Looking back at the leafy months, I’m drawn to the shiny stuff like a crow would be, at the creek when afternoon sun turns water into neon, the greens in the light.
Sparkles:
Creeky views, with the banks and the long flows:
We keep seeing sudden ripples, hearing splats; my husband gets close enough to see one small green frog jumping from land to water. Rains knock tree frogs out of the trees and onto our door, where we see the frogs hanging on. Their upper bodies are a yellow-green with a sheen like enamel, the underparts are whitish.
There’s so much to photograph during the months of hot gleaming greens glowing on the branch, and I can’t stand to leave a sparkle unrecorded. So I hope y’all will stay with me for this long haul of a last of summer post.
Trees and their leaves help the sun make glitter all over branch water.
Leaves galore, where it all comes from:
I hate to see this go. I’m so partial to this densely packed 3-D mosaic of leaves, pine needles, and light. I even like the heat – far better than cold. Besides, consistent heat during the summer usually means fewer severe weather alerts.
Seeing the greens looking worn out and fixin’ to leave gives me the blues. Not even the red yellow and orange mixtures to come won’t fix this. I’ve got verte-igo, as I noted in a post last year. “That old green magic . . . ”
Within those leaves:
In June I saw something with red bouncing through the forest air. When it landed it looked like this:
Not actually a two-inch spaceship full of tiny aliens! It’s an Underwing Moth, but I can’t tell whether it’s a Walnut, Copper, or Penitent, or Some Other Underwing. It’s not an exact match for any of the photos I’ve found. The red underwings of this species are seen only in flight.
The butterfly is called a Red Spotted Purple:
The Damselfly is called Ebony Jewelwing or Black-winged Damselfly. Last year in (https://catwoodsporchparty.wordpress.com/2013/08/12/wild-summer-creeks-and-creatures/) I photographed the female with the white spot on the wings. This year I’ve photo-captured the male. There must a have been a male around somewhere last year, but I didn’t see it.
Blue Dasher Dragonfly. Dragonflies were known as ‘mosquito hawks’ when my husband was growing up. Chow down, guys and gals!:
Looking for bugs in all the wrong places. And one lizard:
The following guys or gals chose building materials for their hangouts or for hovering. Go figure! Not my favorite surroundings to photograph wild critters, but it’s no use arguing with ’em. They always just tell you to buzz off . . .
The Tiger Bee Fly:
Grape Leaf Folder or Grape Leaf Roller on a ceiling! Just so wrong! LOL
Blue dasher with board background:
Lizard, probably Brown Anole:
I’m in town some days, where we have Crepe Myrtle that’s still blooming:
We feed a crabby tabby of a feral cat, Madame Curious. This is what I usually see of her. Nice view of those pretty hind feet, MC!
Once in a blue moon I get a pic like this:
At home, Bud is here to remind me that his pictures are the most important:
For my tribute essay to the creek plus environmental activism, check this out: https://catwoodsporchparty.wordpress.com/2013/04/08/tributary-becoming-green-warriors-of-the-red-earth-country/
______________________________________________________________
Songs alluded to in parody:
“Blues in the Night”, music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, 1941.
“That Old Black Magic”, music by Harold Arlen, lyrics by Johnny Mercer, first recorded and released by Glenn Miller, 1942.
“Lookin’ for Love” (“in all the wrong places”), by Wanda Mallette, Bob Morrison, and Patti Ryan, 1980.
I look at this with my eyes half shut – still phobic about moths but loved the blog!
So glad you enjoyed this, Kerry! I understand about feeling uneasy about some bugs, for me it’s spiders. We used to have many more moths here, not only the small ones but some with 4 or 5 inch wingspans, often quite patterned and colorful.
Now I know I can only visit Alabama in the day time…:)
LOL Kerry! Well, moths aren’t nearly as numerous as they used to be. Like honeybees and butterflies, they seem to be declining due to widespread environmental pollutants. (None are from from us, don’t use herbicides or insecticides.)
What a shame…insects seem numerous in Texas but perhaps there were more before we moved here.
Your photos are enchanting! The dragonflies are beautiful–something I don’t see enough of. Where are the pictures taken?
Thank you for your kind words, I am glad you enjoyed the photos. Most were taken in the forest we live in, a few were in town, in Alabama. I love the dragonflies, too!
I’ve never been to Alabama and now I want to visit! I have a dragonfly tattoo on my back. They symbolize lessons learned at mid-life, transformation and light. 🙂
I’m partial to dragonflies myself! This is dragonfly season and I see them zipping around but haven’t had much chance to take pictures. Alabama is a great place to visit, we have mountains and beaches and vital arts activity going on. Summer heat can be rough on those from other regions who aren’t acclimated to heat, though.
I’m putting Alabama on my list of desired places to visit. Dragonflies are mystical. They look like something out of a fairytale story. I enjoyed your About–it seems we are kindred spirits! Similarily, I live in a canyon with cats and am impassioned by nature, am a writer, painter…I can only imagine how enchanting it must be living in a forest with cats.
For sure, a wilderness of any sort is an intriguing place to live. Always exciting nature-wise, but yet not always convenient. I’ve written a book about it all but still trying to find the time/energy to complete the final steps towards publication.
I can’t wait to read you book someday! I wrote a children’s story about my cats in the canyon and an adventure the have one night and am attempting to self-publsih, but need the $$. Work in progress. 🙂
I would like to follow your blog, but don’t see a place that allows me to do so. Can you direct me?
Looking forward to reading your book also! When I go to my blog and I’m not logged in, I see a Follow button in the lower right corner. When I am logged in and I go to someone else’s blog, there is a black bar at the top that has a button to go to the reader and also a follow button. Everything I follow there goes to the reader. If you mean a ‘follow and get an email’ button on the blog itself, I don’t have one since it’s a little beyond my computer skills to set that up. Let me know if that doesn’t work for you or if those buttons I usually see aren’t there, I will ask wordpress. Had to go quickly today due to storms, but am back now.
Thank you!
Gorgeous creatures and images all!!!
Kathryn
Glad you enjoyed these, Kathryn! Sadly I haven’t been able to get out much this year, it’s almost the same time these were taken.
Thanks for your like on Four inches of Snow.
Catwoods: thanks for the like on my View of Downtown Peoria. Feral Cats can be quite special to us. We have two in the neighborhood. My wife has even built a winter shelter for Muffin. You can see her on my sit at http://1-dan-de-ment-artistwebsites.com or Elm Drive Images. Again, good work.
Thank you for visiting, I’m glad you enjoy my photos! I have been enjoying yours also. I can’t get the link above to work but I will go look for pictures of Muffin on your site. It warms my heart to hear your wife has built a shelter for Muffin. We’ve built two for Madame Curious, she has her choice of locations, or the extra one can be for other wandering feral cats we occasionally see.
Wow, how did I miss this post? It is wonderful, and I read the other posts that you referenced. Beautiful. And, I love the cats! I miss them in my life.
Thank you so much, azgsgirl, I’m happy when I can capture some of the natural beauty here for others to enjoy. I’m waiting to post some pics for fall, but it’s coming on slowly this year. I hope you can one day have kitties back in your life, I can’t imagine being without mine!
I hope you will have some lovely fall color to shoot soon. Our autumn (in Arizona) is an elongated season as it starts in the high country and moves slowly south. It really can be a beautiful place, but the heat gets very tiresome by November.
I am looking forward to your autumn posts! Take care,
– Jo
Thank you, Jo! I’ve never been to Arizona, but it looks very beautiful in your pictures. So I’m looking forward to more pics from you also. Today’s fall color report here is promising, but thanks to the Arctic blast it may be a bit too cool for me to get out in the next few days!
Stunning photos and love those kitties! 😀
The kitties and I thank you, Hopeful Herbalist!
BTW–thanks for stopping to look at Charleston Seen.
My pleasure, doddsjzi, I enjoyed your photos very much!
Re moths and butterflies–we once had a black Lab named Skipper; one day going through a butterfly identifying handbook we were amused to find the malicious shady skipper.
I wasn’t familiar with the skipper butterflies!. I took a quick lnternet search and found a few references to the malicious skipper. I also looked in our insect guide and found many species of skippers but they do not include the malicious shady skipper. It’s far from a complete guide!
Dragonfly mosquito hawks are some of my favorite creatures. Any critter that eats mosquitoes has my vote.
For sure, dirtdauber, I’m thrilled by dragonfly beauty, but also by the thought that they’re gobbling up mosquitos as they glide around. My husband calls them mosquito hawks, too.
Many fantastic photos!! This post was well worth waiting for!
Thank you so much, stockdalewolfe!
Great pics!
Thank you, Kev!
Thank you for liking “Autumn Splendor.” Nice post! 🙂 I especially like your insect and cat photos. I am trying to appreciate the beauty of autumn foliage, but I still miss summer.
Thank you, imaginenewdesigns12, for your kind words. We still have some summer here, although it may turn cooler tonight. I’m going to miss summer when it good and gone, too! Really enjoyed your autumn post!
I am glad you enjoyed my autumn post, and thank you for liking “Good-bye Summer.” I hope you enjoy what is left of summer while you can. 🙂
My pleasure on liking your “Good-bye Summer” post, imaginenewdesigns12, and thanks!
You are welcome. 🙂
How did you ever get those amazing pictures of the dragonflies? I’ve taken so many, not even coming close to yours, I love them. Damsel flies are my favorite and she is a beauty. I love all animals too. I’ve had 2 very special cats in my life. I still miss my Claude every day!
I’m happy you enjoyed the dragonflies and damselflies, Cynthia! They hang around a lot during the summer, so I keep snapping pictures until I get a few I like. Aww, sorry to hear about your Claude kitty. I miss all of mine who have left us, too.
Great and interesting pictures. Thanks for stopping by my blog
Thank you, fallcorn1936, I’m glad you enjoyed the pictures. I enjoyed visiting your blog!
Beautiful pictures! Especially the underwing moth!
Thank you, mercurialforte! Glad you enjoyed the photos.
Thank you for liking DUB STEP BOOGIE. I love your site, as an avid nature and cat person, and as one also suffering from physical maladies I salute your efforts. Keep up the good work . . . at your own pace! We’ll wait!
I’m happy you like my posts, vsaichek! Thank you very much for stopping by and commenting. Your images at your site are fabulous, and I look forward to doing more thorough exploration when time permits. All the best wishes going out for your health.
Wow! Nothing for a long time then this great feast of shimmering photos! I love your water images. Where I live I also have lots of water (3 lakes, 3 rivers, the Grand Union Canal and lots of little streams etc.) and I sometimes think of your beautiful water pictures as I’m walking or cycling among them. I have a good camera now but am in the very early stages of learning how to work with my new tool (I’m more used to brush or pencil). Thanks for this great feast of seasonal beauty!
Claire, thank you for visiting and commenting! Enjoyed your description! It’s wonderful that you live near so much water, and I look forward to seeing some of your photos if you decide to post them. Yeah I’m a tad slow about updating, LOL. It’s mainly due to ongoing health problems and a huge to-do list. All best wishes to you.
Beautiful collection of images.
Meanderer, thank you so much, I am glad you enjoyed them!
Lovely, evocative pictures, but I like best those gorgeous insects.
and, no, I haven’t forgotten your pictures, Buddy.
Kate, thank you so much! I know Buddy hears you and appreciates being noticed by you in his own feline way. He made his transition to the Rainbow Bridge a few days ago and is now shining in the light. Another busy week ahead but I hope to be back in the swing of things soon.
So glad I caught this post, Catwoods! It’s certainly great to have you back, and these photos and the lovely, poetic words that accompany them remind me of why I always look forward to your posts. It’s cool here, where I live, and I suspect autumn is now here, and after that, our old friend Winter. Your greens make me long for a few more days of summer. 🙂
I’m happy you enjoyed the post, cdog5! We were cool and very comfortable for the first time today and it did feel like fall. That could start early this year but can be as late as November some years. I could do with a bit more summer myself!
Great post and very beautiful photographs! I really enjoyed reading your post.
Herman, thank you very much! I’m so glad you enjoyed this! I enjoy your posts every day.
Thanks for the great photos. Your blog is always a reminder that many of us have backyards teeming with life, but we rarely stop to look closer and appreciate.
Thanks, greenpete58! That is so true, there’s a world out there to be explored, always.
Thanks for sharing your special piece of nature…. Your photos and words are poetry!
Trudy, thanks so much for your kind words! I have lots of fun doing these, and always hope others will enjoy them too.
Lovely post, human- especially those DELICIOUS FLYING BUGS!!! *(MEOW)*
Bwahahahaha, Shrimp, you always make me laugh! Many thx!
😸glad to hear it human!! 🌹💞
Great photos!
Thank you so much!
Wonderful. Beautiful butterfly. And of course, love the kitties. What a sweet photo of the lovely feral girl.
Thank you so much, Unconfirmed Bachelorette! The feral MC likes to hear about how pretty she is!
You live in such a lovely place. As you prepare to bid the summer adieu, we are anxiously awaiting the end of it when things really get pretty here.
Thank you, Candace! We enjoy this place. I hope you’ll post some photos whenever you feel the season’s at the right point for picture taking.
I sure do miss the creek. Thanks for sharing so I can spend a few minutes enjoying my most favorite spot in the US.
Dale Beasley
My pleasure! I’m happy you enjoyed the pictures, and thank you for your comment.
beautiful life in the green…
Thank you, ginnietom!
A lot of great insects and photos of them. Wonderful photo series. Love the kitties, of course!
Thank you so much! From the kitties also!