What's on my mind? August 30, 2018 A Golden Dragonfly...

What's on my mind?

This morning I was greeted by a Golden Dragonfly (Needham's Skimmer?) that invited me to explore my emotions in a light and joyful manner.

While walking with Blind Margaret, I spied a ball of black fur with a bit of white fur in the center. Looked like skunk fur but there wasn't any musky smell. Nature CSI: Did a skunk crossing the road get whisked away by a great-horned owl?

Watercolor and Micron pen in my Jane Davenport Canvas Journal.

What's on my mind: August 27th and 28th The Summer Birds...

What's on my mind?

From Ancient Greece to the Middle Ages some people thought that butterflies spontaneously arose from mud or that insects were transformed from one form into another through witchcraft.  

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail and Fritillary Butterflies spotted in the yard. Full journal page. Watercolor and Micron pen in my Jane Davenport Canvas Journal.

What's on my mind? August 26, 2018 Full Sturgeon Moon...

What's on my mind?

Full Moon Energy: Heal, Release, Move Forward.

Flowers of the Moon: Lunaria seed pods in the garden. Watercolor and Micron pen in my Jane Davenport Canvas Journal.

What's on my mind? August 23, 2018 Frog!

What's on my mind?

The green frog popped his head up and made an appearance today! Haven't seen him in a long while. Thought the garter snake had him for dinner. I also noticed there was one lily pad growing above the pond surface. Why is it doing that?

Watercolor and Micron pen in my Jane Davenport Canvas Journal.

What's on my mind? August 24, 2018 When destruction is a good thing...

What's on my mind?

YAY! The Milkweed plant is being eaten! Looked for Monarch larvae. Found what was probably first and second instars.

There was an adult Monarch nearby on the Coneflowers. Watercolor and Micron pen in my Jane Davenport Canvas Journal.

What's on my mind? August 25, 2018 Dead leaf on the wire cage?

What's on my mind?

Eastern Tiger Swallowtail chrysalis on the wire guard around the Chestnut tree. Thought it was just a dried up brown leaf.

Supported by an amazing silk thread. Watercolor and Micron pen in my Jane Davenport Canvas Journal.

What's on my mind? September 3, 2018 My enemy is legion...

What's on my mind?

My enemy is legion - lantern flies in the yard.

Enough said. 

Watercolors and Micron pen in my Jane Davenport Canvas Journal.

What's on my mind? August 22, 2018 Digger Wasps...

What's on my mind?

I noticed there haven't been as many destructive Japanese Beetles in the yard this year as there were last year. I usually pick them off of the plants and give them a bubbly demise by dropping them into a jar of soapy water. I have noticed though, that there were swarms and swarms of an insect flying low to the ground everywhere in the yard.

Upon investigation, I learned that this bumper crop of insects were the Blue-winged Digger Wasps, Scolia dubia. The female burrows into the soil and lays an egg on a beetle larva. The beetle is consumed as the wasp grows (parasitoid). 

Shown is the adult feeding on the nectar of Goldenrod flower. They also enjoy a good Mountain Mint. Perhaps this native wasp is my "beneficial" of the year!

Watercolor and Micron pen in my Jane Davenport Canvas Journal. 

What's on my mind? August 20 and 21 A noisy Redtail and Yellow Petals

What's on my mind?

Daily journal:

August 20th: There's a noisy Red-tailed hawk in the back yard today. I watched as it flew up into a tall tree.

There's only one hawk, I sketched it flying up and then decided to add a sketch of it surveying the pipeline meadow below it.

August 21st: Tall Evening Primroses along the side of the road. Yellow blooms opened on this grey day. 

What a good day looks like...

Here I am, this is me.

Happy colors.

Multi-sketchbook tasking.