Happy Halloween! I did a post in 2010 on the kids' Halloween costumes spanning 10 years, almost all of which I made, so if you want to see their choices, go here.
More butterflies out there Sunday on that clear blue sky warming day. Not nearly the quantity but nearly the same variation as last week, mostly fritillaries, monarchs,
and long tails but also pipevine swallowtails, a giant swallowtail, a very tattered buckeye, a gray hairstreak, a great purple hairstreak that flashed iridescent blue in flight (first time to see this one),
cloudless sulfurs, skippers, a julia, definitely a queen, and one or two others, maybe a different long tail and a silvery skipper neither of which I could get a good picture of or the queen or the giant swallowtail. And bees, lots of bees including this different one, also not a very good picture as it moved just as I tapped the button.
Speaking of bees, these tiny things were all over the sword leaf blooms and while they look like bees they are actually hover flies.
This caterpillar was crawling across the mat outside the garage door. I have no idea what it is but it was over 3” long. The closest I've come to identifying it is an imperial moth caterpillar.
Moving on from butterflies to a succulent bloom about an inch in diameter.
The confederate roses are almost done.
Cat wants to be part of the puppy pile but Minnie is wary. That lump to Cat's left is Minnie under the blanket. Cat has curled up touching us both. All is well until Minnie realizes that it is Cat up next to her.
Moving on from the natural world to the unnatural world, WTF are they thinking? Do clothing designers just hate women? A dress at the Evil Empire. What you can't really tell is that the neckline has a ruffled collar and the bottom 12” of this shapeless sack is a ruffle.
I have a new pair of yoga pants that is black with turquoise insets but no top to wear with them so while I was there I thought I would look to see if they had some kind of matching top so I could be chic and fashionable and I found this on the clearance rack, cost me all of $2.
Spied at SHARE, a donation from the Evil Empire (yes I have to give them credit for donating the stuff not fresh enough to sell instead of just throwing it away), a salad kit, see how nice and green the picture is,
flip it over and see what it really looks like.
I bought you that dress for Christmas. I guess now I'll have to send it back. (sigh)
ReplyDeleteI awoke totally unaware that it is Halloween. Thinking about just going back to bed!! Trying to buy clothes lately is disappointing. Even the expensive stuff is ugly!
ReplyDeleteAre we now supposed to dress like Mormon Fundamentalists?
ReplyDeleteYou sure are amazing at Halloween costumes. I was the worst. Seriously the worst. Luckily my kids got pretty creative and crafty themselves at young ages.
Yes. That salad label is incredibly misleading.
That dress (tunic? top?) has some ugly happening. Not even worth taking that bottom ruffle off, the fabric is ugly too.
ReplyDeleteYou made some really good costumes. I made DS's costumes for a couple of years, then he decided fireman it was, with the plastic helmet and ax too. Still have the costumes I made in storage.
Those salad kits are convenient, but expensive for that bit of mostly cabbage. And the lettuce kits rot way too fast.
We buy those salad kits from time to time - they're just like eating cole slaw. Which I do not like. But hey - crunchy salad is good for me, right?
ReplyDeleteI love the butterflies and moths that you see there. So beautiful. That succulent bloom is lovely. I don't think I've ever seen anything like it. Happy Halloween!
ReplyDeleteYou have more butterflies than I have seen in some time.
ReplyDeleteSame here. I have never seen this quantity or variety ever before. And I grow these orange cosmos every year.
DeleteI am really glad that clothes are warmth and comfort to me and that style is basically irrelevant. I could gladly wear the same clothes day after day - laundered of course - but Miriam makes sure that I don't!
ReplyDeleteThat succulent bloom looks amazing to me. Are you sure it isn't something you fashioned out of glass? It looks almost unreal!?!
ReplyDeleteThat succulent bloom stopped me in my tracks. It does look unreal -- and vaguely dangerous. I can second your report about the butterflies, again. I was over at the San Bernard refuge on Sunday, and they were just thick -- every sort. There were a lot of Buckeyes and Gulf Fritillaries, plenty of whites and assorted yellow ones, and one that I haven't identified yet. I need to look at your last post, because I think it's one you got a photo of. It'll show up on the next Walden West post anyhow.
ReplyDeleteWhat tickled me was the number of alligators out sunning on the banks of the ponds and sloughs. The season's turning for sure if the gators have started sunbathing!
Ellen, that "succulent bloom" looks like a carrion flower. I only know of them from books, but there are those who so love them that they grow them indoors despite their foul odor.
ReplyDeleteHaven't noticed any odor from this one and it's really small.
DeleteEllen, the plant is Huernia zebrina, a common name of which is carrion flower. I've read about them but have never owned one. Here are a couple of links: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Huernia_zebrina and https://conservatoryofflowers.org/bloom/huernia-zebrina/
DeleteOne last link: https://www.thespruce.com/lifesaver-plant-profile-5072331
DeleteThanks for the links. I am familiar with it. Seen lots of pictures.
DeleteYou do get a strange assortment of life at your place! I've never seen a caterpillar that size/color before. Nor the cacti bloom. Gads... Always learning from you... Thank you!!!
ReplyDelete37paddington:
ReplyDeleteI loved seeing those creative costumes! Having not grown up with Halloween, I was not well versed in costume making and my kids were mostly on their own. They did ok though, especially my girl who would plan her costume and start assembling it weeks ahead of time.