Still Here...Part I

Well, we're still in Boston this morning to begin our vacation. We've already had an interesting adventure at Boston's Logan airport yesterday/last night/early this AM and we haven't even gotten out of the vacation gate yet!

Our 7:50PM JetBlue scheduled flight was eventually cancelled...at 12:30AMish.

A whole lot of sitting and waiting and waiting and sitting, and waiting and waiting and oh, did I say waiting? - WAITING! Throughout all this sitting and waiting and waiting and sitting, and waiting and waiting we received few and vague updates from JetBlue. They dropped the ball BIG TIME (in my humble, frustrated, pissed and tired of sitting and waiting and waiting and sitting, and waiting and waiting opinion)!

We've been booked on another JetBlue flight departing this afternoon at 4:30PMish. However, we're flying into Ft. Myer versus Ft. Lauderdale, which messes up our original plans of driving through Alligator Alley on our way to Marco Island.

Stay tuned for updates as our adventures continue...

What is Alzheimer's?

I came across this article in the Wall Street Journal's Market Watch this afternoon and thought I'd pass along -

What is Alzheimer's?
By Val Brickates Kennedy, MarketWatch

BOSTON (MarketWatch) -- Alzheimer's disease, the leading cause of dementia in older people, is brought on by the widespread destruction of brain cells called neurons over the span of several years...

To read the rest of the article, click here - "What is Alzheimer's" ...

Off to Florida for Vacation

We're heading down to Miami & Marco Island Florida to visit my brother and his family tomorrow. Not sure if I'll have access to a computer, if I do I’ll try to post one or two items. Perhaps, a bikini pic or two!

Joe-Pye Weed

Eupatorium purpureum also known as - Queen of the Meadow, gravel root, kidney root, mist-flower, snakeroot and purple boneset

This fragrant wild flower first appeared within our raspberries a couple years ago. It's an attractive flower that attracts an abundance of butterflies, bees and numerous other insects. It was named after a Native American herbalist, named Joe-Pye, cured fevers using the Eupatorium plant.

At first I didn't know what this plant was. Then I thought it was Asclepias Incarnata milkweed,‏ otherwise known as swamp milkweed, which looks very similar to Joe-Pye weed. However, one of the local newscasters does a piece on Sunday mornings called, "Dave's Garden Tips" and wouldn't you know it yesterday Joe-Pye was one of the three plants he talked about and had on display. After a little Google research I confirmed we're the happy owners of some Joe-Pye weed. I plan on transplant this dude come fall to get it out from the tangle of raspberries and into it's own space.

In the words of Mr. Paul Harvey, "and that's the rest of the story..."

Read more about, "Growing Joe-Pye Weed"

Find the Insect IV

Can you find the insect in the above picture?

Visiting Fox

We had a Grey Fox in the back yard the other morning, just like the deer fawn twins we had visiting a couple weeks ago. This carnivorous mammal was stunning and quick, although his tail struck me as being shorter than normal.

Let me paint the picture for you - so, there I was fresh out of the shower and looking out the upstairs bathroom window wearing nothing but my new tighty-whities and brushing my teeth like I do every morning. When all of a sudden this grey fox darts out from the raspberries (which are behind the rear pool fencing and partially obscured from my vantage point) and makes a b-line towards the side yard and lunges at something as he hits the fence. I didn't see what he was after but he missed whatever it was. At this point he starts making his way towards the rear of our property (which has no fencing), stops for several seconds when the chickens begin to squawk and carry on, stares them down and then slowly slinks into the under brush and out of sight.

The entire episode happened so fast that there was simply no time to retrieve the camera, so once again I've drawn a picture that's pretty darn close to what this fox looked like.

Shiit...ake Mushroom

I call em as I see em...

What the Phlox...

These are pictures of the (3) different Phlox plants that we have in our yard. These flowers smell wonderful and are considered butterfly magnets - bunblebees, moths and numerous other insect are attracted to these flowers also.

The first pic, we wrapped the plant with the wire you see. Otherwise it would have fallen victim to the wild rabbits and woodchucks that did a number on this plant last season.

The second pic - this plant resides where it was originally planted several years ago. It's not the ideal spot only because it gets lost amongst the ferns and black-eyed Susan's. I plan on transplanting this one somewhere within the pool area once the flower pass.

The third pic - this one fell victim to some critter, again either a wild rabbit, woodchuck or deer. I didn't think it was going to flower at all this season simply because it was eaten almost all the way to the ground. However, it came back strong and doesn't look too bad. It too kinda gets lost amongst the taller 'Uncle Tommy', black-eyed Susan's and chives.

Find the Insect III

Can you find the insect in the above picture?

Drunk Arrest

A female officer arrests a drunk. She warns him, “You have the right to remain silent. Anything you say will be held against you.”

The drunk replies, “Boobs.”

Shedding of Skin (Ecdysis)

Common Garter Snake

A snake about to shed is referred to as being "in the blue."

A healthy snake will shed on a regular basis - generally around once a month.

This dude will be shedding soon. You can tell this by his blue eyes. At this stage he can not see very well and is vulnerable and nervous, rather unpredictable and sometimes aggressive, which is why he was hiding under a sheet of metal when I found him. He darted around blindly for a short time trying to get away but when he realized he couldn't he curled up and started acting tough and began lunging in my direction.

Lema daturaphila

Lema daturaphila - Three-Lined Potato Beetle

Here are some pictures I took recently of the 3-lined potato beetle. These little fellers happen to be residing on my dads eggplants. We have them in our yard too only residing on the potato plants we have growing. Not only do they prefer eggplant and potato plants but also tomato plants and can be pretty destructive.

In the picture below you can see the damage they do and it doesn't take long. They were just starting to dine on the eggplant below -

They lay their eggs on the underside of leaves in clusters. The larva hatch and immediately begin feeding and causing damage.

The larva of these beetles protect themselves by carrying it's own chemically noxious feces, or poop for the lay person and frass for the entomological gifted person, on it's back. Just like the Red Lilly Leaf beetle and many others in the insect world - yuk!

To read more on this behavior click "Getting the Poop on Beetle Defense".

Here is one method to organically control the beetle's and is something that my dad taught us as yutes. Although we used this method for Japanese Beetle it will work with most beetles. Here's how to do it:

1. Fill a jar with soapy water.
2. Hold the jar under any beetles that you see.
3. If you bring your hand close to a beetle, it will have a natural flight response of dropping to the ground--or in this case, into your jar.
4. Once they fall into the soapy water, they lose the ability to fly and quickly sink to the bottom; in 5-10 minutes, you can rid yourself of dozens of these pests.
5. Then feed to the chickens (if you have any) they love em!

The other method, which I use in a "pinch" is to catch them by hand and pinch their heads offs. It's messy but just as effective as method one above.

Reference Calendar

I scored this 365 Flowers, Gardens & Trees calendar yesterday! It was given to me as a gift. Did I mention that it's a 1992 calendar? If not, it's a 1992 calendar...

Find the Insect II

Can you find the insect in the above picture?

Fritillary

Great Spangled Fritillary, Speryeria cybele

This little lady has been visiting and spending her time dining on the purple cone flowers we have in our pool area. She is one of the many visitors enjoying the summer bounty. The Yellow Gold Finch's have returned also.

The Great Spangled is the largest of all Fritillaries in North America, with its wingspan nearing 4”. This butterfly is found throughout the northern United States and into Canada. The wings are a common blend of oranges, sienna, and burnt umbers, and its forewings are marked with black spots.

Host plants: Violets, Thistle, Milkweed, Asters, Cosmos, Lantana, Pentas, Daisy, Red Clover and Zinnia to name a few.

Mr. Woodchuck

Say, hello Mr. Woodchuck - Hello Mr. Woodchuck...

The Lincoln Street vegetable and flower eating varmint-pest has been foiled and apprehended. I gotta admit, I am shocked! The trap has been sitting out in the yard, set, with NO bait for several weeks now and all of a sudden GOTCHA! I am puzzled but on a somewhat different topic, Emilie recently passed her first ever swimming lesson class and is now officially a Pollywog 2.

Mr. Woodchuck was NOT a happy camper and made it perfect clear when I approached. Unlike Emilie, Mr. Woodchuck failed to become a Pollywog 2...

New Game - "Find the Insect"

Based on the popular children's "I Spy" books...

Can you find the insect in the above picture?

Insect Fornication

The following pictures were taken over the last couple of days here at the ole homestead. They're to illustrate that the insects here at Lincoln Street are plentiful, happily content and apparently been eating watermelon, a lot of watermelon...

#1 -

#2 -
#3 -
#4 -

#5 -

#6 -

#7 -

Visiting Deer

We had two adorable baby deer fawns, twins I would guess, visiting us this morning. They appeared a little nervous then all of a sudden they bolted, their tails raised high. One went straight back into the under brush and was gone and the other into the neighbors back yard and gone. As it turns out there was a dog a few houses over. The dog didn't notice them but they didn't hang around to see.

JoAnne ran to get the camera but they were gone before she could get any pictures. However, I've drawn a picture that's pretty darn close to what they looked like right down to the number of spots on each one.