The Wordsmith's Forge

Today is cloudy, muggy, and hot.  It's been raining off and on.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/27/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio. 

The first of the blackberry lilies is blooming.  :D









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Today is mostly sunny and sweltering.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

Today is partly sunny and sweltering.

I fed the birds. I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/25/25 -- It's raining, quite vigorously. :D So I won't need to water plants later.

EDIT 6/25/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/25/25 -- After it quit raining, I did some more work around the patio. I can still hear thunder around, so it may rain again.

EDIT 6/25/25 -- I sowed the Shithouse Marigold seeds from the Litha ritual in a trough pot and a few other pots around the new picnic table garden. I also did some weeding in the septic garden.

Fireflies are starting to come out. I've heard cicadas singing.

EDIT 6/25/25 -- I went back out to watch the fireflies.

As it is now dark, I am done for the night.

Today is partly sunny and sweltering.

I fed the birds, including a refill of the thistle feeder.  I've seen a few sparrows and house finches.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/23/25 -- I watered the telephone pole garden.

I've seen a gray catbird.

EDIT 6/23/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

Fireflies are coming out.  I've heard the first cicada singing.

EDIT 6/23/25 -- I watered the new picnic table plants and the septic garden.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

Today is partly sunny and sweltering. It's 87°F and the heat index is 95°F. :P A beautiful day to stay indoors and write!

I fed the birds. I've seen a small flock of sparrows and house finches, several mourning doves, and a fox squirrel.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/22/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/22/25 -- I watered the plants on the new picnic table.

EDIT 6/22/25 -- I watered the old picnic table and house yard, and the septic garden.

I've seen at least one, possibly two bats. Lots of fireflies are out.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.

These pictures are from Thursday.  I went foraging at the Charleston Food Forest.  It's across the parking lot from the Coles County Community Garden.

( Walk with me ... )

Today is cloudy and muggy.

I fed the birds.  I've seen a mixed flock of sparrows and house finches.  I also saw a male cardinal and a squirrel up in the trees.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/20/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/20/25 -- I watered the new picnic table garden.  I picked the first 'Chocolate Sprinkles' tomato and several 'Toscana' strawberries.  I love the Toscanas and will definitely buy more if I see them next spring.

We went out today and visited several nature places.

( Read more... )

New butterfly species wows scientists: 'This discovery reveals a lineage shaped by 40,000 years of evolutionary solitude'

The Satyrium semiluna, or half-moon hairstreak, is a small gray butterfly that looks like a moth at first glance. The wildflower lovers are widespread across North America, from the Sagebrush steppe to the montane meadows of the Rocky Mountains.

But tucked away in the southeastern corner of Alberta, Canada, another colony of butterflies flaps across the Blakiston Fan landform of Waterton Lakes National Park.

Until now, they were thought to be a subpopulation of half-moon hairstreaks — until scientists made a phenomenal discovery: They were a new species of butterfly that had hidden in plain sight for centuries.

The researchers, who recently published their findings in the scientific journal ZooKeys, defined the new species as Satyrium curiosolus.

Today is partly sunny, steamy, and hot.

I fed the birds.  Sparrows and house finches have been all over the feeders today.

I put out water for the birds.

EDIT 6/17/25 -- I checked the grass patch by the garden shed.  Something had eaten about half the seedling clover.  :/  So I sowed more Bee Lawn Mix, watered that, and watered the recently planted wild indigo.

EDIT 6/17/25 -- I took some pictures around the yard.

My wildflower garden is swarming with baby praying mantises, at least two hatches.  I've seen a tiny brown one and a slightly larger green one.  :D

I've seen a mourning dove in the forest garden.

EDIT 6/17/25 -- I did a bit of work around the patio.

EDIT 6/17/25 -- I picked a bag of mulberries along the street and in the savanna.  

Fireflies are coming out.

EDIT 6/17/25 -- I trimmed low-hanging branches in the house yard.

I hauled a large branch to the ritual meadow and broke it up for the firepit.

My partner Doug has mowed the ritual meadow.

As it is getting dark, I am done for the night.