Groundhog Time Again

 Our neighbors across the street as well as the neighbors on both sides of us have groundhog holes either against their houses or against their fence.  I haven't found one on our property ... yet.  Daily a sturdy looking groundhog has been visiting our yard -- if only he'd eat only the weeds.

Standing and gazing towards the golf-course.

Nibbling our lawn until I move my arm to get him to move.  He runs off towards our neighbor's yard.

Staring me down.

Partial Solar Eclipse

My sad little attempt photographing a pinhole projection of eclipse near its maximum.

 

Fox bark

A fox has been running around the neighborhood tonight barking a lot -- saw him run by the house. Unfortunately I was only able to get a brief bark at the 13 second mark on this recording, with a lot of noise from the recorder.

Earthquake

Between 10:20 AM and 10:30 AM I heard a loud thick rumbling like a very large very low flying helicopter -- but without the sound of the rotors.  The whole house shook, and I could feel it through my entire body.  At first I wasn't going to bother to try to see what aircraft it was, but the shaking continued so strong I went quickly outside --  I looked up but it had passed so I saw nothing but blue sky, sun, and some clouds.  Only later did I learn that Poughkeepsie had felt an earthquake that originated in NJ.

Just about 6 PM I was in the kitchen when I felt what seemed to be the rumble of a large truck driving down the street.  I jokingly wondered, "Was that an aftershock?"

Yep.  It was!

Snow

 Got a light dusting of snow last night -- pretty.

Rainy Day

Lodged

“The rain to the wind said,

You push and I'll pelt.'

They so smote the garden bed

That the flowers actually knelt,

And lay lodged--though not dead.

I know how the flowers felt.” 

― Robert Frost

Ice Formation

 When water froze in a bucket over-night it formed a neat little hollow triangle tower.  The pictures don't really show it, so I did a wee video.

WINDY!

March Winds don't know about Leap Day.....

Robin Hatchlings, Groundhog

 Two to the Robin's eggs have hatched so far:

Groundhog ready for gardens to be planted:

Nests -- Robin, Cardinal

Both on the North side of the house --

3 Robin eggs in the Holly Bush

At least 2 baby Cardinals in the Juniper Bush

Millipede

 Uncovered a napping Apheloria virginiensis while cleaning out the Triangle Garden today.

Hail

Hail storm yesterday at 7 PM.

The radar showed  --

And we got

(viewed from Kitchen)

(viewed out back door)

(Sound in the attic as storm winds down)

Bowl of hail to bring in to show my mother.

Average size just under an inch.

May 23, 2022 -- belated post

 A Fox has been frequenting our lawn lately.   Around 6 AM the Fox was casually loitering in the front-yard, then went around back.  In less than 5 minutes the Fox came running from our backyard with something puffy and white in its mouth -- pretty large for the size of the Fox.  The picture is unfortunately blurry, but what could that thing be??? 

Bear in the woods

 Heading South at 7:22 AM.

best viewed "Full Screen"

You can hear a loud Titmouse calling, then the Canadian Geese on the pond alarm call when they see the bear.

Monarch

 Just over a year since I've been able to get on here, and appropriately I have a Monarch on our Buddleia (Butterfly Bush) to get re-started.  Unlike last year's Monarch, this one looks fresh and ready for migration.

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[Blogger not loading correctly -- will add more when problem clears.]

Monarch Butterfly

 Yesterday I briefly caught a bedraggled faded Monarch Butterfly to bring inside and show my mother.  When I released him, he languidly flew off to the South.

Gladioli

Only a few Gladioli are blooming, but they're lovely.

Geese, Squirrel

 2 unfortunately blurry shots:

A total of 10 geese were lost in our neighborhood this morning.

A female squirrel walking away with a mouthful of pine-needles to line her nest in a Hemlock tree next to the North side of our house -- right near where the Bald-faced Hornet nest was.

Hummingbird, Sphinx Moth, Catbird Hatchlings, Doe

Female Hummingbird feeding on Monarda.

 Sphinx Moth feeding on Buddleia.

2 Catbird hatchlings in nest by the front door.

From our house we could see a doe chewing cud in our nice neighbors' back yard.

Bluebird Hatchlings, Bald-Face Hornet Nest, Flowers

 Second brood for Bluebirds.  2 Hatchlings and 1 unhatched egg.

Bald-Face Hornet nest on the North side of the house.

Lily with Hosta

Rose of Sharon

Echinacea and Catbird Hatchling

 Pale Echinacea 

One egg has hatched in the Catbird nest by the front door.

Clouds

 Gorgeous clouds yesterday.

Cardinal Song, Catbird Eggs, Blueberries & Lots of Flowers

 Singing Male Cardinal perched on our chimney at 5 AM could clearly be heard throughout the house.

Some people have Roosters....

(Sound recording)

Catbirds have a new nest by our front door.

Blue-crop Blueberry "bush" has fruit starting to ripen

Lots of flowers blooming --

Day-lilies

Fleabane (Erigeron annuus)

Trumpet Vine

Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum)

Black-eyed Susan (Marmalade-type)

Sage

Daisies

Lamium (Dead-nettle)

Monarda (Bee-Balm)

Buddleia (Butterfly Bush)