Nature | June 2026

 My nature experiences this June have included some underwhelming events. We found and watched a Common Buckeye caterpillar grow and change into a chrysalis. I was looking forward to watching the butterfly emerge, but we happen to be out of town when the butterfly hatched. One of the children found the butterfly in the house and released it outside. At that point I was so concerned with getting it to the wild that I didn't even try to get a picture. 

The neighborhood cat, Romulus, is quite regal and I do like aspects about him, but he is a terror to the local wildlife. He has killed countless shrews, which makes me sad, because shrews are not a nuisance creature. Shrews can hunt mice, which makes me like them very much. If Romulus would stick to hunting mice, I would be very happy with him. The other day I found a red breasted gross beak that he, no doubt, had killed. Life is full of conundrums. How can you love both cats and song birds? Can you? Or must you pick one or the other? 

We had a family trip to Wisconsin for a few days. I was able to take a memorable walk one morning. It was before 7 o'clock, but well after sunrise. I found some black raspberries. If there is anything that tastes like summer, it is black raspberries! The milkweed and elder bushes are in bloom this time of year, too.

I found an ant fortress yesterday and a very unique jumping spider. I have never seen anything like it before.

A toad and a green tree frog were seen. 

One of the evening skies while we were in Wisconsin was the most pastel and dreamy scenes I have witnessed in a long time.

After a storm earlier in June we saw this phenomenon in the clouds. Very unreal!

And some miscellaneous pics ...

Paw prints,

Rock stacks,

Cloudy sunrise,

Well marked wolf spider,

Playful otters at the zoo.

My favorite picture this month is one of the raspberry pictures. Honorable mentions are the toad and the pastel lake scene. Do you have a favorite?

Oh, and I don't know if you could tell, but I got a new phone and the new camera has been an improvement for my nature pictures.

Smiles And Ice Cream | Art

 

 Can you feel how excited the baby girl is to get her ice cream?

This is my bookmark design for our library summer reading program. Our library will print the best designs to distribute. They asked for designs that go with the theme: Reading is Delicious! Usually the children are the only ones asked to make designs each year but this year I found a bookmark design form in my packet for the adult summer reading program.

I was pretty happy that they included the adults this year. I had a lot of fun with this little art project.

I can never seem to get eyes symmetrical, but I still think she is cute and contagiously joyous.

This is my finished entry. I am going to turn it in at the library today. 

Nature | May 2026

 I have so many pictures this month. From tree frog tadpoles to dew drop bejeweled roses this May was packed with natural beauty. My favorite picture this month has to be the roses.

I found this bee impersonating fly who paused for a couple pictures.

This is the first year that I have ever seen the parts of a Cottonwood tree that release the tufts of cotton. We were at a waterfront park after a storm and we found several of these cotton dispensers knocked to the ground. I was fascinated to learn what goes on at the tops of those giant trees. 

A smart little frog has taken up residence in this hollow post. I hear him singing after dark. His music is many times amplified by the pipe. In the video you can hear the other frogs in the background and see how loud the pipe frog is in comparison.

The frogs I saw mating in April must have laid a healthy batch of eggs because our little pool is filled with hundreds of tadpoles.

The pictures of the tadpoles are unclear because all my camera wants to do is focus on the surface of the water.

It has been so fun to go out and check the tadpoles everyday. They do not have legs yet. It is taking so long for them to grow legs!

Something about this millipede looked a little off, as in not lifelike. After I took the picture of the millipede I poked it. It remained static. I'd say it didn't look lifelike because it wasn't alive. Oh well. I still thought the picture turned out to be good.

I was super excited to find this baby Spiney Soft Shell Turtle during a visit to my brother's pond. It was so cute!

Here is a skink that was fun to be able to observe. I have never seen one at our house. It was at my parents and they live in a similar habitat to us. We have to keep a lookout for skinks.

Now we are to the roses! The grand finale! These roses were blooming at my mother's house. When I went out for my morning walk everything was covered in beads of dew. It was a gorgeous morning! 

And the birds...... I can't even tell you how amazing the birdsong variety was. I took a short video so you can hear a little of the morning music.

Here is my lovely walk curated in photo and video for you.......

And that is a wrap!

I hope you have had a nice May and are getting to enjoy nature out of doors.