When they say āannual averageā rainfall … what does that really mean? Average over how many years? And with weather becoming more extreme year by year, does the referred-to āaverageā change every year? Does the term even have meaning anymore? Enquiring minds want to know.
I noticed a milkweed plant that was experiencing all its seasons at once. Nice!
I sat beside Century Lake and watched this bright little dragonfly return over and over to the same piece of bent grass. I decided she must want her portrait painted, so I obliged.
Whenever I see a curled leafāespecially in my gardenāI get curious about what’s inside the burrito. In this case, I’m pretty sure it’s a tobacco budworm or fruitworm, neither of which I want in my veggie garden. Sorry little wormie!
Swatches rubbed from the plant material itself. Love all those tones!
The small and large feathers were so different in colouring and size, that I didn’t suspect they came from the same bird. I was trying to come up with a scenario as to why both birds might have lost so many feathers in the same place. My reference book, and iNaturalist, led me to the much more likely explanation.
I wonder who ate the meadowlark?
Iām an early-to-bed kinda girl, so Iām usually fast asleep by the time the creatures of the night come out to explore and hunt. Iād really love to see a ringtail, but the last live observation recorded in iNaturalist in my area was in 2014. (There was a roadkill recorded in 2022.) So Iām thinking my chances are slim, even if I become nocturnal myself.
It was a quiet day at the MCSP Visitor Center on Sunday, so I sketched these taxidermied specimens in between chatting with visitors.
Found in the fruit bowl. Mm mmm, mouldy lemon š„“
The tropical/subtropical fruit that Australians call pawpaw (Carica papaya) is known as papaya in the US. Americans have their own pawpaw (or papaw)āAsimina trilobaāa completely different species, native to the eastern United States and southern Ontario, Canada.
Interestingly, though weāre Australian, the traditional folk song my mother taught me as a childāāPick āem up pawpaws, put āem in your pocket, way down yonder in the pawpaw patchāāis of American origin. The āpatchā refers to Asimina trilobaās characteristic patch-forming clonal growth habit. And presumably the fruit that one picks up has fallen to the ground, and oneās apron pocket is roomy.
Iād like to try American pawpaw. I think custard apples are delicious, so Iām sure Iād like them.
Horned lizardsā first line of defence is to stay very still; this, along with their excellent camouflage, makes them difficult to spot on the trail. But I know where they hang out along the Musch Trail, so if we look very carefully, and if they crawl just a little bit, we may be rewarded with a sighting.
hashiworks 