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A Mystery
Many of you might know that I love a mystery. Some native, something. A plant, an insect, something without a name. Figure out what it is. THIS was my mystery today. If I had not thumbed through a plethora of nature books since childhood, I would not have even known that this is a caterpillar.…
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Eastern Calligrapher
The Aromatic Asters (Aster oblongifolius) in my garden are just beginning to show off their soft lavender blooms. Those few flowers have gotten the attention of an Eastern Calligrapher (Toxomerus geminatus). It’s a tiny creature, measuring just 1/4 inch long. Though it looks like a bee or a wasp, it is a fly. It doesn’t…
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Clean Up Crew
Three Black Vultures, part of Mother Nature’s clean up crew, were here yesterday just checking things out and making a lot of noise. Look closely. There are three there. They were on the roof making thumping noises and on the front steps making sounds like car doors slamming. But they decided it was a false…
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White Swan Coneflower
A Great Spangled Fritillary (Speyeria cybele) on a cluster of White Swan Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea ‘White Swan’).
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Independent Leaflets
As days get shorter some leaves take that as a signal and stop making chlorophyl. That chlorophyll is what gives the leaves their green color, and what is left in those leaves will break down. The green fades and disappears. Yellow, orange, and red colors left in the leaves and now uncovered, become visible. This…
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More Orange
Many more photos of orange call to me. Here are a few more. Orange cars may be unusual but back when this was ours, they were even more unusual. At least that seemed to be the case. Here it is, complete with bear paw prints on its hood. We live in bear country after all.…
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The Color Orange
Okay Gary, here ya go! Orange might mean, might represent, might bring, might suggest, joy, warmth, heat, sunshine, enthusiasm, creativity, success, encouragement, change, determination, health, stimulation, happiness, fun, enjoyment, balance, sexuality, freedom, expression, and fascination. Lincoln National Forest is an area of 1.1 million acres. A forest region including Ruidoso Valley, Cloudcroft and Carlsbad. Located…
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The Color Red
There is a challenge this week to post things RED. A challenge sent out by the Digital Photography School. Brilliant, strong colors come to the top of my list of favorite things, so I thought I’d post a few of my photographs of red things here. I hope you enjoy the quick trip through the…
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A Member Of The Soldier Beetle Family
Another Beetle that looks a bit like a Lightning Bug. Scientific name, Podabrus tomentosus. A species of the Soldier Beetle family, Cantharidae. There are approximately 3,500 species in this family. The Podabrus tomentosus is a species of Soldier Beetle that the Internet has neglected. It has no common name and in my search I found no…
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Something Cold For A Hot Day
Something to cool you off on a hot summer day. Snow and ice on a seedhead of Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis).