When we were working in the garden the other day, Jon noticed something moving below the soil surface.  He dug up this mole and threw it in the wheelbarrow. That's the big blueness you see in the picture.  He called me to come and look.  

 

By the time I got my camera and met him, the mole had already buried itself in the soil in the wheelbarrow.  So Jon dug it out and held it still enough for me to get a picture for YOU to see.  

 

Of course after we got our look-see, he called Gizmo to come check it out.  That is a whole 'nother story.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Yep.  We are going to the Annual Homeowners' Meeting today.  

 

But, be advised that we have a Sphinx guarding our home while we're away.  Just sayin...

 

HAPPY 4TH OF JULY!!!

 

Have you seen all the new babies?  It must be fawning season because we've seen about six in the last few days.  Just what we DON'T need in the neighborhood, more deer.  But they are so cute.  

While we are ALL oohing and aahing over the new babies, many of us are shoring up our gardens and flowerbeds.  These deer will eat everything!!!  We have seen some very interesting barriers to keep the deer out:  fencing, wires, tomato cages, etc. etc. etc.  Not too attractive, but effective. 

 

I could never shoot one, but I must admit I do fuss about them daily.  Meanwhile, be careful on the roads;  the little ones don't know about cars yet.  

 

Mixed blessing, the deer.  We are so tired of them eating our plants and flowers, but we love seeing them.

 

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

This is the "resting rock" up near the summit of Five Forks Drive.  We stop here to rest every day when we're walking the loop.  

 

Apparently there is a Daddy Longlegs Convention in town.  They are all congregated right below the spot where we sit!!!  

 

Thought you might like a look at our big, pretty, popular rock.

 

HAPPY HIKING!!!

 

Check out this Eastern Eyed Click Beetle.  Those aren't really eyes, that's its middle section.  It is also not really this big, but the close up picture is so cool, I thought you'd like to see it.  In fact, it is about 2 inches long.  Pretty big for a beetle.  

 

Seek told us that this beetle is native to our area, and Wikipedia says that the false eyespots are a defense mechanism to fool predators.  If the eyespots aren't enough protection, they also have a click feature that catapults them out of danger.  

 

Of course we had to pick it up and feel the click.  That was fun...for us.  Not sure how much the beetle loved it.  After that, it tucked in all 6 legs, and antennas and stood very still until we went away.   Cheap entertainment.   ;D

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

 

 

A few days after seeing the Luna Moths, we saw this moth on our Rosemary bush.  

 

Seek told us that is a Polyphemus moth, a native giant silk moth.  Its average wingspan is 6 inches!!!

 

It gets its name from the Greek myth of the Cyclops Polyphemus.  See the purplish eyespots on the hind wings?

 

Thought you'd like to see it.

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

 

Look who Jon saw on his morning walkabout.  Not one, but two Luna Moths!!!  On the golf cart tire!!!

 

If you put your thumbs and your index fingers together to make an oval, that's how big they are!!!  And such a gorgeous green.

 

We always feel privileged to see them.  If these two are doing what we think, we will be seeing more Luna Moths in the future.   I hope you get to see one (or more)  in your travels.  

 

KEEP LOOKING!!!

 

While I was looking at the Sweet Shrub flowers, Jon noticed this Cicada.  Look at the red eyes!!!!

 

I put the Seek app on it and it said Pharaoh Cicada, Magicicada septendecim.  It is sometimes called the 17 year locust.  It is native to Canada and the United States, and is a periodical cicada with a 17-year life cycle.  We've heard that this is their year for emerging.  

 

I guess we'll know soon enough.  

 

HAPPY GARDENING!!!

I hope you are still checking in on the Yorktown bluebirds.  The babies are getting big, and you can see the momma feeding them.  They look almost ready to fledge though, so you better do it soon.

 

 

HAPPY BIRDING!!!

 

Be sure to check the bluebird nest box in Yorktown.  The eggs should be hatching in the next few days.  There are five eggs!!!  And the momma bird has been brooding them for the last 12 days.  It's almost time for them to hatch.  

 

 

AND!!!   The other momma bluebird has almost finished her nest.  Be sure to look there too.  https://wbu-yorktown.click2stream.com/   So exciting!!!

 

HAPPY BIRDING!!!