Frogs and Fashion

One of the places Baloo and I like to walk is a wetland area that is currently even wetter than usual, due to the record high water levels in Lake Michigan. The water table is so high that parts of the trails have merged with the marsh. 

The fun thing about this was that frogs were hanging around right where the paths run and it was easy to see them up close as we wandered along the wetland's edge, trying to keep our feet dry. 

These green frogs (yes, that's their name as well as their color) must have been particularly confident because they didn't budge when we walked up to them. This was unusual, since most of the time I hear the plops of retreating frogs before I find them in the water. I liked the birch bark this one was using for a little bit of cover.  

Seriously, frogs were everywhere. Big and small. 

I think this one might have been my favorite, though. It had fashioned some sort of vegetative headgear - an amphibious trend setter, don't you think? 

It's a Shoe-in!

Once again, Baloo and I were out walking (we do that a lot) and we encountered a very active little butterfly fluttering around nearby. I wanted to get a closer look and maybe even take a picture or two so that I could identify it and maybe even use it for blog post or carving inspiration. And when I say nearby, I mean that it was flying all around us and frustrating any attempt at a capturing a photo. 

Then, for some inscrutable reason of its own, it decided to land on the edge of my shoe, which was close enough for a picture, but not a very useful one. 

It started to flap its wings, but rather than fly off again, it simply climbed higher. 

Apparently there was something rather pleasing about my shoe, because it stayed for quite a while. In this picture, I was able to get a tiny glimpse of the markings on the underside of its wings. 

Interestingly, when it opened its wings fully, the markings on the top were less colorful than those on the underside, where the spots had orange rings around them. I was able to look it up when I got home and learned that it's a Little Wood-satyr butterfly. They like sweet tree sap, some mushroom secretions and they even eat the sugary honeydew that aphids create from feeding on plants.

It must have found something sweet on the top of my shoe, as you can see here, because it has its proboscis extended to take in something - and it kept at it until Baloo finally got curious enough about what was going on to come over and nose around, which sent it on its way. 

While perhaps not the most colorful of butterflies, it certainly qualifies as one of the friendliest we have had the pleasure of meeting. 

On a Really Hot Day...

Everybody enjoys some nice, refreshingly cold watermelon! 

Grace and Awkwardness

As we walk through one particular area during our morning rambles, Baloo and I almost always encounter a couple of Eastern Kingbirds. I know I shared a few photos of them last year, but this year's crop seems to be more cooperative when it comes to mugging for the camera. 

They always seem to land at the tip of a flower or shrub after one of their beautiful flights, so that they can easily spot another tasty morsel to pursue. This stem can barely hold the bird's weight. 

It's almost as if they wait for us and enjoy swooping around showing us their acrobatic sky dives and loops as they catch their breakfast on the wing. Now that I think about it, that might actually be the case, since we're probably disturbing bugs and causing them to take to the air as we make our way through the tall grasses.

I just had to include this photo, silly as it is. Baloo kept photo bombing my attempts at capturing a nice image. Sometimes he would just run ahead, causing my subject to fly off before I could get focused. He likes to increase the challenge factor for me. 

I really liked this self-possessed pose atop last year's mullein flower stalk. That had to be a great vantage point for bug watching.

And for such an amazingly graceful flyer, the takeoff from its flimsy perch is surprisingly awkward looking. I love the splayed legs - as if it hasn't pulled in its landing gear yet. They're so fast that getting any kind of in-flight photo is a special treat for me. Even an awkward one. Perhaps I will catch a perfect swoop someday. I can always hope.

Feeling Chipper?

This has been a banner year for chipmunks -- they're absolutely everywhere. I expect you'll see more pictures of their furry faces in future posts, since Baloo calls my attention to every one of them he sees or hears along our walks. This is just one that I thought was particularly cute, especially given the circumstances. 

Baloo is entranced and also quite tempted to give chase to these bright-eyed rascals, since they chirp and tease him before sticking their tails straight into the air and running for cover. 

This one followed that very playbook running off to find a safe spot where he decided to stand up and taunt the poor dog with a torrent of scolding chatter, as if to say, "Nyah, nyah, nyah! You can't reach me here!", before ducking into his safe hidey-hole. 

Needless to say, Baloo thinks they are frustratingly fascinating little beasties! He falls for their teasing nearly every time.

Previews of Coming Attractions...

I was going to do a completely different kind of post tonight, but I decided it might be fun to share a little about how the website rebuild is coming along, since several people have asked for progress reports. 

I've been taking lots of pictures of carving blocks, kits and tools to put up in the shiny new Stampeaz store. So far, I have all the carving blocks and linoleum blocks entered in the new database and am ready to start on the various carving kits. 

After that, it's on to the tool section. Here's the picture I'm thinking about using as a category teaser for the Carving Tools part of the store. 

I've been trying to reorganize things so they'll be more streamlined and (I hope) easier to find than they were in the old site. So, good thoughts and crossed fingers are much appreciated as I learn a whole new way of doing things. 

Baloo has been surprisingly patient, as I slog through learning about creating menus and categories and as I try to pull descriptions and information about products out of the old database to enter all the information into the new one. Of course, he also makes me take regular breaks to go out for walks and get some fresh air.  He's thoughtful that way. :)

Plain and Showy

Walking along the edge of a vineyard while trying to sneak up on the eagles to see if we could get a peek at the youngsters or see if they had flown the proverbial coop, Baloo and I were charmed by a virtuoso songster and mimic. 

I have always loved the brown thrasher and I know to look for one when I start to hear every local bird song in rapid succession. This plain brown bird makes up for his unassuming appearance (though, I think he's quite handsome with his speckled waistcoat) by being one of the most talented musicians on the program. 

This fellow was doing a little preening between songs and it was fun to watch the feather ruffling. Or maybe he was just being the maestro straightening his coat and tails. 

Finally, he was all spiffed up and ready to launch into the air to find another stage for his next grand musical engagement. 

So, keep your ears open for a cardinal song followed by a robin song followed by a chickadee song and so forth (but not necessarily in any particular sequence) and you may just get to enjoy a well-sung and extremely varied concert - and it doesn't even require a ticket.  

More of the Pieces

No, I hadn't forgotten the puzzle I left hanging. I just had to step back for a while and decide some things. Things like whether or not I was going to try and resurrect the Stampeaz site or just let it go. 

This particular puzzle is of the type that is more difficult to do if you focus on the subject matter rather than the background. It's a fitting metaphor.

So, now that I have looked at the big picture and studied how the background might work, I'm starting to look more closely at how all the pieces are going to come together to form something that's worth looking at. 

Thanks to everyone for your patience and support while I worked through the decision of whether to start over again. Many thanks to those who offered suggestions and help of one kind or another. Now, since I have decided to try and put the pieces back together, I'll ask that you bear with the process just a little longer as I work through starting from the very beginning (again - my first try didn't work). It's a daunting task, but now that I've gotten over the angst of the crash, I'm ready to keep on sorting the bits and pieces and get this puzzle finished! 

Also, I want to apologize -- some of you have left comments for me on earlier posts and I honestly didn't know about them until just a couple minutes ago. I used to get notified when someone had made a comment, but now some of them seem to get hidden in a moderation limbo land until I release them. I didn't change any settings or intentionally ignore anyone - I just didn't know anyone had said anything. Thanks for commenting and checking in on the blog -- I appreciate it! And now I know where to go look for them! :)

Time Lapse Photography

Back in early May, Baloo and I decided against going out on one of our regular walking routes in order to avoid an uncharacteristically large number of visitors to our usually solitary (or nearly so) trail. 

Our adventurous (and crowd-avoiding) spirit was rewarded when we saw a nesting eagle. 

There used to be another nest not far from this one, so I'm guessing it's the same pair that built a new home in a slightly more attractive neighborhood - or more secure tree. 

 

I kept trying to sneak a little closer, and while she kept a close eye on us, she didn't seem too worried about us admiring her in her aerie. Of course, we kept a reasonable distance, since we didn't want to disturb her. 

Late in May, I took Baloo back for another look and saw these two youngsters (sorry for the blurry photo - it was the best I could manage from afar with a restive dog at the other end of the leash). They were peering out at the great, wide world with avid interest - and probably waiting for their parents to get back with some tasty tidbits.  

By the end of June they looked like fledglings about ready to leave the security of their home to try their luck at searching for their own snack materials. 

Since then, I've seen the adults flying in the vicinity,  but I haven't seen the youngsters on the wing yet.It's a favorite walking area, so I hope we have the opportunity to see them attempting their early hunts. 

Here be Dragons... and a Damsel

That almost sounds like a plot for a fairy tale, doesn't it? But I'm not talking about the fire-breathing, treasure-hoarding, cave-dwelling creatures of myth and our damsel for the day is in no distress at all and to further set the story on its head, our damsel is a male!

So, they may not be true dragons, but they are seriously dragon-ish as far as the mosquitoes and other biting flies are concerned. Mosquitoes always seem to get a head start on the season, but I remember cheering the dragonflies on when they arrived on the scene in late spring, swooping and executing aerial ambushes and eating the pesky little blighters by the dozens, all without touching down. They're still a very welcome sight to me, not just for their voracious appetites, but because they come in so many kinds, colors, shapes and sizes and their delicate wings are so intricate and beautiful. 

I had to do quite a lot of hunting and research to learn who these guys are. Never having learned more than the basic differences between dragonflies and damselflies, I hadn't learned the names of the different specimens - mostly because I didn't have an insect identification book and also because they move so amazingly fast - up to 18 miles per hour, from what I've read. 

So, since I read up on these fascinating creatures and was impressed at their prowess, I'm inflicting a few fun facts on you. This fellow is a chalk-fronted corporal dragonfly, aptly named for the chalky smudges on his otherwise slate black abdomen and thorax. He's got almost 360 degrees of vision and can see so much more of the light spectrum than humans that I can't even imagine what the world must look like to him. So, yes, eyes in the back of his head (and sides and front). 

This one's the chalk-fronted corporal female. She's more of a tawny gold with black markings. She, along with her other dragonfly kin, can move each of her four wings independently, allowing her to fly in any direction and hover in place. No wonder they're such incredible hunters, with  a 95% success rate. 

Finally, here is our damsel for the day. He's a familiar bluet damselfly and if you haven't ever paid attention to the differences between the dragons and the damsels, you can see here that this fellow folds his wings together over his back when at rest, rather than out flat like his cousins. He also has a much thinner abdomen and his wings are narrower at the base than at the tips, which is opposite of how dragonfly wings are constructed. The familiar bluet female has very similar markings, but her predominant color is brown rather than blue. I didn't see one of those on my ramble, so I can't produce a picture to illustrate. 

Here ends our tale of dragons and damsels for the day. I hope you enjoyed the adventure.

Equine Offspring

When I take Baloo for walks in the woods to the north of our house, we pass several places where horses, mules, goats and burros (and even some really big dogs) reside. Seeing them grazing, cavorting or even just laying around out in the fields is always a pleasure. 

This year, there are several new denizens of the various paddocks along our way. 

The place that has the really big dogs (Great Pyrenees, I think) also has a number of horses, both standard and miniature varieties. Two of the full-sized mares have had foals this year and they're beautiful little beasts. I occasionally see them frisking around together, but they never stray far from their dams. 

There's another place we pass along our route, though, and it has a herd of burros. I have to admit that my favorite of the equine youngsters this year might be the baby burro. This is the first year I have seen a baby among them and it's just such a little cutie. Sometimes, it's completely sacked out in the burro-sized sand pit, while its mom and the rest of the herd munch peacefully around it. 

Simply Red

The last post was all about black and white. This one is all about seriously dazzling color. 

One usually finds big, beautiful, eye-popping poppies like these carefully tended in someone's garden, but these brave blossoms were out in the middle of a field of weeds, grasses and wildflowers. 

The seeds must have had an interesting journey to end up so far from where they started.

I particularly love the way this one is just emerging from its protective sepal, looking all rumpled like tissue paper. It looks a little like it's wearing earmuffs - or headphones. I wonder what its favorite music is... 

The incredible intensity of the scarlet illuminated by the morning sun made for some outstanding iridescent eye candy. They were positively glowing. 

A Study in Black and White... and Gold

Sometimes, while out walking with Baloo, I find lots of colorful things to admire. Other times, it's the things that aren't quite so colorful that catch the eye.  Today, I enjoyed black, white and gold-ish. 

I introduced myself to a new moth - and odd moth, since it looks more like a butterfly and flies primarily during the day, sipping nectar from flowers and acting for all the world like a butterfly. It's antlers even look butterfly-like, with the slight thickening at the end, but a close inspection reveals the more feathery construction of moth antlers.

I had to hunt around in my moth and butterfly books to discover the name for this winged fellow, but I was finally able to identify it as an eight-spotted forester moth. It has the obvious eight white spots that gave it its name, but it also has two lovely cream colored shoulder pads (not the technical name, which I learned is, "tegulae"). The other feature that really sets this little creature off is the furry golden-orange knee pads that look something like the pollen baskets on bees, though they don't serve any particular function that I could discover. 

Okay, so the humble daisy doesn't really have any black on it, but it does sport the beautiful golden center and gray shadowing in the sunlight. I thought it should qualify for today's theme. Daisies are starting to come into their own, blooming in profusion along trails and out in the fields where we walk.

Finally, I caught Baloo looking as if he was posing in a shaft of golden sunlight as the noble beast in a high-class photography session. He is the perfect specimen of  "American Black Dog with White Spot" (and a growing number of white muzzle hairs, I fear). His golden eyes and yellow collar also fit our excursion theme for the day. He isn't really being noble and cooperative -- he is being mesmerized by a red squirrel up in a tree branch over his head, which explains the completely transfixed expression on his face and the fact that he sat still for the picture. 

Happy Independence Day!

Sadly, most of the annual 4th of July celebrations in this area have been cancelled.  I thought that, since there won't be any fireworks, parades, or air shows to share this year, I would try and get a little creative.  

Along one of our walks, Baloo and I pass this delightful piece of folk art that some enterprising person painted and placed at the edge of their property.  It's a beautifully rough and bold piece of Americana standing cheerfully against the backdrop of ferns and sumac. Fitting for the day, I thought.

Queen Anne's Lace flowers remind me a little of the big fireworks explosions that keep expanding and fan out through the sky. You know -- the ones with the bits along the edges that do a secondary blast and extend the light show circle just a little farther. Of course, they are much quieter than their more jubilant counterparts, but reminiscent just the same. 

Happy Independence Day!

Monarchs of the Glen

Early every morning, before the sun climbs too high in the sky and before the temperature climbs too high on the thermometer, Baloo and I take our longish walk of the day. 

For the last few days, we've been seeing more than the usual number of monarch butterflies enjoying the freshly blooming milkweed flowers and other goodies out in the big field. 

This morning, we saw a pair of monarchs mating, joined together in the air as they dipped and rose, finally landing on this blossom.

I was very happy to see this, because I always cheer for the butterflies and the more the merrier as far as I am concerned. These pictures aren't particularly good, since I didn't want to take a chance of disturbing them by trying to get any closer, so I just tried to zoom the camera in as well as I could. 

Then, a little further along, I saw this lovely specimen who was surprisingly amenable to having me take a few photos. This was my favorite - I like the way the early morning sun glows as it shines through wings and leaves.

Then, of course, there's Baloo. He's the other monarch of the glen, king of all he surveys. I am partial to this image of him trotting through the flowers and enjoying all the morning smells. It's quintessential Baloo - complete with flopping ears and lolling tongue.