Pokeberry Paint

Indian War Paint?

While playing outside on this beautiful, unseasonably cool morning, the children discovered a Pokeberry bush.  I don't imagine that it took them long to discover the best use for this find.  I had warned them to never eat Pokeberries, (thankfully).

Green Eggs!

Green Eggs but no ham

Finally, blue-green eggs!  Our Americauna chicks finally begin laying today.  We found these two small eggs in the nesting box.  I photographed them beside the larger brown eggs which came from our 3 year old hens; a Barred-Rock and a Buff Orpington; to highlight the difference in size and color.  We should be getting 8-9 a day soon!

Another milestone

It may seem insignificant to others, but Claire independently placed her first phone call.  I simply told her the Grandma's phone number.  She wrote it down, dialed it properly, reached Grandma, stated her business, (is it alright if Licorice comes with us today?), and passed the information on to me.  What a big girl!

Off with the training wheels

Milestone: Cody rode his bike today without training wheels for the first time. He only rode for about 5 minutes, then he asked that the training wheels be replaced. He didn't much care for mom jogging behind him holding him up by his shirt tail. At this time, he perceives no training wheels as a loss of independence rather than a gain so I don't think he is going to be very excited about conquering this milestone.

A Secret

We have a secret, just we three,

The robin and I and the sweet cherry tree;

The bird told the tree, and the tree told me,

And nobody knows it but just us three.

But of course the robin knows it best,

Because she built the ---- I shan't tell the rest,

And laid the four little --- somethings in it---

I'm afraid I shall tell it every minute.

Cody's Catfish

Big Catch

While Claire and I were having girls' night out at scrapbooking club, the boys decided to go fishing.  They couldn't wait to show me these pictures of the enormous catfish caught by Cody.

Evening Blooming Plants: 4-O-Clocks and Angel's Trumpet

Claire in the 4-o-clocks

Our porch is surrounded by hundreds of bright pink 4-O-Clocks, and dozens of white Angel's 

Trumpets, or Moonflowers. 

Angel's Trumpet that
we pressed in 2008

 The 4-o-clocks are perennial.  They have an enormous tap root that looks similar to a giant sweet potato.  They poke out of the ground in April, and usually begin blooming around the first of June.  I have to say that 6-o-clocks would be a more fitting name.

Angel's Trumpet, known around here as Jimson Weed, and perhaps known elsewhere as Moonflower, is in the Nightshade family.  Unfortunately, it has been misused by young people around here for its hallucinogenic properties.  It is very toxic and can be fatal if ingested in large enough quantities.

A Dragonfly gets an early evening meal as the 4-o-clocks begin opening.

Tomato Horn Worm

Study Qs from HONS

In Spring and early summer, dozens of Tomato Horn Worms can be found munching the leaves of these two plants. We discover them by finding the droppings first, then looking under the half eaten leaves. Since we have so many plants, we have no need to eliminate the caterpillars. We have caught and raised a few. They continue to eat and eat and eat. Then, they must have soil, (a bowl full works). They burrow down and turn into a pupa which looks like a little brown water jug with a handle. The handle is actually where the very long tongue develops.  

Preserved Sphinx Moth

Sphinx Moth Attack!



When metamorphosis is complete, a large Hummingbird or Sphinx Moth emerges with an enormously long, coiled tongue which looks like a slinky. We usually begin to see these moths in late July in the evenings licking up the nectar. The ones that are drinking from the Angel's Trumpets are very easy to catch. My daughter just claps her hand over the cup of the trumpet when the moth is inside. The one in the picture was one which we found dead. It has preserved better than I anticipated in the ziplock bag.

The moths will find a mate and lay their eggs. Baby tomato horn worms will hatch, and eat, and eat, and eat, and dig underground, form into their little water pitchers, and wait until next summer to emerge. Since we see so many Tomato Horn Worms in the Spring, I must assume that some eggs lay dormant over the winter? 

Claire Holding Sphinx Moths