cat grass en masse

 It's still pretty cold, but...sunrises have been amazing lately.

I've slooooowly been working on getting my mini greenhouses out.  No green yet!

For instant gratification, there's always...cat grass.  It's so easy to grow.  Just sprinkle seeds and cover...

...put in a sunny window for a couple of days, and...instant spring!

It lasts like this for several days...meanwhile, I'll start another container of it tomorrow.  Swap out the old, repeat, repeat.  So easy!

Meanwhile, I've got daffodils everywhere!

This vintage jadite egg cup that I picked up at an antique shop is perfect for tiny daffodils.

I bought these ceramic eggs so long ago, and I use them every single spring!

Meanwhile, I'm getting my fill of color outside.  I love seeing all the green!

Not just green.

Vinca

Spirea

the first of the violets!

a peek of lilac

daffodil

hosta nubs

the first redbuds!  

Things should really be popping in a couple of weeks!  Meanwhile, we'll be checking the trail cams for the first signs of BABIES...bobcat cubs, goz, coyote kits, and fawns!  We have an astounding number of possums and I'm really hoping to catch some possum babies (joeys, just like baby kangaroos!) soon.  I love spring!

Have a great week!  

more Hercules, please!

 The season is marching along, with so many daylilies...when did I plant these?

Hosta flowers are starting to come up, too.

The garden is really starting to pop (I'll have better pictures soon)!  It's definitely more tame this year - no 4' cosmos or marigolds - but it feels more manageable, too.  We've had regular rain, which is a big help!

Right on schedule, we have squash bugs.  And where there's squash bugs...

I had terrible germination with my pumpkins (like with everything else) and was only able to plant about 10 this year...and many of these were volunteers from the yard!  Even though the pumpkin plants are just a few inches tall, they are swarming with squash bugs.  I have to crush the eggs every couple of days, or the babies will eat the pumpkin leaves and possibly kill the plant.  

Herons are still visiting the pond regularly...

heron pouncing on a fish 

...and many other interesting creatures are around, too!

eastern tent caterpillar moth

eastern whitelip snail

house finch

song sparrow

plume moth

[look away if you're spider-averse!]

venusta orchard spider

hentzia jumping spider

Todd found this beauty in the driveway recently.

It's a female eastern Hercules beetle (a male would have gigantic 2.5" horns!).  Isn't she a beauty?  Check out her wings...it looks like a watercolor painting!

She was legs-up days ago, so I put her on the porch, where she moved sluggishly.  I didn't expect her to live, but she continued to do so, so I moved her to the garden.  She's gone now.  I hope she's laying eggs somewhere...I'd love to have more of these around!  

There was a rabbit right by the house...or there used to be.

The weather has been...amazing.  With one hot and humid exception, we've been in the 70s for several days.  It was 55 degrees when I woke up today!  Beautiful sunny days and blue skies.

The kittens watch me from their perch while I'm working outside...

...unless they're otherwise occupied.

Pleasant days indeed.

Have a great week!  

shock and awwwwww

 Shocker (for us homebodies)...another busy weekend, setting up at a local toy show.  

Nearly all of our business is online, but when a toy show comes right to your doorstep, it's hard to resist! I have to admit that I am woefully out of the sci-fi loop when it comes to Marvel/DC.  I have no idea who this guy is...

...but I love a good costume!  

Meanwhile, at home...delightfully foggy mornings continue...

...and most days are clear and sunny.

Late-season flowers are popping, and I'm stuffing the house with bouquets.

Copper mug at thrift store, fifty cents!  A perfect Autumn vase.

Of course, this is a major temptation to someone.

The usual fall visitors are out and about...

so much dew!

And evidence of those unseen...

Goldfinches stripping seeds and tossing chaff into a pumpkin leaf

A 4 foot hosta mowed down by bloodthirsty deer

One of my favorites...fall spiders.  You might want to skip the next three pictures if spiders give you the creeps!

I've been looking for crab spiders all summer.  They hide in flower heads and pounce on unsuspecting insects.  He's a masked bandit!

Besides crab spiders, my favorites are really daring jumping spiders.  Here's one chowing down on a small fly...

...and another one giving me the eyeball.  This is a male, pretty evident from his green chelicerae (mouthparts).  Isn't he a beauty?

I'm hoping to get more spider pictures soon.  The heat is going to be breaking soon (hello, September!!!) and it will be more comfortable to move around outside.  Although...the kittens much prefer indoors in all circumstances.

Awwwww!

Have a great week!