Today I took a break from the smoky fires, destruction, and raining ash.
I went to a river to soothe my soul. It never fails.
This is my kind of path.

Char, I understand your feelings. Two days ago I visited a friend and could not believe she had a huge palm and a huge avocado tree chopped. Both were such nice spots in her garden and invited you to stay there. The reason she gave me is that the palm housed mice and that the newer avocado species produce tastier fruit (they were really good). Nature's revenge: now she has the mice between her ceiling and roof and a few have made it into her house. She has pets and two small grandchildren, so poisoning them is a difficult task.




Edited to correct spelling

Ursula, do you have those little sonic plug in things in Chile? It worked very well here in my old house. No poison, no finding dead mice bodies etc...just chases them back outside.

nativeplantlover said:Ursula, do you have those little sonic plug in things in Chile? It worked very well here in my old house. No poison, no finding dead mice bodies etc...just chases them back outside.

I tried the sonic things for chipmunks, and they absolutely loved them! Shrews seem to love them too. They stayed put. Hopefully, they would work better on mice!

Robin and GrammaChar,

Thanks for your kind words. I must admit that the digital image revolution has been a great plus for this old guy who started out with film photography fifty years ago.

I do wish that I had the variety of critters and nice flowering plants you folks encounter. This has been an especially lean year on my less than one half acre lot for insects and birds. So, I have to make the most of what opportunities I get.

Thanks again,

Robert

Robert, you do an amazing job of capturing images!
Sometimes my subject matter isn't very photogenic, but always interesting. Like this dragonfly nymph from the marsh yesterday:



The damsel fly was a bit better.



More afternoon delight.

GrammaChar said:Robert, you do an amazing job of capturing images!
Sometimes my subject matter isn't very photogenic, but always interesting. Like this dragonfly nymph from the marsh yesterday:

This thread is so educational!

Right? I've only seen dragonfly nymphs on TV shows so I would have had no idea what that was.

Love the damselfly coloring! And the damselfly love!

Following in your footsteps again @GrammaChar -
Damselfly love, making a heart...
Caloptaryx maculata or Ebony Jewelwing






Mayflies (I think) >






1st 2 from along the Illinois River, western Illinois
2nd 2 from along the Mississippi River where Iowa, Missouri and Illinois meet
Last 2 from Mobot (Missouri Botanical Garden, St Louis)

It has been very slim pickings this week; no bees, butterflies, let alone dragonflies . However, today there was some sun and my wasps were a bit active. So it was off to the wasp nest. I found one slowly climbing to the top of the hot tub cover, and then posing for a closeup:

Never thought that I would deliberately get this close to wasps.
Then I checked on the boxelder bugs scrambling around on the prickly pear cacti at the garage:
I do like this shot.
This one looks like it's having a bad day!


And that was it. I can take only so much of those beady red eyes.

@nativeplantlover
@joannakat, I have seen them on internet, but ..... where we live (countryside) they are not sold. My friend is a very old-fashioned country lady (has never used a computer). I cannot even place an email oder for her, since we have no Post Office (nor service) but some 23Km away - sometimes I feel sort of being a pioneer here

Mutisia said:@nativeplantlover
@joannakat, I have seen them on internet, but ..... where we live (countryside) they are not sold. My friend is a very old-fashioned country lady (has never used a computer). I cannot even place an email oder for her, since we have no Post Office (nor service) but some 23Km away - sometimes I feel sort of being a pioneer here

Ursula, we sometimes forget how different it can be in other places. You have no post office or mail service? Or delivery service for packages? I remember places we traveled to when I was a girl where you could order things and have them sent to a local store, and then pick them up at the store when the items arrived. 23 Km is about a 1/2 hour drive, no? Yes, I think you are sort of a pioneer.

Joanna, my friend does not have a car. I have an 'oldie' (Toyota 1998) but do not drive much because of osteo arthritis. Would you believe me if I told you I have no water connection? My water comes via hose from 500m higher in the mountain where a puddle (hopefully) supplies enough water (drop by drop) to my tank. Last summer I had no water coming in for almost a week. I have a smaller tank, that I fill during Winter - this water I use for my beloved plants when there is no water in the bigger tank, but I have to choose which I will water and which plants I will have to let die

Hmm...this seems like a good time to drop the news that I booked back to back cruises in South and Central America. And I start in Chile! Then, it's off to Peru, Ecuador, Costa Rica, Guatemala, Nicaragua, and Panama. It will be mid-March through mid-April 2018 so it's a while off. I've already booked a flight over the Nazca Lines. I hate airplanes, but I've been fascinated by the lines since I was a kid.

Mutisia said:Joanna, my friend does not have a car. I have an 'oldie' (Toyota 1998) but do not drive much because of osteo arthritis. Would you believe me if I told you I have no water connection? My water comes via hose from 500m higher in the mountain where a puddle (hopefully) supplies enough water (drop by drop) to my tank. Last summer I had no water coming in for almost a week. I have a smaller tank, that I fill during Winter - this water I use for my beloved plants when there is no water in the bigger tank, but I have to choose which I will water and which plants I will have to let die

I do believe. You must have some really beautiful local plants in spite of your hardships. It must be a gorgeous, beautiful place--I don't know exactly where you are, but Chile has such a north-south stretch, you must experience all types of weather. And you're even more "down under" than Australia! So now that autumn is upon us in the US, it must be spring for you???

Melanie, that's wonderful! Will you board the cruise in Valparaíso?

Joanna, this is a very beautiful place - unfortunately suffering from an 8 years drought that has dried app. 75 to 80% of the lagoon that gives this place its name. I live in the midst of a natural forest, hear/see no neighbours, can 'hear the silence' in the night, etc. I am almost 2 hours SW of Santiago. In February I will complete 7 years living here. I have been at a distance of not more tan 2 1/2 to 3m of gorgeous foxes, almost touched snakes (we have no poisonous sp.), have learned to manage worms barehanded (would have never thought about it!). This is really a beautiful place, but ... no water supply, insuficient medical facilities, etc. I hope to be able to live here for a few more years, but will certainly have to go back to town at some point.

Ursula, yes I fly in to Santiago and I'm doing a pre-cruise option with one day in Santiago and then the next we will be taken to Valparaiso for a tour and then to board the ship. Then, we have stops in Coquimbo, Iquique, and Arica before it's on to Peru.

Saw a couple of garden guests while walking around the yard this morning.

This dragonfly was shorter than the ones I usually see.



And this thing was all up in my Porterweed. It's a pollinator favorite.

Mutisia said:Melanie, that's wonderful! Will you board the cruise in Valparaíso?

Joanna, this is a very beautiful place - unfortunately suffering from an 8 years drought that has dried app. 75 to 80% of the lagoon that gives this place its name. I live in the midst of a natural forest, hear/see no neighbours, can 'hear the silence' in the night, etc. I am almost 2 hours SW of Santiago. In February I will complete 7 years living here. I have been at a distance of not more tan 2 1/2 to 3m of gorgeous foxes, almost touched snakes (we have no poisonous sp.), have learned to manage worms barehanded (would have never thought about it!). This is really a beautiful place, but ... no water supply, insuficient medical facilities, etc. I hope to be able to live here for a few more years, but will certainly have to go back to town at some point.

Ursula the story you're telling us is gives a vantage point we don't normally have...Sorry bout your Osteo, it's rough, I've had Rheumatoid since age 9. It must be hard to get around much, and you mention the lack of conveniences, and hardship from drought--- but I suppose it's a fair trade off for the kind of closeness to nature most of us only dream about! I wish you'd have told us more details about yourself sooner. I talk too much sometimes-heck all the time. Your descriptions are intensely interesting! Please tell us more details later on--as much as you wish to share. I have a question please?- How in the world do you have internet connection? satellite? again

mellielong said:
And this thing was all up in my Porterweed. It's a pollinator favorite.
~~~
I WANT Porterweed but can't have it. But I have Mountain Mint, best pollinator plant ever... and you probably can't have that nah nah nah nah
Anyway-- that "thing" is a Tiphiid Wasp Myzinum and it's a boy cause it has the long, skinny bus of an abdomen. I shared a pic of one earlier this summer. Now memorize it...!! LOL
Seriously you going to Europe and South America the next year ???? Raspberry emoji. Honestly- I'm teasing and happy for you !! Plus I wanna see the bugs and other discoveries you make.