tonight's nature~classes have come to a screeching halt for the summer, but my photography ops are still available!

grasshopper nymph

dragonfly~

balloon flower

balloon flower ready to pop

JOY ~ farming has sorrow from time to time, but then there are the good times too;

Stolen back from their mother today, as they are 4wks old, and she goes to be fixed tomorrow...it was time...she had them in the worst place! so we are bottle feeding and enjoying watching them step into the milk dish and lick their toes...


Murphy, with the 'M' you can't miss on his forehead...characteristic of a Main Coon cat, always ready to go, anxious to be held and coddled.

Alice~resembles our Tom who of course can't be the dad as he was neutered over two years ago...she is a get up and go-er...and the noisiest of the pride, formerly known as Olivia, she is "curiouser and curiouser" so hence she is now Alice.

Jimmy~reminds me of Jimmy Duranti, a famous actor from the 40's with the best nose...Jimmy is a shy and quiet type, perfect for that calm household

LOU~too cute for words, the "ugly duckling" of the bunch, but will most likely turn into a real prince...he resembles his Uncle Meyer who disappeared several months ago...

FREE to good homes! 

R.I.P~Star Muretisch Armstrong Seeber, you will be sorely missed4/2000 to 6-2-2012, BEST friend ever.

Star was taught by Ginger how much to enjoy the large farm creek...

she loved to snuggle down in the cool water and just lay there

she often bathed and played in it, and always enjoyed seeing the 

fish and birds, and occasional snakes...

and though she was 12, she was still full of vim and vigor

able to climb the banks, keep up with us around the farm

and be our companion.

she very much missed her sisters, Ginger who passed last August, 

and Wicket who passed this past March...She became a bit depressed

but always enjoyed hanging with us... she did prefer to stay outside

always happy, always curious, fabulous friendly but serious watch dog...

4 days ago she became listless and disinterested in eating...

didn't come over when called, tail didn't wag, eyes full of 

wonderment...as if to say "help me", the vet after $300 of testing

had no idea... 

she came home...wandered a bit, drank some water, I struggled

to get the medications into her...still not eating...

this morning I went out to check on her 745 am...

she was not insid her hay bed dog house, she was laying behind it

lifeless, eyes wide opened.. mouth opened...

I ran in to ask Roger to check...she was gone, laid down to rest 

and never woke up...

you will be missed, we loved you and thank you for your faithful service

and friendship... 

RAISING an eight spotted forester moth~

Eight spotted forester caterpillar

you can see by the ruler the size

it was hard to get a really good photo in focus

it was so teensy weensy...May 23,2012

here it is May 27, 2012,

forgot to add the ruler,but much larger

and fatter...

and again June 1, 2012 at over 4cm

give or take since it was a bit uncooperative and 

preferring to be left alone since it isn't eating

anymore and preparing to cocoon?

then back in the netted container

after a good cleaning of frass and 

adding fresh grape leaves and virginia creeper.

looking forward to hopefully sharing some

moth photos! 

June 2,2012~cat began acting strangely, not eating and apparently looking for a "way out" of this netting...I looked up eight spotted foresters to see the pupal stages and evidently they eat til they are done eating, then fall to the ground and burrow into old rotted wood to pupate and they overwinter there...I don't have the set up for that, didn't want to lose the worm, so I put him on some lovely grape vine near virginia creeper in case he wanted to eat a bit more and hoping to see "this guy" next year...