Mr. Toad inside his Toad House [Video]

He's all nestled in and seems to love being inside the Toad House. I made another video for you to see me tilting back the house to check on him. I think this gaudy ceramic monstrosity is pretty tacky but rummage sale shoppers can't be choosy. I forgot was too lazy to bring it in over the winter and some of the glaze popped off but he doesn't seem to mind. It's hidden anyway among the weeds. This time I remembered to have my iPhone in the landscape position for a wider video. I think my garden companion will eat a lot of bugs and insects for me and that's a good thing! Isn't he cute?

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Moth on Window Screen at My Cottage

I still use my Nikon SLR for photos like this. I couldn't have captured this moth on the screen in my bedroom with my iPhone. It's good to have more than one camera. 

DragonFly, Up Close and Personal

I took this photo with my Nikon D40 several years ago in 2009 and haven't gotten a better one since.

Yikes | Giant Dragonfly

Curious Pets

Travis Louie will be opening an exhibit of new paintings at Merry Karnowsky Gallery in Los Angeles November 12 through December 10, 2011. I would definitely go if I lived nearby. His paintings are beyond curious.

Busy as A Bee

I am still as busy as a bee around the house and in the garage. I know you are tired of hearing about it but I must keep at it while the spirit moves me. I'm quite sure I am not alone. It's time to put summer away and prepare for fall and winter just like the animals do. 

I scanned this image from The Royal Book of Crests, one of my favorite antiquarian books in my own collection.

Take Me To Your Leader

We come in peace.

image #1 -- image #2

Spider Web Gate

Isn't this the best opening in this walled garden? The door is almost invisible, isn't it?  I want a decorative screen door like this. Awesome.

An Insect Alien

You will never convince me that this praying mantis is not an alien, and an exhibitionist as well. Agreed? The Animal Blog

Big Icicles and Big Ants

The meltdown has begun. These icicles were photographed outside my bathroom window this morning.

National Congress facade in Bogota, Columbia covered with ANTS by artist Rafael Gomez. Please click to enlarge image for ultimate impact. I love this art installation, don't you?



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UFO and Thistles

I was out early this overcast morning and photographed a UFO coming in for a landing on a thistle. I don't think I should report it, do you?



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Ladybug Love

I almost missed these tiny red ladybugs with the black spots when I was looking for photo opps in my backyard earlier today. Ladybugs are red and black to remind predators that they taste awful. I'm not going to eat one so you can't prove it by me. Once again I managed to capture insects in an intimate moment. It's about time to turn off the computer and get ready for Monday night TV beginning with Antiques Roadshow on PBS. Goodnight, see you tomorrow. Rosemary

This is what the photo looked like before cropping. My camera is 6.1-megapixel resolution and I'm very happy with that. I don't print many photos; just post and view them online.




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Pardon Me! Insects Having a Private Moment.

Dear Mr. and Mrs. Longlegs,

I think I captured your insect intimacy without even realizing it until I started processing the photo. Sorry. Next time pick a spot away from my front door so I can't see you.

Thanks, Rosemary

I took this photo of a dragonfly almost a year ago over Memorial Day Weekend 2009.




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Endangered Carnivorous Plant Fears Floral Designers

Sarracenia leucophylla, the white-topped pitcher plant, grows wild in bogs and the wet pine savannas of Florida, Georgia, Alabama, and Mississippi. The nectar-producing ‘pitchers’ of these rare and uncommonly beautiful carnivorous plants are actually specialized leaves that lure, trap, and digest insects as a means of obtaining the nutrients lacking in their infertile soil. Demand for Sarracenia leucophylla for use in floral displays has led to widespread, illegal, and unsustainable harvesting of these wild plants. Agricultural and urban development, suppression of naturally-occurring fires, and competition from invasive plant species also pose threats to the habitats of wild populations of this spectacular species. If you see these plants in their native environment, just admire them and leave them alone so they can multiply. They are spectacular, aren't they?
Source.
Photo credit.




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Spiders Gone Wild In My Kitchen

I always forget to look up when I clean. The sun was shining brightly on this beautifully woven spider web in my kitchen chandelier this morning. Such a work of art! I think I'll leave it there to enjoy a little while longer. Maybe the spider is trying to catch the lady bugs I see flying around in the house from time to time. What would you do?




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Ladybug Uses Computer + Sunrise This Morning

I think this ladybug was trying to tell me something, don't you? I wish I'd had the presence of mind to move her to the "Home" key on my computer. That would have been great. I'm still seeing these cute little bugs in my house from time to time. I shot the sunrise photo when I got up this morning. It was very beautiful in person. Have a great day, Rosemary.




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Dragonfly on Memorial Day . . .

Photographed on Memorial Day morning 2009 while walking Webster. Click photo to enlarge. Life is good! Enjoy your holiday.

My Fan Club ~ A Slug and A Boy . . .

I was able to get a good shot a slug's face yesterday. No eyes; is that slit the mouth? More research is necessary on this end. You can enlarge the picture if you want a closer look.

Meet Evan from Charlottesville, Virginia. His mom and aunt are friends of fellow blogger Stacey of Stacey Snacks. She is blogging from Paris right now eating the things I photograph ~ escargot (snails).

Eight year old Evan reads my blog and wanted me to see this cool Walking Stick insect he found in his back yard. His name is Mr. Stick and he seems right at home on his master's cheek.

You can read more about Phasmatodea on Wikipedia. Believe it or not these insects make ideal pets!

Have a great weekend.

Bees are few & far between!

I have a lot of clover on my 2-acre property. I love it. Not many people have it these days since it is considered a broad-leaf weed. Who decided that things with a broad leaf don't belong in a lawn? Do children get to look for 4-leaf clovers these days? That was practically a rite of passage in my childhood.

The landscapers love those "weed and feed" products. Homeowners should take a stand and stop these applications! Or start taking care of their own lawns. I turned mine over to a landscaper last year and it broke my heart. They used those weed whackers around all the trees and injured the bark. I am doing it alone this year (as I have always done in the past) and have never been happier. I don't have a string trimmer...I use the old fashioned kind that you have to squeeze by hand. I once read that the best thing for a property is the footprints of its owner. Words I shall live by! I try to mow in stages so that the few remaining honey bees will stay around. This colony collapse disorder is a huge problem.

Enjoy your day! Over and out.