Baby Geese now

They're a LOT bigger!

This is a young wild Canada goose, Branta canadensis. You can read
more about them here. (Photo by me, of course).

Baby Geese

I love seeing the baby geese, but they are now almost all grown. I
haven't had time to paint because I'm working on a novel, but hope to
paint some soon!

Wild Ginger

I'm way behind on The Naturalist's Journal--haven't had time for
drawing or posting. This picture, of Wild Ginger, was taken this
spring at Cranbrook. The wild ginger is a different plant from the
ginger used in Chinese cooking, but can be used the same way or made
into candied ginger root. However, it is protected, so it shouldn't
be used unless found abundantly on your own property or the property
of a friend or relative.

Birdfeeder predation

Something has been killing birds at the birdfeeder (not this one). I
wanted to post a picture in case anyone knew what it was, but the
three latest victums have disappeared. Of the three latest, which
were all English sparrows (why do I care? They might get other birds
or my Eager), the first one was partly torn apart and the head was
missing but the second two had holes poked in their skulls and their
brains were gone, but the rest of the bird was untouched--anyone know?
Other birds taken include more English sparrows and a mourning dove.
Please advise--should I stop putting out food for the birds? That
causes a dilemma with Eager, our rehabilitated squirrel. We want to
be sure he has enough to eat. But I don't want all the birds being
picked off!

Ox-eye daisy in rain

I love the spirals in the center.

Ceruean Blue

Of course, they are pretier with their wings OPEN!

Sandhill Cranes

Today at Kensington! (I put a similar but slightly different one on
Detroit Daily.)

Eat those Invasive Plant Pests

from the
Mid-Atlantic Exotic Pest Plant Council

Eat those Invasives!!

You can do more than just get mad at them and pull them. You can eat some of them!!

Invasive Plant Recipes Appetizers Egg Dishes Pasta Salads Side Dishes Soups Desserts Patapsco Heritage Greenway's Annual Garlic Mustard Challenge Brooklyn Botanic Garden article: Garlic Mustard - A Palatable Pest Invasive Plant Atlas of New England's recipe listings Japanese Knotweed Recipes

Supernatural experience, 1982

Oh to Sprout Wings and Fly

"One exciting day last summer, a group of Campfire kids found a
dragonfly nymph climbing up a branch along the Bog Trail. Suddenly it
began to look strange. The back enlarged and it appeared to have what
the kids called 'eyes' under its skin. The back of the thorax
(shoulders) burst open and the adult dragonfly began to slowly emerge.
All of us watched transfixed as the dragonfly crawled out of its
nymphal skin and ever-so-slowly pumped a fluid from special reservoirs
(the 'eye-like' structures) under its skin d into the abdomen. It
gradually elongated and became exquisitely thin. Finally, after
beating its wings several times, the dragonfly suddenly flew rapidly
away. The children and I were thrilled!" 1982 (Photo from Stoney Creek
2008)

dining companion

While I was sitting on the terrace eating breakfast, a female cardinal landed in the tree beside me and kept me company while I ate.

Small Feeder notes

The sparrows did something this morning that I had never noticed before—they lit on the vertical wall of the back of the house, first one, then two, then three, then many, clinging to the vertical wall. It was raining lightly and windy and leaves were falling in yellow flurries from the elm. A sparrow lit on the slatted vent to the attic and another followed. One disappeared inside. I watched and watched and watched. A long time later, it reappeared. A male cardinal joined the sparrows at the feeder, and then a mourning dove.

small backyard notes

The squirrels keep burying acorns in our yard.  Soon we will be living in an oak forest.

A small rabbit is eating from the bird feeder bowl, bending to the bowl, sitting up and chewing.  I am curious what it is eating. 

The squirrels are afraid of the rabbit and back off as the rabbit timidly approaches.  The rabbit is also afraid of the squirrels when they move quickly.  When the squirrels fight on the feeder, the seeds go flying and the little sparrows have to work hard to find them all.

The robins are eating the pokeberries, which I thought were poisonous—time for some research!

I love it when the sparrows fly through the sun and their wings light up.

Black Swallowort

An invasive alien. Clark Reservation State Park, Jamesville, NY.

Away Message

I just wanted to let you know that I will be away Friday June 27 - Wednesday June 2.
--
I am certain of nothing but the Heart's affections and the truth of the Imagination- John Keats
Mary

Juneberries

Shadbush, shadblow, Service berry, Amelanchier. Juneberries. Ripe. Yum. Photo by BB.

Two more backyard journal pages: peony and Creeping Bellflower

I'm way behind on everything, but here are two more backyard journal
pages. I did the drawing one day and the painting another because
I've been so busy.

I would like to write more about these and post the photos I took to
go with them, and maybe I will sometime. Or not. Aiee.

Backyard Journal

I have too many computers! Yes, it is possible to have too many computers. I can never find my pictures--which computer are they on?

Here are three "new" (and unfinished) pages from my current backyard journal. Part of the problem with the second one is that the finished version must be on some other computer, but if interested, you can see it here.

The third one I have yet to paint. It was a super-hasty 12-minute sketch.

These are drawn/painted in a journal given to me by my older daughter and with instruction and hints from a book given to me by my younger daughter for my birthday.

Composting

Composting is important for the earth, the community and for the individual.

Here are our compost piles. From left to right, fresh, medium and
old. The old compost is wonderfully rich and friable and makes great
potting soil and is great for the flower and vegetable gardens.

Composting recycles stuff that would otherwise sit unused in a
landfill. And composted soil is rich and produced healthier foods
than depleted soils. It is better for the garden than artifical
fertizers. It provides micronutrients in a balanced way. And it
grows great flowers, too! :-D

what I learned from drawing

I looked at these anemone's for years and never noticed that they have two pointy petals and two dimpled (or notched) petals until I tried to draw them. These have just opened here.

3 pages from my current naturalist's journal

Unfortunately, the journal is just a little too big to fit on the
scanner. Click images to view larger.