There's a new kid in town . . .

Yep,

While I was away in Chicago, my sweet daughter (who does not like critters of any kind...at all) tended to almost 40 caterpillars and released over 20 butterflies! And then when I got back, it wasn't long before I was releasing the ones that pupated while I was gone. Then I sat back and waited, and waited, and checked my milkweed . . . and nada. No eggs, no babies! It's been a month since I've been back and only last week did I spy come cats on my milkweed, but only 5? So unusual with a release of that many to only find a handful, but honestly, there were very few females in that whole lot!

But, we have had an influx of mosquitoes like no body's business. Seriously, it's just so bad. The worst I've seen it ever since moving here to the humidity capitol of the world. We hadn't even had much rain? So, about a week went by that I didn't check the plants. Sheesh, I couldn't even go out and water them with out getting attacked and coming back in looking like I had been in battle, and that was in  long pants, and a hoodie sweatshirt, with the drawstring pulled, lol! Did I mention our feel like temps have still been near or over 100.

{ KK violet}

So, doused with chemicals, I have been going out to check the plants more often and (look above) what I found! Do you notice anything different about that caterpillar? Sorta looks like a Monarch at first glance, but it's not. Right away I noticed that this caterpillar has three sets of tubercles (antennae) which means it's a Queen Butterfly. Their markings in the first instars are also slightly different than that of the Monarch, but probably not enough for most to notice. As of yesterday, I now have 15 queen cat babies safely tucked in my dining room.

I have to say that those darn skeeters are really cramping my morning coffee time on my front porch, and my roaming the garden with my camera. I can't spray any fog because of all my milkweed plants  . . . I know this all too well from previous experience. It is instant death to any caterpillar. I should note, that they have sprayed our neighborhood like three times in almost a week, but to no avail they just keep on keepin' on.

I was able to grin a bear it for a few minutes this morning to snap some of the dozens of bees that are loving my wild morning glory, which by the way is sooo very run a muck in my garden right now. I swear this stuff grows like 2 feet per day!

{KK peony}

And, while checking the milkweed, I found this pretty little moth hiding.

{KK Minus 43}

And then much to my surprise, this morning at the wee hour of 3 0'clock, I found this fellow in my bathroom!

I wasn't exactly sure how I was going to safely capture this little guy as they are lighting fast jumpers. He made it a little easier though jumping from the base board to the wall and that's when I won the draw and got a plastic take out bowl over him (and the lid I might add, a bit tricky too). Poked a few holes in the lid, and he waited for me on the kitchen counter til daylight. I wasn't about to let him out in the dark because hard telling what might come in through that door! haha  I was able to get the lid off and him in my hand, but as soon as I took the bowl off, he didn't wait for goodbyes, and bam a six foot jump landed him here.

He did tolerate, for about two seconds, my getting right back in his face for this mugshot though. Isn't he just the cutest? I kind of wonder how long he has been in the house. They can be loud.

{KK Kristen}

So add kermit to the list of out door that has made it inside....along with geckos, green anole lizards and a snake! Yeah, I'll share the snake story another time, haha

Have a great rest of the day,

I'll be decorating 270 football lockers tonight along with some other ladies...and bringing fabreze!

(It's homecoming week)

Love, Kim

Linking with Texture Tuesday, Tuesday Muse, Tuesdays Around the World

Be still . . .

  

As the dawn breaks over the horizon, for which I see no beginning or end,

I sit in stillness and know that you are God. When I silence my heart and mind,
I can hear you call my name. And as my eyes take in the beauty around me,

I see all that you have written.  - Kim

I had set my alarm, but hit snooze a few times too many. I was pretty sure I wouldn't make it on time for the show, but decided to just go anyway. I'm glad I did . . .  I raced out of the car with camera and tripod in hand, and this was the very first click of the morning. And surprise, this week I do have more than just the sunrise. ; ) 

And as soon as the sun rose just behind the clouds, it turned into this . . .

If you look really closely in the photo above, far in the distance in the golden light,

is this shrimp boat that I zoomed in on.

There is just something about the stillness at the start of the day, although that doesn't mean everything else around us is still. There seemed to be a fierce game of chase going on.

And I wasn't the only one in need of a little reflection.

And then I was off, just down the street, to sit and just think about nothing. It's one of my favorite spots along the coastal birding trail, a small wooden platform off in a little alcove. This place is kind of like

an eraser for my mind, where inspiration comes in the stillness. The silence of real life. Where you can hear things you can't see rustling about, where you can hear the buzzing of a dragonflies wings.

And on my walk, I have to say that I was a bit surprised to see Wisteria blooming this late in the season. The photo art Friday theme this week is container and I'm stretching this one a bit. The heavenly scent is

contained by this beautiful vine....I know, I know, but it's all I got.

{Flower Art Friday / Photo Art Friday - textures, RHWest Script, and age it from Pixel Dust}

As I started heading back to the car I just happened to spy this Night Heron up in the trees. He wasn't at all

liking the clicking of my camera and didn't stick around long.

And then shortly after that, I had found a bench in the shade and sat down to take a break from the heat. And there it was, this Green June Beetle rustling around the ground. It was incredible, as the metallic colors seemed to glow in the shade. Oh, but I didn't have my macro lens with me (it was still in the car), so I looked around for something to carry it back on, hoping the whole while it didn't fly away and that I could actually change my lens without losing it.  

Just check out that antennae! And it was no small beetle at about almost an inch long and half an inch wide. It was pretty difficult to really capture all its shiny metallic colors, and he didn't want to play dead and roll over so I could show you his belly that was a metallic copper. He would have made a great specimen for some resin jewelry, but I wasn't about to kill it.

{Shoot.Edit.Submit}

"Not to be able to stop thinking is a dreadful affliction, but we don't realize this

because almost everyone is suffering from it, so it is considered normal. This incessant

mental noise prevents you from finding that realm of inner stillness that is inseparable from being."

-Eckhart Tolle

How do you quiet your mind, do you have a special place?

Wishing you a wonderful weekend with some stillness!

Love, Kim

XO

    

Foto Friday . . . Nature, nothing but beautiful

I seem to be in a state of contemplation lately, well, I guess I should say more than normal, ha!

Spring just does that to me . . .

I spent an entire day at one of my favorite places, Maas Nursery.

For some it's just a place to buy plants,

for me it's a photographic haven, all 8 acres of it. But more than that it is a place that I can

simply enjoy nature at it's best, and yes for hours on end. 

I was deciding what photos to include today and   

this is where my contemplation came in . . .

I love ALL things nature, truly. Anyone who knows me knows I get excited at the

smallest, and some the strangest things and I understand that not everyone has the same

affinity for nature that I do, I am a bit of a nerd that way. There is a lot we will probably agree on that is beautiful, but I think when it comes to creatures somewhere the road splits.

So I was wondering to myself what constitutes beauty in nature? Is it texture, color, shape?

Certainly all of these add to an objects beauty.

So why is it that most find beauty in flowers, a landscape, a sunrise, but have more difficulty with things that have legs. You know, insects, spiders etc. They too come in a lot of textures, colors and shapes.

And I had this thought....

For me, I think the most beautiful thing about nature isn't its aesthetic beauty, but its rhythm, and how it

all works together in harmony. In nature there is no waste, and everything and every action has a purpose.

And sometimes when we have knowledge about something we have a better understanding and are better able to connect to it or at the very least tolerate it. Hopefully to protect it.

And isn't this true of people? If the real beauty of people lives on the inside then maybe the real

beauty of nature resides there too and a little knowledge could change everything.

What if we could change the "ewww factor" to a "WOW"!

I know, I know, but can I get a maybe?

As I was walking around I noticed there were dozens of swallowtails that would keep coming back to a certain plant, but I sure had a hard time getting close. So I decided to just stand there and wait . . .  and my patience paid off. Holy cow, I thought I was going to hyper-ventilate . . . not only did it land right in front of me, but she was laying her eggs, and it was just incredible to watch through my lens!

Of course I had to share with anyone that walked by, lucky them, haha!

[Photo Art Friday]

And here they are, just check out the texture on these!

I had a few stare downs, and I always won. : )

And sometimes things in nature are hard to watch.....

I found a remnant wing from a gulf fritillary . . . you can see where it's missing some scales.

[Photography life - texture]

Check this out -I was working in my garden and noticed the mulch was moving, slowly.  As I looked closer I realized it was a small caterpillar. It's called a looper and they camoflauge themselves by sticking things to their body. He was only about 3/4" long and as I got to watch him as he was sticking more things to himself.

You all know I love my spray bottle, lol! I was out on my front porch looking for spider webs, with my spray

bottle and then noticed this guy, an assasin bug that had gotten in my line of fire. I couldn't resist the water drop bokeh on his legs.....and check out his his mouth parts! They don't call it an assasin bug for nothing - he uses it to stab his prey. I would love to capture that!! They are beneficial to the garden, however I have heard they have a very painful bite!

And I couldn't leave you without a flower . . . a lovely clematis.

[P52- things that grow] [Shoot, edit, submit]

"Reading about nature is fine, but if a person walks in the woods and listens carefully,

he can learn more than what is in our books for they speak with the voice of God."

- George Washington Carver

So what constitutes beauty in nature for you?
When and where do you perceive beauty?
And do you do it only when you have time or do you make time?

Have a beautiful weekend!
Love, Kim
XO

P.S. - I really am curious, please share