Nope – not even close

I asked a question in the last post title, and answered it in this one. The temperature actually got a tad warmer, held up by a front that brought rain with it, and the green treefrogs (Hyla cinerea) happily took advantage of this brief spring. I’m still a little surprised, thinking they’d be in deep enough cover to prevent freezing and thus not venture out casually, but I’m read more

Last one?

Coming back from dropping some stuff off at the shed, very early this morning (like, two AM, because I’m me,) I caught a movement out of the corner of my eye (because I’m me,) and stopped to investigate. Which of course, made me go up and get the camera. No, I do not carry it everywhere, and don’t try implying that real photographers always do. It’s creepy read more

Xanthic Monday

Yes, it’s the thirteenth anniversary of the very first post here on the ol’ Walkabout Public Display of Narcissism, and I thought to myself (because who else am I gonna think to?) How do I make this special? And then it occurred to me that I should do something I’ve never done before.

I noticed some time back that I’ve never had a post that began with “X,” out read more

Brief public appearance

I ventured out today, partially to get some exercise, partially to see what there might be to photograph, but mostly to see if I could find any mantis egg cases. I was completely foiled in that primary goal, not spotting even one, but I snagged a handful of photos, including some most unexpected, so not a total loss. But yes, the quest for egg cases goes on…

For now, we have what can be found read more

Still works

I mentioned more photos, and I deliver! Before christmas, even.

First off, we continue the thread of finding things, with this little discovery:


That’s the egg case (ootheca) of a Chinese mantis, definitely this year’s, so I have the first one to watch next spring – so far it’s been the only one found on the property, but I’m still watching. This is on read more

‘Tis the season

Yes indeed, another holiday rolls around… what? No, not that holiday – the day before a holiday isn’t a holiday itself, for christ’s sake! I’m talking about Capture Something Inadvertently Day, which is at least productive in some way. And no, you’ll never find anyone celebrating Capture Something Inadvertently Eve, unless the holidays get totally out of hand.

Now, read more

Profiles of Nature 51

We know – you’re looking at that number up there and hoping, praying that this is just a year’s topic, and we can only grin evilly and think to ourselves, That’s what you get for praying…


This week we have Æðelflæd, demonstrating the power of professional makeup since she’s actually a pufferfish, moreover, one that you wouldn’t give a read more

On this date 60

Well, first of all, on this date every year (more or less,) it’s the winter solstice, the time of the year when the Earth’s axial tilt places the sun at its southernmost point, meaning the daylight for those in the northern hemisphere is the shortest of the year from this point on, the ‘days’ will be getting longer. A little victory to most of us up here.

‘Course, in read more

What the deuce?

For psychological reasons that no one has fully fathomed yet (or maybe they have, and I just never looked it up,) we get some kind of satisfaction, even a little thrill, from meaningless numbers that nevertheless form a pattern. In that vein, I am letting you know that this is the 2,222nd post on the ol’ Walkabout blogoblob here. I just popped one of those little holiday crackers read more

Profiles of Nature 50

Back again – if nothing else, we always have the Profiles! Now isn’t that a warm and fuzzy for you?


This week we make sure we greet Silas by name, as we catch him cheating on his widely-espoused churro diet – we debated about either hitting him up for hush money or seeing how much the tabloids would pay for this shot, and then asked, “Why not both?” read more

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