beginning to moth!

It's been impossible to see any good birds lately, or even go out during the day other than rushing to and from my car. It's been a fury of packing, paring down the crap, throwing away tons of papers and trash, and cleaning -- for me, for Matty, and for AB! It's been crazy. Still, I'm staying out at a nice house with AB while she dog-sits for someone, so it's been like having a hotel away from home. (Besides, my bed and the rest of my belongings left for California yesterday on the moving truck.)

I sometimes walk the dog, and I've noticed all these moths everywhere, especially at night. The ones in previous posts were seen in the late afternoon, but last night (after a hard night of cleaning out my apartment and carrying down ELEVEN bags of trash to the curb) I turned on the lights, took the dog for a walk, and came back to find a beautiful assortment of moths!

The night photography is a challenge; I just had the outside lights on, and those moths never want to land in a nice place that's well lighted. And they fly around crazy and sometimes hit me (ALWAYS in the face, those jerks!), and I have to wait for them to land so I can get a decent pic. Still, it's really neat to see the different ones in all their splendor. Just like birds, some are plain and nondescript while others are like the Blackburnians of the moth world, flashing their crazy colors. There are tiny ones and huge ones, all of them with their distinct shapes and anatomy. It's cool stuff, and it's satisfying my urge to "Document and Identify!" which is what started me birding too.

Just making sense out of a crazy natural world, I guess. It's making me a little insane that the autumn migration is starting already and I'm missing it, but I figure I'll bird myself into a delirium when I get to California, so for now I'll play with some other stuff.

And now... it's time for... moths on parade!

Sorry for the blurry on this one, but it's hard to get my silly camera to focus sometimes. Isn't he pretty? I thought it was a Crambidae (this guess was updated in 2012 when I got a clue) species, but someone found something similar and calls it a Gelechioidea species. Help? I wish I could've gotten a better photo but he flew right after I snapped this. What, moths don't like flashbulbs? Sheesh.

This guy made me draw my breath in and giggle with glee; is that a beautiful moth or what? He's definitely a Showy McShowoff, otherwise known as a harnessed tiger moth or Apantesis phalerata.


This one is scary. No idea what it is. Maybe a kind of Pyralid? I don't know.

This is a type of plume moth, which is a very cool kind of moth. I think this is an Emmelina monodactyla, but I'm not sure.

I THINK this is a dingy cutworm moth or Feltia jaculifera. The markings are right but he's darker than the example on Bug Guide. Perhaps it's a male/female thing?

No clue.

Another Crambidae?, no idea what kind.

Um, yes.... No idea. But his wings are funny-shaped like some kinds of Geometrids. But here he is again, comin' atcha!Look at those crazy psycho eyes! Run for your lives!

Do you know how many gray moths there are? SQUILLIONS, that's how many. I looked at moth pics until I was cross-eyed. I think this next one might be the same kind, only he's patterned. No idea.Someone help me.


These two images are of a banded tussock moth, or Halysidota tessellaris.

I called this one "dayglo moth" because of that bright salmon pink on him. He is a Hypoprepia fucosa, or painted lichen moth.

Right. It's a moth. With whiskers.

Yet another white Crambidae-looking moth.

Is this a mosquito hawk? Did you know mosquito hawks bite? I tried to save one, to take him outside instead of letting him stay trapped on my three-season porch at the Marsh House, and the little *(!$%*^ bit me! And it hurt for several days!

Is this a katydid? I would see his little wings move ever so quickly and slightly, and at the same time I heard a sharp little "chirp!"

I'm exhausted! And I still haven't finished IDing all these moths. Give me a hand, mothy people!

Sources consulted:
--a Bing! search of "common moths photos"
--Bug Guide's moth search
--W.J. Holland's The Moth Book, which I downloaded for free from the web thanks to a tip from Patrick

Yet more cool moths!

So I haven't seen any birds of note, but I've seen some very cool moths!

Unknown moth -- anyone?

Rosy Maple Moth, Dryocampa rubicunda

Once again, I apologize for the poor quality -- that phone camera sucks. I have my stuff scattered between three places right now, but I'm gonna try to get my camera from my apartment soon. (I'm not staying there, as all my packed stuff and furniture are at Matty's, awaiting the moving truck tomorrow.)

Still here

Niblet, hangin' loose

Well, I haven't had much time for birding lately, as I've been packing and seeing friends and stuff in preparation for my move west. This morning, I managed to get some good pics, however, and thought I'd share them with you. They're not birds, but they're still kinda interesting.
Here's Niblet hanging out with AB's kitty Maya (aka Maya Papaya). She's suffering from some sort of allergy on her face, so she has to wear the lampshade so she won't scratch. Poor kid.

I saw this little moth (maybe an inch or so) in the grass this morning while walking up to work. I checked my moth book but couldn't find it. Any guesses? It's beautiful. Yellow with black, very triangular in shape. Sorry for the blurry, but I guess I got too close with the cellphone camera.

We spent this weekend moving all my boxes and what little furniture I have left over to Matty's so the movers can pick everything up on Wednesday. I will clean my apt tonight and tomorrow night, and then I have dinners and stuff scheduled with all my friends. Then we leave as early as we can manage on Saturday.

It's getting pretty crazy now, having to change phone numbers, cut off electric, etc. I hate those kinds of details, but someone has to do it.

I've been applying for as many jobs as I can find, so I'm hoping I'll get lucky. Keep your fingers crossed.

I will try to blog from the road, especially if we see some cool stuff -- and we'll arrive in California on Aug 5. Until then, probably pretty light blogging and commenting.

Jolly Mystery at the Jubilee

Talent overflows in the Fort Worth area. You just have to poke your head around corners, put a name on the waiting list on a Saturday evening, and celebrate with jubilation when the name is called. Preview night at the Jubilee Theatre (www.jubileetheatre.org) proved to be a hoot. Sam Shade: A Detective Musical had us chasing the Maltese Chicken, and no we aren't talking Chinese food.

And "No, don't do it Sam, don't sing." Sure enough, the leading man never got a number, but he kept everyone else around him singing a fine tune. Comedy, drama, and a heartfelt love song by the lascivious secretary, Lucy Lipschlitz (amazing voice of Sheran G. Keyton) kept the audience alternately laughing and applauding. Two standouts for me were Major A. Attaway and Aaron D. Petite (they played versions of the Sidney Greenstreet and Peter Lorre Falcon characters).

All in all, kudos to playwright/composer Joe Rogers for imagination and creativity. Bravos to the fine singers, dancers, and actors of the Jubilee organization. It was an entertaining Saturday night and thanks to the city of Fort Worth/Sundance Square for FREE parking.

Support local theater: Sam Shade runs 7/31/09 thru 8/23/09 at the Jubilee Theatre

You know, "life is a mystery".

Joanne

Idol Idle Word Splash

Once in awhile, as a writer, it is good to emerge from the darkness of the writer cocoon and see what the heck America is up to. (yeah - dangling preposition - so what?) American Idol is a phenomenon for Fox television and music in general. I watch when the show hits the top ten because usually you are witnessing some talented kids. And yes, I've bought some CDs and enjoyed singers (not necessarily winners) from Idol. Kelly Clarkson, Jennifer Hudson, and believe or not, Elliott Yamin have entertaining discs.

Well, a month or so ago, a friend Evelyn called to say she and Linda were going to get tickets for the 2009 tour. "You want to join in? It was a great batch of kids." Sure. Last night, 7/23, I witnessed America screaming, America squealing, America opening its purse strings and forking out dough for tickets, parking, food, and souvenirs. Forget the electric bill - America is paying for entertainment - and to see Adam Lambert. Oh yeah, Kris Allen won. Nice kid. Plays guitar and piano. But, who's kicking ass with Led Zeppelin? Who's singing a totally amazing version of "Mad World"? Who's bringing down the house with Fame and Let's Dance a la David Bowie? It's Adam Lambert - 2nd place. The kid is amazing and can sing.

Kudos to 5th place Matt - he has practiced and really pulled it together on the piano. Very enjoyable set. 4th place - Allison, age 17 - massive lung power. She rocked Heart's "Baracuda".

Like the Olympics - post skating - where the kids just skate for fun and are awesome, this show brought out the real talent of these singers in a relaxed setting. Sure, it's a new set of pressure, but these performers are thriving. Yeah, it's business. But heck yeah - it's fun. More power to American Idol for keeping the entertainment industry humming. Some might say it's a sell out or too commercial. Nah - I say - it's America. The good will rise to the top, the bad - eh, not so much. The almighty dollar speaks, and that's okay.

More music talk to come - stay tuned for summer sizzling videos and cds.

Joanne

It Could Be Rubbish

Movie review time. This whole week represents summertime fun. Movie on Sunday and here's my thoughts on it below. Moon Day on Monday. See American Idol tour tonight - so music discussion coming up soon. I'm on a full entertainment splash. It's summer time!

I did watch the ABC special on J.K.Rowling and it showed her typing the final words to The Deathly Hollows, the grand finale book. She sorta sighed and wistfully said, "It could be rubbish." slight pause...."But I'm happy. I wanted to know what happened to Harry, and I'm pleased."

That sums up the writing process - the author wants to find out what happens to her characters. Then she hopes you want to do so too.

So, here's my review that appears in the Little Paper of San Saba:

It's the sixth Harry Potter film and this reviewer thinks the series gets better and better. "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince" is amazing filmmaking, excellent acting, and deep characterizations. At this point, you can't just wander into a Harry Potter film and catch up. Best to read all of the books (by J.K.Rowling) in order because they are a magical experience indeed. Or, if you must skip reading (sigh), then watch all of the films in order. The series has been building and now we are deep into Harry's teen years. He's almost a senior at Hogwarts School of Wizardry, he's finding love, and he's dabbling in stronger and stronger potions. His mentor Albus Dumbledore is leading Harry to find the clues, to find the way to battle and win against the ultimate evil - Lord Voldemort. (Ssshhhh! Don't say his name.)

The special effects in this film leave me awestruck. The amazing cast of British actors is a lesson in diction, phrasing, and delivery. Alan Rickman as Snape - oh so dark, oh so cunning. Michael Gambon as Dumbledore - so kind, so intelligent,so imposing. Maggie Smith - inimitable. A new addition to the ranks - Jim Broadbent as Professor Slughorn, ever masterful. Helena Bonham Carter as Belatrix - dark mistress and a total wack-a-do. The kids have grown and frankly have learned to act - they are quite good and have added depth to their characters. Daniel Radcliff is Harry, Rupert Grint is Ron, and Emma Watson is Hermione. I won't forget to mention Hagrid, played by Robbie Coltrane - that loveable mountain of a man.

So, too many plot points to mention. Harry's potion book was used and signed by The Half Blood Prince. Whoever that was, was brilliant, giving Harry clues to better his magic and spells. Dumbledore has Harry looking into the memory bowl to see Tom Riddle as the odd but genius child who grew into the master of the dark arts - Voldemort. He's the one who killed Harry's parents and many more and now seeks Harry. This episode of the series explores friendships, new found loves, and loyalty. It truly all comes down to good and evil with love the key to survival. The final book in the series is "The Deathly Hallows" and it is being split into two films. Potter fanatics are disturbed by this. I can, however, see it play out into two hugely strong films. There's a lot of action to come and frankly, shouldn't be crammed into one flick.

Thus, see "Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince", and enjoy the buildup to the greatest battle of Harry's life. This film will keep you wanting more, and it will come in a year or two. Whew! See it on the big screen. This is worth admission, drinks, and popcorn. Kudos to a magical world.

(Photo courtesy of Wikimedia Commons under the Wand category)

Joanne

Any Excuse for Cake

You never know what will occur where I work. Sometimes we set things on fire, sometimes we break things on purpose, and we do check parts for corrosion.

We also have fun, and my boss is a space and lunar lunatic (in a good way). Thus, to honor the 40th anniversary of the lunar landing and moonwalk, he and his wife hosted a neighborhood party. Fortunately employees did get to eat lemon cake (see above) and homemade ice cream.

He was also asking folks to give their tale of that day. What did they remember? Well, I was ten years old and clueless. Absolutely zero interest at that time. I do remember my father stayed up to watch Neil Armstrong take his step. Sunday night I watched a salute to the late Walter Cronkite and I think I've watched enough video of his space program reports through the years, that it is as if I remember watching the whole thing live.

To this day, it is an amazing feat and certainly an event worthy of delicious cake. I've read my current issue of Time magazine - cover story is the moonwalk. I should probably read a memoir or two from these famous astronauts. Plus there's plenty of music as a backdrop - Elton John's Rocket Man, David Bowie's Space Oddity, The Police Walking on the Moon, Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon, plus Moon River, Fly Me to the Moon, and more.

What are your moon memories? Or pick a favorite moon song..........Just don't take moon day literally. We don't need any neighborhood or workplace incidents!

Joanne

Friends in a Juried Art Show

I was excited to get an email the other day from my good friend JB Harlin. He and his wife are talented photographers - I'm talking true art here, from the school of Ansel Adams or Edward Weston. Anyway - could get exciting in the Harlin household. Both JB and his wife, Susan, have a photograph selected. Here's a copy of the email announcement:

Hello Everyone,
Hope summer is not baking everyone as badly as here in North Texas. On a cooler note, Susan and I have each had a photograph selected for the 2009 TAC Juried Membership Show at the Fort Worth Community Arts Center. We would like to extend an invitation for anyone interested to join us Friday August 7th for the competition reception and awards presentation. For more information please visit our BLOG. . .http://jbhphoto.com/blog

As always, thanks for your support,JB & Susan


So, check out their blog and let me know your opinion on the pics. The crispness of their black and white photographs, the subtle shades of gray, the nuances into the depths of nature. I generally go Wow! and Wow! again as I realize the richness of their work.

Personally I'm hoping they tie for first place! Good luck you two and thanks for sharing your art with us. The show will be at the FW Community Arts Center for the month of August. Stop by.

Joanne

Winning Words!

Wrote a dark little story, under 500 words, followed all of the rules, and I WON! I submitted back in February and Sunday night I received this happy email. Whee!!!!!!!!!!!

It's funny. I think of myself as more of a humor writer, but all of the literary journals have deep meaningful stories, with sorrow and shattered lives. As my father said, "Comedies don't win Oscars." He's right. And sure enough, my sad little tale WON.

Thanks to all my friends and family who support me.



Dear Friends of Portia Steele:
Congratulations! You are a winner in the 2009 Portia Steele Awards "Excellence in Poetry and Prose" competition.
You can see your place in the competition at the following webpage:
http://portiasteeleaward.org and click on the date under Prose and Poetry winners label. Just click on the year 2009.
-- or -- go directly to the winners page
http://portiasteeleaward.org/winners09.htm
Once you've visited this webpage, you can click on the title of your work. It's been published on our website.
Over the next couple of weeks, you will receive the winners' certificate. First place winners will receive $100.
I want to thank all of you for your participation in our contest. It was most enjoyable reading your works, and even more enjoyable recognizing you as winners in our 2009 competition. Please be sure to keep an eye on our website for the 2010 announcement. Next year, the rules will be a bit different. I think you'll find them interesting and a challenge to your writing skills.
Again, CONGRATULATIONS.
Sincerely,
Dennis Steele
President, Founder and Trustee, Portia Steele Awards Foundation.

Heated Words

After a heatstroke inducing trip to Arizona one year (Honest to God, the GPS lost its mind - had no clue where it was in the hot car), we did come away with one awesome idea - misters. My handy husband said, "I can do that" and indeed installed connective hoses on our patio overhang. Now in crazy heatstroke inducing Texas summer, we turn on the mister system and cool down poolside. It works - physically and mentally.

Let's talk about hot movies. One of my favorites is Body Heat, starring William Hurt, Kathleen Turner, and Ted Danson. My favorite line from Mattie is "You're not too smart are you? I like that in a man." Oh baby. And when she steps out onto the patio with all the windchimes - indeed, you think it'll be a breath of fresh air. But the tinkling chimes only beckon you to the hair dryer effect.

How about A Time to Kill - Ashley Judd and Matthew McC. spritzing all over the place in Mississippi. Good read by John Grisham, decent flick.

The Long Hot Summer - classic Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward. There's acting royalty steaming up the screen.

Cat on a Hot Tin Roof - Elizabeth Taylor as Maggie the cat, and again Paul Newman. Meow

White Heat - can't go wrong with classic Jimmy Cagney

Here's proof folks - the temp at 5:21 pm on Sat. 7/11 was 104 F on our patio. I'm afraid the wireless sensor could implode soon.

Hot television - F/X features Rescue Me on Tuesday nights. Sure there's plenty of sexual heat outside the firehouse, but frankly the dialogue in the firehouse is snappy, snarky, and hilarious. Great writing.

Starting soon on AMC - Mad Men 1960s Madison Avenue advertising. Slick sets, great characters and writing, plus January Jones with Jon Hamm. It doesn't get much hotter.

So, there's plenty of ways to cool off and survive the heat. There's always Fargo - probably one of the snow whitest, coldest looking sets for a movie. But sharp, funny, sick (in a good way) dialogue with Bill Macy and Frances McDormand - cool, very cool filmmaking.

Tell me your HOT picks for summer.........books, tv, movies - old and new............

Joanne

Water cooler chat

Gotta love the English language - "slangs, puns, and putdowns - freshly minted coinages from the white-hot furnace of electronic culture." (1)

Time spent on Facebook - Social notworking.

Brickor mortis - dried up housing market.

Daylighting - work a second job while on the clock for your first job.

Cramer-Krasselt, a Chicago ad agency compiles a zeitgeist dictionary and their new words zap into life as we know it. http://www.c-k.com/culturaldictionary

I laughed out loud at textually frustrated, ecconoisseur, and enoughism, off gridding - lots of words identified by "societal trends, such as sin vs. salvation spending." (2)

Language is ever-evolving and phrases for 2009 will no doubt disappear by 2010 only to be replaced by a pack of new idioms. Writers - keep this in mind for book characters who want to stay cool and trendy.

(1, 2) Thanks to the Dallas Morning News Business section for their article "Making Light of Language" (June 28, 2009).

One final painful term - steeply devalued retirement account: 201K
Arrrgghh - I'm not laughing now.

Joanne

Another camping trip

Blue Knob State Park was beautiful, though the weather was a little crazy -- rain and cold one minute, then sunny and clear the next, then back to rain and wind, etc. But we took lots of blankets, we hiked some, and we just had a great time.

It was really nice up there and we made some great fires and had good camp food (eggs w/ cheese and veggies, mountain pies with sauteed portobellos and onion and green pepper, s'mores).

Sadly, I didn't actually see any good birds, but I heard lots of them -- Eastern Towhees, Red-eyed Vireos, Blue-headed Vireos, Chipping Sparrows, maybe a Black-throated Green Warbler (zee zee su-zie) and a Hooded Warbler (wheeta-wheeta-wheeteo), and some other sounds I didn't recognize and couldn't find on my birdJam. So no cool bird pics, but I did see this bird:

Indeed, "if they fly you die." *shudder* We were at Wegman's shopping for last-minute camping food when we found this baby in the $5 DVD bin. I resisted the temptation to buy it, however.

I have some camping pics of the site and the park, but they're on my camera in the car. I'll add those later.

For now, I'll add some pics of Niblet from my phone camera:

chillaxin'

checking out a bowl of strawberries

getting some morning snuggle time

nuzzling my pillow and hoping for more petting

See how his fur has all grown back on the side of his head? He's all healthy and abcess-free now. I'm so glad I took a chance and switched vets; Ellen saved Niblet's life.

Summer is such hard birding, at least for boreal birds. Too many leaves! Maybe now's the time to focus on waterfowl. Speaking of which, I was doodling around on the Project Gutenberg website and found this great book on duck ID. You can download it for free, including the drawings and stuff. Pretty cool. If you've never looked around on Project Gutenberg, you should -- you can find a lot of great older books, including many of the old classics, all for free. Makes for good reading, if you don't mind reading on the computer. I usually pull up a book then do a "select all" and copy and paste it all into a Word document so I don't have to stay online to read. I highly recommend the site.

Anyway--more bird adventures whenever I have some. In the meantime, hope you're all having a great summer and seeing some good birds. I can hardly believe it's finally July; I'll be leaving in about three and a half weeks. THEN I'll have some adventures for you!

Post 4th Fizzle or Sizzle

Fugitives from the law - Ray lit my killer bees fireworks and we had a little mini-display without setting ourselves on fire. We did enjoy the City of Bedford's display from our front yard - could see the show zoom into the sky from the Boy's Ranch. Thumbs up on the ooh! and aah! factor.

The week after July 4, 1776 must have been a huge letdown for the major players as they clopped on horseback back to the farm or awaited reviews in the local press. Sweating under powdered wigs and smiling for the local citizens who questioned ones wisdom and words must have been a drag. What would our Revolutionary heroes make of today’s interactive, instant news world? Would the Declaration of Independence have been written and signed or would it have been tweaked with blog leaks and twittered commentary?

I think Ben Franklin’s Facebook page would have been incredibly popular and he’d have been reprimanded dearly for keeping his cell phone on ring. Thomas Jefferson’s blog would have a lot of folks bragging that they read it, but none that could understand his esoteric treatise on democracy and freedom. George Washington’s huge fan base would have everyone in Philly tweeting about his whereabouts. Finally, there’s poor John Adams - nary a comment or friend. (Abigail, on the other hand…)


Social networking certainly has its place, but when it comes to great writing and deep thinking, it is best to turn to solitude. Whether by the glow of the computer screen, or the flicker of candlelight, writers should contemplate quiet and history, dig deep, and then let the words click, the ink flow. Oh, the pen is mighty. Yes, create your platform and your outlets, but make sure your words live up to the hype. This was true in 1776 and now in today’s 2009 world.

Enjoy July and make it sizzle, not fizzle

Joanne

I know, I know--where are the updates on Niblet? Seen any new birds lately? What are you doing?

Truth is, I've been kinda busy. I had to finish and put to bed the little newspaper I work for last week--and that took a lot of work. Then we went camping, and while I did call in a Scarlet Tanager to within 20 feet of our campsite, I didn't have my camera! (I loaned it to Matty so he could photograph the furniture he's selling on craigslist. BTW, I'm selling stuff on craigslist too! If you're interested in an authentic Cavalier Coca-Cola cooler, a really comfy couch, a beautiful art-deco gateleg table, some nice old oak chairs, or a beautiful Jacobean-style oak secretary, let me know!)

So I didn't get pics of the tanager, and I haven't taken pics of Nibble lately. I will say that he's doing absolutely great. No return of the abcess, and his fur's pretty much grown back (or at least over the shavey part--he does still have a tiny bald spot, but I guess it's just gonna stay that way). This morning, he hopped into bed with me and wouldn't let me stop petting him for about ten minutes. Then he was done; he hopped off to chillax under the couch.

We're going camping again this weekend, just me and the girlfriend. We're going to Blue Knob State Park, which should be really nice. Lots of easy to moderate hiking trails, some interesting geology, and probably some nice high-altitude birds.

This will be the first time AB and I have camped alone -- other times we've gone with her friends from Maryland or with Gretchen and her girlfriend. So this will be really neat -- I'm very excited about the thought of the long weekend and some birding in a new spot.

I promise I'll update with photos and excitement on Monday and Tuesday of next week.

Meanwhile, have a safe and happy Fourth of July! Pop some fireworks (if you're allowed) for me, and try not to catch anything on fire.

july fireworks preparation

Pristine pool. Glorious red, white, and blue. God Bless America.

Our trumpet vine has finally decided to blare - blast it's orange color. We keep it very contained on one fence. It is pernicious and tries to take hold everywhere. Tough, hardy, rather like Texans in July - refusing to fade in 100 degree heat. Wait, we've had a cold spell - only 90 yesterday. Guess it's been a tad steamy overseas at Wimbledon. I love watching grass court tennis. Go Roger Federer, the Swiss steamroller. And as of today, the Williams sisters are on their way to perhaps meeting in the final. Fireworks, indeed!

Yard art - thought this little wire flag was cool and could brighten our back corner.

I'm normally not allowed near a match, but I managed to light my sparklers without setting me or the yard or the house on fire. I wanted to set this up so I could then snap a picture. Had to work quickly, but the shot turned out okay. Sparklers are my favorite and I have a ton of them for this weekend. Also, some killer bees - they sounded cool when I bought them. Ray shall be in charge of that match!

Here's a little thought for the weekend courtesy of the late actress Tallulah Bankhead: Never practice two vices at once.

Happy 4th of July weekend!!!!

Joanne