Monthly Archives: January 2024

Gazania, for FOTD Jan 6, 2024

This gorgeous bloom was a surprise popup in a planter near the hot tub and pool. Evidently planted in a past year, it thankfully reemerged this year.

FOR CEE’S FOTD

Penultimate/Ultimatepen, For The Daily Prompt, Jan 5, 2024

Penultimate/Ultimatepen

He said they couldn’t fence him for he liked to roam free.
No sty could ever hold him. No captive pig was he.
That he was a wild pig was true without a doubt.
As soon as they would pen him in, in seconds he’d break out.
But the farmer, too, was resolute. As his prize pig departed,
he vowed that he’d contain him. He wouldn’t be outsmarted.

He built a sturdy metal fence, and then he strung it higher—
woven fine and tight of the premium barbed wire.
Then he caught Porky and closed him in, determined that he’d win,
for it wasn’t up to any pig to refuse his fencing-in.
But indeed the pig devised again a means by which he left,
leaving the farmer feeling defeated and bereft.

Once more caught and then re-penned and taking his repast,
the pig had not a clue that this meal would be his last.
This escape his penultimate, now the die was cast.
His days of glorious freedom, alas, were in the past.
Then, his last meal finished, he made his next advance
toward a fence reconstructed, ready to take his chance.

But, alas, he’d met his match. Escape would never be,
for the farmer had infused the fence with electricity.
This time not the penultimate, it was the ultimate pen,
for Porky has been seen, I fear, just one more time since then.
Spread out on a platter, an apple in his jaws,
his final feat a foolish one, bound to give one pause.

When he said they couldn’t pen him in, I fear poor Porky lied,
for when he hit the fence this time, in minutes, he was fried.
Ham that he was, I fear that poor Porky’s lot was cast.
For the pen after the penultimate turned out to be his last.
Probably not the first time a pig who was a sinner
paid the price for it by turning into Easter dinner.


For The Daily Prompt: Penultimate

What are These??? For Fibbing Friday, Jan 5, 2024

Toecover: My attempt at remembering the word for socks now that I am at a certain advanced age.

Scurryfunge: A form of mildew found on rodents.

Dutch Feast: Edam and stoopwafel.

Iktsuarpok: An expression of revulsion over a walking companion who walks at a too- slow rate. (Icks! You are poke!!!  (As in slowpoke.) I admit, it is a stretch.  How about, Someone agreeing that people named Katy make good contortionists? (Aye, Katies, warp okay!! ) This is a redo because Derrick took occasion to my first answer. Must admit, I don’t blame him. This one is a real stretch!  Let’s blame it on Pensitivity.

Rakefire: When the boss terminated your employment for jilting his daughter

Hufflebuffs: An affectionate synonym  for bare bottoms

Quafftide: Skinny-dipping at high tide.

Kalopsia: An involuntary nap brought on by over-eating

Cover Slut: The Kardashians’ tongue-in-cheek endearing nicknames for each other

“Wonder”clout: Using one’s seniority to get to the head of the “bread”line at the homeless  shelter.

For  yet another Fibbing Friday. I can’t resist.

Gazania, for FOTD Jan 5, 2024

Gazania

For Cee’s FOTD. See her glorious clematis HERE.

More Surprises re/ the Bagworm or Case Moth

When I got home today, I decided I’d double-check and make sure I hadn’t overlooked the bagworm yesterday. And guess what?  This is what I saw, although it seemed like it was on a lower part of the succulent plant than before.

I snapped this shot and sure enough, when I compared it to the Dec. 30 photo I took of the bagworm cocoon I had discovered on that day and found missing on Jan 3, the bagworm casing is completely different and on another part of the plant than before.  Did the bagworm build a new cocoon or is this another bagworm?  If so, what happened to the old cocoon? Or is this an entirely new bagworm? Mysteries, mysteries.

Below are the 2 cocoons side-by-side.

I’ll keep an eye out for future developments.  Anyone with information to share, please do. Your expertise in this matter will be appreciated. In the meantime, I’m researching bagworms or case moths.

HERE is a link to my original post when I discovered the first cocoon.

And here is a Faceook message from my friend Jan Golik who first acquainted me with bagworms when she formed a relationship with one during her Covid isolation:

Now, my research on the matter:

How serious are bagworms? Bagworm larvae grow and feed on trees causing plant damage. These pests can be dangerous and costly to landscaping plants, but they pose no threat to human health. Large infestations of these pests may damage or cause trees and shrubs to die from defoliation.
Adult males transform into moths in four weeks to seek out females for mating. The female never leaves the cocoon, requiring that the male mate with her through the open end at the back of the case. She has no eyes, legs, wings, or antennae and can’t eat, but she emits a strong pheromone to attract a mate.
Below is a male bagworm emerging from his bag:
I am fascinated by this process. Can’t stand to destroy the “bag”

Haliconia: FOTD Jan 4, 2024

Click on flower to enlarge.

For Cee’s FOTD

Up Close and Personal

Click on photos to enlarge.

I love the bizarre beauty of this Royal Poinciana. Sadly, the tree had to be removed due to root rot, but I’ve planted another. Only 22 more years to go until it equals this one!!!

If you are curious about what the tree looks like, here are three previous blogs that show the entire tree, including mine:

https://judydykstrabrown.com/2023/05/03/royal-poinciana/

https://judydykstrabrown.com/page/3/?s=Royal+Poinciana

https://judydykstrabrown.com/2018/05/03/royal-poinciana-sunday-trees/

 

 

For CMMC, Closeup or Macro

The Ultimate Tree-Climbers, for Thursday Tree Love

 

CLICK ON PHOTOS TO ENLARGE.

Three or four times a year, the men climb my 7 tall palm trees to trim the fruiting stems and spray for palm beetle. They use a tall ladder, then have to climb up the rest of the way and suspend themselves as they chop free the huge palm fronds. They are efficient and work beautifully in groups of six—three at a time up in the trees, the others gathering what falls and carrying the shed fronds out to their truck that grinds them up into compost. They have been tending my trees for 22 years now, and every time, it is a pleasure to watch. When they leave, every bit of litter that has fallen down from the trees has been cleared, and the pool is pristine. 

 

For Thursday Tree Love

Shadows and Mirrors: Last on the Card, Dec. 30, 2023

Click on photos to enlarge.

I loved these photos I took at my friend Blue’s house, but wondered how I was ever going to use them. Then, when once again Brian surprised me with the “Last on the Card” prompt and I checked and discovered these were in fact the last photos I took in December, I was elated.  

For Bushboy’s Last on the Card prompt

Surprise Development: FOTD Jan 3, 2024

When I reached into this cluster of assorted succulents and grabbed this dried leaf to pull it from the branch, it wriggled in my fingers and pulled away from me.  Only then did I realize that it was a cocoon!  I forgot to check it again today, but there was certainly evidence of life within it yesterday.  Yes, of course I left it. Curious to see what emerges, if I’m lucky enough to observe it.

Post Script: Unfortunately, I waited too long. I actually took that photo on Dec. 30. Went out today (Jan. 3) to inspect it and it was gone. Not one evidence of anything every being there. I searched all the remaining plants that I could see and nada. Brian thinks it was a Case Moth or Bag Worm, and I think he is correct. Guess we’ll never know for sure, though. So sorry that I didn’t keep better track of it.

For Cee’s FOTD