stubborn 'possum, larvae & lubbers

for months we knew something was living under the trailer.

every night around 10:00 we could hear movement down there.

sometimes it sounded like something was trying to come up through the in-floor A/C vents.

we figured it must be a 'possum.

i hoped it was a 'possum...and not a monster boa constrictor...

or some other creature with beady eyes, long talons and big sharp teeth!

we finally decided to set up the (have-a-heart) live trap.

it took a few nights...but finally mr. 'possum's nose led him to some yummy smelling cat food!

poor opossum.

we hated to have to relocate him...

but we gave him plenty of time to move out on his own.

time to take action, before he tears into all the duct work down there.

bye-bye 'possum

(one of the most misunderstood & unappreciated critters)

sam took him up the road to a nice woodsy area...

where he moseyed away to find a new home.

*   *   *

i spotted some larvae this week. cool looking larvae.

finally ID'ing  them...i thought i'd share them here in case you happen to see the same.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail larva  (POOP goes the larva!)

the Eastern Tiger Swallowtail with 2 false eyespots to scare away predators

Eastern Tiger Swallotail

NEXT...

Pipevine Swallowtail larva

Pipevine Swallowtail

AND...

Red-spotted Purple larva

Red-spotted Purple butterfly

*   *   *

with all the rain we've been having lately...

the smart little Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers

are staying high & dry!!

young Eastern Lubber Grasshoppers

*   *   *

well, that was a look into a few little things from this past week.

anole with a bit of shedding stuck to his head

have a good one.

be safe.

laura

...to the lake...

after watching the Cinnamon Fern uncurl...

(and missing milo terribly...)

yesterday, we decided to do the 40 minute drive to Lake Lochloosa.

since we've been having lots of rain lately, we figured the water level would be high enough

to get our 'gheenoe' in.

we could paddle around...troll around...sam could do some fishing...

and i could get some pictures.

rather than posting a long line of photos, i decided to do a collage...of the

Lochloosa skies, butterflies, alligators, egrets, anhinga, herons, water lilies and eagles.

click to enlarge  -  7 oct 2012

“A lake is a landscape's most beautiful and expressive feature. 

It is Earth's eye; looking into which the beholder measures the depth of his own nature.”  

~Henry David Thoreau, Walden

thanks for stopping by.

have a great week.

stay cool. be safe.

lk

dragonfly perched on my 'pokey-stick, which sam tooled for me at his work...

i use it to poke in the ground...searching for treasures out back...

morphing monday (flutterby mosaic)

~ morphing monday  6 ~

every monday. 

one of my nature shots...edited...altered...manipulated.

the original image.  Tiger Swallowtail on Azalea flower.

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