phew! so much to tell!!

First the bad news...my AC is not working.  Living in an old 'tin can' makes an almost 90 degree day unbearable for me, the old cat and 3 house bunnies.  Tomorrow is to be another hot one, then a cooling off period.  One thing though, it makes me look forward to going to work tonight, even if I haven't slept.

Otherwise it was a great 'yard' discovery day here!
Oh I need to start out with some funny business going on out there.

First, the grackle. I was sitting at the table eating some peanuts, having already thrown a few to the ground for the birds and squirrels. Now in my mind they are for the jays, cardinals, my dear little Carolina wren, the squirrels. But whatever takes them takes them.  I guess the grackle knows he isn't the #1 choice. Here he is stalking his prize...sneaking up the little hill...stopping to check me out, to figure out if this is a safe bet.  Let me tell you, the word is out to all wildlife that I'm totally harmless.  It's almost embarrassing. :D

And there he goes, running off with his prized peanut.

Some time ago I mentioned my 'trailer trash' bird feeder.  I was happy with it though because the spindles are very light weight, and the squirrels hadn't bothered it.  I assumed it wouldn't support them.  It took a couple months but one of them finally dared to give it a try.  And was successful.

Even the wren is checking this out.  And then the squirrel realizes she's been caught

Doesn't she look embarrassed??                      But not for long.

When I looked at this photo up close I saw that she was a nursing mother. If not right now, in the recent past. So I figure all the corn and peanuts she gets, may not be enough for her brood?  What can I say, I'm a soft touch.  I also  watched another squirrel contemplate going up the post, put a paw on it and changed his mind.  But here she sits with food all over her face and a small chunk of it in her paw.

I saw a different butterfly today.  She's a little ragged looking, but is quick moving and hard to get a decent photograph. Sister and I think she is a variegated frittilary. I love their faces!

My 6 large Monarch cats are gone.  There was two left when I got home, by the time I left for a morning meeting there was one, and when I got home, none.  I'm assuming they went off to form their chrysalis. 

Of course I did search for them!  Sister had warned me they can and will travel quite far (for a cat) to get where they can appropriately hang. so I was careful where I stepped. 

I was looking soooo carefully and thorough I made a wonderful discovery on my rue! Not one, not two, or even three, not FOUR black swallowtail cats!! And several more eggs.

Since I was on a roll, I checked the bronze fennel plant that I could reach and found an egg on it!

Think that's enough for one day?  Nope...the Monarch was a very busy girl then. Even though I was all around the swamp milkweed, it didn't stop her from laying egg after egg after egg on it. Now that it's getting to be late August I guess the rush is on!

Here you can see she's ready to lay an egg. Amazes me how they twist their abdomen to get under the leaf.  Then she took a break on a Paw paw leaf.

She'd rush off to nectar, lay more eggs, rest over and over again. Here she pauses on the lead of a Castor bean plant. And one of her eggs.  Thank you Ms Monarch!

Eventually I did go in the house...only to go back outside when I saw numerous butterflies out on the big butterfly bush. I had five Tigers that looked fresh and perfect.  The black swallowtail looked pretty good too.

I can't get over how many hummingbird moths I've seen in my yard this summer. I think last summer was the first I'd seen any, and I only saw one. Now I've seen 3 different varieties.

Least you think I'm only about butterflies...here's a photo of some of the fish in the stream

And a goldfinch at one of the feeders

Now, while I was busy with the blog, I thought I kept seeing something move out of the corner of my eye.  sure enough....there's a mouse in the house.  and he's after the cats food.  I've watched him make several trips to grab a piece. He must be feeding a large family. He peeks out from under the stove ever so cautiously then makes a MAD dash to the dish and back under the stove.

But the really sad thing is that directly across from the mouse, which the mouse can see, and looks at each time is this:

Furball. 

That's all folks!