CAN YOU SEE “ANYBODY’ HERE?

While “shooting” some shots in the garden, I was looking for a trowel and thought I saw ‘something’ in the bottom of this cut off plastic container. Do you see somebody in here?

FOUND IT!

NOW IT IS YOUR TURN! Figure out the key words, google them and scroll a little.
The critter is there! Can you find out what it is?

DRAGON-PILLAR

HOW DO YOU TAME your Dragon when it is less than an inch long??? I am sure I can find this little guy in a book in the back room, but I sure don't have time. KNow what he is?

ODDS and ENDS

 

OTHERWISE known as miscellaneous whatevers…

If you listen to the news, they have all proclaimed the end of summer, and I for one will be glad to say good-bye to almost 40 days of 90 degree temps. I didn’t mind the heat when I lived in Turkey, because I did not have the Eastern Shore’s humidity to deal with. But, when you live 2 miles from the Ocean and 2 miles from the Chesapeake Bay, it tends to get a bit humid! So, if you want to say summer is over on Labor Day, OK, but I, personally, will wait until September 22^nd or 23^rd, depending on the calendar you look at. On the other hand, the mornings are cooler… a morning in the 60s sure beats waking up to the 80s, phew! In fact, it has been so cool in the mornings, the Rat (Rascal) is now looking for a spot of sunlight first thing in the morning, claiming it as his own.

While it is true the leaves have been falling since July because of the drought, they have not had any autumn colors… and there it was, the beginning of the Labor Day week-end – the first autumn looking leaf in the middle of the driveway.

Hmmm, maybe I should have called this ends and odds, since I seem to have started with ends. On the other hand, calling a cat the Rat probably qualifies as ODD, and indeed, Rascal is truly odd. He is a hair stylist in his spare time. Definitely odd, that little boy.

Anyway, in the odd department is this little guy, sitting on the grill cover     – I personally think of him as being beautiful, but everyone else who saw him did the Eeeeeeeewwwwwww sound. One great macho friend wanted to squash him. (He did not get the chance.) I thought it was like this little guy was wearing gold jewelry. Really, now, isn’t he pretty? (or she? I have no way of knowing) So far I have not found him in my Butterfly/Moth Field guide… but then I have not looked thru but 2 of them.

Another End – this is the old Bailey’s Florist shop… it stood down town for as long as I can remember, not long by European standards, very new by Middle East standards… anyway, it is now gone, there is just a big empty spot where it used to stand, bare earth covered with hay. I will not get into the political mess involved in the purchase of the building by the Town or the triumph of the current mayor who had it destroyed. Torn down does not seem to be the correct word – destroyed is.

RIP – Rest In Pieces.

In the odd department, this red coleus is well over 4 feet high. St Francis is almost invisible in the cover of Strobilanthes and coleus. The bird bath has disappeared.

BLOODSUCKING CONENOSE

BLOODSUCKING CONENOSE

No, I am not making a political statement, tho I do believe we have quite a few bloodsuckers left in the Senate, maybe even the House. No, this is a "bug" - a Triatoma sanguisuga, a fascinating little creature common to this neck of the woods... well, I have only seen them in the fall. Apparently they bite - I never knew that - and people can have a bad allergic reaction to their bites as they can transmit a parasite. They DO drink the blood of mammals, but usually just small mammals. I hate to call anything ugly, but I can make an exception in this case.

This little fellow, about an inch and a half in length, was out on my carport last month. I jusy had to get a picture of his ugliness!

MIZ 'PIDEY, BUDDHA and MORE

THE END OF OCTOBER

My little visitor was here again the other day. She wanted to know where the ‘pidys go when it rains. So we went over to where the spider web used to be. The storm had no doubt torn it apart. We had had winds a bit over 40 mph and 2 ½ inches of rain. Grandmother Spider was tucked up under the leaves. She had kept herself dry and out of the wind. One day, one of the cold mornings, she had spun her web around the leaves drawing them close together and kept herself warm. Smart girl. Her webs are smaller now. But I check on her each day. FYI – her correct name is Marbled Orb Weaver or Araneus Marmoreus. Personally, I like Miz Pidey best. Apparently each time her mom drives by, Selena yells “WooHoo, Miz Pidey!” and begs to stop to check on how Miz Pidey is doing.

The leaves are falling. Some of them are turning to pretty yellows. Many of them aren’t getting a chance with the high winds. They are being ripped from the trees green. There are a few reds every now and again.








It has been rainy. The grass is growing! Sigh. Another job to be taken care of this week.













It is time to put in the winter pansies. Well, this is early for me. I know they will get buried under the leaves, but I will dig them out. Maybe, just maybe they will get bigger and stronger before the cold weather hits them. And if it is not a real bad winter – they will still be blooming in the spring. I thought this pansy was especially beautiful. The ground was really wet, so I did not spend a lot of time photographing pansies!

More pansies later!

'PIDEYS AND BUDDHAS AND THINGS

An autumn day at Possum Lane



My little visitor was here again the other day. She wanted to know where the ‘pidys go when it rains. So we went over to where the spider web used to be. The storm had no doubt torn it apart. We had had winds a bit over 40 mph and 2 ½ inches of rain. Grandmother Spider was tucked up under the leaves. She had kept herself dry and out of the wind. One day, one of the cold mornings, she had spun her web around the leaves drawing them close together and kept herself warm. Smart girl. Her webs are smaller now. But I check on her each day.

The leaves are falling. Some of them are turning to pretty yellows. Many of them aren’t getting a chance with the high winds. They are being ripped from the trees green.

It is time to put in the winter pansies. Well, this is early for me. I know they will get buried under the leaves, but I will dig them out. Maybe, just maybe they will get bigger and stronger before the cold weather hits them. And if it is not a real bad winter – they will still be blooming in the spring. I thought this pansy was especially beautiful. The ground was really wet, so I did not spend a lot of time photographing pansies!

A 'PIDEY WEB

A ‘Pidey Web!

I had company yesterday – brief – as company goes. She ran around the yard going “Ooooo and Ahhh” at every flower. Then she saw the ‘pidey web.

“Ohhhhhh, wook!” she yelled in her baby voice.

“Wook at the ee-norse (enormous) Pidey web! And her beautiful wearing a lullow an bwack shirt!”

And then she was back in the car and gone before I had a chance to get the camera. But I did get the camera after my friend and her bundle of energy left – and took these pictures of her Pidey web, and the 'pidey.

Later that night, I went back out just to see what Mrs. Pidey was up to. There she was, waiting for company, no doubt – a midnight snack, perhaps.