Saturday, July 31, 2021

Theme Day: Sticky


This month's theme is sticky.  
I racked my brain trying to think of something that is sticky, and here it is.  A spider web is sticky to the fly anyway.



 

Friday, July 30, 2021

Orange Trumpet vine


These native vines can be very invasive in North Carolina.  But then again, every vine is invasive in North Carolina...Kudzu, Ivy, Virginia Creeper, Wisteria, Passion flower...Don't plant a vine in North Carolina unless you want it everywhere!

 

Thursday, July 29, 2021

Wednesday, July 28, 2021

Lizard tail


This one is called Lizard tail.  But it doesn't look like any lizard tail I've ever seen.  



 

Tuesday, July 27, 2021

Seedbox


This little cutie has a few names, but none of them are as pretty as it is...Seedbox,  or Rattlebox.  It's a type of primrose-willow.



 

Monday, July 26, 2021

Sunday, July 25, 2021

Saturday, July 24, 2021

Friday, July 23, 2021

Splash!


Herons are graceful in flight, and on the water's edge. Not so much when they land.



 

Thursday, July 22, 2021

Crimson eyed Rosemallow


It's always a surprise to find native hibiscus growing wild in North Carolina.  They bloom this time of year along the lakeside.



Some are even pink.





 

Wednesday, July 21, 2021

Camo


I think this lizard knew he was nearly invisible on the wooden rail.


 

Monday, July 19, 2021

Wren


The baby Carolina wrens that fluttered out of their nest last week are still around.  We've seen them with Dad, learning how to be a wren.






 

Sunday, July 18, 2021

Saturday, July 17, 2021

One little cloud


One little cloud caught in the center of the Gyre, a sculpture at the North Carolina Museum of Art's sculpture park.



 

Thursday, July 15, 2021

First Monarch this year!


This monarch butterfly found the right plant!  Milkweed flowers must be tasty, there were many different bees and butterflies around.  But for monarchs milkweed leaves are even more important.  They are the only food for the monarch caterpillars.  This butterfly was in the right place.



 

Wednesday, July 14, 2021

In the weeds...


Or rather, in the native plants.  This bench seemed overwhelmed by the grasses.



 

Monday, July 12, 2021

Sunflower


We went to the sculpture park at the art museum because there was supposed to be a field of blooming sunflowers...


We did find a few.





 

Sunday, July 11, 2021

Drama in the birdhouse


The Carolina wrens have been flying in and out of their birdhouse with bugs.  Today, one of the babies took a stroll outside.


Mom and Dad kept watch.


They continued to feed the babies inside and out.


The others checked on the outside baby.


Finally he fell out and got caught in the netting covering our strawberry patch.  Jim rescued him.


He climbed up a ladder and tried to put the baby back.  ALL the babies fluttered out of the nest to the ground.


They fluttered away with Mom and Dad watching out for them.  
I think they'll be OK.



 

Saturday, July 10, 2021

Beat the heat, old style



Before there was air conditioning, this is how to keep cool, rocking on the front porch.

 

A big porch and a lot of trees were all they had to beat the heat.  This is the Anderson family homestead at Anderson Point park.  It's now a rental facility for weddings, etc.




Friday, July 9, 2021

Lookout point


A restful place to look out over the confluence of the Neuse River and Crabtree Creek at Anderson Point Park.



 

Thursday, July 8, 2021

Elsa

 


Tropical Storm Elsa came through Raleigh yesterday.  It battered Florida and parts of the Carolinas.  We had a day of torrential rains, but not much wind.  It rained all day, 4.1 inches total.  Then, it just stopped and the sun peeked out.



Wednesday, July 7, 2021

Birdhouses




Do birds really care what their house looks like?




I don't know about birds, but I would be proud to live in one of these.




 

Tuesday, July 6, 2021

Anderson Point Park


Anderson Point Park is a stop on the Neuse River greenway and it meets the Crabtree Creek greenway.  (and also at the confluence of the Neuse River and Crabtree Creek)  
It's a large park with playing fields, hiking trails, bird watching, a playground and a rental facility.  All purpose!







 

Monday, July 5, 2021

Duckweed


Another look at the duckweed covered pond at Prairie Ridge Ecostation.  It seems like you could walk out on it.  When I first saw it I thought it was a field of grass.




 

Sunday, July 4, 2021

Hopper


The grasshoppers were the size of small birds.  This one flew from the ground up into a tree.  A handsome fellow!



 

Saturday, July 3, 2021

Happy Fourth


I know, I know.  Not very original.  In fact it's the same picture I posted last year.  But what are you going to do...



 

Friday, July 2, 2021

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Tiger swallowtail


This tiger swallowtail posed for me on a milkweed plant.  There were lots of bees and a few butterflies on the milkweed.  But no Monarch butterflies.