Saturday, March 17, 2012

let sleeping lizards lie...and more critters & blooms.



an Anole snoozing outside the screen room.



well, after the high winds & hard rains the other day...
most of the Azalea blooms have fallen to the ground.
BUT there are a few other plants starting to sprout out of the ground...
and some are beginning to bloom.

like the shrimp plant!

the earth laughs in flowers.  
~e.e. cummings



during the week i spotted a Red Admiral butterfly on the ground.

i waited...and waited...camera pointed...until my arms began to tremble.
finally, she started to open her wings...and then...

*poof* she flew away. 
BUT
then i spotted another Red Admiral.
man! they're quick!  they don't sit still for very long!


this flower is on a small 'yesterday, today and tomorrow' bush.
at first each flower is purple...then fades to lavender blue...and then white.


i THINK this next TINY guy is either a grasshopper or mantis nymph.
fancy little striped antennae and the cutest triangular head!
(added later...Cindy at Bug Safari thinks this might be a Scudder's bush katydid...thanks cindy!)


spider webs...and dew.


speaking of webs...
OUR
front porch
Orb Weaver.
getting bigger every night.

~her underside~


here's a picture of the FIRST Skink of the year!!
Five-lined  (blue-tailed)  Skink

no wonder the lizards are a little slow moving. they're stuffed.
caterpillars are everywhere right now!
i'll try to get some good pictures...for later.


squirrels...busily digging up their acorn cache.


here's another Anole...on the front porch...in the BRIGHT GREEN phase...
with his dewlap fanned out.
he was not being a very good model.  scooting along the handrail...


on the last of the Azaleas...
Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

st. patty's day and halloween.
my two favorite holidays.
halloween is understandable...i like bones...skulls...the spooky & macabre...
but, st patty's day?!
i don't know...maybe i have some irish in me.

i have a corned beef, cabbage, potatoes, onions & carrots in the crock pot.
yum. smells good.



stay cool & be safe.
laura

15 march 2012

I walked barefoot - the only way to walk on a muddy road. 
~Laurie Gough, "Light on a Moonless Night"


finished just in time. thunderstorm...starting to rage.    :)

ps- bathroom is coming along. 
i've been a little blue...
i just might have to do a real journal type post this month...
a more personal one...i'm due.
lk




21 comments:

  1. awww. sorry you've been down. i enjoyed the walkabout, though. always love the critters and growth you find to share... :)

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  2. Aw Laura don't be blue .....lovely beautiful nature out there ..xx

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  3. ...and we're here if you do, ready to read it, but also to enjoy your out of the world photos.
    As in the mysterious case of the lizards! You truly have a lovely lizard habitat, it's an awesome place for lizards (and so many other great creatures) to secretly roam the world. Their spot out there in the wild wilderness of total bliss is a safe harbor for all. It's just got to take your blues away!

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  4. You know, they sell anoles out here at pet stores. So jealous that you have them just climbing all over your house and stuff.

    That tiny guy with the striped antennas looks like a Scudder's bush katydid.

    Happy St. Paddy's. We had our corned beef in the form of hash, with eggs!

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  5. Hate to see you blue on such a green day. ;) I loved the pictures, as usual. Anoles and squirrels and butterflies--all favorites. I wonder if the spider might be getting ready to reproduce--so fat!

    Hope you have a nice weekend and you start feeling bright and yellow! :)

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  6. Hey Girl! I made it earlier this time. Thanks for your email...hope you're not too, too, blue. That lazy anole!!! How funny you were 'johhny-on-the-spot' to catch him sleeping!

    Your shrimp plant is really cool. I've never seen one. The colors are great. And the dewy spider web is a great photo of a weird and creepy sight...brrrr!

    I swear...I've said it before, your critters always know when you're wanting a good shot. That squirrel posed just for you, or, else your camera freaked him out and he froze from fear! Haha!

    I'm headed your way for the corned beef and cabbage, yum! Maxine has the right idea-Happy St. Patrick's Day Laura. xxoo

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  7. The face of the first lizard reminds me of my nephew when he was a baby, right after he had eaten too much and passed out on the nearest flat surface.

    And the closed to opened wings butterfly shots are beyond amazing. I actually gasped. Enjoy the grub; it sounds delicious.

    I hope the blues bring forth good inspiration and then go away ;-)

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  8. Yummy! The Anole and skink are beautiful. Happy St. Patrick's day!

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  9. Love, love, love your photos!

    I do wish we had anoles around here. We have skinks and swifts, but no anoles. :( Thank goodness for your wonderful photos of them.

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  10. The purple colour of the yesterday, today, tomorrow flower is stunning - I love seeing the whole bush covered with different shades of purple thru to white.

    Sorry you were down on one of your favourite holidays - maybe the corned beef etc helped?? I haven't had corned beef for the longest time - yum!

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  11. hmmmm...i'm thinking of trying out the new 'comment format; where you can reply to individual comments...but i wonder if i were to reply to a comment on that format...would the person i'm replying to be emailed that i commented back...or only if they click on 'subscribe to comments'???

    oh well....i really just wanted to say THANKS to all who have stopped by & took the time to leave a note!!
    IF you asked me anything...then i emailed you back!!

    happy day after st patty's...i'm stuffed...still...with corned beef & cabbage...a little GREEN in the face.
    nah, just kidding...

    thanks for wandering through...
    lk

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  12. If you're gonna be blue, I hope it's the blue of the skink's tail, it's such a vibrant blue!!

    (the comment thingy will only email people if they are subscribed. I think.)

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  13. Hi Laura...I know all about getting in a slump..funk..or blue what ever you call it sometimes I just have to wade through it ...
    You do make me laugh..a since of humor is good to have
    This is a lovely post with all your little creatures and blooms...Maxine was the best lol..lol..!! ; ]

    Grace

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  14. Your posts make me smile. I love your yard...you have the cutest anoles hanging around....I like Halloween as well. There's something oddly comforting about it....and I don't know what it is. It is raining here in the desert for 2 full days and I'm loving every minute of it. It's not everyday we have cloudy skies here. I'm opening my kindle and finishing the Hunger Games up today. Thanks for the pics and happy thoughts. Chris:)

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  15. PS. I think writing it all down is good. Feel better. Take more pictures....a road trip...whatever it takes to make you smile.

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  16. Beautiful series of photos. You got a butterfly to. I think its long before we got some of them.
    Wish you a nice week.
    Hilda

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  17. Very quick visit lovely Laura...

    Like your LinkWithin addition, fabulous way to explore further during a visit your wonderful Posts.
    Thanks for adding it.

    The 2nd Web photo is very artistically created... lovely photo... and I think the Squirrel is utterly cute...

    better go... just don't know how long will remain connected... true treat even making it... and wonderful have been here this long

    Hopefully your wondrous munchy gave clear winds to urge you along St Patrick's Day...

    your friend xxxx

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  18. Hi Laura, I hope you are feeling better and I hope you had a happy St Pat's day! I love your lizards, especially the "fanned" out one. They are cool critters. The Red admiral is a beautiful butterfly, they are quick movers. Your flowers. are lovely. I hope you week ahead is a happy one, take care.

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  19. Gotta agree with you that red admiral's are quick! Last summer when ever I saw one, I would catch a flash of it, then it would be gone.

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  20. Thanks for all the wonderful pictures; A lovely re-connection with nature for me this morning. Looking forward to the personal update, but in the meantime, wishing I was a little lizard, able to bask the whole day in the sun and go to sleep in winter time.

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  21. Don't YOU dare be poopy...not with all that beauty around....sleeping lizards and all!...:)JP

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thanks for stopping by! it's always nice to hear from fellow wanderers!