Puffball Mushroom

 Oct 15, 2020 Puff Ball Mushroom in a neighbor's yard.  
(Walnut next to it for comparison)

[Thanks Kay]

Cricket and Cookies

Made cookies overnight --

     while a cricket sang from the back step.  Got his picture this morning.

Then harvested a bit of tomatoes and oregano before getting my Mom up for the day.

Lace Wing

On Buddleia

In chorus with Crickets

Male House Sparrow

Caught on "security camera" --

Raccoon

Set trap to see who had been digging at the gate -- got a healthy young raccoon back on Aug 12.  Released him that morning and haven't had any digging since.

Frogs

At the spigot --

On the Kitchen window --

Caterpillars & Sphinx Moth

Caterpillars on Rue plant.  

Black Swallowtail on left.  Giant Swallowtail on Right.

(There were even 3 more Giant Swallowtail caterpillars on another Rue.)

Clearwing Sphinx Moth lunching on Buddleia.

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail

Tiger Swallowtail enjoying the buddleia before being runoff by a honeybee. 

Bunny

Bunny hiding on our back patio.

Baby Catbirds

Only 2 baby Catbirds left in the nest (below the kitchen window) out of 4 at the start.

One of their folks none too happy with the photo-shoot.

Canadian Geese

July 8, 2020 -- 9 Canadian Geese trying to get out of the neighborhood.

Turkeys

2 Tom Turkeys stopped by to wish me a Happy Birthday.  :)

Wren & Nestling Catbirds

Wren busily cleaning out "wren-house" for a second nesting.  

Something happened to the first batch of 6 eggs so it looks like he's going to try again.

3 Baby Catbirds in the Euonymus Hedge.

Yellow Flag Iris

So glad they planted themselves.  Yet another lovely invasive.

Golden Tortoise Beetle

A Golden Tortoise Beetle quickly shifted from gold to brown when I took its picture. 

"... golden tortoise beetles aren’t always so golden. In fact, they can change color depending on the season or even their mood using the liquid beneath their transparent shell. Underneath the shell are three layers of cuticle, each covered in tiny nooks and crannies that appear smooth when covered with liquid, and reflect light perfectly like a mirror. But when a golden tortoise beetle is agitated or under attack from a predator, it contracts the spaces between the layers of cuticle and forces liquid out of the grooves — doing away with the iridescence and usually revealing a brownish-orange color."  from baynature.org.

Poults

A neighbor was visited by a Hen Turkey and her 4 poults yesterday.

(Thanks Kay for the pics)

Iris

On May 30, 2020 an Iris was glowing from the sunset.

Dame Rocket

What I thought was Tall Phlox I have found out to really be an invasive, Dame Rocket.

The plants have as many petals as their names:  Dame = 4, Phlox = 5.

Not a native flower, but pretty none the less.

Gladioli & Toad

Gladioli just getting started.

Our yearly Toad popped out of the dirt while I was amending the soil in the garage garden.

Cardinal

Male Cardinal flying over driveway

Snow -- May 9, 2020

May 9, 2020 we had snow --

At 1 AM

Then again around 6 PM

Baby plants nestled inside while the storm passes --

(Thanks Shauna)

Red Fox & Male Hummingbird

Yesterday the security camera caught a Red Fox dashing across the driveway around 730 AM.

And today we saw our first male Hummingbird at the feeder.

4 Garter Snakes

4 Garter Snakes nestled on top of a bush by the front door.

Tough to get photo and video due to the sun's glare on the camera's viewfinder.

Sleet

We had sleet for about an hour this afternoon.

Forsythia

Need to mention the forsythia -- they've been gorgeous this year everywhere we've gone.

This pic taken April 4, 2020.

Tulips & Garter Snakes

Tulips are looking lovely.

And the Garter Snakes are back in the bushes out front.

Snow

Winter doesn't want to go.

Snow

Lovely Spring snow-shower today.