And today it feels Autumnal. Bright sunshine, cool refreshing breeze. Low temps in the 50s overnight - just 63 now at noonish.
Some sunshine brings the Mexican Sunflowers
Some sunshine brings the Mexican Sunflowers
COLD DARK ROOM
- Thread starter Tidgy's Dad
- Start date
TurtzInMyYard
Well-Known Member
Vivid rich color. Reminds me something of a zinnia.
Now I do..
Pearl Zane Grey (January 31, 1872 – October 23, 1939) was an American author and dentist best known for his popular adventure novels and stories associated with the Western genre in literature and the arts; he idealized the American frontier. Riders of the Purple Sage (1912) was his best-selling book.
TurtzInMyYard
Well-Known Member
Growing up, westerns were not of interest to me. I do remember the old timers in my family were keen to watch them. I did enjoy the series, Bonanza. My father had a great friend of many years, since early school days. His name was Tisdale. For the last 60 years he has searched for, and collected old 8mm reels of movies starring the old cowboy actors, like Gabby Hayes. A bit before my memory started forming, I recall few of the actors from that era. But, I remember going with my parents to their house. Tisdale had acquired old seats from old movie houses and had them installed in one large room of their home. I think there were around three rows with four seats each. It was a cozy little theatre. They also acquired an old movie theatre popcorn maker and it sat in the same room. Every time we were invited over, as soon as you walked into the house, you could smell the popcorn. It was a really neat set up.
There is no telling how much his collection would be worth today. It was quite extensive. Dad called to let me know Tisdale has passed away a few weeks ago. He was the last living friend my dad had left. He and dad kept in touch around three times a year. He was always one of the happiest guys I'd ever been around. A fine gentleman.
I saw a bug today that I've never seen before. It was large and black with a white underbelly. It's wings were like the bug my praying mantis was eating that I captured by photo the other day. They are kind of clear. This bug is so big at first I thought it was the hummingbird. I tried to get a picture but it wouldn't show up because I was trying to take the picture facing the sun. I haven't been able to identify it on Google either. If it's a beetle of some kind it's the biggest I've ever seen.?
TurtzInMyYard
Well-Known Member
Did it look anything like this? I don't really know my bugs too well...but this is a Dobson Fly, I think.
Sounds interesting……but you need to try harder to ID the thing!
Nagh, that’s a cicada. We’ve had them in the bazillions this year.
Dobson Fly has large pincers - https://ucanr.edu/blogs/blogcore/postdetail.cfm?postnum=24812
TurtzInMyYard
Well-Known Member
Eeeewww-ahh. A flying bug with pincers -- are they 'functional' pincers?...lol -- I hope not
The males have the very impressive large mandibles, but these are not meant to bite humans. They are most likely used on other male dobsonflies, to pick them up and throw them off to the side when competing for a female's attention. Mandibles this large are seldom functional for anything else, and you can feel a strong poke when they try to bite but it seldom breaks the skin.
I've looked at cicadas, locusts, beetles and nothing so far. I need a picture. It's been here for a month or so because I've heard it move in the crab apple tree when I clean the hummingbird feeder. Also there's more than one because the praying mantis was eating one. It's very large.At least 2 inches. The only thing you can see pretty well in the picture is the wing
Good afternoon/evening all.
Glad that most of you seem to have weathered the weather - just hoping that Chef is OK now as she's not posted today.
The UK has high pressure stuck over it but while it's dry and warmish it's very cloudy.
Lola's been out, but is missing the sun on his back in his basking spots so he doesn't settle for long.
Nothing special to report here. I'm just going to set the wildlife camera up in the garden to see if the hedgehog pops in tonight and them I'm off to bed.
So I'll see you tomorrow.
Take care and Nos Da.
Glad that most of you seem to have weathered the weather - just hoping that Chef is OK now as she's not posted today.
The UK has high pressure stuck over it but while it's dry and warmish it's very cloudy.
Lola's been out, but is missing the sun on his back in his basking spots so he doesn't settle for long.
Nothing special to report here. I'm just going to set the wildlife camera up in the garden to see if the hedgehog pops in tonight and them I'm off to bed.
So I'll see you tomorrow.
Take care and Nos Da.
I was thinking and looking at cicadas but the one that's close is smaller than the one I saw. It was a dog days cicada. The only way is to keep watching and hoping I can get a close up picture. I can't help thinking I must be about half nuts to get such a charge out of strange looking bugs.??
It's interesting, I love spotting unusual insects.
They are so often overlooked and not considered to be important, but many are vital pollinators and part of food chains for bigger animals.
I have a lot of overgrown brambles to clear but I'm worried I'll be killing a lot of caterpillars, so I've just contacted the butterfly/moth conservation organisation to see when the best time to do it will be. Hopefully won't be too long.
@TurtzInMyYard - Here's what I can remember about this Cold Dark Room Place:
At the start there were seven known corners, we're now up to 10.
Maybe there's an 11, maybe there's not.
Like if there's a ceiling , or a wool spider, or where the One-legged Pirate has gone, we may never know.
There's a wool spider (if she exists)
We have a snow leopard who only eats carrots.
There are several armadillos - be careful in the dark that you don't step on one
Montgomery and the leprechaun were here when CarolM joined in December. Lol. Montgomery is awesome. He brings us coffee and rusks and biscuits in the morning. But the Leprechaun has gone into cahoots with the one legged pirate and absconds with our cocktails in the evening. The two of them along with the meerkat and Moozillians ghost shrimp cause mayhem and plot the downfall and or try to put the blame on poor Jacques (Moozillian's mud turtle) for their nonsense.
I think the wool spider (if she exists) knits sweaters and things for us
So, I think you'll fit right in here with this crazy group of folks from all over the world.
At the start there were seven known corners, we're now up to 10.
Maybe there's an 11, maybe there's not.
Like if there's a ceiling , or a wool spider, or where the One-legged Pirate has gone, we may never know.
There's a wool spider (if she exists)
We have a snow leopard who only eats carrots.
There are several armadillos - be careful in the dark that you don't step on one
Montgomery and the leprechaun were here when CarolM joined in December. Lol. Montgomery is awesome. He brings us coffee and rusks and biscuits in the morning. But the Leprechaun has gone into cahoots with the one legged pirate and absconds with our cocktails in the evening. The two of them along with the meerkat and Moozillians ghost shrimp cause mayhem and plot the downfall and or try to put the blame on poor Jacques (Moozillian's mud turtle) for their nonsense.
I think the wool spider (if she exists) knits sweaters and things for us
So, I think you'll fit right in here with this crazy group of folks from all over the world.
Oh, I forgot the jelly fish. If you rub or squish them they provide light in the dark corners.
TurtzInMyYard
Well-Known Member
Yvonne...I am gifted with an immense imagination -- taken with everything you just said -- I imagine you all are eating shrooms and dropping acid! OR -- you're ALL certifiable NUTZ! Yep, this is the place for me!
Well, i do see the very large Praying Mantis at the top of your screen & we might be circling back to the Dobson Fly in it’s grasp. It looks like the pincer. I could be wrong. ?♂️
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