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scream and run for the flyswatter when confronted with this:
After blogging, scream "Blogworthy!" and run for the camera and Kenn Kaufman's "Field Guide to Insects."
for nightmares, click on photos to em-biggen
Unfortunately, it does. It is a cicada killer, an insect I just learned about this year from posts like this and this, and it was no threat to me. Now, I feel kind of bad about the following photo.
Oh, I still swatted it. It was a humongous wasp-like thing on my ceiling at 11 o'clock at night. I don't think I could have slept if I left it there. But, I also took its picture, ID'd it, and posted about it on the blog.
That should count for something.
On my foggy morning nature walk (I can't call it a bird walk) at Crooked Run on Saturday, I found lots of evidence of fall, as in things that had fallen to the ground. No acorns - I am trying to remember if I even saw an oak tree in the preserve - but lots and lots of these:
Black walnuts.
The black walnut is a native tree in this part of the world, and the nuts are prized by wildlife and humans alike. The hardwood is a favorite of cabinet makers, and I remember my uncle once pointing out several old and valuable walnut trees on the farm to my aunt, letting her know that if anything happened to him and she needed money fast, these were the trees to harvest. Thankfully, they haven't needed the trees, but it is nice to know they are there, in the bank, in case of tragedy.
Preparing the walnuts for use in baking, candy, etc., is a tiresome job, as first the green husk must be removed, leaving your fingers stained with the black juice. Then the tough shells must be cracked to get at the small, flavorful nutmeats. Processing can involve hammers and plywood boards; running over the nuts on an asphalt driveway has also been advocated. I have a black walnut behind my pond, but I don't do anything with the nuts - too much like work for me.
This tree has lost nearly all its leaves, but is full of walnuts, which can be seen in the close-up photo that follows.
Several years ago, I took a series of classes at the Cincinnati Nature Center, called "A Sense of Place." The goal was to teach us to look at the things around us and learn our native wildflowers, butterflies, birds, and trees. I should know the two different kinds of nuts that are in the next photos, but I have forgotten them. (Please don't tell my instructor, Bill Creasey.) I think they are both types of hickory nuts. The first one has a thin outer shell, while the second type is much thicker. Anybody want to weigh in?
I know this one, though.
I love newly harvested buckeyes - the rich, mahogany color, the contrasting tan "eye," the slick, glossy, slightly oily feel. I picked this one up and put it in my pocket for luck. Then, I began looking around for its companions. The weird thing was, I couldn't find any more buckeyes on the ground; I couldn't even find the tree this one came from. Nuts!
Harmony Hill Winery is officially closed for the season, but Bill and Patti held a private party for Patti's anesthesia colleagues last night, and they asked me to work. Since it was an open bar, it was different than a usual weekend. While I still had to describe the wines to the majority of the guests, I didn't have to do any tastings or charge by the glass, so it was less stressful for me. Several people bought bottles to take home, and a couple of people bought cases, but mostly it was just a fun night of pouring wine and chatting.
I must say, these people know how to party! The event was special from the moment I pulled up the driveway. Patti had decorated with straw bales and scarecrows, and set up tables and a tent for dinner.
The caterers put on a terrific spread and Bill made sure all the staff got a meal break. Entertainment was provided by Anna and Millovan, a father-daughter musical duo who are HH favorites. Click here for their video of Etta's James' "I Would Rather Go Blind" and here for "Mercy." You won't be sorry! (Be sure to select the "high quality" options for best viewing.)
You could also have your fortune told by an "angel card" reader (Tarot for the tentative) or have your handwriting analyzed.
For the younger kids, there was a miniature golf course and a bouncy castle.
For bigger kids, a chance to play on a Segway X2! Bill encouraged his team to take a turn. Here I am, focused on not falling off - biting my lip must help me concentrate.
But, eventually, I go the hang of it, and even had a little fun!
The evening was capped off by tethered hot air balloon rides. This one I didn't try, despite Bill's urging. My fear of heights overwhelmed the temptation to soar above the vineyard.
This is a great job! Where else can you eat, drink, and play all while getting paid? I told Bill I felt funny cashing my check - it didn't seem right. Oh, I cashed it, make no mistake, but I felt just a little guilty about it.
are OHIO STATE and Whoever is Playing Michigan.
That's especially true when the team is one who beats the Wolverines 45-20. Thanks, Illinois, for handing Michigan their third defeat of the season, making their 2-3 start the worst since 1967, when they started 1-4.
Way to go, Bucks, for pulling it out at the end of last night's game. 20-17 over Wisconsin makes us 4-1 on the year, with our only loss to the (then) number one team in the country, USC. With Southern Cal's defeat last week, we still have a shot at the big time.
GO BUCKS!
A fall weekend off work is the perfect excuse for an early morning bird walk. I visited Crooked Run Nature Preserve this morning, hoping for fall warblers, maybe some kinglets, and of course, sparrows.
It was light when I left my house a little after 7:30am. But, once I started down the hill to Chilo, the Ohio River Valley was filled with fog.
Whoops! Here's my first look at the wetlands area as I entered the park:
And this was my view as I headed towards the trail head for my walk in the preserve:
There were sparrows in this field. I could hear them and occasionally saw one pop up or fly from one spot to another. But, could I really observe them them? Nope.
This spot along the estuary is reliable for Great Blue Herons and Belted Kingfishers. Yeah, right.
And here is where I have found mergansers and other ducks in the past. Not today.
The Ohio River: guaranteed Ring-billed Gulls, occasional Double-crested Cormorants, ducks in season - even a Bald Eagle if you are very lucky. Today, I couldn't even see Kentucky!
In fact, the whole walk was decidedly un-birdy. I could hear lots of calls and chip notes, but the fog seemed to clog my ears as well as cloud my vision, and I had a tough time triangulating in on the sounds. If I did see the bird move, it was either backlit or flying into the mist.
When there are no birds or views, focus on plants. At least plants don't move.
I am usually at home in the woods, and have no fears of walking the trails alone. Today was different. I was uncomfortable, anxious. I felt little prickles on the back of my neck. Every small forest noise was accentuated. The rustling of squirrels made me nervous, and a louder, heavier-bodied creature moving through the brush caused me to whip around and stare. I was not much comforted by a young raccoon which climbed half-way up a tree, then stopped to watch me with suspicious eyes. A grackle taking flight behind me made me jump. Even the dew dripping from the leaves and small leaves fluttering down had me edgy; when black walnuts crashed to the forest floor, I wanted to run.
I found myself in a hurry to get this walk over, to finish this task, to just get OUT of here. I wondered what it must have been like to live as a pioneer, never knowing if there were hostile natives or bushwhackers around the next corner, or to have lived in prehistoric times, when wild animals threatened one's existence daily. Subconsciously, I quickened my pace, then felt foolish.
The woodland pond is low; we really need some rain. No Wood Ducks today.
Where I'm standing should be under water.
The fog has lifted enought to see that the wetlands is hardly even damp.
Halloween images add to the spooky factor of the morning. This entire black iron fence was festooned with spider webs, the dew making each strand sparkle.
An hour and a half later, on my way out, the sun was just starting to peek over the hills.
Trip List- Birds:
Blue Jay
Northern Cardinal
White-breasted Nuthatch
Carolina Chickadee
Tufted Titmouse
American Robin
Song Sparrow
Eastern Towhee
Common Grackle
Gray Catbird
Northern Flicker
Red-bellied Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Yellow-rumped Warbler
European Starling
Mammals:squirrelsraccoongroundhograbbit
I am finding out that glazes are addicting. I keep coming across new colors I just have to have. Here are two of them.
"Textured Kiwi"
I first saw it on this bowl, made by my instructor Rachel, at a gallery where she was exhibiting her work. I loved it so much, I bought the bowl.
Isn't it yummy?
I like glazes that work on both white and brown clay. Rachel's bowl was of brown clay, and here is textured kiwi on a piece of mine, made of white clay.
It looks different from every angle. I love the swirls of blues and greens.
Here is textured kiwi again, on a pump dispenser.
"Light Blue Shino"
This is another new color for me. I saw it, and some other "shino" varieties, on some mugs made by another potter, and bought them. Again, she had used it on brown clay, and I have tried it first on white.
The inner surface of this bowl is a lovely blue.
The outer surface has two problems. First, I left some thin areas when I painted the glaze on, and it "broke" to a brownish streak in the middle. Also, I was trying to do some stenciling with a black underglaze, like the sun-moon mug, but I only did one coat of black, when I had done two coats before. My cats and paw prints came out as brown smudges, not the dark, clean images I had hoped for.
Ah, well - It's a learning process.
Counting down - three weeks till the Fall Birding Weekend at Cape May, New Jersey. I can't wait. As well as seeing the Atlantic Ocean and lots of cool birds, I will be hanging with some of the great birder-bloggers of the USA: Susan (Gets Native), Laura (in NJ) and Lynne (of Hasty Brook.)I have been saving up for this trip since July 3. Compare this stash of quarters to the one in that post.
Don't worry - I have folding money, too. This pot is just for toll booths and parking meters.
for nightmares, click on photos to em-biggen
