Turtle Mountain

Update on 5-24-08: my sister-in-law, the herbalist, saw this on our hike today and said it is chammomille (sp?)

I watched this wasp for quite a while. At one point it stretched out its ridiculously long legs and went from one clump of flowers to the next. It took a little time and he looked like a bridge, but he made it. Notice the little friend in the lower rt corner - I just love 2-for-1s!

I'm a real sucker for bugs on flowers

Today's hike was great. Eddie didn't go because I decided to focus on photography, which meant I needed my hiking pole/monopod. I don't know why, but I didn't use the monopod. I parked low, started off at 1:45, and took the rocky craggy way to the top. I came across 2 different groups of pipevine swallowtails but never got a shot I'm happy with.

Pipevine swallowtail

Instead of hiking for exercise I ambled along and actually took time to stand and wait for the swallowtails to land, which they rarely did. Today was very windy, and as is my luck, I would see a butterfly or flower I wanted to shoot and everything would be calm until I lifted and focused my camera. At that time, without fail, the winds came up and would continue until I finally put the camera down and start to walk away. Then the whole process would repeat. I know this about myself, but I really don't have patience on windy days.

This cutie was one of my highlights. Online literature says it's a forest tent caterpillar

I spied a rustling at the side of the trail and stood until I saw about 6 inches of a thick snake. I took a step to get in a better position and it was like the snake was shot across the ground with a crossbow it was so fast getting away from there. I actually jumped from being so startled and I'm not even afraid of snakes.

A ways further I heard another rustle, stopped, waited, saw the weedy grasses moving and finally stepped closer. Stopped, stood, waited, etc., and then I saw it: my first TM box turtle! I couldn't believe my luck. I picked it up and proclaimed him to be a fine-looking fellow, then put him back down to snap his pic. I waited and waited. He wouldn't come back out. I finally took a pic and began walking away and heard the rustling again. It's like he pivoted in place and shot off through the weeds.

Upon finding the turtle I called A to tell her, and while talking to her a very large yellow butterfly came along and LANDED right next to me. I hung up and began to get shots, but the prime time had passed. I ended up with a pretty good shot anyway. My trusty little book couldn't differentiate it for me, so I'll later go to Kim and Mikes butterfliesofamerica site to help.

For now I'm calling it a cloudless sulphur
My daughter wanted to hang out when I got finished so I ended up shortening my hike by about 1 1/2 hrs. I will say it was my first truly slow and relaxing hike and I really enjoyed it. Total hike 1 hr 45 min.

Last spring we saw a lot of this, this, I'm assuming there are insect eggs protected in the fresh foam, but I haven't read up on it.

I checked out the blackberries, and found more than half of the blooms have fallen

Trouble in P Village

My mom and I traveled to the KC area this weekend to visit relatives and watch my nephew perform in The Music Man. The production was wonderful. The cast and crew was made up of regular, everyday 7th and 8th graders -- only they were quite talented! My nephew had 2 parts: a traveling salesman and one of the quartet members. He's a natural actor, a very good singer, and was great!


My nephew getting his make-up applied by his mom


And now for the hair


And he's flying out the door just in the nick of time


Playing DDR with a friend. He's a champion and I got to see why! In a few weeks this basement will be finsihed as a game room, office, bathroom and utility room. Too bad Oklahoma can't have basements

Pretty, but what in the world is it?
We stayed in a "Motor Lodge" recommended by my sister-in-law. It's family-owned, older, and really cool. I want to go back with my daughters just so we can stay there again. Well, that and visit our relatives, too. Our room was kind of a suite. We parked right in front and entered in one bedroom, then there was a door to a tiny hall. Off to the side was a door to the bathroom, and straight-on was a door to the other bedroom.

The decor was non-standard motel fare. It was real furniture, windows that would open, blinds AND curtains. And the best part was that at $69 it was only $7 more than a one-bedroom two-bed room! There were storms in the area, high winds and rain, and the community tornado alarms were going on and off most of the night. We heard this morning that the high winds were causing it.

About the bathroom - it was small, very small, but clean and workable. I didn't realize how small it was until I finished my shower this morning and was ready to step out of the tub. I slid the tub/shower door open and stood there, quickly realizing I needed to tap into my engineering experience to figure out the best way to get out of the tub, only I don't have any engineering experience. Undaunted, I formulated a plan, and decided the best way out was to limbo under the pedestal sink then hokey-pokey around the toilet to try to reach an area of floor clearance that was where the door would swing partially open. Really. That bathroom was so small that the toilet paper was hung on the wall under the pedestal sink. When finished with your business you simply leaned forward a tiny bit, while remaining seated, reached across the "room" and pull the toilet paper off the wall.

Despite the lack of sleep due to sirens and taking preventive ibuprofen in order to be flexible enough to use the bathroom facilities, it was the best place I've ever stayed. It even had an old-time cool roadside sign. I really wanted to take a night-time pic of the sign, but there was too much rain and I didn't have a tripod. I'll get it next time.

On the way home we took a 4 block detour in Yates Center, KS to see the town square. It was worth it.

Courhouse in Yates Center, KS

Robin egg, already hatched, and bird poop

One of the streets in the lovely town square

A sign in the window announces in handwriting the weekly winner of the pizza and movie. How cool is that?

Tomorrow I plan to hike, and I'm quite sure it will be muddy so I'll leave Eddie at home. Eddie spent the weekend with the Squares and they were a bit too eager to return him home. In fact, he was here waiting for me when I arrived. Evidently his presence upset delicate Lucy. I'll find out more tomorrow.

Rebel's Out!

This evening I found Rebel meandering in the compound. I've been worried about him for a month, because all the other turtles have been out and active. I had just about decided that a mole had chewed on him while in hibernation and he died under there from an infection. And the guy is all cleaned up, too, meaning he's been out for a while and has somehow managed to escape detection, otherwise he would be caked with dried mud.

Rebel is homegrown, meaning he hatched under our care, 7 1/2 years old, and our only male. Last year he became sexually active and we believe he must have been practicing, or else shooting blanks, because none of the resulting eggs were fertile. We're hoping he becomes the sperminator this year.

Our beautiful boy


...and another view


...and one more because he's just so handsome, even in this view!

I don't know what to think about Twyla. She has the orange characteristics of a male, but all other signs (tail, toenails, and plastron) are feminine. She spent a lot of time last year and already this year "making it" with our females. All of them. Repeatedly. Like a boy. After I caught her in the act last year I checked her over and again proclaimed her to be a girl. Kinky.

You can tell she isn't in full-blown hookup here. She always seems to do this towards dusk, after they should all be tucked in for the night
Because of a lung and breathing problem brought on by varnish and fragrances at work I have not felt well enough to go hiking. This weekend I'm going to Kansas City to visit my nephew and watch him in his school musical, then I'm taking off Mon and Tues. I plan to catch up on some relaxing hiking then. Strenuous hiking, but relaxing because it's away from people. Yea!

The wild strawberries in the compound have gone crazy. The turtles and the birds enjoy them


The cute little blue day flower I took so many pics of last summer are sprouting up. This one is springing up in a post, and a couple of others are coming out of the crevices of the retaining wall


After a hail storm about 4 weeks ago I noticed a lot of chipping and peeling of paint on the decorative trim along the bottom of the back of the house. The lower window ledges, too. I've scraped and peeled, finally applied a primer, and will soon get to the actual paint. Instead of re-staining the picnic table I decided to paint it the color of the trim as well. I hope it isn't the kind of paint that rubs off on peoples' butts after sitting down. I would hate that.

After Work Hike

Eddie and I went out Monday right after work. We parked low and took the meteor trail. So named because of a rock which appears to be blasting through a boulder. I've taken many a pic of it but can never capture the full essence. This pic is from winter:

Before getting to the north end we cut up through a gulley wash when the tarantula trail was just a few yards away and looped south. At the south end we climbed to the top, which allowed me to realize that is a shortcut off the yellow ridge trail while walking south. That's definitely good to know. I had looked before and always assumed it was not easily passable. Wish I had known this the 2nd time I ever went hiking there and almost got caught on the trail in the dark.

Near the top there I found another little patch of Indian paintbrush. From there we meandered west until we reached the upper. We then headed up the tadpole to check out the blackberry blooms. They are bountiful and I smiled.

There were lots of walkers (by clothing/shoes/lack of water source I couldn't really call them hikers) and lots of bikers. We came across only 2 dogs, Boston terrier-likes, leash-lunging at Eddie, but only for a sniff. By the time we got back to the lot there were very few cars. Total hike 2 hrs, 5 minutes, topped off with an Asian salad from McD. They were again out of dog treats but luckily I had stashed one in my door pocket. I fished it out and Eddie didn't know the difference.

Backyard Colors

All my plans changed for today as I've been fighting a virus of sorts... a computer problem. My daughter (B) was on my computer during the night and when I got up there were problems. She professes her innocence.

I spent the majority of the day trying to work out the problems, but for relief I took some pics of colorful things in the backyard.

Dandelion bloom

Sheepshauer/sheepshower blooms

My first eastern tailed-blue outside of TM

Same one. It was flitting about and usually resting on sheepshauer blooms, but this time is landed on the bermuda and posed!

Wild strawberry bloom. They are running rampant in the compound right now...

which is good because the turtles like them

I have to admit the fly is colorful!

A violet-looking plant with its white bloom pushing up among the ivy

These pink flowers keep coming back year after year. I guess I'll have to look them up

I like the red leaves among the green on the pink rosebush

First pink bloom!

The red rosebush is just getting ready to pop its first one!

Eddie's spiderman ball. He loves it!

Did I mention yet... I'm Stupid?

My daughter (aka A) and I hiked about 5 pm with Eddie. We parked low and took the low trail to the concrete "reststop" by the tracks. There was quite a bit of mud from the rains this week, and that area has a hard time drying out. There were several bikers and a couple with their 2 well-behaved dogs. For some crazy reason we were both pretty tired just half way out. I felt like I was lumbering along. Temp in the low 70s, all in the shade, so there was no excuse.

I slipped and fell, daintily I might add, which is a feat in itself, while going down the hill to the lower. A had just mentioned there was water trickling down a rock, and since she was wearing shoes instead of her boots I was just about to warn her about slipping, because wet rocks are manipulative that way, when I slipped. I brushed my rear off as best I could, but later, when I was walking in front, she broadcast that there was dirt on my ass which was shouting, "I fell, look at me, I fell!" So I stuck my rear out at her and made her brush it off again.

We sat and chatted quite a while at the concrete before heading back. I noticed several different types of pretty little wildflowers and plan to return tomorrow alone with my camera just to get the flowers. We saw an eastern tiger swallowtail, the yellow and black kind. Even if I'd had my camera I don't believe I would have had a good shot. It was flying and lighting high, and besides, we were there to hike.

Total hike, including rest stop, about 1 hr, 45 min.

On April 12 I wrote and put up a pic of the little maple tree I had transplanted in the backyard. I had been concerned because the maples in the neighborhood, including its mother next door, had been leafing out for a while. Well, this evening I went to look closely at all the leaves, very proud that I hadn't killed it, and still wondering how to best stunt its growth so it wouldn't get so big (since it is close to the house). Anyway, this is what I found, and why I'm stupid:


Obviously this is a redbud tree, and I'm very happy! I don't know how I could have forgotten that I transplanted a redbud instead of a maple. There are 2 maple sprigs at the side of the house, so I didn't just make it up.


This is Blocky, aka Hooly, after she put herself to bed for the evening. The turtles are always so cute the way they think they are completely hidden just because their face is. Come to think of it, cats and dogs do that, too.

I'm Lucky!

Today I went w/o Ed so I wouldn't be encumbered while photographing butterflies. I arrived at noon, parked low, took the tadpole and just before the descent to the taturmobile I looped around to the east and headed back with some much needed shade. From the loop on I was hot and just about miserable, with thoughts of a cool bed with ceiling fan and ice water. Toward the end I even started counting my steps in groups of 100 to keep my mind off the heat. About 2 hrs.

Eddie could have gone, for I didn't get many butterfly pics. I was impatient plus it was probably too late (hot) in the day for much activity. At least I got one really good shot of a goatweed, and a passable shot of an unknown. I'm glad I went, but I think when it's this warm I'll just go to the fitness center instead.

This cardinal was hanging around near the trailhead, taunting me to catch him. Just when he got in a good position and I was almost focused, he would hop away and chit-chit

I saw these in the same place last year and was happy they bloomed this early. I have no idea what they are. UPDATE: Cranky Lady IDd this as the paintbrush. There is a bit of difference between "Indian Paintbrush", such as WY state flower, and the Texas paintbrush. This is the Texas variety.

I began noticing yesterday that quite a few of the tent caterpillar colonies were like this. Maybe they're ready to spread their filth or pupate


Pretty

This is why we call this the tadpole trail. We will see this all spring and summer, and when large broods turn into froglets we have to watch our step very carefully

Just a large grasshopper

Some of the blackberry canes already had buds

and a few had blooms!

Tiger beetles maybe?

My wonderful shot of the goatweed leafwing. They're about all I saw today and now I can officially stop taking pics of them

Unknown little blue or skipper or something. I'll look later

Interesting feather. I don't know from what... yellow flicker?

And here's why I'm lucky! It still has some nails in it, and I think I'll hang it over my door at work