Summer Sun on the Creek; Bugs, a Lizard, Cats, More

Electric Eddies

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:

Bedazzled

Creekbanking on a dreamy late afternoon

Creeky views, with the banks and the long flows:

Stream and downstream 1

Stream and downstream 2

Still waters

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.

Small frogs make big ripples

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 work their solar powered sparklers

The ripples, bold and green

Trees and their leaves help the sun make glitter all over branch water.

Sparkles spice up shadows

Hot greens!

Leaves galore, where it all comes from:

Just outside . . .

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.

Clouds on a rainy day

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:

Underwing Moth

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:

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.

Black-Winged Damselfly or Ebony Jewelwing, male

Blue Dasher Dragonfly. Dragonflies were known as ‘mosquito hawks’ when my husband was growing up. Chow down, guys and gals!:

Blue Dasher in Sun

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:

Tiger Bee Fly

Grape Leaf Folder or Grape Leaf Roller on a ceiling! Just so wrong! LOL

Grape Leaf Roller or Grape Leaf Folder

Blue dasher with board background:

Blue Dasher Dragonfly

Lizard, probably Brown Anole:

Brown Anole

I’m in town some days, where we have Crepe Myrtle that’s still blooming:

Crepe Myrtle

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!

Madame Curious, feral masonry expert

Once in a blue moon I get a pic like this:

Madame Curious, feral sweetie

At home, Bud is here to remind me that his pictures are the most important:

The Budster helps edit

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/

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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.