Month: September 2016

Snapshot #’s 16 and 17

Note: This post was written several days pre-hurricane. Carry on.

Would you look at this? The faeries agreed to move in with three conditions: 

1) They can stay on the screened in porch.

2) The cats have to stay at least 15 yards away.

3) A suitable temporary home be found.

The cats were willing to give in to the distance provision, and I’m okay with the faeries using the screened in porch as long as the storm doesn’t threaten that area. 

I had two bird houses from which to choose, and after looking at photos of both, the faeries said this one would do. 


I asked if I could snap a photo so that everyone would know they were safe. While they agreed to the photo, they were surprised that anyone even knew of their existence.

I assured them that a great many folks were concerned about their welfare. 

The cats are keeping their oath to refrain from eating our guests. I’d say in the realm of human-faerie-feline relations this experiment has been an unmitigated success.

Peace, people.

Housing Crisis

Note: This was a pre-prepared blog post. For all you know I could be lying trapped beneath a downed pine tree in the neighbor’s yard, having been tossed there by Hurricane Hermine. Carry on.

On Saturday I purchased a special house at the Farmers’ Market in downtown Tallahassee.


Notice anything unusual? No door! But that’s ok, because it’s a house for bats.


And the entryway is in the bottom of the house. Cool, eh?

I figured with our do-nothing GOP controlled congress and our equally lame GOP governor ignoring the Zika crisis I should do my part to cut down on the mosquito population. What better way than by inviting bats to live in the neighborhood?

Of course in order to attract bats the house probably needs to be hung. Preferably outside.

Studly Doright isn’t in the mood to hang my new purchase (we are in the middle of a huge storm right now, so I suppose I’ll forgive him). It could be awhile before we’re ready to invite bats to Doright Manor.

In the meantime, I’ve been researching bat houses and ways to attract the flying mammals at https://batconservation.org/.

Apparently Florida is host to at least 14 different kinds of bats. Hopefully at least one kind will like our house well enough to move in. I’ve been told that none of the commercial attractants are effective, so one has to mount the house on a sufficiently tall pole, in an area of the yard that receives ample sunlight, and wait for occupancy. 

Locating the bat house near a lake is supposed to increase the likelihood of the house being occupied, so we’ve got that going for us, but the literature indicates it could be months, maybe even years before we have bats living in the house. 

Considering their inability to take decisive action, these bats might be Republicans.


Peace, people!

Tired of Hurricane Coverage? 

This made me giggle:

A wee bee looking at me

Aren’t these lovely? See more gorgeous nature photography at naturehasnoboss.com.

Mike and Christy's avatarnature has no boss

Wee_bee

Little_bee_looking_at_me

Out in the coneflowers this summer we have counted perhaps up to 8-10 different varieties of bees buzzing around all at once. This was one I have only seen once or twice and he is just a little guy but looks like a mighty little guy given the amount of pollen he has collected to bring back to the hive.

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The Calm Before the Storm

I’m a bit fascinated by our approaching storm. Hermine is still rated as a tropical storm; although, meteorologists expect to upgrade her to a hurricane when she makes landfall tonight. 

I shot a brief video that I hope you’ll enjoy. And hey, if I get blown away, you’ll have something to remember me by. I do have two or three posts queued up, though, so you won’t know I’m gone for a bit. 

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Peace, people!

Snapshot #16

I found Little Debbie Oatmeal Cream Pies! I call this one, “Hurricane Survival Kit”.

Hunker Down

I’ve hunkered down, my friend, awaiting storm’s approach,

Supplies are purchased, including wine, my taste above reproach.

Let’s bask this day in the modern life, celebrate electricity,

For tomorrow we may lose this perk and struggle yet to see.

I’ve books stockpiled, along with food, the soul to feed in time

While waiting out the coming flood with words inclined to rhyme.

Oh, I’ll watch the tempest throughout the night, daring it to harm

And hoping that with dawn’s first light it’s fizzled, no alarm.