Dehydrated water, bugs and blooms

 It was an amazing weekend. Great to see the kids. JL went to Las Vegas for a few days for business and pleasure earlier in the week. It was 47 ℃ and the dry heat was horrible. 

JL flew, with 2 buddies, and real pilots on a Sky Combat Ace Extreme flying event. The three men flew with three pilots in a two-person plane. It was epic. He showed us the footage. He came home Friday, then they came for a sleepover Saturday night. 

He brought home a 'Close Eyes' for Caitlin.

Things are quieter here at the house. I'm watching the catterpigglies, as my mom used to call them. I have figured this one out. Yellow wooly bear moth! There is power in sticking together, I suppose.

Then there is this little fly!

oxomerus geminatus the Eastern Calligrapher, 

 a common species of syrphid fly 

The sphinx moths have been out in the dark. I showed them to Jo before bed.

It may or may not be these who appear on the camera. I may never know. Maybe I'll try when the bugs lessen.

On the weekend, Caitlin and I sat out front and watched the hummingbird going to this flower. I told her that the bees were chasing the hummer away!

Giant Knapweed and a honey bee!

Lobelia siphilitica, the great blue lobelia, or blue cardinal flower. I bought a plant at a pop-up plant sale up highway #511, and it has spread to give me 9 plants.

That time of year: water lilies! Can you see froggie?! It must be Jeremiah.

Garbage is out. So are the deerflies. Another day begins. 

Hops Vine, Raptor

Cinnamon and I headed down to the forest on Sunday. After collecting the memory cards, I noticed a broken tree.

I'm wondering if Papa Bear chased Booboo bear up the tree. I think Booboo bear climbed it. You can hear the bullfrogs in the frog pond. 

broken tree trunk from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The katydids are out! Katy was sitting on the Basil, beside the Russian Basil.

🐛 I think these are Eastern Comma caterpillars. 

The Hops Vine has another guest. I noticed them, and each night they'd eat a section and move on as a group.

I was videotaping a helicopter, just for fun. I heard it coming over the treetops. You can see something below it. After the helicopter moved on, the other object came towards me. It was our local hawk, with what looked like a snake in its talons. 

 

 

helicopter from Jennifer Jilks on Vimeo.

The helicopter looks like a toy!

Don't ask which kind of raptor, they fly by all the time REALLY, REALLY fast! They seldom land. I have to be lucky and ready. This little one visited us in August, 2023.

The cats are doing their indoor duty. 

Beryl dumped a ton of rain on us. It is hard to fathom, this massive storm rolling up the continent carrying so much rain. More rain today. Floors are washed. Let's see what I can get up to today!