our snake charmer

It's getting progressively darker when I take Pepita out in the mornings.  Everything is SOAKED in dew. I love seeing it in all the spiderwebs.

Dark, wet mornings aren't so bad, because I see a beautiful sunrise every day.

And on our morning walks...more signs of fall!!

Some cool caterpillars...

banded tussock caterpillar

white hickory tussock caterpillar

This isn't a fungus...it's a caterpillar!  A butternut woolly sawfly caterpillar, to be exact.

He reminded me of those beech blight aphids that dance when you shake their branch...which we also saw on the trail.

pre-dance mode

I like seeing how things change from day to day.  This is one day's growth for these oyster lynx mushrooms!

Another luna moth, or what's left of him.  They're so big and protein-packed that they are a real treat for a wide range of predators.

Look at the beautiful "eyes" on his wings!

Meanwhile, at home, a recent rain brought a big green frog (that's his official name:  Lithobates clamitans or green frog)!

Look at those eyes!

Also at home, Frances is becoming the perfect lazy cat.  

napping behind my desktop computer

napping on my hand while I try to type

napping on top of a box that I needed to access

begging for attention while I'm trying to work...on the dining room table, where he is not allowed to be

He's still helping a lot with Pepita...

...and keeping an eye on things with Barnacle...when he's awake.

He supervises when I'm training Pepita.  Here's she's showing off her skills with "snake dance."  Her legs are too stubby to properly train "down," so I used a stuffed snake tucked under my leg to lure her to the ground.  Snakes crawl on their stomachs, too, so "snake dance" became the natural name for this trick.

Yes, that's Frances on my lap, helping again!  :)  

Something's always happening around here.  Have a great week!