI/AAAAAAAAGbQ/dnWKr9RA0jE/s1024/IMG_7698a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-DscjhOXb8BM/TjIn0lrIiZI/AAAAAAAAGbQ/dnWKr9RA0jE/s720/IMG_7698a.jpg" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"And the ransomed of the Lord shall return, and come to Zion with songs and everlasting joy upon their heads: they shall obtain joy and gladness, and sorrow and sighing shall flee away." ~ Isaiah 35:10</i></blockquote>Mom was a woman of faith and that brings great peace, with the promise that we will see and be with her again. Right now, the world seems out of focus, but comfort comes in remembering.... funny stories of events past... first dates and blossoming love.... the kind words of those whose lives she touched...and knowing that her pain is gone, she has been restored to full health and rejoices with the hosts of heaven.<br />
<br />
We sang this hymn to close her funeral service of worship and it captures the essence of what I believe.<br />
<br />
<blockquote><i><b>What a Day That Will Be</b> <br />
<br />
There is coming a day,<br />
When no heart aches shall come,<br />
No more clouds in the sky,<br />
No more tears to dim the eye,<br />
All is peace forever more,<br />
On that happy golden shore,<br />
What a day, glorious day that will be.<br />
<br />
There'll be no sorrow there,<br />
No more burdens to bear,<br />
No more sickness, no pain,<br />
No more parting over there;<br />
And forever I will be,<br />
With the One who died for me,<br />
What a day, glorious day that will be.<br />
<br />
What a day that will be,<br />
When my Jesus I shall see,<br />
And I look upon His face,<br />
The One who saved me by His grace;<br />
When He takes me by the hand,<br />
And leads me through the Promised Land,<br />
What a day, glorious day that will be,<br />
<br />
~ Jim Hill, Words and Music</i></blockquote><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"> (end of post)</span></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com65tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-50437319255904595232011-07-14T23:45:00.003-04:002011-07-16T09:33:01.052-04:00Finding Her Best Light<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8tqi_gFHDLo/Th-rqtNaMbI/AAAAAAAAGa4/QrfwW0_jDxo/s1024/IMG_2689a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-8tqi_gFHDLo/Th-rqtNaMbI/AAAAAAAAGa4/QrfwW0_jDxo/s720/IMG_2689a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Happy 19th Birthday, Miss Chloe!!!!!</span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"I don't believe in aging. I believe in forever altering ones aspect to the sun." ~ Virginia Woolf</i></blockquote>The years pass so quickly and old age sneaks up on all of us; it seems like only yesterday we were starting out in school or our profession or having a child, or seeing a tiny Siamese kitten for the first time. She was the first born of a litter of six and has always played the part well. Miss Clover was "the dark one"; instead of being born white and developing the Siamese mask and tips, she arrived a medium to dark tan and simply grew darker as she aged, with the most marbled deep blue eyes. Clover was always angry at something. Chloe has always been calm and cool and collected, with a passion for grooming and making sure her sitting position is just so... front paws tightly together and tail wrapped neatly around to the front. Nothing bothers her (except for that one time at the vet when Clover threw such a hissy fit, they both got caught up in the drama) and she carries herself with dignity and reserve. This does not mean that she will take any guff off of the other cats. Chloe is now the Grand Dame of the household and commands the respect of ALL the cats... even those bossy ragdolls. <br />
<br />
Her sister, Miss Clover, passed away almost three years ago and while Clover was ill and blind, Chloe showed her the way to the food and patiently waited for her to eat first. She groomed and curled up with her, even when Clover was cantankerous and in a foul mood. After Clover's death, Miss Chloe simply returned to the group of cats and her role as eldest diva. <br />
<br />
Now, Miss Chloe is 19. She has aged a lot these last three years. Her dark facial mask is fading with rounded circles of light tan above her eyes. She still longs to be perfectly groomed, but does not have the energy for all the effort, nor her sister for cleaning her ears. She battles with kidney failure and refuses to eat the special diet, but she looks forward to her Fancy Feast each day and is holding her own with her weight even though she is very thin. Her eyesight is starting to go, but her hearing is acute. Arthritis has made her gait stiff and her front legs are slightly misshapen by age. She has her favorite bean bag sleeper and still enjoys snuggling with a catnip toy. Most of all, she loves to sleep... or, as here... sit in the sun. <br />
<br />
I don't know how many more years.... or months... she has. I'm sure she will continue to live her life with the dignity she has always had and will let me know in her own way, when it is time. Until then, she will soak in all the sun she wants and eat all the Fancy Feast she wants and strike fear into the hearts of all the other cats... <br />
what was that? Did I see a slight twinkle in that eye as she stares down Nicky? I do believe I did!<br />
<br />
Happy Birthday Miss Chloe!<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://themodulator.org/">Friday's Ark</a><br />
<a href="http://dancingbillysf.blogspot.com/2011/07/weekend-cat-blogging-and-carnival-of.html">Weekend Cat Blogging</a><br />
<a href="http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/2011/07/camera-critters-171.html">Camera Critters</a><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br />
<img alt="Camera Critters" border="0" src="http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x169/TammyDuplessie/CameraCritters2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-84233579026945347282011-07-08T15:21:00.000-04:002011-07-08T15:21:33.221-04:00First The Storm, Then The Promise, Then The Reward<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-drOY7NNNBaA/ThdP9S1huQI/AAAAAAAAGaY/oAIc1_M-79k/s1024/IMG_7247a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-drOY7NNNBaA/ThdP9S1huQI/AAAAAAAAGaY/oAIc1_M-79k/s720/IMG_7247a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">The storm clouds roll.... </span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i><u>'Til The Storm Passes By</u><br />
In the dark of the midnight have I oft hid my face,<br />
While the storm howls above me, and there's no hiding place.<br />
'Mid the crash of the thunder, Precious Lord, hear my cry,<br />
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.<br />
<br />
Till the storm passes over, till the thunder sounds no more,<br />
Till the clouds roll forever from the sky;<br />
Hold me fast, let me stand in the hollow of Thy hand,<br />
Keep me safe till the storm passes by.<br />
<br />
~ Mosie Lister, 1958</i></blockquote><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VCzI3vQh4eU/ThdP9ss_t7I/AAAAAAAAGag/bxmyv8F1qKo/s1024/IMG_7249b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-VCzI3vQh4eU/ThdP9ss_t7I/AAAAAAAAGag/bxmyv8F1qKo/s720/IMG_7249b.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Then the promise......</span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"Mild arch of promise! on the evening sky<br />
Thou shinest fair with many a lovely ray,<br />
Each in the other melting."<br />
~ Robert Southey</i></blockquote><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BjUB1xIl8N8/ThdP9hHu3mI/AAAAAAAAGao/xPYVYE4Cj8U/s1024/IMG_7254.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-BjUB1xIl8N8/ThdP9hHu3mI/AAAAAAAAGao/xPYVYE4Cj8U/s720/IMG_7254.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Then the reward......</span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"The sunrise is Gods greeting - the sunset, his signature." ~ Unknown</i></blockquote>Storms have blossomed each afternoon all week. They appear almost out of nowhere, with wind, flashes of lightening, and booming thunder before the downpours. An inch one day, a tenth the next... nine tenths the next. Slow moving, flash flooding, and still the humidity does not break. A cold front stretches, lazily languishes across the area... asleep. And the storms keep developing. I don't have to water the grass, but the cats hide each day, afraid of the sounds of pounding rain and rolling thunder. Still, after the clouds move on to the ocean... a promise appears in the eastern sky.... a rainbow. Then later, with clouds and storms to the north and south, the setting sun delivers a magnificent masterpiece to the end of the day.<br />
<br />
This was July 6th, 2011.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/2011/07/06/nature-notes-115what-we-call-mans-power-over-nature-turns-out-to-be-a-power-exercised-by-some-men-over-other-men-with-nature-as-its-instrument-c-s-lewis/">Nature's Notes</a><br />
<a href="http://skyley.blogspot.com/">Skywatch Friday</a><br />
<a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/2010/12/14/13071/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TIkmSWHIMnI/AAAAAAAAFfg/CZ8d97RUYpw/s1600/nature-notes.jpg" /></a><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SefviFuUBwI/AAAAAAAACOQ/MYPn1qtMZKE/s200-h/swftom.jpg" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SefviFuUBwI/AAAAAAAACOQ/MYPn1qtMZKE/s160/swftom.jpg" /></a> </div></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-52304591577305529022011-07-06T12:43:00.000-04:002011-07-06T12:43:41.628-04:00Yarrow and Yellow in the Yard<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P7uvTPxReJg/ThRzliP_MII/AAAAAAAAGaI/OGAZW2uWm-g/s1024/IMG_5654a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-P7uvTPxReJg/ThRzliP_MII/AAAAAAAAGaI/OGAZW2uWm-g/s720/IMG_5654a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Yellow</b> rose of Virginia.... sorry Texas.</span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>“'Twas a <b>yellow</b> rose, By that south window of the little house, My cousin Romney gathered with his hand On all my birthdays, for me. save the last; And then I shook the tree too rough, too rough, For roses to stay after.” ~ Elizabeth Barrett Browning, <u>Aurora Leigh (bk. VI)</u></i></blockquote>In Victorian flower language, a <b>yellow</b> rose meant or was used to convey jealousy. However, in the western U.S., the <b>yellow</b> rose came to symbolize a familiar, native and humble love, including feelings of home and domestic happiness, joy, and friendship.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0V5_tmBMJUU/ThRzlo8t7wI/AAAAAAAAGaQ/UY76g9ymuOQ/s1024/YarrowA%2B2011%2BJul%2B6%252C%2B2011%2B10-35%2BAM%2B5120x4096.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-0V5_tmBMJUU/ThRzlo8t7wI/AAAAAAAAGaQ/UY76g9ymuOQ/s720/YarrowA%2B2011%2BJul%2B6%252C%2B2011%2B10-35%2BAM%2B5120x4096.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><b>Yarrow</b> <i>(Achillea millefolium)</i> in my <b>yard</b></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"Thou pretty herb of Venus’ tree,<br />
Thy true name it is <b>Yarrow</b>;<br />
Now who my bosom friend must be,<br />
Pray tell thou me to-morrow.”<br />
~ Halliwell’s Popular Rhymes</i></blockquote>The old Myth concerning the <b>yarrow's</b> name sake, Achilles, states that his Mother made a strong tea of <b>yarrow</b> and, at his birth, dipped him in it, thus making him totally invulnerable except for the heal that she held him by, the Achilles Heal. Another bit of <b>yarrow</b> lore declares that if you sew a bit of <b>yarrow</b> into a flannel pouch, place it under your pillow, and say this poem before going to sleep; you will learn the name of your future bride or groom in your dreams.<br />
<br />
Placed in the garden it discourages beetles, ants and flies! If a handful is added to the compost it will speed up the breakdown of the plant material. In the garden it is a very good companion plant improving the health of all plants around it.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/2011/07/abc-wednesday-needs-you.html">ABC Wednesday ~ Letter "Y"</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TTcpM3emidI/AAAAAAAAF2Q/YdZie1YuWjo/s200/ABC_Wed_8.jpg" width="100" /></a></div><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-76027912471543069342011-07-03T17:14:00.000-04:002011-07-03T17:14:32.607-04:00Busy, Buzzing, Bees! Sort Of.<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WVI4pzYHx5A/Tg6sJK7W8HI/AAAAAAAAGZw/R55w48MQloo/s1024/IMG_6191a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-WVI4pzYHx5A/Tg6sJK7W8HI/AAAAAAAAGZw/R55w48MQloo/s720/IMG_6191a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mine! All mine!<br />
<i>(Click pictures to enlarge)</i></span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"The solitary Bee<br />
Whose buzzing was the only sound of life,<br />
Flew there on restless wing,<br />
Seeking in vain one blossom where to fix."<br />
~ Robert Southey, <u>Thalaba (bk. VI, st. 13)</u> </i></blockquote><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ihfs3CHiNtM/Tg6sJdCDMkI/AAAAAAAAGZ4/QP-E-we3kto/s1024/IMG_6194a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ihfs3CHiNtM/Tg6sJdCDMkI/AAAAAAAAGZ4/QP-E-we3kto/s720/IMG_6194a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">One "busy" bee.</span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"How doth the little busy bee<br />
Improve each shining hour,<br />
And gather honey all the day<br />
From every opening flower.<br />
- Isaac Watts, <u>Against Idleness</u> </i></blockquote><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mr4J4YOabKw/Tg6sJZg4kII/AAAAAAAAGaA/a6ALJAJW5EM/s1024/IMG_6389b.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Mr4J4YOabKw/Tg6sJZg4kII/AAAAAAAAGaA/a6ALJAJW5EM/s720/IMG_6389b.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Drunk with nectar....languishing in the summer sun.</span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"Give and Take... <br />
For to the bee a flower is a fountain if life <br />
And to the flower a bee is a messenger of love <br />
And to both, bee and flower, <br />
the giving and the receiving is a need and an ecstasy."<br />
~ Kahlil Gibran</i></blockquote>"Busy as a bee" and how busy the bees have been this spring. We have all sizes from tiny little yellow fellows, all the way up to these giant bumble bees. They have latched on to the hyssops of blue and apricot (agastache), the lavender, daylilies, milkweed, black-eyed susan, and any other plant with anything that resembles a flower. Of course, the lavender and the bee balm (monarda) are the favorite. In fact, each bloom is often covered with two or three big bees at one time. I noticed that even at dusk when most insects are retreating for the night, these bees almost seemed to be in a bee-drunken stupor; settled down in between the blooms with wings folded, not moving even as the camera came to within inches of their heads. Yes, indeed... these two are drunk with delight. It wouldn't surprise me if they didn't stay on the flowers all night.<br />
<br />
We had many bees last summer as well, but it seems as if there are more this year. And yet, the black swallowtail and monarchs are still slow to lay eggs on the abundant milkweed and fennel. Could the bees be part of the reason?<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/2011/07/01/photohunt-272-busy/">Saturday Photo Hunt ~ Busy (late)</a><br />
<a href="http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/">Mellow Yellow Monday</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sHrLBjmA0vY/TWAFJUkXmRI/AAAAAAAAF6Q/32wpk2xHj-c/s200/PhotoHunt%2B-%2Bre-sized%2B%252B%2Bnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="25" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sHrLBjmA0vY/TWAFJUkXmRI/AAAAAAAAF6Q/32wpk2xHj-c/s200/PhotoHunt%2B-%2Bre-sized%2B%252B%2Bnamed.jpg" width="100" /></a></div><a href="http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="MellowYellowBadge" border="0" src="http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/drowseymonkey/imagephp.png" /></a><br />
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</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-1451996258001110472011-07-01T12:06:00.000-04:002011-07-01T12:06:06.165-04:00Cycle of Life<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JjY1bMt0iek/TgtymQjAlII/AAAAAAAAGZQ/MB629VK1noE/s1024/IMG_6059a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-JjY1bMt0iek/TgtymQjAlII/AAAAAAAAGZQ/MB629VK1noE/s720/IMG_6059a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mr. & Mrs. Bluebird... this couple was obviously young... and disorganized. <br />
<i>(Click pictures to enlarge)</i></span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"A bird is three things:<br />
Feathers, flight and song,<br />
And feathers are the least of these."<br />
~ Marjorie Allen Seiffert, <u>"The Shining Bird"</u></i></blockquote>Again this year, the bluebirds showed up. They were on time and a group of four or five birds snacked at the feeders and checked out the house. But, they were young... the male was lazy.. and chickadees built a nest of soft moss in one day and eggs were laid. The chickadees seemed distressed and more vocal than usual and I saw the male bluebird look in the already occupied birdhouse several times. Then the crime. Someone invaded the chickadee nest, took an egg and threw it against the bay window of our house. The dried protein dribbled down the length of the panes and a small shell fragment remained glued to the top. Who could do this? I would like to believe it was a blackbird or crow or one of the birds I really don't care for; so I give the bluebirds the benefit of the doubt and say it really couldn't have been them, their beaks are too small to carry an egg. Whoever the culprit was, it was so sad for the chickadees as they have a short nesting season and will not likely have another round this year.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FghcFsuzQZU/TgtymtUraHI/AAAAAAAAGZY/n4oKNuOEJdw/s1024/IMG_6060a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-FghcFsuzQZU/TgtymtUraHI/AAAAAAAAGZY/n4oKNuOEJdw/s720/IMG_6060a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mrs. Bluebird was more industrious and practical than her mate.</span></div>When it was obvious that no chickadee babies were in the nest, I cleaned out the house... washed it... let it dry... and opened it back up for business. It still took this couple almost a week to decide on the place. I think she expected his help in building the nest, but his lame attempts ended up in pine needles being stuck in at the last moment; therefore, they simply stuck up and out the edge of the opening in a random way -- not tidy -- and were no help at all. No, the male spent most of his time fluttering at the window, pecking at the other male bluebird he saw as competition and peering in at us in the den (wanting mealworms). I think she expected him to either sit on the eggs while she hunted for food or bring her food. He didn't do either. I started in with the mealworms and she quickly learned that she would have to feed herself, he wouldn't do it.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C3ds7HHksxY/Tgtym_iJ4fI/AAAAAAAAGZg/HcxshHlVBJw/s1024/IMG_6462a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-C3ds7HHksxY/Tgtym_iJ4fI/AAAAAAAAGZg/HcxshHlVBJw/s720/IMG_6462a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Dinner time.</span></div>When the egg/eggs hatched, this young couple had to figure out how to feed the baby/babies. Mr. Bluebird fed himself first, downing four or five mealworms before taking one to the chick. Mrs. Bluebird, with true maternal instincts, fed the baby first and only herself after the chick was taken care of. Unlike last year's group, these did not always finish off the mealworms in record time. Whether it was because they had only one baby, while last year's had at least three or not; the result was that other birds became interested, particularly the brown thrasher. After he devoured the remaining mealworms at one meal, they seemed to become better organized and more purposeful in the feeding and took turns flying back and forth from the birdhouse to the mealworms. This couple added one stage, taking the mealworms to the roof for processing before flying them to the baby. <br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Spn-jwdZ85k/TgtynLmSsII/AAAAAAAAGZo/U38DKUpPAd0/s1024/Bluebird2011A%2BJun%2B29%252C%2B2011%2B2-37%2BPM%2B5120x3200.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-Spn-jwdZ85k/TgtynLmSsII/AAAAAAAAGZo/U38DKUpPAd0/s720/Bluebird2011A%2BJun%2B29%252C%2B2011%2B2-37%2BPM%2B5120x3200.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Feeding time... how could one small baby bird make so much noise.</span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>At feeding time, the noise coming from the birdhouse was amazing and loud; it could be heard all the way to the back door and yet, there seemed to have been only one chick. He poked his head up with mouth wide open to get his food from mom and dad and starred with wide eyes at me. A week ago, I checked the birdhouse and there he was with feathers on his chest and looking like he was almost ready to go. Mrs. Bluebird must have told him to get down in the nest when I went to get my camera, for he was not to be seen when I returned. Sunday morning, the bluebirds had their breakfast of mealworms but by Sunday evening they were gone and though I left mealworms out for three days, no bluebirds. I presume they took their baby into the woods to teach him how to fly and to gather food. The feeder has been busy the last two weeks with all sorts of adult and baby blackbirds, blue jays, even finches; parents showing the babies where the food is and trying to get them to eat from the feeder without having to put it in their mouths. Now, it seems the juveniles have learned and the feeder sessions are more normal.<br />
<br />
I waited for almost a week, then opened the house and took out the abandoned nest and washed the house. The very next day... yesterday... I came downstairs to the pecking sound of bluebirds pecking on the window and much agitation. Male and female, flying back and forth from the house to the feeder to the windowsill. I don't think these are the same bluebirds that just vacated the premises with their baby as they are supposed to stay with him in the woods for at least a few weeks. Hopefully, it is a new pair.. more mature (although this head butting against the window behavior does not indicate any maturity to the female who continually chatters at him while he is doing it) and perhaps they will build another nest and raise another family. I hope so. I still have mealworms left.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://themodulator.org/">Friday's Ark</a><br />
<a href="http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/">Camera Critters</a><br />
<a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/2011/06/29/nature-notes-114in-june-as-many-as-a-dozen-species-may-burst-their-buds-on-a-single-day-no-man-can-heed-all-of-these-anniversaries-no-man-can-ignore-all-of-them-aldo-leopold/">Nature's Notes</a><br />
<a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/2010/12/14/13071/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TIkmSWHIMnI/AAAAAAAAFfg/CZ8d97RUYpw/s200/nature-notes.jpg" /></a><br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><a target="_blank" href="http://camera-critters.blogspot.com"><br /><br /><img border="0" width="75" alt="Camera Critters" src="http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x169/TammyDuplessie/CameraCritters2.jpg" height="75" /></a></div><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-10200837637130353942011-06-30T16:45:00.000-04:002011-06-30T16:45:17.335-04:00Toe-May-Toe, Toe-Ma-Toe<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qPHiEthp9OQ/TgChCkvzfsI/AAAAAAAAGZA/iyLLnrvQWgw/s1024/IMG_6789a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-qPHiEthp9OQ/TgChCkvzfsI/AAAAAAAAGZA/iyLLnrvQWgw/s720/IMG_6789a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Little sweet tomatoes, getting ready to pop them in my mouth! Yum!</span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"It's difficult to think anything but pleasant thoughts while eating a homegrown tomato." ~ Lewis Grizzard</i></blockquote>Storms broke out dead tree tops and littered the yard with limbs and leaves. Pinecones pelted the metal sunroom roof, sounding more like giant hailstones and the wind caught up anything that was not tied down. The grow box with these tiny tomatoes bowed to the power of the wind and rolled to the edge of the deck, then toppled over and down the steps losing a bit of dirt, several large branches and scattering tiny green tomatoes all over the stone patio. I repaired the damage as best possible: replacing the dirt and the soil cover, tying up the vines and relocating the box to be sheltered from future winds.<br />
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These are the survivors -- of the storm and the marauding squirrel bandits -- and they are beginning to ripen. At first, it was slow... one a day for a week.. but now I get a handful a day. Some are red and others orange... but all are tasty and juicy and squirt yummy goodness all in your mouth. I get to eat these at least... Mom has become enamored with the cucumbers and we really need ten vines to keep up with her passion. So far, the birds have left them alone and the squirrels are not brave enough to come directly up to the boxes as they are so close to the door. Now we will simply have to see how long they will produce. <br />
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No matter how you say it... tomatoes are one of summer's great joys.<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-69103571999780327742011-06-27T10:08:00.000-04:002011-06-27T10:08:58.772-04:00Annuals: To Plant or Not To Plant, That Is The Question<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yKh75nLJ1kA/Tf9nK4svTkI/AAAAAAAAGY4/y7FK8duGe1w/s1024/IMG_5878a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-yKh75nLJ1kA/Tf9nK4svTkI/AAAAAAAAGY4/y7FK8duGe1w/s720/IMG_5878a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Lobelia erinus (Blue Cascade) & Calibrachoa hybrid (Yellow)</span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"To analyze the charms of flowers is like dissecting music; it is one of those things which it is far better to enjoy, than to attempt to fully understand." ~ Henry T. Tuckerman.</i></blockquote>I have never been a real fan of annuals; those flowers that do not survive the cooler zones of winter. I've never loved the cycle that the yard guy does in the front beds... spring brings the impatiens or vincas and fall brings the pansies. For one thing, the impatiens don't really love the sun that much and they don't seem to spread well. In Mississippi, our house had quite a few trees which made growing a good lawn a problem (St. Augustine was almost the only grass to grow under those pines), but the impatiens grew and spread, sometimes to three feet tall and a few plants would fill an entire square bed, hiding the boxwoods. Not here. They don't really start filling out -- if they survive the heat and my antipathy towards them -- until September or October when it finally begins to cool off and at their height of blooming, the yard guy comes along and rudely pulls them up. He replaces them with pansies. Now, I love pansies much more than the impatiens; still, while pansies may bloom her in winter, they are wimpy. They really don't like the cold that comes with snow and spend much of the winter looking wilted or frost bit. It really is the spring... usually here this includes late February and March, perhaps into April... where they are at their best. I have managed to nurse a few along in a pot on the deck, but now in June, even these are on their last leg and wobbling. In the front beds, the pansies only start looking really good and trying to spread when March gets here. And again, at the height of their beauty, they are snatched up and replaced in May. The endless cycle. It seems wrong. And so this is why I seldom plant annuals... at least knowingly.<br />
<br />
When Stephen was here, he found this hanging basket of bright yellow million bells (I think a petunia relative), blue lobelia and (not pictured) red flowers (the name escapes me.. this happens more and more with each passing year.. though I doubt I ever knew the name of the red flowers). They are all annuals and won't make it until next summer, but I have to admit they are beautiful. Downside... must be watered every day and I mean, everyday. You cannot be two hours late before they start to wilt. It must be something about the planter they are in because I have a homemade basket of million bells and petunias that is not this sensitive. <br />
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I love to see the plants and don't mind pruning back or deadheading (except tickweed which is tedious), but I really like to plant only once and then watch as the little shoots and stems poke through the ground in spring again. I tend to look like a giant mudball when planting, not my favorite thing to be. So I tend to plant perennials. However, this year the monarch and black swallowtail have been slower to show up and my fennel is six feet tall, just waiting for some caterpillars and the milkweed overfloweth and the bees of all types are having orgies in the bee balm and lavender and agastache. So where are they? On the annuals. On this plant.<br />
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<div style='text-align:center;margin:0px auto 10px;'><a href='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ELbD9t8hFAc/TgiK2UWbQJI/AAAAAAAAGZI/N-a9yQAdd0c/s1024/IMG_7141a.jpg'><img src='http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-ELbD9t8hFAc/TgiK2UWbQJI/AAAAAAAAGZI/N-a9yQAdd0c/s720/IMG_7141a.jpg' border='0' alt='' /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Black Swallowtail with red... verbena?</span></div><br />
Perhaps I SHOULD plant a few more annuals... sigh.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/2011/06/mellow-yellow-monday-127.html">Mellow Yellow Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/search/label/Ruby%20Tuesday">Ruby Tuesday</a><br />
<a href="http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="MellowYellowBadge" border="0" src="http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/drowseymonkey/imagephp.png" /></a><br />
<a href="http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/search/label/Ruby%20Tuesday" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UEGy-8c06F8/SD8KQY1RaKI/AAAAAAAADho/SfeHJEK5Qbs/S220/rubytuesday.bmp" /></a><br />
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</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-73234256329234600862011-06-18T22:17:00.002-04:002011-06-19T16:17:39.740-04:00Signs..Signs..Everywhere There's Signs<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rUVWZlutEJQ/TfrNTJ_hO_I/AAAAAAAAGYo/_yPtaYe_afk/s1024/SignsA%2BJun%2B16%252C%2B2011%2B11-22%2BPM%2B5120x3956.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-rUVWZlutEJQ/TfrNTJ_hO_I/AAAAAAAAGYo/_yPtaYe_afk/s720/SignsA%2BJun%2B16%252C%2B2011%2B11-22%2BPM%2B5120x3956.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Clockwise from top left: Tokyo, Las Vegas, Brooklyn, and Grand Canary Islands.<br />
<i>(Click pictures to enlarge)</i></span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>“One of the sad signs of our times is that we have demonized those who produce, subsidized those who refuse to produce, and canonized those who complain.” ~Thomas Sowell (American Writer and Economist, b.1930)</i></blockquote>I have a photo of a group of Canada geese standing on the shore of a local lake next to a sign that reads... "NO SWIMMING". It is as if they wonder... "Does this mean me?" These signs are from around the world.. some three dimensional, some profound and some simply different. Since I don't travel much these days, those from overseas were taken by my brother. The first, from Tokyo shows businessmen and women waiting to cross the street, although I must admit that I wondered if they were male models posing... then again... no, no way.. waiting to cross the street. All of them in black suits or skirts, black jackets or dark gray coats and white shirts; uniform in nature... conforming....expected. But the huge red LOVE sign in the background POPS off the page and gives it a strange twist (which is why I wondered if there was a photo shoot going on for a magazine cover or something). The "LOVE" also feeds into the next sign... M&M's. I do so love M&M's, either plain or with almonds (peanuts are ok but almonds are heavenly). The crazy bright colors and the three dimensional look of the lovable and sweet (in more ways than one) characters make me want to walk right into the store and buy all the M&M's my suitcase can hold. This sign would stand out here at home, but in Las Vegas... everything is gaudy and everything is brightly colored and over-the-top. You can see the Coca-Cola store next door with its oversized bottle... anyway... I love M&M's.<br />
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The next sign is one of several on the outer walls of the Brooklyn Public Library, profound and true. Even in these days of instant downloads of Kindle books, I still like to walk through the stacked shelves of the library; to smell the pages of the books and see the worn page edges. If I can check it out from the library for free, I won't buy the book to download. In any form, electronic or hardcover... books are definitely the inheritance of generations. <br />
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I thought the final sign in this group was cute... it reads "pedestrian zone".. so someone painted pedestrians on the wall behind the sign. In doing so, the artist fulfilled the intent of the sign... now it IS a pedestrian zone!<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXmyOmzmzUA/TfrNTpEJi6I/AAAAAAAAGYw/JR3NHupNcT4/s1024/TorontoTokMuna%2B053a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-zXmyOmzmzUA/TfrNTpEJi6I/AAAAAAAAGYw/JR3NHupNcT4/s720/TorontoTokMuna%2B053a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">My brother is the central figure in this opera sign.</span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div>Yes, my brother is the large central figure in this opera poster sign... he's the one with the gun pointed at his head. Operas always put these large signs to advertise the coming event or the opera currently playing. Here in the United States, opera isn't that popular and the opera companies are much smaller, as are the productions. In Japan, however, the people are wild about opera to an almost fanatic degree. Stephen has performed several times in Tokyo, in this case the only opera written by Mozart... Fidelio. It is one of those comedy/drama stories... he plays Florestan, a nobleman, who has been kidnapped and imprisoned by an evil governor who spreads the word that Florestan is dead. Leonore, Florestan's wife, suspects he is still alive and she pretends to be a man (Fidelio) and manages to obtain a job as the chief jailer's helper. She smuggles provisions to her husband in the dungeon.<br />
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However, the daughter of the chief jailer, falls in love with Fidelio (not knowing that he is really Leonore) and rebuffs another young assistant who is mad for her. The governor tries to get the chief jailor to kill Florestan when he discovers that a high minister in the government is on his way to inspect the prison. The minister, Florestans close friend, will surely find him and the governor will be in real trouble. The chief jailer refuses, so the governor goes to do the murderous deed himself... the minister is within sight on the road. Lenore as Fidelio is in the dungeon with her husband and flings herself between the governor and her bound husband. She reveals herself and the pistol she has smuggled in; but as she prepares to shoot the governor or die trying to save her husband, the trumpet sounds... the minister is here... Florestan is saved! Leonore releases her husband and all is well. Oh... the chief jailer's daughter is a bit rattled that Fidelio was actually Leonore, but she quickly gets over it when the young man who is mad for her again professes his love and she accepts. It's one of those "happily ever after" endings... well, except for the evil governor... one that is not often seen in opera. In fact, this is one of the few parts my brother plays that does NOT die in the end. <br />
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While Stephen was still singing as a house tenor in Linz, Austria, they did a production of "Peter Grimes". Opera is sung in the language it is written in and this was written in English. He plays a rustic fisherman and of course, dies in the end. For the pre-opera advertising, they shot photos of him in his costume... a thick sweater, jeans and old fisherman hat.. with thick nets. The ocean was in the background and he was kneeling on the sand. This was the opera poster shot and they made it into a large billboard as well. He told me it was always disconcerting to walk down that street and look up to see a multiple times life size picture of himself. Life-size, he is big and imposing. The billboard.....really scary.<br />
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Carmi is collecting "signs" this week... I know he is going to have a lot of great ones. Actually, when I read what he wants over there... it really isn't this. I probably SHOULD have posted the geese with the "no swimming" sign. Oh, well. I am this far into it so I am just going to go with it... just won't link it over there. This is why one should ALWAYS read the instructions AND any fine print. However, the Saturday Photo Hunt, which I missed of course is on "informative". I thought this meant an informative post.. and this is one, in a way. But signs also are very informative.. at least sometimes. So, better late than never... on to the Photo Hunt.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/2011/06/18/photohunt-270-informative/">Saturday Photo Hunt ~ "Informative"</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sHrLBjmA0vY/TWAFJUkXmRI/AAAAAAAAF6Q/32wpk2xHj-c/s200/PhotoHunt%2B-%2Bre-sized%2B%252B%2Bnamed.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="25" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sHrLBjmA0vY/TWAFJUkXmRI/AAAAAAAAF6Q/32wpk2xHj-c/s200/PhotoHunt%2B-%2Bre-sized%2B%252B%2Bnamed.jpg" width="100" /></a></div></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-29115944649817964332011-06-15T11:51:00.000-04:002011-06-15T11:51:40.152-04:00Family of Another Nature<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Beco3qcz-3U/TfixEjbWl1I/AAAAAAAAGYU/TMUIZOdMV7Y/s1024/IMG_5818a-1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Beco3qcz-3U/TfixEjbWl1I/AAAAAAAAGYU/TMUIZOdMV7Y/s720/IMG_5818a-1.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A small family of Canada geese out for a swim. <i>(Virginia Beach)</i></span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"Everywhere water is a thing of beauty, gleaming in the dewdrops; singing in the summer rain; shining in the ice-gems till the leaves all seem to turn to living jewels; spreading a golden veil over the setting sun; or a white gauze around the midnight moon." ~ John Ballantine Gough, <u>A Glass of Water</u></i></blockquote>We have a huge population of Canada geese, many of whom refuse to migrate south in the winter or north in the spring. It is often funny to see them in their migration "V" flying northwest in the fall. I often want to yell up at them, "Hey, guys, that is the WRONG WAY!"; but then they glide gracefully in a downward spiraling arch and land in the large pond behind the neighbor's house. Oh... just moving from one pond to another, I see.<br />
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I do believe that these (probably considered "native" by now) geese are the first to have families in the spring. Ours have developed a great community plan; the young goslings are shipped off to boarding school, at least for the daytime hours. Approximately ten to sixteen little fluff balls are shepherded by three or four adults and the day is full of lessons to be learned. They are taught to swim... in a long line with one adult at the head and one bringing up the rear and at least one to the side, to catch any strays. More importantly, they are taught to cross the road. I do believe that the first step is... start slowly but resolutely, the cars will stop; though the second must be...don't try this at night. More than once this spring, I had to come to a complete stop as the goose grade school practiced their crossing (as we all know, practice makes perfect). One adult stood on the destination golf course grass gathering the goslings around that had already navigated the street. One waited on the median to make sure everyone was in a line and on the march and a third was the traffic guard, standing right in the middle of the road. The babies hopped (fell) off the curb into the road and started their trek across. One was mesmerized by a rock in the road and stopped to investigate, causing a pile up behind. Adult guard quacked... baby ignored... adult walked over, bent his neck down and honked and nudged the little one along, flapping his wings as he chased the baby to the other side. This seemed to bring all the others back into order and the rest knew better than to cross this crossing guard again. The biggest obstacle is the curb on the far side as, yet unable to fly, they must jump their height to get back up to the grass. Many took several attempts before success. I have always wonder if these "teachers" send their pupils back to their parents at the end of the day.<br />
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This family was seen swimming in one of the inlets along the Chesapeake Bay in Virginia Beach. It was late May and most of the other resident goslings had almost grown to the size of their parents. Perhaps, this family actually migrated from the south or maybe the later goslings don't get to go to kindergarten and are home schooled instead. I wonder.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/06/thematic-photographic-149-family.html">Carmi's Theme ~ "family"</a><br />
<a href="http://pineriverreview.blogspot.com/2011/06/world-bird-wednesday-xxx.html">World Bird Wednesday</a><br />
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<a href="http://waterywednesday.blogspot.com/2011/06/watery-wednesday-144.html">Watery Wednesday</a><br />
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</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-54644772823452501242011-06-13T21:39:00.000-04:002011-06-13T21:39:19.382-04:00Hot Lips<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U7C8ZR4G0Y/Tfa2LDKnOvI/AAAAAAAAGXo/-FVLlG1sPos/s1024/IMG_5591a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-1U7C8ZR4G0Y/Tfa2LDKnOvI/AAAAAAAAGXo/-FVLlG1sPos/s720/IMG_5591a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Salvia x microphylla 'Hot Lips'... a changeable diva!</span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"If one consults enough herbals...every sickness known to humanity will be listed as being cured by sage." ~ Varro Taylor, Ph.D. (herb expert)</i></blockquote>We already had a large pot with a bush sage planted and growing and showing off the bright red blooms that are so irresistible to hummingbirds; but this little gem was too gorgeous to pass up. I nestled it between the milkweed and the coneflowers and it loves the area. When first planted, the little flowers were totally red; but as the days grew hot, the flowers changed color....<br />
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From a deep crimson red all over......<br />
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.....to a fabulous stripe of red against a background of pure white... very 'Hot Lips' indeed. According to several sources, the flowers may also be all white -- pure as the winter snow-- if you want to believe such a saucy flower can do so. I am going to try and collect some of the tiny seed and see what I can do with it. For now, the flowers are going strong and the hummingbirds have been dining, as have the bees and a few butterflies.<br />
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This is a variety of sage, though not the typical herb used in cooking. Still, when you crush a couple of leaves together or break off a spent flower stem, the aroma of pungent sage is left on your fingers and in the air. Heavenly.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/2011/06/ruby-tuesday_13.html">Ruby Tuesday </a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SgCGk4vHvXI/AAAAAAAACUM/qTp_OR3kJdA/s100-h/ruby-slippers-door-stop+copy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="100" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332409927070104946" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SgCGk4vHvXI/AAAAAAAACUM/qTp_OR3kJdA/s100/ruby-slippers-door-stop+copy.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="86" /></a><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-54359353476284060042011-06-11T10:53:00.061-04:002011-06-11T14:47:28.115-04:00Saturday Photo Hunt: The Lighthouse<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ohS4BwR7zU/TfOBbAVVuzI/AAAAAAAAGXA/xQPZn4RaGzg/s1024/Home%2BTriangles%2BJun%2B11%252C%2B2011%2B10-49%2BAM%2B5120x3620.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-3ohS4BwR7zU/TfOBbAVVuzI/AAAAAAAAGXA/xQPZn4RaGzg/s720/Home%2BTriangles%2BJun%2B11%252C%2B2011%2B10-49%2BAM%2B5120x3620.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Clockwise from top left: The construction of our "lighthouse"...in progression </span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"You, who wish to study great and wonderful things, who wonder about the movement of the stars, must read these theorems about triangles. Knowing these ideas will open the door to all of astronomy and to certain geometric problems." ~ Regiomontanus, Johann (German mathematician and astronomer. 1436-1476)</i></blockquote>I found out that our neighbors have dubbed the sunroom addition as "The Lighthouse"; the shining light through the stained glass at night is probably the reason. My cousin from Illinois designed it and he and his brother did the interior beam and woodworking, as well as the construction of all the furniture inside. All throughout the construction phase I took pictures of the rough wooden beams and the triangles they formed. Inside and out, triangles. The cupola roof fashioned by triangles of copper, the crossbeam supporting the hanging fan and lights, the multicolored panes of stained glass, and even the small decorative touch at the apex of the interior is triangular (a maltese cross centered with a pyramid of four triangles). On a sunny day, rays flow through the windows and cast a rainbow of color on the ceiling and walls; at night the uplighting from the fan glows through to shine in the dark... the lighthouse.<br />
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It is, by far, my favorite room in the house.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
Photo Hunt ~ "Triangle"<a href="http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/2011/06/11/photohunt-269-triangle/"><br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TF2oDjBwv2I/AAAAAAAAFVU/14ShWyIq01Q/s200/photohunter7iq.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TF2oDjBwv2I/AAAAAAAAFVU/14ShWyIq01Q/s320/photohunter7iq.png" /></a></div></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com21tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-6505208577893560472011-06-08T18:51:00.003-04:002011-06-08T21:46:08.323-04:00I Spoke Too Soon!<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8tIF5fmyWOk/Te-gFsDMCpI/AAAAAAAAGWk/lKjFihilw6M/s1024/IMG_5028a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-8tIF5fmyWOk/Te-gFsDMCpI/AAAAAAAAGWk/lKjFihilw6M/s720/IMG_5028a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Unruly Urchin.... makes me utterly upset!!!</span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"In such a strait the wisest may well be perplexed, and the boldest staggered." ~ Edmund Burke, <u>Thoughts on the Cause of the Present Discontents</u></i></blockquote>I spoke too soon! This <b>u</b>nruly <b>u</b>rchin and his <b>u</b>nion of <b>u</b>rban outlaws have gotten the <b>u</b>pper hand again. The <b>u</b>ltrasonic device I <b>u</b>rged folks to <b>u</b>se is <b>u</b>tterly <b>u</b>seless and <b>u</b>nproductive in its appointed <b>u</b>ndertaking. OK. I really cannot think of many more "U" words and it makes my head ache.... my thesaurus is about to go up in smoke. I recommended an ultrasonic squirrel and animal repelling machine by a company called Bird-X. At first, it seemed to be <b>u</b>nbelievably (I did it again) effective and thwarted the critters for over a week. But then, I re-filled the bird feeders and they simply came back. Occasionally, I see where they have knocked it over to a face down position and other times, they simply stand in front of it and laugh hysterically at me watching them from the window. But now it is WAR! I caught one on the deck munching on one of my small tomatoes.... I am afraid that my brother is right...these squirrels have to depart, scram, vamoose... one way or the other.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/2011/06/uniquely-u.html">ABC Wednesday ~ "U"</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://abcwednesday-mrsnesbitt.blogspot.com/" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="80" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TTcpM3emidI/AAAAAAAAF2Q/YdZie1YuWjo/s200/ABC_Wed_8.jpg" width="100" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/"><img border="0" height="60" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TTe1rfqLXWI/AAAAAAAAF2Y/9sigrI2-TN0/s100/nn-logo2.jpg" width="80" /></a></div><br />
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<a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/2011/06/08/nature-notes-112what-nature-requires-is-obtainable-and-within-easy-reach-it-is-for-the-superfluous-we-sweat-lucius-annaeus-seneca/">Nature's Notes</a><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com15tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-55726613595722459992011-06-07T13:53:00.000-04:002011-06-07T13:53:31.352-04:00My Love Is Like A Red, Red Rose<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M7kwHlM1fwU/TeUHTkmMRfI/AAAAAAAAGTc/AcN4FYAlcmc/s1024/IMG_5966a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-M7kwHlM1fwU/TeUHTkmMRfI/AAAAAAAAGTc/AcN4FYAlcmc/s720/IMG_5966a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Mr. Lincoln... hybrid tea rose.</span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"O, my love is like a red, red rose,<br />
That's newly sprung in June.<br />
O, my Love is like the melody,<br />
That's sweetly played in tune."<br />
~ Robert Burns (1759-1796)</i></blockquote>We've had a spring -- a real spring -- with cool temperatures and moderate rain and then the yo-yo factor thrown in. As a <strike>reward</strike> punishment, we now have summer -- late summer, July and August summer -- with temperatures approaching triple digits, the air heavy with humidity, and no breeze to speak of. Plants are confused and befuddled, as are the butterflies. The black swallowtail have still not bombarded the fennel as last year and I have only six monarch caterpillars chomping away on the milkweed, safe in the sunroom. Each day, I expect the Japanese beetles to show up in the delicate roses (the black spot has already arrived); so I enjoy each small triumph of bloom on the rose as it happens. Mr. Lincoln was planted last year and gave one bloom, a glorious bloom to be sure, but only one. This year, two. Twice as many deep garnet soft petals, captured in digital image but now gone, whisked away by a fleeting gust of wind. Perhaps it will surprise me and produce more; yet, if not, I will be grateful for the rich ruby light it added to our day.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/2011/06/ruby-tuesday.html">Ruby Tuesday</a><br />
<a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SgCGk4vHvXI/AAAAAAAACUM/qTp_OR3kJdA/s100-h/ruby-slippers-door-stop+copy.jpg" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img alt="" border="0" height="100" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5332409927070104946" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SgCGk4vHvXI/AAAAAAAACUM/qTp_OR3kJdA/s100/ruby-slippers-door-stop+copy.jpg" style="display: block; margin-bottom: 10px; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; margin-top: 0px; text-align: center;" width="86" /></a><br />
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</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com11tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-68039356991939520632011-06-04T12:18:00.001-04:002011-06-04T13:18:44.909-04:00A Dirty Dozing Dog and Smudged Soiled Shoe<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UZ9FhMJz0c/TepMT40NTgI/AAAAAAAAGWA/9hBNRbbWt4U/s1024/DSCF0566a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-7UZ9FhMJz0c/TepMT40NTgI/AAAAAAAAGWA/9hBNRbbWt4U/s720/DSCF0566a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A dirty dozing dog and a smudged soiled shoe.</span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><i><blockquote>"Gardening is about enjoying the smell of things growing in the soil, getting dirty without feeling guilty, and generally taking the time to soak up a little peace and serenity." ~ Lindley Karstens</i></blockquote>I have a pair of old sneakers that are worn through and soil stained with compost and dirt, stiff with repetitive soakings, and ragged with open cracks; yet they are sure and supportive where I need them most and they feel good on my feet. Usually, I pair them with white long pants, white shirt with long sleeves, a garden hat to cover my face and neck, white socks with the ends cut out to cover the hands and wrists before topping off with gloves, and long white tube socks to pull over the bottoms of the pants.<br />
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Of course this brings several questions to mind that you might have.... WHY? Why white? Why long sleeves in hot weather? Or WHY on earth would you go out where someone might see you in a giddy-up like that? Or even more likely, WHY haven't you posted a picture of yourself in this outfit? This last question is the easiest to answer... "Because I wouldn't let ANYONE get a picture of me in this outfit, as I know how strange and ridiculous it looks. Only Daisy, my dog would be allowed to take a picture... and since she hasn't a clue about how to work the camera, I am safe.<br />
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As to the other questions, I have to go out in this outfit because I MUST dig in the dirt and I MUST garden.. for sanity. Hey! I'm not looking for a knight in shining armor to show up anytime soon, my hair frizzes in the humidity and heat and I get smudges all over my face as well as all over the clothes... so basically, I don't care if I look like a golfer from the 40's. Or you could say, I care more about the flowers for butterflies and caterpillars and the plants for the birds and bees than I care that my neighbors see me as ridiculous. Besides... my garden and beds are way better than theirs are... so ... na-na-na-na-na-na... there! The long sleeves and pants and coverage from head to foot are a bother in hot weather.. but necessary. Since we are at the edge of a wetland forest preserve, we have a major tick population; everything you can do to cover up any entrance point they have is prudent... and this year they seem to be even worse than usual. We have them all.. those with Rocky Mountain Spotted Fever, Lyme's disease and even a new one that carries something they call Tidewater Fever. It isn't as severe a disease but the tick that carries the bug is centered at the Great Dismal Swamp... just five miles or less from us... so.. there you have it. Oh, yes... why WHITE? For a similar reason... since it is a given fact that anytime you work near the preserve, i.e. in the yard or behind the fence, you WILL be exposed to ticks... the white shirts and pants and socks and such are much easier to examine for ticks. The tick shows up against the white background better than dark blue jeans... easier to remove and squash. Of course, with this get-up on, I usually dose my clothes with a thick spray of Deep Woods Off in an effort to limit the number of ticks that take the plunge and hitch a ride on my white shirt. At the end of the day, a close examination gets rid of most of them... then the really, really dirty clothes go in the sink and another search before hitting the washer. Even with all these precautions, you still have to check all the nooks and creases for any strays that might have gotten through the defenses.... they are the most sneaky of bugs. If only there were a bird that consumed them by the millions. (sigh!)<br />
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Daisy tries to help garden, she sometimes even digs (until scolded); but she prefers a place to snooze in the shade on the patio or even better, in the air conditioned sunroom. Yes, she gets dirty...her ears hang low and drag in the mulch... and she does rarely get a tick but her Frontline takes care of them. It would be nice if they could formulate a Frontline product for us... once a month application to kill and sterilize those critters; then we could shed those strange togs for more fashionable sleeveless chiffon tops and light weight shorts while gardening... but we would still get "dirty".<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/05/thematic-photographic-148-well-aged.html">Carmi's theme ~ "well-aged" ~ both shoe and dog.</a><br />
<a href="http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/2011/06/04/photohunt-268-dirty/">Saturday Photo Hunt ~ "Dirty"</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TF2oDjBwv2I/AAAAAAAAFVU/14ShWyIq01Q/s200/photohunter7iq.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TF2oDjBwv2I/AAAAAAAAFVU/14ShWyIq01Q/s320/photohunter7iq.png" /></a></div><a href="http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/2011/06/camera-critters-165.html">Camera Critters</a><div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: left;"><a href="http://camera-critters.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><br />
<img alt="Camera Critters" border="0" src="http://i184.photobucket.com/albums/x169/TammyDuplessie/CameraCritters2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
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</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com22tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-5880653909426580072011-06-02T21:57:00.001-04:002011-06-02T22:25:59.139-04:00June 2, 1951 ~ June 2, 2011<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>It started with a simple ring, many years ago,<br />
And now you have a treasure chest that’s begun to overflow.<br />
For 25 years of married bliss, much silver did you store,<br />
And then you reached your 40th, with ruby stones galore!<br />
You travelled through life to 50 years of happy wedded bliss<br />
Your treasure grew with golden gifts, to toast your happiness<br />
And now you’ve reached that special day, that’s only seen by few<br />
60 years together, now its diamonds for both of you.<br />
But the treasure that you value most isn’t jewels, silver or gold<br />
But the love you have for each other, that has never grown old!<br />
~ Unknown</i></blockquote><br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aw9mHIwvgVc/Tegy8DqmuOI/AAAAAAAAGVI/aufzLo2qxkE/s1024/ScanBZa%2B6-1-2005%2B8-23-26%2BPM%2B1674x1302.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-Aw9mHIwvgVc/Tegy8DqmuOI/AAAAAAAAGVI/aufzLo2qxkE/s720/ScanBZa%2B6-1-2005%2B8-23-26%2BPM%2B1674x1302.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">June 2, 1951... the beginning.</span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"The bonds of matrimony are like any other bonds - they mature slowly." ~ Peter De Vries</i></blockquote>Sixty years of marriage together... the Diamond Anniversary! Today my parents (Stephen's parents too, although I have been known to question this in the past.) have been married for sixty years. Ten years ago, we threw them a huge party and 225 of their friends attended to show their love and appreciation for their work and their lives through the years. This milestone is celebrated more quietly.<br />
<br />
<div style="in: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8uKphk_80as/Tegy8GVYUvI/AAAAAAAAGVQ/3iB6a5xRLaM/s1024/IMG_6204a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-8uKphk_80as/Tegy8GVYUvI/AAAAAAAAGVQ/3iB6a5xRLaM/s720/IMG_6204a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">June 2, 2011... 60 years and going strong.</span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"Chains do not hold a marriage together. It is threads, hundreds of tiny threads which sew people together through the years." ~ Simone Signoret</i></blockquote>I was going to put their picture in the paper but six weeks ago, Mom fell on her face... literally. She was bruised from her hairline down her whole left face, chin and neck. Stitches on her chin and lip and the dense hematoma were bad enough, but she also broke her right jaw. Fortunately, no wiring was involved and the bruising is much, much, much better. Still, their picture in the paper might suggest something different than a long-time loving marriage. So I took these to have for their memories. Others remembered as well. The mailman was busy the past few days and bombarded us with cards, especially today. Phone calls have come from around the country and a fruit basket from the General Church of the Nazarene. (Dad was a pastor for many, many years.)<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aj4qKckhCvI/Tegy8TDrbcI/AAAAAAAAGVY/lOUfWwkhVOU/s1024/IMG_6206a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-aj4qKckhCvI/Tegy8TDrbcI/AAAAAAAAGVY/lOUfWwkhVOU/s720/IMG_6206a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Diamond Anniversary... OK, where's the diamond?</span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"One of the good things that come of a true marriage is, that there is one face on which changes come without your seeing them; or rather there is one face which you can still see the same, through all the shadows which years have gathered upon it." ~ George MacDonald</i></blockquote>Usually they go out alone together for their anniversary dinner, but this year Dad didn't feel up to driving and I went along to chauffeur. Mom ate all the seafood she isn't supposed to as well as bread, potatoes and she-crab soup; but it is such a special and rare anniversary that few people get to celebrate these days. Why not.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t-GNb8iaI1M/Tegy8pVlVaI/AAAAAAAAGVg/TUWU1YGxFsI/s1024/IMG_6207a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-t-GNb8iaI1M/Tegy8pVlVaI/AAAAAAAAGVg/TUWU1YGxFsI/s720/IMG_6207a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Still up for a kiss...after all these years. </span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"Grow old along with me! The best is yet to be, The last of life, for which the first was made: Our times are in his hands Who sayeth 'a whole I planned, Youth shows but half; Trust God; see all nor be afraid." ~ Robert Browning</i></blockquote>These two show that while the hearing goes and often time neither knows who is saying what to whom, love goes on and just being two together forever is more than enough.... a well-aged marriage.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/05/thematic-photographic-148-well-aged.html">Carmi's Theme ~ "well aged", as in a well-aged marriage</a></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-38028342502606538652011-06-02T14:39:00.000-04:002011-06-02T14:39:23.392-04:00Let's Play I Spy<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6H7kjTSFmg/Teb4nluUwYI/AAAAAAAAGUk/1gPdy0zl8JY/s1024/IMG_6042a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-I6H7kjTSFmg/Teb4nluUwYI/AAAAAAAAGUk/1gPdy0zl8JY/s720/IMG_6042a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">It's daylily time.</span></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"On the face of it, the easiest of all activities should be seeing what we see. In reality, it's the hardest." ~ Charles Movalli</i></blockquote>Have you every played "I Spy" or maybe "Where's Waldo?" I thought we would enjoy a little game today; but first I must digress to another story that has nothing to do with either "I Spy" or "Where's Waldo?" (or maybe it does).<br />
<br />
Most of you know I have cats and some of you probably believe I have an excessive number of cats for a "normal" person. However, I have never claimed to be "normal" and my number of cats is dwindling from the unavoidable attrition that comes with increasing age. (I am now only living with four cats.) Once upon a time (every good story begins with this) I lived with another group of cats, all Siamese. Shamroc was the eldest and a seal point, Cassiopeia (Cassi for short), another seal point, and Rami, a blue point. They traveled with us everywhere for many years and it was on one of those excursions to Wichita Falls, that this story takes place.<br />
<br />
My ex-mother-in-law (she wasn't and "ex" at that time; but you figured that out didn't you) had just re-done her bedroom with paint and curtains and a new king sized bed and bed linens. She longed for a picture of her new room to show her friends. Some of you, perhaps most of you, no longer remember the days of the Polaroid instant cameras (except for those tiny funky shot things my daughter had as a teenager that made weird instant picture stickers), but this was what I had. This was a time before I could afford a film 35mm camera, so you must be able to imagine what the style was back then... in the late '70's and early 80's. OK, please try not to gag too loud. <br />
<br />
Anyway, as a dutiful daughter-in-law I obliged and stood in the dormer window facing the bed and snapped away. As the pictures lay on the bed and the foggy images slowly started to take shape, there was a curious blob centered at the botom of the picture. Milky and murky at first, it began to take shape; something dark and mysterious and at the same time stately and royal. Finally, the bedspread came into focus, as did the headboard and curtains and night stand and the rug... and the blob. IT WAS SHAMROC! I didn't see him through the viewfinder; but he positioned himself at the foot of the bed right in the dead center bottom of the picture, almost as if he were sitting on the edge of the white picture margin frame. AND he was turned just slightly sidways to show off the sloping curve of his back; his paws were placed together and his tail curled around and tucked in just in front of his paws. His head was trained directly on the camera with blue eyes front and center. HE POSED! Shamroc posed for the camera and gave a perfect shot, though no one knew he was there. Then, he WAS a special cat.<br />
<br />
So, what does the previous story have to do with a lovely garden scene and gorgeous daylilies and a birdbath that is definitely leaking? Can you not guess? I took this picture from our living room window. It has been sooooo hot and humid that stepping outside into the wet sauna is more than I can take. So I take pictures from my little bench next to the window; pictures of the birds, hummers, and the occasional pastoral scene that invites the feeling of coolness at least. My brother gave me a long lens and I use it for this purpose. So I am at least fifteen to 20 feet away from these shots. As I worked with the pictures on my computer, something caught my eye... similar to the way that black blob showed up in my picture. Now, can you guess... is there anything showing up to you?<br />
<br />
Scroll on down and get a closer shot.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NZyFySk0L2s/Teb4n-KliBI/AAAAAAAAGUs/n7qDBG52c7A/s1024/IMG_6040%2B%25281a%2529.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-NZyFySk0L2s/Teb4n-KliBI/AAAAAAAAGUs/n7qDBG52c7A/s720/IMG_6040%2B%25281a%2529.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">I've patched cracks in this birdbath but it still leaks, just not as fast.</span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"The question is not what you look at, but what you see." ~ Thoreau</i></blockquote>Do you see it now? After the first batch appeared and vanished at the end of April, just as they did last year, I have been looking and watching for more...to no avail. But here, it appears in my picture and I wasn't even looking.... have you figured it out yet? OK... a real cropped out close up is below.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iACvGvHtZmg/Teb4n8_IsuI/AAAAAAAAGU0/xRFn6D6wue0/s400/IMG_6040a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-iACvGvHtZmg/Teb4n8_IsuI/AAAAAAAAGU0/xRFn6D6wue0/s400/IMG_6040a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">A bit fuzzy but a monarch none the less.</span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"You can observe a lot by just watching." ~ Yogi Berra</i></blockquote>Yes. A Monarch caterpillar of full size and it looks as if it has already entered into the wandering phase; as they rarely leave the milkweed until it is time. Of course I looked for him this morning, but alas, he has meandered away and hopefully has found a safe place to rest and form his chrysalis. I checked the milkweed again and still don't seen any eggs or small caterpillars. I guess it is time to break out the incubators and get them set up for the Monarchs and the Black Swallowtails.<br />
<br />
So how did you do? Did you find him without my help? Did the story give some hints? Or did you have to scroll to the last picture.. come on.. tell the truth now!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/2011/06/01/nature-notes-111if-the-mortality-rate-seems-high-we-must-realize-that-nature-is-a-ruthless-teacher-there-are-no-second-chances-in-mother-natures-survival-course-william-s-burrough/">Nature's Notes (a day late)</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/"><img border="0" height="60" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TTe1rfqLXWI/AAAAAAAAF2Y/9sigrI2-TN0/s100/nn-logo2.jpg" width="80" /></a></div><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-40947809933850270012011-05-29T16:54:00.000-04:002011-05-29T16:54:08.309-04:00House of Blues.....And Hands<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHHylu2kYK4/Td52cCEF9MI/AAAAAAAAGSg/-G04HN3cyak/s1024/SDC10084a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-iHHylu2kYK4/Td52cCEF9MI/AAAAAAAAGSg/-G04HN3cyak/s720/SDC10084a.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Blue hand building... Grand Canary Island</span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>“Architecture is a social act and the material theater of human activity.” ~ Spiro Kostof (Architectural historian, 1936 - 1991)</i></blockquote>More pictures of the <strike>strange</strike> -- "unusual" architecture found on the Grand Canary Island. These were photographed by my brother when he performed in an opera there a couple of years ago. The stunning shades of blue covering the stucco walls are eye-catching on their own; but then you begin to see three dimensional sculptured shapes on the sides -- hands!<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WVYES8L-NBc/Td52ce1s3KI/AAAAAAAAGSo/H3fUqtV3As4/s1024/SDC10085a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-WVYES8L-NBc/Td52ce1s3KI/AAAAAAAAGSo/H3fUqtV3As4/s720/SDC10085a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;"><i>(You may click the pictures to get a larger view)</i></span></div><br />
These remind me of words or phrases delivered in sign language, however, my knowledge is limited to the ABC's. Molding surrounds some of the hands like picture frames. Honestly, at first, the sight of hand "gargoyles" protruding from the walls of a building creeped me out a bit; but with time, the beautiful positions with their touch of grace and poise gave a more fluid and soft look to the structure. You could say the hands "speak" to me. Perhaps that was what the architect and designer was going for.<br />
<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span> <br />
<a href="http://writteninc.blogspot.com/2011/05/thematic-photographic-147-got-blues.html">Carmi's Theme: "got the blues".</a><br />
<a href="http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/">Blue Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://smilingsally.blogspot.com/"><div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><span id="goog_1858832029"></span><span id="goog_1858832035"></span><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TT2vrbFcAvI/AAAAAAAAF2w/eFiy_dMMqME/s80/bluemonday1.jpg" /><span id="goog_1858832036"></span><span id="goog_1858832030"></span></div></a><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com12tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-71826872010584512722011-05-28T00:27:00.000-04:002011-05-28T00:27:22.697-04:00Saturday Photo Hunt: Looking Down, Another Perspective<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SY4tpMJj2WI/AAAAAAAACA0/yzeps6-nBmU/s1024-h/IMG_9217.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SY4tpMJj2WI/AAAAAAAACA0/yzeps6-nBmU/s720/IMG_9217.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Fashionable heels and flip-flops..... graduation.</span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"One's destination is never a place but rather a new way of looking at things." ~ Henry Miller</i></blockquote>Footwear for formal occasions found everywhere these days; the entire spectrum from flip-flops to the highest heels (how do they walk in those things), although I don't see any "sensible shoes" among the bunch.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SY4tpfNI6xI/AAAAAAAACA8/A_EGqQKeJj4/s1024-h/IMG_58382+8-5-2006+11-26-30+AM+2592x1944.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SY4tpfNI6xI/AAAAAAAACA8/A_EGqQKeJj4/s720/IMG_58382+8-5-2006+11-26-30+AM+2592x1944.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Skywatching from a different perspective.....</span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"We all live under the same sky, but we don't all have the same horizon." ~ Konrad Adenauer</i></blockquote>Reflections of summer trees and fluffy white clouds against the blue of the sky; but wait, is it really the blue of the sky or the blue of the cold water in the still pool? Is this any way to study the sky? Why, of course!<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SY4uC5vZKGI/AAAAAAAACBE/-FdZg7ZMZ8s/s1024-h/IMG_40481+7-12-2006+7-27-22+AM+2592x1944.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/SY4uC5vZKGI/AAAAAAAACBE/-FdZg7ZMZ8s/s720/IMG_40481+7-12-2006+7-27-22+AM+2592x1944.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">A bee's eye view.....pumpkin flower. </span></div><br />
<blockquote><i>"Nature will bear the closest inspection. She invites us to lay our eye level with her smallest leaf, and take an insect view of its plain." ~ Henry David Thoreau</i></blockquote>Busy buzzing bee go about your business and pollinate the pumpkins please. And dear fruit flies stir memories of college days and hours (many, many, many hours) of red eyes or white eyes, short wings or long wings, bristled abdomens or smooth; of crossings and larvae and pupae and counting and counting and counting (endless counting), all in the name of Genetics. You are much better suited for this environment.<br />
<br />
And the <a href="http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/">Saturday Photo Hunt</a> theme this week is? <a href="http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/photohunt-267-looking-down/">"Looking Down"</a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://tnchicks.wordpress.com/2011/05/28/photohunt-267-looking-down/">Saturday Photo Hunt: "Looking Down"</a></span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TF2oDjBwv2I/AAAAAAAAFVU/14ShWyIq01Q/s200/photohunter7iq.png" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TF2oDjBwv2I/AAAAAAAAFVU/14ShWyIq01Q/s320/photohunter7iq.png" /></a></div>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com25tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-5672875443083752372011-05-25T12:58:00.001-04:002011-05-25T13:01:40.303-04:00When The Bough Breaks<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kU6gi94qUA8/Tdx3u9m6nvI/AAAAAAAAGRk/anE4rHhF_Ug/s1024/May%2BStorm%2BA%2BMay%2B24%252C%2B2011%2B10-53%2BPM%2B5120x3620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="532" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kU6gi94qUA8/Tdx3u9m6nvI/AAAAAAAAGRk/anE4rHhF_Ug/s720/May%2BStorm%2BA%2BMay%2B24%252C%2B2011%2B10-53%2BPM%2B5120x3620.jpg" width="720" /></a><span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: x-small;">We had wind... <i>(click pictures to enlarge)</i></span></span></div><br />
<span style="font-family: "Trebuchet MS",sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"But on the twenty-fifth of May, at sunset, a violent wind howled madly,<br />
Battering and rending my plants;<br />
Rain poured down, Pounding the vines and flowers into the earth.<br />
It was so painful<br />
But as the work of the wind, I have to let it be ..."<br />
~ Ryokan (1758 - 1831)</i></blockquote>Except for the fact that it was the <b>24th</b> of May and we actually had <b>no</b> rain... this describes our weather yesterday pretty well. It looks like our yo-yo season has passed and summer is here to stay, even if it is still officially a month away. Two weeks ago we had days in the upper 60's and mid-70's... nice, low humidity, great weather for working outside. This week? We hit 90 for the first time and yesterday it was up to 93 degrees and 80% humidity for a while. In the late afternoon while the tornadoes were gearing up in Oklahoma, a cell developed over western Virginia and sped off to the east... our direction. I came down to let Miss Daisy do some business outside before the rain hit and suddenly the skies darkened and the wind whipped up...no, it didn't "whip" up... it hit like a sledge hammer. The hot tub lid started to levitate so I ran out and grabbed the handle with my left hand and grabbed the only thing tied down with my right... the short garden hose attached to the faucet. I tied the lid down as best I could, but a lot of debris had already gotten in.<br />
<br />
Inside the sunroom, I heard pelting pinecones on the copper roof and another thud and started seeing several plastic objects sliding across the deck and the yard. Then broken limb pieces and leaves and what looked to be flying logs at times. The grow box with my lovely little midget tomatoes was blown off the deck and turned over down the stairs. Little lost tomatoes spread across the patio and multiple tomato branches were broken off. I managed to get it back up near the sunroom and out of the main wind... but I saw the huge dead tree top broken off into the yard.<br />
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f1qP0Kz_NuE/Tdx3vAVMH3I/AAAAAAAAGRs/7nV389rZZMQ/s1024/May%2BStorm%2BB%2BMay%2B24%252C%2B2011%2B10-55%2BPM%2B5120x3620.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="532" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-f1qP0Kz_NuE/Tdx3vAVMH3I/AAAAAAAAGRs/7nV389rZZMQ/s720/May%2BStorm%2BB%2BMay%2B24%252C%2B2011%2B10-55%2BPM%2B5120x3620.jpg" width="720" /></a><span style="font-size: x-small;">Little lost tomatoes.</span></div><br />
It didn't hit anything but really made a mess....that I have to clean up. Two limbs fell behind the fence and I already tossed them back into the preserve. The strangest thing of all was.... while other areas around us were getting torrential downpours at the rate of 3 inches an hour... we got <b>nothing</b>...<b>NOTHING!</b> At most a few sprinkles... but not even enough to wet the sidewalk or deck or patio or even the roof. Just the wind. Now is that fair? If it makes this mess for me to clean up, it should at least water the yard and plants for me.<br />
<br />
After the lightening quit, I started the clean up. I salvaged the grow box, put the roller back on, swept up the lost soil and pressed it all back together. I tied up the plants and set it back in place. Limbs and twigs are all over the back yard and I am going to start on that in a bit. The huge tree top is dead wood, not that heavy and I think should be easy picking for the hand saw, although I e-mailed the yard guy and he said he would take care of it. He had the top of a live old oak tree snap off into his property as well. <br />
<br />
I noticed a strange splatter pattern on the patio and up the side of one of our planters that stretched from the middle of the rose garden to the edge of the patio... about 12 feet. It was a red sticky material and since pathology is my life work and since I have watched way to many CSI episodes, my first thought was that this was from an unfortunate bird...yes, blood splatter patterns! But, no bird. What is it? Sweet. Ah, ha! The wind was so strong that it blew the nectar out of the hummingbird feeder and sent it flying all across the patio. Don't ask how I know... I won't admit it.<br />
<br />
Anyway, another band went through late last night and when the wind kicked up, I thought, "Oh, no. Not again!" So I tied down the hot tub lid and moved the tomatoes and a couple of other pots and then the wind died down. "Right! Now that I prepared, it's not bad." But... it DID rain!<br />
<br />
<span style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-21413665142265460252011-05-24T11:06:00.000-04:002011-05-24T11:06:06.980-04:00Sensational Sizzle; But, Short Stature<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qg68rlYIUis/Tcl0f6VvyGI/AAAAAAAAGMs/Rg0dySm0u8E/s1024/IMG_5169a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-Qg68rlYIUis/Tcl0f6VvyGI/AAAAAAAAGMs/Rg0dySm0u8E/s720/IMG_5169a.jpg" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">I had to call these my "munchkin" tulips.</span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"The flowers of late winter and early spring occupy places in our hearts well out of proportion to their size." ~ Gertrude S. Wister</i></blockquote>I planted tulips this year...literally, I planted them THIS year... 2011... even though I was supposed to plant them in November 2010. As usual, I have an <strike>excuse</strike>..explanation for my tardiness. For one thing, I tend to be tardy on planting whether it is seed, bulbs or plants. Other life gets in the way, it's too hot, it's raining, my strangely unique anti-tick outfit is in the washer, it's snowing and too cold; these are just some of my rationalizations. This year it was the snowing and cold thing.... but, really, it WAS snowing and TOO cold to plant the bulbs. My bulb bag said that for our area they should be planted the last two weeks of November and I had the bulb planter and food and all the things ready. The second week of November was a typical balmy coastal Virginia late fall week. Then it all came to a screeching halt... it got cold... really cold... cold enough for a two inch snow to stick. And it didn't really warm up... perhaps it got above freezing in the day a bit, but still the north wind blew and at night it was cold. I quickly got reams of bubble wrap and wrapped all the patio plant containers and covered the bottoms and tops of the soil. I moved Japanese maple tree (the one in the pot) and others to the south side of the patio next to the brick wall and the leaves that had blown up on the patio.. I gathered them all around the wrapped pots for an added layer. I grouped all the wrapped pots together in protected corners and even tried to wrap the mock orange bushes ... but knew that at a hardiness level of 20 - 30℉ they would not likely make it and they didn't. Other plants I brought inside.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--42rdR7OAfE/Tcl0gKSybfI/AAAAAAAAGM0/MMVPiHq4gCI/s1024/IMG_5172a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--42rdR7OAfE/Tcl0gKSybfI/AAAAAAAAGM0/MMVPiHq4gCI/s720/IMG_5172a.jpg" /></a></div><br />
With all this hustle and bustle at the unexpected cold snap... I forgot about the tulips, but only for four weeks. Yet, alas, it was too late. We had a couple of insignificant... at least insignificant for those in northern states... snows in the weeks before Christmas and much colder temperatures than usual. Here at the coast with the Gulf Stream it is not unheard of to have temperatures in the 50's and 60's at Christmas time. But this year it was COLD! The ground froze... I tried to plant just before Christmas and my bulb planter would not get past the mulch... the ground froze... it really did. We even had that frost heave they speak of where water gets in the soil and freezes, expanding and pushing up little bits of soil. Then it snowed twelve inches on Christmas night and the day after... and January was just as cold as December. So, it was February... the middle part.. before I managed to get them in. The bulbs had started to sprout in the garage, but at least they seemed viable. So I planted them.... 97 around the two trees in the front of the house.<br />
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<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n7MS4Otv-gc/Tcl0geGurlI/AAAAAAAAGM8/3WRDabhslsQ/s1024/IMG_5171a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-n7MS4Otv-gc/Tcl0geGurlI/AAAAAAAAGM8/3WRDabhslsQ/s720/IMG_5171a.jpg" /></a></div><br />
The daffodils come up in March, early... and the tulips just after them. Everyone else had tulips and I finally started seeing the little pointy shaped buds pushing up out of the mulch... then the leaves started to form.... but no flowers. Across the street was a stand of tall shapely tulips... long slender stems and bulbous cup shaped red flowers swaying when the breeze blew. Mine... nothing. Then one day I saw a dash of red on the ground and thought it was a piece of trash blown into the yard. I checked and to my surprise.. it was a tulip! At ground level! No stem to be seen at all! A few days later... another... same size... and another and another. Pretty soon I had a bevy of blooms... sitting right on top of the leaves and less than three inches off the ground. They were supposed to all be red... they weren't... some were pink and some were purple with white stripes. But all of them were munchkin... short... petite.... very strange looking. I'm sure I saw people driving by twice trying to figure out exactly what they were. <br />
<br />
I learned one thing... well, maybe two. First, did you know that after you cut a tulip the stem continues to grow for a few days? I didn't. But after the blooms were spent... the stems on my tulips decided to grow... about 8 inches. And again... people would wonder what these things were. The second thing I learned is... no matter how afraid I am that the bulbs will come up too soon in our usually warm winters and then be hit with a late spring freeze... I WILL plant my bulbs this year in the first week of November... NO MATTER HOW HOT OR COLD IT IS!<br />
<br />
Oh, yes... I forgot... to get these pictures I had to lay down on the ground with the camera....again, neighbors wondering.......<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/2011/05/ruby-tuesday_22.html">Ruby Tuesday</a><br />
<a href="http://workofthepoet.blogspot.com/search/label/Ruby%20Tuesday" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_UEGy-8c06F8/SD8KQY1RaKI/AAAAAAAADho/SfeHJEK5Qbs/S220/rubytuesday.bmp" /></a><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-28353083098522194572011-05-22T14:13:00.000-04:002011-05-22T14:13:55.825-04:00Stuck<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R8rGlM-V3Ew/TdlM_bsUyZI/AAAAAAAAGQg/4p4QtMPmrDE/s1024/IMG_3311a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-R8rGlM-V3Ew/TdlM_bsUyZI/AAAAAAAAGQg/4p4QtMPmrDE/s720/IMG_3311a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Not a bright squirrel.....</span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
I couldn't believe this squirrel was so stupid and smart at the same time. Smart enough to get into the cage around the bird food and stupid enough to forget how he did it and get stuck. I still don't know how he got in... how do squirrels do anything.... but he definitely couldn't get out. I had to pull the spring pin that was holding the lid down and do it really quick. Really now, I don't have a hankering to be bitten by one of these things. That was no small feat as it is a really tight spring. By the time I found him here, he was already in a squirrely state (pardon the pun), panicked and frantically chewing on the metal wire. It took several tries but finally the spring came loose and he popped out of the top and off to the woods. If only that experience were imprinted on his pea sized brain... no such luck. We move the patio chairs further and further away from the bird feeder and he jumps further and further to get to the feeder.... soon we will have to catch him and sell him to a traveling squirrel circus, along with his five other cohorts.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://shutterday.com/">Shutterday</a><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com16tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-78799925945565353592011-05-21T22:09:00.001-04:002011-05-22T10:27:02.228-04:00White In The Shade<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQoPB-t14DM/TdUy5QnrNPI/AAAAAAAAGPc/xrEcEFkIAEk/s1024/IMG_5546a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-kQoPB-t14DM/TdUy5QnrNPI/AAAAAAAAGPc/xrEcEFkIAEk/s720/IMG_5546a.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Columbine... double white....the flower of the spring.</span></span></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"What a desolate place would be a world without flowers. It would be a face without a smile; a feast without a welcome. Are not flowers the stars of the earth? Are not our stars the flowers of heaven?" ~ Clara L. Balfour</i></blockquote>It has been a real struggle to write these last few weeks and for several months now. Life gets in the way and with doctor's appointments for two parents and emergencies that seem never ending and balancing diabetic diets and gout diets and even soft diets for the same person and cooking and grocery shopping and a little planting thrown in... well, by night time the thoughts in my head are mostly non-existent. So I take my pictures... those that I have been able to take... and play. There are so many beautiful flowers opening up on a daily basis and many a surprise... (since I didn't map out the flower beds that well last year and have forgotten exactly what was where)... with such beauty you would think I would be inspired. But my muse is buried under mountains of pills for people and pets and organizing trips to the doctor with as little duplication and extra driving as possible.<br />
<br />
<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--fOvvV3cHhs/TdUy5wt32sI/AAAAAAAAGPk/3aTAwat95Ms/s1024/IMG_5549a.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/--fOvvV3cHhs/TdUy5wt32sI/AAAAAAAAGPk/3aTAwat95Ms/s720/IMG_5549a.jpg" /></a></div>This was a new addition to my shade garden last summer... a white double columbine. It prefers shade or partial sun but not too much. It will wilt in the heat in Virginia. But the columbine is hardy too... last year I planted a bunch out behind the fence, right next to the large tree that snapped off during a summer storm. After the people came to remove the tree, I noticed they had trampled most of the growing columbine plants and I grieved. But this spring, little sprouts of green began to grow in the most familiar leaf shape...little scalloped leaves... and before you knew it there were columbine.... purple and white, solid purple, burgundy, pink and white and pale yellow. Most often they die back to the ground in late fall, but emerge again in spring... ours have bloomed through April and into May. Now most are topped with the growing seed pods, but this white double is still blooming strong. I plan to collect more seed to add to our population behind the fence.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://flowersfromtoday.blogspot.com/2011/05/todays-flowers-144.html">Today's Flowers</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1LlfEqz9l_8/TdkcYHlmdPI/AAAAAAAAGQI/prq17CvtJtQ/s200/Today%2527s%2BFlowers.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="91" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-1LlfEqz9l_8/TdkcYHlmdPI/AAAAAAAAGQI/prq17CvtJtQ/s200/Today%2527s%2BFlowers.jpg" width="140" /></a></div></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-49968408704448958232011-05-16T11:11:00.000-04:002011-05-16T11:11:53.946-04:00The Passing of Pansies<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8gIfgRRzEA/TdE2S3eKkqI/AAAAAAAAGOk/x05AThTZNNY/s1024/IMG_5604a-1.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-m8gIfgRRzEA/TdE2S3eKkqI/AAAAAAAAGOk/x05AThTZNNY/s720/IMG_5604a-1.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Perky pansies.... their last hurrah!</span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="-moz-background-clip: initial; -moz-background-inline-policy: initial; -moz-background-origin: initial; background: transparent none repeat scroll 0% 50%; border: 0px none; padding: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"There's rosemary, that's for remembrance; pray, love, remember; and there is pansies, that's for thoughts." ~ Shakespeare, Hamlet</i></blockquote>Creeping upward, slowly... cool day setbacks... but still warmer, each day a little bit... temperature marches slowly and then more quickly... instep with the humidity. Spring takes its time in getting the motor running but seems to rush headlong into the heat of Summer without a thought for those it leaves behind... the daffodils, tulips, iris and the pansies. Poor pansies... they tried to expand and flourish and flower and brighten up the late fall.. but the cold came too soon this year and they struggled. Spunky pansies.. called a winter flower but who can really like the snow or the cold...they try to look beautiful with wet leaves and flowers and ice and that white stuff, but they struggle. Still, in Spring, pansies perk up and lift their heads to the breezes. They call for the April rains and shine. It is in Spring that they show their stuff.... but Spring is too short and counted not by the days but by the temperatures. While the "time" of Summer does not arrive until June... the "heat" of summer... that which signals the roses and lilies and lantana to bloom... arrives in May. And just when the pansies have overcome the winter hardships and are at their brightest show.... it's over.... too much to bear.. the wilting heat... the flashy colors of summer. Perhaps if the pansy gave nectar to the bees or attracted the increasing number of butterflies... would her delicate petals stay just a little while longer? Poor pansies... already pulled up and replaced with summer annuals in the front beds... already removed from hanging baskets and most deck containers.... but, here... for another week perhaps... in a shaded area.. with slightly cooler temperatures... they can share space with roses and petunias and blanket flowers and growing sage and tomatoes.... just a little longer.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/2011/05/mellow-yellow-monday-121.html">Mellow Yellow Monday</a><br />
<a href="http://mellowyellowmonday.blogspot.com/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" target="_blank"><img alt="MellowYellowBadge" border="0" src="http://i280.photobucket.com/albums/kk196/drowseymonkey/imagephp.png" /></a><br />
</span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-11661836.post-3982587711014740332011-05-11T18:55:00.000-04:002011-05-11T18:55:35.575-04:00And So It Begins Again....<div style="margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center;"><a href="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pcy8sb8v8Kk/TcoD-JuuHlI/AAAAAAAAGNY/08HBTmqKMA0/s1024/BlackSwallowtail2011A%2BMay%2B10%252C%2B2011%2B11-31%2BPM%2B5120x5120.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" src="http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Pcy8sb8v8Kk/TcoD-JuuHlI/AAAAAAAAGNY/08HBTmqKMA0/s720/BlackSwallowtail2011A%2BMay%2B10%252C%2B2011%2B11-31%2BPM%2B5120x5120.jpg" /></a><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">Remnants of last season.... beginning again. Black swallowtail butterfly.</span></span> <a href="http://picasa.google.com/blogger/" target="ext"><img align="middle" alt="Posted by Picasa" border="0" src="http://photos1.blogger.com/pbp.gif" style="background-attachment: scroll; background-clip: initial; background-color: transparent; background-image: none; background-origin: initial; background-position: 0% 50%; background-repeat: repeat repeat; border-bottom-style: none; border-bottom-width: 0px; border-color: initial; border-left-style: none; border-left-width: 0px; border-right-style: none; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-style: none; border-top-width: 0px; padding-bottom: 0px; padding-left: 0px; padding-right: 0px; padding-top: 0px;" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;"><blockquote><i>"I've watched you now a full half-hour,<br />
Self-poised upon that yellow flower;<br />
And, little Butterfly! indeed<br />
I know not if you sleep or feed.<br />
How motionless!---not frozen seas<br />
More motionless! and then<br />
What joy awaits you, when the breeze<br />
Hath found you out among the trees,<br />
And calls you forth again!"<br />
~ William Wordsworth (1770 - 1850)</i></blockquote>Last October, six black swallowtail caterpillars, the last of the season... wove their chrysalides in the small aquarium sitting in my sunroom. Five days past.. then ten... then a full month... and it became obvious that <i>these</i> six were not going to emerge until spring. Days and weeks and months passed; the sticks with five brown and one green chrysalides simply ..."were". Two attached to the mesh cover and the rest to small twigs. A couple of the twigs had to be taped to larger sticks to fit into the empty flower pot in the aquarium. Those black swallowtail that overwinter usually start emerging in mid to late April, but one adventuresome fellow suddenly emerged in early April... really too soon, especially this year. The day was cold and wet and I kept him inside as long as possible before placing him in the drying mesh lid we used last year. An hour or so later, he was gone... I fear for his survival as there were so few flowers blooming and it was really cold. So, for the other five... I covered the aquarium with a dark towel for a few weeks... the length of the day, the light is the trigger for their emergence not the temperature.<br />
<br />
Three more butterflies have successfully emerged, inflated their wings, practiced their wing style and spent time resting in the welcome mesh outpost. They have long since gone... but I did notice the tiny eggs on the fennel and several small caterpillars in various stages already eating the now abundant fine foliage. Sadly, the fifth butterfly was deformed and couldn't inflate the wings..... it died quickly. So now there is one left. It still has several days to emerge and still be within the normal time.... we will see. Soon, we will be breaking out the incubators for both the black swallowtail and the monarchs.<br />
<br />
And an update on the monarch caterpillars already on the milkweed.... as last year, the first crop of caterpillars mysteriously disappeared. Only one managed to grow fairly large and I was thinking of bringing it inside for the last couple of days before transformation... but this morning it was dead. I do hope the parasite that invaded them at the end of the season is not still around. As yet, I have not seen any adults.<br />
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<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: x-small;">(end of post)</span><br />
<a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/2011/05/11/nature-notes-109april-prepares-her-green-traffic-light-and-the-world-thinks-go-christopher-morley/">Nature's Notes</a><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em; text-align: center;"><a href="http://ramblingwoods.com/"><img border="0" height="60" src="http://2.bp.blogspot.com/_BGqZjmBFxqs/TTe1rfqLXWI/AAAAAAAAF2Y/9sigrI2-TN0/s100/nn-logo2.jpg" width="80" /></a></div></span>srphttp://www.blogger.com/profile/11751987787364198318noreply@blogger.com6