January 19, 2025

January 16, 2025.  It seems so dark today that it's hard to remember that it's already been a couple of weeks since the days started to get longer!  Here are some Sunset shots from yesterday as the sun was setting between 5:21 and 5:23.

Just a few minutes before that sunset, the trunks of the tall trees in the back yard turned golden too.

The leftovers of the Redbud pods are almost orange now, as the sun is getting low.

A slow weekend.  Actually it's only Friday, January 17.  Here are the latest pictures of the Thistle seedlings. Admission:  They aren't the right species. All my Bull Thistle seedlings died and so this is a mixture of Scotch Thistles and another species.  

January 19:  Finally - a new leaf has appeared on at least one of the seedlings!  Until this happens, I am always expecting the bad news that the seeds are not going to make viable plants!  Please cross your fingers or hold your thumbs to bring the good news that some of those little plantlets will make it!

Here is a Beetle or Bug from this week's zoo.   Second is the remains of some kind of creature (the real creature was INSIDE that furry coating.  Its head must have stuck out the fragile part on the bottom right).  There is a conversation going on in iNat nowadays about this creature (or former creature).  Some (@captainmantis37 and @plantsrbetterthanppl) think it's possibly a Praying Mantis egg case.  Third seems to be a Looper (not looping at this moment). 

Here is a collection of creatures that seemed to be living or dying together.  How many little critters can you make out in this picture?  

Well, it is now January 19, and it has been a slow weekend (indeed, a slow week!)  It's so COLD (23 F in the bathroom window on the indoor-outdoor thermometer) and I haven't seen much life out there today.  So I'm calling this blog done for now.  We're expecting a few more days dipping down into the single-digit temperatures.  But you know how it is.  We now have a few days till February, and that means it's almost time for that beloved Groundhog to poke his head out of a hole in Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania and make a quick assessment about whether Spring comes NOW or if it will take a few more weeks.  So please keep your spirits up for this possibility and think about what it will take to keep our beloved planet going, even if that means accepting the rest-of-winter weather!!!!  More next week!   Love, Martha