Showing posts with label clouded skipper. Show all posts
Showing posts with label clouded skipper. Show all posts

Friday, August 19, 2011

21, 184 days...


 508,416 hours ago...
30,504,960  minutes ago...
1,830,297,600  seconds ago...
i was born.

i'm 58. today.
so i googled  'i am 58 years old'...and ALL that popped up were things like:

hello, i am 58 years old, i have a cataract in my left eye.
Hi-it was horrible when my sister who is 55 was diagnosed  w/ Alzheimers.
WELCOME. I'm 58 years old also and have approx. 140 lbs. still to lose.
I am 58 and so disappointed on how I am looking these days.
I am 58 years old male. Since the last 15 days I am suffering from burning sensation in the eyes.
 I am 58 years old.  I get very painful leg and foot cramps at night.
I'm a 58 year old muslim man in love with my cousin of 11. What should i do?
 I'm 58 and I have to get up to go several times a night.

and so on and so on...yikes!  
i don't FEEL my age.   well, what am i supposed to feel like at 58?
if all i had to go by...was what i read by googling my age...
uh-oh!

anyway...
usually, every august at this time, sam & i are on vacation...camping...
a road trip somewhere...for about two weeks.
not this year though, because sam started a new job about 3 months ago.

i know...it's the HOTTEST time of the year! 
the mosquitoes are out in full force.

BUT...the campgrounds are usually empty!  
we don't have to worry about not being able to find a spot to stay in.
and if we want to use the campground's facilities to take a shower...
we don't have to wait in line.
the hiking trails are  usually empty too...
with spiderwebs running across the trails...from tree to tree.
who wants to go for a hike when it's a hundred degrees out?
uh...we do.

we started this tradition of camping this time of year
because our anniversary is the 16th, my b-day the 19th and sam's b-day the 21st!

anyway...knowing we wouldn't be able to do our usual august get-away...
i signed up for a continuing education class for my massage license.
Reiki 2.  
not too far a drive from home. over by the beach, near jacksonville, on aug 20th.
so we decided to make a weekend of it.
and instead of camping...we reserved a motel room!
now THAT will be weird.
it's been YEARS since we slept in anyone else's bed!

we're heading over there today, and we'll be home sunday.
it'll be a nice few days away.
OH, what about milo?
she's a cat. she'll enjoy the time alone. she'll sit by the back door
and watch the crows...the squirrels...the lizards...
and MAYBE wish she was out there to give chase...
but on second thought, she doesn't mind just relaxing...
and not getting too overheated!
after all, she does have a litter box...she has food & water...
she has her toys. and it's only for two nights!
(but my mother-in-law insisted on stopping by a couple
of times to check on milo.)

 hopefully i'll get some good pic's this weekend.
i leave you now with a few  in the meantime. 
just some assorted pic's taken over the past couple of weeks.

enjoy.
dragonfly

Age does not diminish the extreme disappointment 
of having a scoop of ice cream fall from the cone.  
~Jim Fiebig
little baby lizard...'anole'.
(we had these little 'chameleons' as kids...they always escaped their tanks...
only to be found weeks later...all dried up...behind the couch...)  :(


 grasshopper youngster on a hibiscus bud!

Growing old is mandatory; growing up is optional.  
~Chili Davis

little Fence Lizard



a hummer...


 a communal gathering of little clouded skippers feeding on a hibiscus flower.

How old would you be if you didn't know how old you were?  
~Satchel Paige

  
a Gulf Fritillary. the underside of their wings looks white. 
but it's an iridescent silver!



these little mushrooms obviously aren't paying any mind to the
weather reports.  they're waiting for a cold spell. they have their sweaters on.


maybe this is why the mushrooms aren't listening to the weather reporters.
if they can't spell PRESSURE...maybe they can't predict the weather correctly!
only the mushrooms know for sure...

have a nice relaxing weekend...
and a safe journey.  enjoy the ride.

laura


want to know how many days, minutes, seconds...you've been around?
want to know where i got the little yin-yang  'flavicon' from?
cool clock widgets like the steam-punk clock on my side bar?
other cool widgets...like weather or music...just about anything u can think of.

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

native blooms & critters...



my 'ironweed' is blooming!  yay!
it's a florida native...and over the past few years, i've decided to treat my
gardens with a 'survival of the fittest' attitude.  
i used to cover everything in the winter 
when it dropped to freezing or below.  not anymore. 

when i'm looking for a plant or two to add to the yard,
i now tend to go for native...the ones that can survive the summer & winter
on their own...plants that will invite butterflies 
and provide food for caterpillars.

'red spotted purple'

  
blue-eyed grass

if it's a native...
then it's sure to attract all the little local critters!

 'long tailed skipper'

 'anole'

black-eyed susan

 if it's a weed...if it has little flowers...
if those flowers attract the butterflies...then it stays!

'gulf fritillary'

the native plants help to conserve water once established...
and they provide food & shelter for all the little critters.

 the magical dragonfly

'buckeye'

of course,  if you have the butterflies...then chances are...
there's a caterpillar or two hanging out somewhere nearby!

above: 'checkered skipper' caterpillar
below: a 'checkered skipper'

beauty berry

a  'fiery skipper'

'hackberry'

i hate to leave a question mark here...but i searched...and can't be sure!
maybe...an 'army worm' caterpillar?


'clouded skipper'


butterflyweed

'gulf fritillary'

 oOo

well, that's a wrap!
literally.
some thing has rolled itself up in a fern leaf...and it looks as though
it's about ready to unroll...and fly...


have a safe journey & enjoy the ride!
laura

preview...next time...
crystal rainbows

and a BIG THANK YOU to
 lorna @ Artymess

AND
cindy @ Bug Safari


oh, and maybe some spiders and mushrooms and owls,
OH MY!


gotta get to an early appointment...will play catch-up later!
:) lk