The motor burned out in the old Miele vacuum that was here in the house. This new machine arrived today, and … let me just say, I had no idea our floors were so dirty. And hairy.
bissell pet hair eraser
Month: September 2025
Phidippus johnsoni
This little cutie has been hanging out on my desk for a few days. I’m not 100% certain of the ID but it’s my best guess. The red-backed jumping spider is one of the largest* and most commonly encountered jumping spiders in California. In 2012, NASA sent one into space!
*Largest = still really tiny!
Sialia mexicana
It was such a delight to watch this Western Bluebird swing back and forth on a hanging twig. Just sitting there, swinging in the breeze …
Feron kingi
Feron kingi, commonly known as the red cone gall wasp, is a member of the Cynipidae family.
The adult female lays her eggs within the leaves of several white oak species, including the valley oak (Quercus lobata). Once the egg hatches, the larva begins feeding on the leaf tissue, triggering the plant to form a hard, protective structure—a small red cone about 5 mm tall. This gall benefits the insect, providing it with additional plant tissue to consume. Inside the gall, the larva pupates and eventually matures into a parthenogenetic female adult before emerging from the tip of the cone. That’s right — there are no male gall wasps.
infographic
I had a go at creating an infographic. I suspect it’s too wordy to be effective as such. What do you think?
Santa Ynez Mountains
View on my morning walk.
dove comparison
I have been looking at the doves silhouetted on the power lines, and wondering which of the two common species they are. Now I know that the tail shape is a strong indicator—the mourning dove’s tail is tapered while the Eurasian’s is square.
inside/out
Of course, being in a heat wave, our AC repairman is booked up for another 10 days.
made a dress
I intended this as a muslin (test garment) but I don’t think I’ll make another. It fits as it should, it’s comfortable — but I realise I’m just not really a dress person.
button riches
I don’t know why I thought I needed TWO x 2lb bags of buttons. One would have lasted me several lifetimes. They are mostly plastic, with some wood/metal/shell. And there are plenty of duplicates, so I’ll be able to find suitable sets for most of my garment sewing, I hope!
hashiworks 