Autoharp and Katydid

I have an autoharp. When I was in university doing my B. A. in ECE, they said we had to learn to play an instrument. I played the recorder, the piano (which is in bad shape), and I've played guitar. I decided to pick up an autoharp.

This is a photo a reporter took for a Manotick local newspaper, where I used to live and work. She did an article about me teaching music. I was playing Waltzing Matilda! 

1993

I played the autoharp at church, and sang with it. 

Originally, it was sad playing it in the modern era, remembering the good times. Caitlin tried to sell it online for me. There were no bites. I brought it home, but Caitlin forgot to take the advert offline. Suddenly, a bite. 

There were questions about the instrument. The older ones have a better sound the potential buyer told me. She'd been researching it. I've replaced some felts. Re-felting professionally would cost $500 she told me. I'd reglued some.

Since I took it to university, student teaching and supply teaching, and going in and out of my portable in winter, I bought myself a hard shell case.  The heat of the school, and cold of winter, didn't do it any good. 

I have the tuner, spare pegs, and pics. Also, an autotuner. I always used to tune it sharp, and my mother had perfect pitch. She'd just shudder when I played!

I've been playing it. I told my disappointed buyer that she gave me a gift of getting back to playing it. I am going to keep it for now. 

Tuning takes time. I'm doing my best. My voice isn't what it used to be, either. I used to sing in professional choirs, Ottawa Choral Society in the 80s. I began singing with the church choir when I was 13. 

   

 I was out back playing it, and a katydid came to check it out!

 

The katydids, or bush crickets, are in full breeding stage. It's Katydid season. They are munching and mating.

 If you want to know what they sound like, you can hear them on my video. I thought he'd make a good percussion section for my songs!

 Katydid 

In the meantime, Saturday was Caitlin's birthday. I chose some flowers to send. We're meeting up next weekend, but I gave her her gift before they went to Newfoundland. I wanted to mark the occasion. This is what I ordered:

This is what she got! Sigh. It's the thought that counts. I shouldn't have agonized so much over which flower arrangement to send! They create a bouquet, and deliver what ever they have. 

Saturday's Critters

 Here we are and it is Saturday again!

It is katydid season! They are everywhere.

I spotted both a small viceroy and monarch. Honestly! 

It's been awfully hot here. Weeding has been a chore. Critters are few and far between on the trailcams, except for Fred. 

I've been featuring Fred. There is still no sign of kits.

 

burrow from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Fred groundhog has a burrow under our deck. I cannot do any better videotaping it than this! I'm trying to find out where the hole is under the deck.

Fred July 25 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

coyote July 19 from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

One coyote or two? There is a bat or moth. The coyote blesses the area, too!

I love these two tree frogs! They like the corner of the railing.

 

tree frogs from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Coming back from putting out garbage, the catbird fetched herself a moth. If you watch until the end, you can hear why they call them catbirds!

cat bird from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

One young 'un hit the deck glass and landed on the deck beside me. The parent landed in front of me, most concerned. There was a third one. Two of them ended up on the laundry tree. 

great crested flycatcher from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

Thanks to Eileen for hosting! Saturday's Critters # 502 

Katy did!

Insects in the family Tettigoniidae are commonly called katydids. They eat leaves and grass, and are nocturnal. They are outside in the daytime, however! I guess they don't really sleep. We must have hundreds of them!

 This is a nymph, and it'll shed its exoskeleton and grow larger. They only live a year, with the females depositing eggs in the fall.

This was funny. I was on the deck, and this little nymph walked all along the base of the glass frame. 

katydid from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

 Katydid 

Bugs and stuff!

It was a lovely day yesterday. I got a lot done preparing for fall. 

I had a chat with my son, Jesse, in Vancouver. They are suffering with the smoke from the California fires. They'd been outdoors, and had to go in. 

Today, I shall make a stew. JB is out doing groceries, even as I write. I'm waiting for my bursitis to ease for the morning, and my knees to unfreeze.

Out and about in the garden...

I have only ONE pumpkin! Seriously. And the deer didn't even eat the blossoms this year. I have no excuse.

Katydids  (Tettigoniidae) feed on plant parts, especially the flowers. They only live about a year, laying eggs in plants. 

You can see a katydid feeding on it! I disturbed it and felt badly. It leapt off into the plants below.  These are likely the last of my rose bushes. 

I went back the next day, and it was there again. It dropped to the ground, again. Then, I realized they can fly! I wasn't disturbing it as much as I'd thought. 

Cinnamon is still quite concerned with those pesky froggies!

This was some kind of cutworm or hornworm on a weed. It is so pretty. 

A little, teeny weeny bee, I think.

And, mushrooms are quite ubiquitous! I put the camera on the ground for this photo.

Bugs, bugs, bugs

As I was walking in the frozen forest, boots crunching through the snow, I began thinking about the bugs that are frozen, and sleeping. Bumble bees, katydids, praying mantis, grasshoppers.

Of course, then there are the butterflies, who have fled the cold! We have several butterflies who overwinter: the Compton's Tortoiseshell, top right, for example.

Mosaic Monday #14

Purple flowers and tree frogs

Echinacea, Joe Pye Weed, and
Culver's Root

This is a trio of three plants, Echinacea, Joe Pye Weed, and Culver's Root (Veronicastrum virginicum)! Veronica hasn't even bloomed yet!
It is a rare native in Manitoba and Ontario.

I'd forgotten I'd planted her. I'm just not that kind of gardener...

I counted four little baby tree frogs on the grouping, as well as a Katydid! I'm not sure what Katy is eating, perhaps small bugs, or the buds. Hard to say.

I love their mating scritchy calls, rubbing their legs together. They are looking for love!

"Katydids eat mostly leaves and grass, but they've been known to eat fruit and a few tiny insects, such as aphids, as well. "





Then there is the phlox. It smells divine! When I open the front window, it wafts in. The Swallowtail has been a frequent flyer!

swallowtail from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.