Impatiently Waiting For Spring

Peek-a-boo

Hallelujah, tiny signs of spring! We've had a couple of false starts this month but the past week has been snowy again. We, however, were in Tennessee for spring break and missed the refreshing of our piles of snow. We have gone to the Washington DC area for the past few spring breaks and it's usually cool-ish. So this year we thought we would go south, so off to Chattanooga we went. And yes, big cold snap with snow flurries for Chattanooga. That's our luck, though. One July we headed to Niagara Falls as we figured it would be a bit cooler "up north". But, as our luck would have it there was a record heat wave that year for Niagara Falls. Anyway, we knuckled down and ignored the cold in Chattanooga and had a good time. I just want to mention that my Zippy is a natural at climbing and the zip line adventure at ZipStream Aerial Adventures was no problem for her. Turns out the actual zip line was the easiest part of the course and I like to think that the whole going down the zip line backwards thing was just an example of my Amazing Skills. Anyway...

Now I'm really anxious for spring, partly because, you know, I'm not a winter person. When I first moved north from Texas I thought that if I took up winter sports I would like winter much more. Then it occurred to me that if I took up winter sports I would be outside and I would, you know ..........  get cold. Even though I enjoy a good hike anytime and cross country skiing is actually pretty nice, I'm mostly done with winter by, oh, mid-January.

We also have some landscaping plans for this summer and I'm anxious to get going. We have lived in our house for 17 years and a great deal of the landscaping was done within those first few years. It used to be quite pretty.

But now things are getting to be a bit overgrown and out of control. That means our landscaping plans mostly consist of beating the yard back into submission, to something more manageable. It's a time issue- other priorities have laid claim to our time and so we need to bring the yard into compliance with our schedule. I daydream of retirement, when I can build all sorts of garden follies and trails and pretty flowers beds. But for now.....

....not so pretty. And if anyone knows how to keep paint on asbestos cement board siding, please let me know. We have tried everything. The cement board is actually the third layer of siding on our old farmhouse and this side is the weather side, so it looks extra bad. But paying for asbestos abatement is not part of the plan right now and since it's OK to leave it, there it is.

ANYWAY (again)....

 

We had some extraordinarily nice weather a couple of weekend ago so Big 'Un and I spent the day ripping out shrubbery. Even though we kept the bulbs and peonies, the shrubs don't figure in my new "vision" for the back of the house and I wanted to get them out before the birds started building nests in them again. I didn't get them out in time last year and ended up with several shrubs that I had to abandon half chopped back as I found that the wrens and sparrows had already set up housekeeping in them.

And now we're all cleaned up and ready to go. I'm hoping to get on this project soon in order to scratch it off the list and will share the "After" with you when it's done.

So this is what I wanted to show you today before I go. This crispy, fluffy little blob of dried protein is a praying mantis egg case, called an ootheca. The female mantis will lay her eggs in mid-autumn, right before she dies, and the case will winter over until spring. The eggs, all 100 - 200 of them, will hatch after a few days of warmth. We have watched and watched egg cases over the years but never managed to catch the young in the act of hatching. They emerge from the layers of the case, which you can see here .....

... though the appearance of the case does not really change much after the young have emerged. The babies crawl out and will hang by a thread of about 2 inches until they dry and will then scamper off into your garden. The entire process takes about an hour. Of the original 200 or so that hatch out, perhaps 5 of the mantis will live to adulthood. It's kind of like with butterflies: tons of eggs, tons of new caterpillars, tons of pillaging and eating, even cannibalism, so that in the end only a few survive.



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These tiny little cuties, which begin life chasing down aphids, can grow to be quite large and while generally beneficial in the garden, they do have a dark side. I mean, when they get to be several inches long, they require something more substantial for a meal than aphids and so anything that they can catch and handle is fair game.



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How embarrassing for the gecko.



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And my favorite praying mantis photo .....





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Hallelujah, right?

 

I'm sorry of some of those photos were a bit much. I tend not to be too squeamish about that sort of thing, though a praying mantis is kind of a freaky thing.

 

OK, that's it for today, except for a pic from The Butterfly Garden at the Tennessee Aquarium in Chattanooga.

Have a great day and I hope you'll stop by to visit again soon.

Good Friday



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A New Butterfly Friend- Rice Paper Butterfly



Image by Per Erik Standberg via WikiMedia

Well, it's been some time since I've posted and even longer since we've met a new butterfly. I alluded to the butterfly at the end of my last post so here it is. Today, meet the Rice Paper Butterfly, also known as the Paper Kite, the Wood Nymph, or the Large Tree Nymph butterfly. This one is a simple and elegant butterfly, marked by it's slow, gracefully floppy flight. It's size and slow flight make it a popular attraction at butterfly conservatories the world over, though the Paper Kite originates in Southeast Asia. A member of the subfamily Danainae, Paper Kites are considered to be distasteful to prey because of the host plants it feeds on, just like it's subfamily cousin the Monarchs which feed on milkweed. I've always heard that the yucky tasting butterflies can get away with a slow flight and the yummy ones have to flitter and dart about to avoid being captured.

I found this video on YouTube that gives us a look at the lovely movements of the Rice Paper butterfly. The video was posted by Weiße Baumnymphen.

Because of the Paper Kite's distinctive wing pattern, she is popular not just an a striking addition to butterfly conservatories but also to artists. OK, I use the term "artist" loosely when applied to myself- I'm more of a "goofing-around" type. At any rate, here's my latest paper cutting adventure:

I cut the butterfly first, from a heavy black paper, and then sprayed it with a light coat of black laquer to strengthen and stabilize it.

The I cut a piece of white glitter paper to fit exactly under the wings and used a light stain of watercolor to give the wings their yellow color at the junction with the body. I framed our gal by layering first a white background, then the glitter paper, than a layer of clear acrylic. I put the cut out wings on top of the acrylic then covered with glass and it all went into a simple frame.

I have decided that I need to make another one, sort of a positive-negative thing, after I saw how the wings looked before cutting them away from the black paper.

But that's a project for another day.

Hey thanks for visiting the jungle today. I'm looking forward to spring and healing things but right now I'm off to shovel snow.

What Will They Think Of Next?

I've been pretty scarce lately as life has taken on new twists and turns. Hoping to have more time and concentration for The Butterfly Jungle soon, but I simply HAD to share this video with you. Check out this incredible new product that will completely blow every other bit of similar technology off the map. I'm not kidding.

I originally came across this video on Paper Online, where it was posted from Popularlibros.com. Of course I plan to get as many of these as I can afford. I bet these new devices even smell good.

In keeping with today's theme of incredible paper technology, I would like to share this lovely gal with you.



Via Wikimedia.org



This is the Rice Paper butterfly, also known as the Paper Kite or Large Tree Nymph butterfly (Idea leuconoe) and is of Southeast Asian origin. If you visit a greenhouse or butterfly conservatory, chances are pretty good that you will meet this delicate gal. My sharing this photo with you today also serves as a foreshadowing of a future post. Won't you check back in?

This Post Is For The Birds.... And They Will Love You For It

Come and get it gals!

When we first moved into our big ol' farmhouse, we started feeding the birds. Mostly we put out a buffet for the Goldfinches, which are just so darn pretty. However, we soon learned that feeding the birds at our house meant, essentially, that it enabled our cat to hunt over bait. So we pulled down the feeders in an effort to save the Goldfinch population from decimation and let go of the idea of sitting on the patio with binoculators watching the birds.

However, Smudgie, the sexy psycho serial killer cat, is "maturing" and enjoys a nice long nap in the summer kitchen or has learned to appreciate the beauty of our feathered friends and loves to watch them play, like an elder stateswoman who has come to terms with .....naaahh. She's just getting old and she hates the newest dog, whom she swore to me with a glaring look that first day Gracie came home, that she was not going to cut this mutt any slack, so she stays out of the way. Gracie, much to her folly, is the only one around here not respectful of the cat. Smudgie is the only thing she's NOT afraid of and she really should be.

Anyway, now that the cat no longer treats our feeders like bait, we have begun to hang them again the past couple of winters. We only feed in winter, mainly January through March. Birds actually don't need for us to feed them at all. But they are pretty and fun to watch so we offer a little extra boost during the hard months just to help them through. Nothing fancy or elaborate, mind you, but I do make an effort to make suet.  I have totally abandoned ever buying suet. The birds never ate it. Seriously, it just hung there like a lost toy, swinging around in it's little cage on a far branch.

I had planned a suet-making activity for my patients a few years ago as a mid-winter event and the activity group itself was great fun but lo and behold, when I put the homemade suet out, the birds went nuts. That poor pathetic store-bought suet cake just hung there- uneaten. The raccoons didn't even try to steal it.

It has "Original" written on it so that I didn't accidentally
give out  the last copy after the group activity.
We wouldn't want history to repeat itself.

So I played around with a few batches and today I would like to share my suet recipe with you for your birds. I'm going to give you the recipe first and then we'll talk.

Mammie Butterfly's Basic Suet Cake

1 lb of Crisco, beef suet, lard or any combination thereof
1 cup of peanut butter
1 cup ground cornmeal
3/4 cup sugar
1/2 to 1 cup of whole wheat flour
About 1/2 a loaf of bread- whole wheat
2 cups of birdseed, nuts, raisins

Rip the bread into little cubes- nothing fancy, just little chunks a birdie could carry if a piece ripped away from the suet cake. Set these aside.

I'm sorry this photo looks kind of disgusting.

Melt the Crisco/lard/suet and peanut butter over low heat. I start the peanut butter first and when it's almost melted I add the fat, which melts much quicker than the peanut butter. Seriously, keep the heat medium to low. Next, slowly add in the flour, cornmeal, and sugar. Mix well but keep an eye on it as I've had it bubble up rapidly during this stage- don't know why. Next comes the bread crumbs- just throw them in there and mix it up so that the liquid is all absorbed. Finally, the birdseed mix of your choice and any nuts or raisins or other yummies for the birds. I thought about adding those mealworms you see at Lowes or other places but they look like empty, hollow worm shells to me so I'm not sure if the birds would be actually getting any worm protein. I've also read that they are only as healthy as the diet they eat, which can include things like newspapers and therefore the inks on the paper. At any rate, you want your mixture to have a slushie-slurry sort of consistency, kind of like wet cement, if you've ever mixed cement.

Line a cookie sheet/jelly roll pan with aluminum foil and spread the suet out evenly. You'll have to measure your suet cage, if that's what you're using, to make sure that you don't have your layer too thick.

Anyway... once it's nice and firm, turn it out on a board and peel off the foil. Use your feeder cage as a guide to cut it to size. I put a couple of squares each in a baggie and stash them in the freezer until chow time. We've been making about 4 batches to feed January, February, and March and have to refill the little cages about every other day. Last year we had a problem with the raccoons coming up at night and stealing the suet, cage and all.

Well, someone was stealing suet.....

                                                   ... guess I shouldn't be so quick to judge.

This year I bought some of those inexpensive little luggage locks to lock the feeders to the tree. We also found some larger suet feeder cages, which means we might not need to slosh out there through the muck every day.

Now, let's talk about the ingredients a bit. I realize that some of you are vegetarians and some of you are concerned about eating healthy, whether you're a human or a bird. Let's address the fats in the recipe.

Crisco is hydrogenated vegetable oil and contains no animal products. Score for vegetarians. However, hydrogenation, as most of us know, is when hydrogen is force under high temperature and pressure into liquid oils for all sorts of reasons that have mostly to do with cost benefits to food producers and nothing in the way of health. The result is a completely unnatural fat. Just as this is not good for humans, it is most likely less than ideal for our birdies. It is the most budget friendly option for suet though maybe not the best for their little avian arteries. I suppose the argument could be made that the birds are flying and exercising so they work off the fat. I don't know. Just an aside, peanut butter can have loads of hydrogenated fats as well, so if it's important, look for natural peanut butter, certainly for yourself if not the birds.

Suet is raw beef or mutton fat found around the loins and kidneys and is packed with nutritious yummies for the birds. It is a high-energy, pure fat food for your birds that is easily digested and metabolized. You can buy it at the grocery or butcher though in some places you may need to ask the butcher to save it for you. If you have a father-in-law who butchers, even better!!! In researching for my suet recipe, some sources say to render your suet before using it for your birds to remove impurities and help it to keep longer. I don't do that, mainly because I only feed in the winter and as for the impurities- please, have you seen where some of these sweet little birds hang out? The Baltimore Bird Club has a nice informational page about suet.

Even though I personally avoid eating red meat, I prefer to use suet for bird feeding because of the nutrients. Birds eat worms and bugs and need that fat, especially in the winter. I suggest cutting it up into pieces, and melting it slowly. If you can melt it outside on the grill, even better because it really does hang in the air. And like I say, I don't render it, which involves straining and remelting. Once it gets mostly melted, I'm good with that, chunky bits and all.

The last option is lard, which is pig fat. Same general considerations as with beef suet but it is interesting to note that lard is actually a good source of Vitamin D. Huh, who knew? But so are eggs, oily fish, liver, cheese, and 20 minutes a day of unfiltered sunlight (no sunscreen- oh the scandal).

Bacon? Well, I'm sorry but bacon drippings really are not a good choice, even though birds do seem to love it. Love it like a McDonald's fry. Bacon has all sorts of bad ju-ju in it; detectable amounts of carcinogenic compounds formed from some of the preservatives used in bacon. Even we humans should not eat it. I know, that makes me a real buzz-kill.

Bluebird Nut has a nice page that discusses all of the issues with the various fat options in more detail.

My take on this is to use the least expensive ingredients that you can find. Use whatever your budget, common sense, and convictions tell you to use. Then sit back with your binoculators and watch the feeding party.

Thanks for visiting-- I'll see ya next time.

Looking Back, Planning Ahead

Taken as a whole, 2012 was, without a doubt, the single most stressful year of my life, beginning even at the tail end of 2011. At times, things have even approached horrifying. I won't explain. But I have learned 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 well this year---

                                Rejoice always,
                                    pray continually,
                                        give thanks in all circumstances;
                                            for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus.

Praying continually- oh boy have I been practicing that one! I've experienced a new kind of commitment to my Savior, a trusting commitment, a "leap into the iar expecting to be caught" kind of trust. Is my faith a crutch? You bet, because otherwise I don't think I could stand. The past four months in particular have been brutal and yet "praying without ceasing" becomes easier.

We still have some uncharted roads ahead of us but I truly am thankful that we will not travel alone. God has already mapped the way for us.



In light of all the hoopla the past few months, I'm going to be taking a more relaxed approach to this blog. I know, by the looks of the recent posts one would think I have already relaxed. OK, maybe so but this is official notification of my new relaxed blogging style. This blog, regardless of how much I love it, is a hobby. The Butterfly Jungle is my place to fool around and explore the surprises and "coolness" of life. I've backed up, re-evaluated, and re-established goals and expectations for the blog. Those goals and expectations are mine alone and while I honestly do appreciate each visitor to the jungle, I've let go of counting stats, exploring how to increase visitors, worrying about how long it's been since my last post. I'll get to it when I get to it but right now there are more important things in life for me to attend to than my hobbies.

(I was going to insert a photo here but seem to be unable to upload photos right now for some mysterious reason. Pretend that you see the most gorgeous photograph ever.)

There have been topics on the past that I did not post on because I felt that they wouldn't appeal to a mass audience. There have been topics that I wanted to do but felt that "no one is blogging for those issues. There have been obscure, geeky topics that I felt might be too nerdy. POOF! No longer care about those hang-ups. What you see is what you get and while I would love for you to come traipsing through the underbrush of the jungle of life with me and see what we can flush out, this is not a professional, powerhouse blog that's going to change your life, give you daily inspiration, make you a better cook, or show you how to make museum quality crafts for $1 each. It's my hobby, a place for me to flex my puny little creative muscles and to explore whatever it is that I want to explore no matter how weird or geeky it may actually be. If you find things you enjoy- awesome. If you give me the boot and never come back to the jungle, I'll be sorry about that but I'll understand.

SO--- I'll be thrilled if you hack your way back into the jungle. We're full into homemade bird suet production around here and I'll share my recipe with you next time. Honestly, our birds go nuts for it.

(Pretending again- the second most gorgeous photo you've ever seen.)

 

Best wishes and peace to you all, my beloved butterflies, for a Happy New Year.

 

 

Merry Christmas To You All

On 12/23/1981...