Getting caught up

There are a ton of photos and experiences to catch up on, as I’ve been too busy to blog lately. As a result, this is going to be rather a herky-jerky post; I’ll do my best to ease the transitions.

First, there have been many cute buns in the yard; fortunately, they’ve yet to get into the garden:

"Curses! Foiled by this stupid fence!"


Nibbling on a sunflower shoot from spilled birdseed

We’ve seen some springtime babies:

This American bullfrog tadpole was almost four inches long!


What kind of ducks are these? The adults look almost black--American black ducks? Or just mallards in the shade?

Is there a more exciting time in the garden than when the veggies start to appear?



Butterflies and caterpillars are everywhere:


What kind of caterpillar is this, nature fans?

Check out this upclose and personal time with Miss Kitty Claws:


and with Sugar Cookies and Chickie, Em’s stuffed baby bluebird:


Finally, this morning, I went birding with Roana and Nan from the State College Birding Club, and I actually saw an ovenbird! Normally, I just hear them--but we got lucky with this guy. Of course I didn’t have my camera ready. I pretty much birded by ear this morning as we drove through a lot of woodsy areas and heard all sorts of warblers and a hermit thrush--my first time to hear one in the woods. WOW. Now I know why Lang Elliot calls him the best singer in the bird world. We also saw a black bear run across the road and disappear up an impossibly steep mountainside--again, no photo. About the best shot I got was of this beauty:

"I beg your pardon, but are you going to eat me?"

I have to mow the rest of the lawn now, and then I may take the Nibble out into the garden later to see if he’ll succeed in eating the entire ten-foot row of cilantro; I wouldn’t put it past him!

Couldn't you just eat him up?