A Blessing of Bats

At UUWC Retreat this weekend. A lovely evening on Friday, a group of us went outside onto the deck to drum. Judging from my experience at home lately I expected to be driven back inside after a short time by mosquitos. There were mosquitos around, but in short order there appeared a group of several bats swooping over and around us. We drummed and talked into the night without being eaten alive. Thank you bats. I am imagining the bats being grateful to us for being the bait for their dinner!

After the Storm

We walked to the pond this morning and saw that a large tree was blown over into the pond during the wind storm last weekend. A red eared slider turtle was sunning itself on a branch of the tree just above the water.

The tree with the "Scream" on it's trunk was broken off.

The wild iris are blooming at the edge of the water.

The cottonwood fluff is flying and caught on the dead leaves of this sapling, looking like giant cotton bolls.

Happy May Day

 One of my tulips, the first year they haven't been eaten by deer.

 The pond is full of water this spring, it has been completely dry for at least a year. We saw a red headed woodpecker this morning! There used to be quite a few down by the river in years past, but for the past couple of years we haven't seen any. Probably displaced by the &*#+ starlings.

 A box turtle on the path, she hid into her shell when we got close.

A bouquet for May Day/Beltane on the deck. I put out the hummingbird feeders awaiting the first arrivals. The weather today was perfect -  80 degrees and sun - a great beginning for the "lusty" month of May.

Cicadas

This has been the year for the 13 year cicadas to come out and party. My youngest grandbaby was born 13 years ago, his birthday was Friday, the 3rd. I remember the cicadas being out when he was born. They are fascinating to learn about, spending 13 years underground feeding on tree roots, then emerging by the millions (it seems) flying up, mating, laying eggs and dying. According to the article "A Prime Mystery" written by Laura Erickson in the spring 2011 issue of Birdscope ( a newsletter of the Cornell Laboratory of Ornithology: Nobody can explain why the cycles of periodic cicadas are prime numbers, but many people believe it somehow makes it harder for predators to track their cycles.

It's been so hot and the cicadas have been so very noisy and smelly - I'm ready for their party to be over.

Wild Turkey

 

I finally saw a wild turkey while on the bike trail, been looking for several years. Heard a loud goble goble gob, looked over into woods and it finally briefly showed itself through the tall vegetation. This is where it was, he didn't stand still for his picture to be taken.

Our Snake

 

Snake left her old skin by the back door. Happy to know that she is still here helping to keep the mice out of my kitchen.