We're Almost Ready

No preparations would be complete without a cat in the suitcase.

The bags are nearly full. The boarding passes are in hand. Instructions for cat care have been given. And the last load of laundry is being dried. We're almost ready.

Ready for what? We're going to Utah to explore some National Parks. If the Internet gods cooperate, I plan to blog along the way. Check in from time to time if you want to see how it's going and some pictures of what I hear is beautiful scenery.

A few more things on the list to do, and then instead of saying, "We're almost ready," I can say, "We're ready!" :)

A Second Look--September 1, 2015

This week's Second Look is a day early as well as being shorter than usual because I will be traveling tomorrow. So without further ado,

Here are some things I saw this week 

during a Second Look.

Day Lily

Turkey Vulture tail feather. I see various feathers around the yard, but this one got a second look because it was so big. After a bit of investigation, I concluded that it came from a turkey vulture.

Grasshopper

Mr. and Mrs. Goldfinch

Milkweed tussock caterpillars. This milkweed plant didn't have a chance with all of these caterpillars feasting on it. The next day it was nothing more than a leafless, shortened stem.

There's plenty of good stuff for the cows to graze on this time of year.

Thankful Sunday--August 29, 2015

I am thankful for peaches.

When we moved into our present house, 17 years ago, we were happy to find a peach tree. The thought of fresh peaches in the backyard was exciting for everyone. But, alas, it was not to be. We just couldn't keep ahead of the pests. When we were lucky enough for the tree to set more than a couple of peaches, they rotted long before they were ripe. There was one bug in particular that would burrow in as soon as the fruit was setting. And if any got close to ripening, a squirrel would take a bite out of each one before it could be picked. So after several years of trying, we gave up and just appreciated the beautiful blossoms in the spring. But this year Mother Nature decided that just like the locusts every 17 years or so, ripe peaches would appear. While we are still competing with the bugs, squirrels, and deer, we have harvested and eaten several ripe peaches with more to come. And for that, I am thankful.

A Second Look--August 26, 2015

I am going to continue last week's talk about caterpillars with the mention of a wonderful book, The Secret Life of the Woolly Bear Caterpillar by Laurence Pringle, I found recently at the library. It is centered on the life of Bella, a woolly bear.

The The Secret Life of the Woolly Bear Caterpillar strikes a good balance between simple text and beautiful pictures while telling Bella's story and can be enjoyed by all ages. With the very young, the stunning pictures provide ample opportunity to talk about woolly bears, plants, and other animals. With older kids, you can either read the text to them or they can read it themselves. And while a lot can be learned from the actual story, there is a two page summary with vocabulary in the back that is useful for older kids and adults.

From a woolly bear post from two years ago. I guess I've been
interested in woolly bears for a long time.

One of my pet peeves about some children's books about nature is that while the generalities are correct, the details may not be--like putting the wrong kind of leaves on a flower. This book avoided that by being reviewed by entomologists from the Smithsonian, Carnegie Melon Museum of Natural History, and the University of Florida.

So, can you tell I liked this book? If you're looking for a fall nature study or just want to know a little more about the fuzzy caterpillars that are supposed to predict the severity of the winter, this is a good place to start.

Now onto the business at hand.

Here are a few things I saw this week 

during a Second Look.

Day lily

Spirea

I have seen a lot of goldfinches around recently both on the feeder and on their natural feeders--coneflower seed heads.Can you find the one in this picture?

This is the same picture as above but zoomed in around the bird. Now do you see her?

Flower longhorn beetle, This was a fairly large bug measuring around 1 1/4"

Coneflowers

The last couple of days we've had low humidity and blue skies. Wonderful.

Thankful Sunday--August 23, 2015

I am thankful for the trees in my yard.

The other day Wally was visiting and we were taking a Second Look around the yard as he likes to do. When we saw one of the walnut trees, he commented how much fun that he and Theo and their friends used to have with it. The game was to throw a stick up into the tree and the person who knocked down the most nuts won. That made me smile because of the pure simplicity of it. Then we saw the old tree house and remembered all that used to happened up there from battles various kinds to picnics to doing homework. On the way back to the house, we passed by where Theo's tree used to be.* When Theo was a kid, this was his hiding tree because the leaves were so thick that he couldn't be seen from the ground.  If we couldn't find him, he was usually up in this tree. Then there were the maple trees and the oak trees and the piles of leaves they made to jump in. Of course, Wally also remembered the stick pick up before mowing, the leaf raking even when they didn't want a pile, and the hauling of the pruned branches. Those things were not quite as fun as knocking down walnuts, but were an important memory also. This was one of the ways he and Theo learned about the value of hard work.

I feel fortunate to live in a place that had trees for Wally and Theo to experience while they were growing up. And for that I am thankful.

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*A few years ago, a sapsucker killed Theo's tree and we had to have it taken down. 

Here's a poem Theo wrote about his tree when he was nine.

My Climbing Tree

Up in my tree,

I'm as happy as can be,

Without a care or a worry.

With leaves everywhere,

Twigs and branches in the air,

Up here, there is no hurry.

With wind on my face,

And astounding grace,

Up my tree I scurry.