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.