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. 

Howling!

After an enticing taste of springtime weather, we had a setback and woke up a couple mornings ago to a stiff wind and blowing snow. It absolutely plastered white spots to Baloo's coat so that he looked a little like an inverted dalmation. 

Baloo had something pretty sharp to say about it all. Mornings have been pretty chilly, but it did clear off this afternoon and I took a break to go outside and trim the big hydrangea bush in the back yard while Baloo ate snow and looked for stray bird seeds.  

Thank you to those who have been sending in orders during this transitional period. I've been using PayPal's invoice system and it seems to be working as a mildly clumsy substitute while Stampeaz is in the process of rising from the ashes. Just send me an email (admin @ stampeaz . com -- without the spaces, of course), if you need anything. 

Stay safe and healthy, everyone!