Caterpillars Eating

During a slow time in the Butterfly House last week, I made short videos of two caterpillars eating.

The first was a tobacco hornworm (Manduca sexta) on a tomato plant. The ‘horn’ is on the rear of the caterpillar…and looks a lot like a thorn or prickle! The caterpillar was diligently eating a tomato. Afterwards is started on a leaf rather than another tomato. I remember my grandmother picking the caterpillars off her tomato plants.

The second was a cecropia moth (Hyalophora cecropia) caterpillar – one of the ones I raises with my luna caterpillars. It was still eating sweet gum leaves! It is not an instar 4 – one more shedding of the skin and eating a lot before ready to make a cocoon to go through the winter!

Zentangle® – July 2025

31 days in July so there are 31 tiles in the mosaic below. I had 140 to choose from! I made 3.5-inch squares from magazine pages again this month (like I did back in June) and then made patterns over the images. It was fun to use aspects of the images for the ‘thread’ or simply the background of the pattern I wanted to make! I am forcing myself to resume using cardstock tiles next month but will probably return to using tiles cut from magazine pages periodically; they are so different than the other tile materials…and I like that challenge.

The Zentangle® Method is an easy-to-learn, relaxing, and fun way to create beautiful images by drawing structured patterns. It was created by Rick Roberts and Maria Thomas. “Zentangle” is a registered trademark of Zentangle, Inc. Learn more at zentangle.com.

Gleanings of the Week Ending August 2, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Introduction of Agriculture Didn't Immediately Alter Japanese Diets - Agriculture, rice, and millet were introduced to the Japanese islands from the Korean Peninsula around 3,000 years ago. Researchers recently examined plant residues on Final Jomon and Yayoi-period pottery from sites in northern Kyushu. The surprising results indicated that local culinary traditions changed very little after the crops were introduced to the island, as fish and seafood remained the primary foods.

Athens Is Reviving a 2,000-Year-Old Roman Aqueduct to Deliver Water to the City Amid Prolonged Droughts - If the Hadrian’s Aqueduct revitalization proves successful, it could become a model for other major cities experiencing water shortages. There are plans to expand in the other boroughs of Athens that the Hadrian Aqueduct runs through. But also, we have started a collaboration with another five or six cities in Europe that combine cultural heritage with water heritage to make more green, sustainable and livable cities.

Photography In the National Parks: Early Summer at White Sands National Park – Some good tips for photography when there is a lot of ‘white’ around! I remember trying in June of 2013 when I visited the place.

Teen bats are spawning new viruses—here’s why scientists are paying close attention - Juvenile bats frequently host multiple coronaviruses simultaneously—offering a real-time window into how new strains might arise. These findings, while involving non-human-infecting viruses, provide a powerful model to forecast how dangerous variants could eventually spill over into humans, especially as environmental pressures bring bats closer to human habitats.

Lentils Have More Protein Than Hamburger? - or a portion size of 100 grams, dry lentils have 23.6 grams of protein, with only 1.92 grams of fat. In case you are wondering, 100 grams is about 3.5 ounces. The amount of protein in “beef, ground, 80% lean meat” is 17.5 grams for the same portion size as the lentils! I’m going to look at some lentil recipes….add them into our meal plans.

A monumental 3,800-year-old warrior kurgan discovered in Azerbaijan - The burial chamber—2 meters wide, 6 meters long, and 3 meters deep—was divided into three symbolic sections: one for the human remains and weaponry, another for ceramic vessels, and a third intentionally left empty, possibly reflecting ritual beliefs about the soul’s journey in the afterlife.

China Breaks Ground on Colossal Dam Project in Asia’s Grand Canyon - A massive dam project in the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet, the longest and deepest canyon in the world. Concerns are being raised about wildlife, electricity it produces being more expensive that comparable solar project, and the Chinese ability to withhold water or flood India in timed of conflict. The article did not discuss if there would be a risk for earthquakes as the weight of the water interacts with the geology of the canyon. Isn’t that area seismically active?

Arizona’s Declining Groundwater - For more than two decades, NASA satellites have peered beneath the surface and measured changes in the groundwater supplies of the Colorado River Basin. Based on these measurements, researchers report rapid and accelerating losses of groundwater in the basin’s underground aquifers between 2002 and 2024. About 68 percent of the losses occurred in the lower part of the basin, which lies mostly in Arizona. Irrigated agriculture consumes about 72 percent of Arizona’s available water supply; cities and industry account for 22 percent and 6 percent.

Mineral v chemical sunscreen: Which one should you be using? - UV exposure can lead to skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in countries including the US and the UK. If it spreads, the deadliest type, melanoma, has only a 35% five-year survival rate. The best sunscreen, experts say, is one you are happy to use!

Meet the Tuatara: New Zealand’s Bizarre Ancient Reptile - While the tuatara is related to snakes and lizards, the two reptilian groups diverged about 250 million years ago. That’s a long time in evolutionary terms. For context, humans are more closely related to kangaroos than tuatara are to lizards.

Gleanings of the Week Ending August 2, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Introduction of Agriculture Didn't Immediately Alter Japanese Diets - Agriculture, rice, and millet were introduced to the Japanese islands from the Korean Peninsula around 3,000 years ago. Researchers recently examined plant residues on Final Jomon and Yayoi-period pottery from sites in northern Kyushu. The surprising results indicated that local culinary traditions changed very little after the crops were introduced to the island, as fish and seafood remained the primary foods.

Athens Is Reviving a 2,000-Year-Old Roman Aqueduct to Deliver Water to the City Amid Prolonged Droughts - If the Hadrian’s Aqueduct revitalization proves successful, it could become a model for other major cities experiencing water shortages. There are plans to expand in the other boroughs of Athens that the Hadrian Aqueduct runs through. But also, we have started a collaboration with another five or six cities in Europe that combine cultural heritage with water heritage to make more green, sustainable and livable cities.

Photography In the National Parks: Early Summer at White Sands National Park – Some good tips for photography when there is a lot of ‘white’ around! I remember trying in June of 2013 when I visited the place.

Teen bats are spawning new viruses—here’s why scientists are paying close attention - Juvenile bats frequently host multiple coronaviruses simultaneously—offering a real-time window into how new strains might arise. These findings, while involving non-human-infecting viruses, provide a powerful model to forecast how dangerous variants could eventually spill over into humans, especially as environmental pressures bring bats closer to human habitats.

Lentils Have More Protein Than Hamburger? - or a portion size of 100 grams, dry lentils have 23.6 grams of protein, with only 1.92 grams of fat. In case you are wondering, 100 grams is about 3.5 ounces. The amount of protein in “beef, ground, 80% lean meat” is 17.5 grams for the same portion size as the lentils! I’m going to look at some lentil recipes….add them into our meal plans.

A monumental 3,800-year-old warrior kurgan discovered in Azerbaijan - The burial chamber—2 meters wide, 6 meters long, and 3 meters deep—was divided into three symbolic sections: one for the human remains and weaponry, another for ceramic vessels, and a third intentionally left empty, possibly reflecting ritual beliefs about the soul’s journey in the afterlife.

China Breaks Ground on Colossal Dam Project in Asia’s Grand Canyon - A massive dam project in the Yarlung Tsangpo Grand Canyon in Tibet, the longest and deepest canyon in the world. Concerns are being raised about wildlife, electricity it produces being more expensive that comparable solar project, and the Chinese ability to withhold water or flood India in timed of conflict. The article did not discuss if there would be a risk for earthquakes as the weight of the water interacts with the geology of the canyon. Isn’t that area seismically active?

Arizona’s Declining Groundwater - For more than two decades, NASA satellites have peered beneath the surface and measured changes in the groundwater supplies of the Colorado River Basin. Based on these measurements, researchers report rapid and accelerating losses of groundwater in the basin’s underground aquifers between 2002 and 2024. About 68 percent of the losses occurred in the lower part of the basin, which lies mostly in Arizona. Irrigated agriculture consumes about 72 percent of Arizona’s available water supply; cities and industry account for 22 percent and 6 percent.

Mineral v chemical sunscreen: Which one should you be using? - UV exposure can lead to skin cancer, the most common type of cancer in countries including the US and the UK. If it spreads, the deadliest type, melanoma, has only a 35% five-year survival rate. The best sunscreen, experts say, is one you are happy to use!

Meet the Tuatara: New Zealand’s Bizarre Ancient Reptile - While the tuatara is related to snakes and lizards, the two reptilian groups diverged about 250 million years ago. That’s a long time in evolutionary terms. For context, humans are more closely related to kangaroos than tuatara are to lizards.

eBotanical Prints – July 2025

Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in July - available for browsing on Internet Archive. Nine of the books were published in the 1800s, 4 in the 1700s, and 5 in the 1600s. All had colorful illustrations of plants.

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,163 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from July’s 20 books below to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the July2025 eBotanical Prints!

162 Drawings of Plants * Hamilton, Dame Ann * sample image * 1752

Collection of botanical studies * French School * sample image * 1820

Classe onzieme suite des plantes a fleur irreguliere composee de plusieurs feuilles ou nomme fleurs irregulieres polipetales * French School * sample image * 1700

An Album of Flowers * French School * sample image * 1790

Mongewell Flora * Bishop of Durham * sample image * 1807

Album de botanique V1 * Prevost-Hersant, Constant Amable * sample image * 1856

Album de botanique V2 * Prevost-Hersant, Constant Amable * sample image * 1856

Album of English plants * Pettman, M.  * sample image * 1841

Drawings for Mordant de Launay's Herbier général de l'amateur * Bessa, Pancrace * sample image * 1827

Delectus florae et faunae Brasiliensis jussu et auspiciis francisci i. austriae imperatoris investigatae * Mikan, Johann Christian * sample image * 1825

Getekende planten van rupelmonde V1 * Toulon, Martine Adriane Marie Van * sample image * 1823

Getekende planten van rupelmonde V2 * Toulon, Martine Adriane Marie Van * sample image * 1823

Getekende planten van rupelmonde V3 * Toulon, Martine Adriane Marie Van * sample image * 1823

An album of garden flowers and manuscript record book detailing plant purchases * Dutch school * sample image * 1680

Wild flowers of America * M, A.C. * sample image * 1879

Pharmacopoeus Insuleinsis 1789 * Decroix, Stanislaus * sample image * 1789

Botanical manuscript with 265 drawings of plants * Schmitz, Elizabeth Pieth * sample image * 1678

Dutch florilegium V1 * Withoos, Jan * sample image * 1670

Dutch florilegium V2 * Withoos, Jan * sample image * 1670

Dutch florilegium V3 * Withoos, Jan * sample image * 1670

Luna Moths

There was a pause between my taking the last 4 luna moth caterpillars to the Butterfly House  and Luna Moths beginning to emerge. I kept the cocoons that had been constructed in the first wave in the mesh cage so that when they emerged, I would not find them scattered around the ceiling of my office! Once they started, a few moths appeared every day and I still have cocoons (so there will be more). I eventually managed to get a sequence of a newly emerged to ‘ready to go’ moth. The wings are very compact when they first emerge, and not the characteristic creamy jade color. The females have a large abdomen and thinner (not as feathery) antennae. They all seem to climb upward as their wings begin to expand and change color. The long tails are not obvious at first. Most of the time they finish up on the top or upper side of the mesh cage.

 I experimented with photographing them…trying not to disturb them too much. The best pictures are from opening the cage during the day for a short time and reaching inside with my phone!

The first ones to emerge were males. After a day or so, there were both males and females in the cage…and mating occurred. I took a group to the Butterfly House for their display and for collection of the eggs laid on the side of the cage to be used for a program in August (the eggs will be hatching by then).

One morning I released 8 moths into my neighborhood. They were all grouped in the top of the cage when I went out to our front yard where there is a tree with low branches. One flew out of the cage and away. The other 7 I moved to the tree; some of them flew away for the tree right away. One flew from the tree to the grass…then away before I could move it back to the tree. I left 4 (two mating pairs) in the cage. It was just before sunrise, so I hope they found a good place to spend the day (and maybe for the females to lay eggs).

When I got back indoors, I discovered that a luna had emerged in a bin that contained the cocoons produced later in my caterpillar experience. The plastic bin is not a good place to emerge since the plastic is too slick for the moth to climb. I moved the moth to the cage and am moving the rest of the cocoons to the cage too!

Ten Little Celebrations – July 2025

July was a great month to be outdoors – even though it was very hot…plenty to celebrate.

Rescuing a large cecropia caterpillar from the trash. One of my morning shifts at the Butterfly House started with quite a surprise….finding a cecropia caterpillar in the trash while I was cleaning up before opening. I celebrated that I happened to look down before I threw in the messy paper towel…and could easily return the caterpillar to the table display.

Luna caterpillars making cocoons. I celebrated when my 40 or so Luna Moth caterpillars started making their cocoons. When they were all large caterpillars, it was challenging to keep them sufficiently supplied with sweet gum leaves.

More and more cocoons…and then I took the last 4 Luna caterpillars to the Butterfly House. I celebrated some quite days with only rustlings from the pupa inside the cocoons.

The first Luna Moths emerging. The first moths started to emerge…3 males in one day! I celebrated that so many of the cocoons seem viable too…so many more of these beautiful moths will be emerging soon.

A late afternoon barbeque picnic and evening mothing. I celebrated with a great meal with fellow Butterfly House docents…and then seeing how lights and sheets in the evening attract moths.

Dayl ilies at the Botanical. I celebrate the profusion of color and form of the day lilies every year about this time.

Finding S. Fred Prince’s The rainbow in the grass; wildflowers of the Marvel Cave Ozark. I was doing my usual look at botanical books for next month and happened upon this beautiful one from the early 1900s about the wildflowers in the Branson MO area….close to where I live!

Seeing cattle egrets. As I drove north from Dallas, I saw a flock of cattle egrets flying over the highway. It must be a good year for producing young.

Lake Springfield Boathouse Garden. My husband and I always enjoy the plantings around the building…and the walk down toward the field of wildflowers. We went early enough in the day that it wasn’t too hot.

Sunflowers at the assisted living home. My sister planted sunflowers in a big pot (and some of the seeds must have spilled because several plants are growing in the soil next to the pot). I celebrated that they are thriving and the memory that my niece brought a sunflower seedling in a cup home from kindergarten, and my mother propagated them along the alley for years. That niece is getting ready to have her second child soon.

Zooming - July 2025

The places for this month zoomed images include: my neighborhood/yard, Fantastic Caverns, my dad’s assisted living home, Springfield Botanical Gardens, and Lake Springfield Boathouse. It was a good month to be out and about in the morning…before the heat of the day! The early summer flowers doing well: arugula, cone flowers, day lilies, sunflowers, prickly pear cactus, button bush, and Missouri Evening Primrose. Enjoy the July 2025 slideshow!

Roston Native Butterfly House – July 2025

My shifts at the Roston Native Butterfly House were hotter in July – even though all of them were for the 10-12:30 shift. The high points of the month involved caterpillars.

Two that were new-to-me were the caterpillars for the red spotted purple butterfly (on willow) and the Atala butterfly (on cycad).

At the beginning of one of my shifts, I was cleaning the caterpillar frass from the very wet display table and got a big surprise when I flipped the lid on the trash to throw away a messy paper towel and discovered a very large cecropia moth caterpillar on some black cherry leaves that just happened to be in the trash. I quickly scooped the leaves and caterpillar up and put them back with the other cecropia caterpillars…..and the caterpillar began wondering around the table. My assumption is that sometime during the night it wandered off the table and fell into the trash. We eventually put it in the zippered cage so that its walkabout could be somewhat contained! It was probably large enough to be ready to make its cocoon.

I enjoy photographing things in the butterfly house whenever there are few or no visitors there! The cecropia caterpillars in the house toward the end of the month were ones that were raised with my luna caterpillars on sweet gum, and they rejected a shift to black cherry leaves when they got to the butterfly house….so now the sweet gum vase has a mix of luna and cecropia caterpillars.

eBotanical Prints – June 2025 - updated

Twenty more books were added to my botanical print eBook collection in June - available for browsing on Internet Archive. Most books were published in the 1800s (14 of the 20) although there were 5 from the 1700s. The first book on the list - The Illustrated Garden: Books from the Missouri Botanical Garden, 1485–1855: An Exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum – was published in 2004 and is going to be a great reference and I continue to explore eBotantical Prints!

My list of eBotanical Prints books now totals 3,143 eBooks I’ve browsed over the years. The whole list can be accessed here.

Click on any sample image from June’s 20 books below to get an enlarged version…and the title hyperlink in the list below the image mosaic to view the entire volume where there are a lot more botanical illustrations to browse.

Enjoy the June 2025 eBotanical Prints!

The Illustrated Garden: Books from the Missouri Botanical Garden, 1485–1855: An Exhibition at the Saint Louis Art Museum * Herndon-sonsagra, Francesca * sample image * 2004

Album containing watercolors of plants * American School * sample image * 1881

Curiosites de la nature. des fleurs * French School * sample image * 1756

Four albums of flowers by an amateur artist and botanist V1 * English School * sample image * 1828

Four albums of flowers by an amateur artist and botanist V2 * English School * sample image * 1828

Four albums of flowers by an amateur artist and botanist V3 * English School * sample image * 1828

Four albums of flowers by an amateur artist and botanist V5 * English School * sample image * 1828

La natura, e coltura de' fiori fisicamente esposta in due trattati con nuove ragioni, osservazioni, e sperienze * Arena, Filippo * sample image * 1768

Roberti Icones Platarum V1 * Robert, Nicolas; Bosse, Abraham; Chastillon, Louis de * sample image * 1701

Roberti Icones Platarum V2 * Robert, Nicolas; Bosse, Abraham; Chastillon, Louis de * sample image * 1701

Nouveau Duhamel, ou, Traite des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France V1 * Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, M. * sample image * 1812

Nouveau Duhamel, ou, Traite des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France V2 * Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, M. * sample image * 1812

Nouveau Duhamel, ou, Traite des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France V3 * Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, M. * sample image * 1812

Nouveau Duhamel, ou, Traite des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France V4 * Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, M. * sample image * 1812

Nouveau Duhamel, ou, Traite des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France V5 * Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, M. * sample image * 1812

Nouveau Duhamel, ou, Traite des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France V6 * Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, M. * sample image * 1812

Nouveau Duhamel, ou, Traite des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France V7 * Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, M. * sample image * 1812

Nouveau Duhamel, ou, Traite des arbres et arbustes que l'on cultive en France V8 * Loiseleur-Deslongchamps, M. * sample image * 1812

Collection du regne vegetal, arbres, forestiers et fruitiers, leurs fruits * Ledoulx, Pierre Francois; Verbrugge, Jean Charles; Ducq, Joseph Francois * sample image * 1831

A catalogue of English plants drawn after nature by Lady Frances Howard  * Howard, Lady Frances * sample image * 1766






All or Mothing (2)

After we finished eating barbeque, lots of sides, and dessert….we waited for it to get dark so that the bugs (including moths) that are active at night and attracted to light would come to the lights with sheets set up in a nearby field.

I took some pictures as the daylight waned…haybales in the grassy areas surrounded by trees…Bull Creek nearby.

Finally - it was dark enough for small insects to be seen on the sheets.

One that was a bit larger was new to me --- owlfly…a predator of other insects.

I was more interested in moths that anything else. Only one showed up before we left: a sphinx moth that was rather drab…no color even when one of the interns moved it around to expose more wing surface and body!

It was an enjoyable evening, and I hope we do it again next year…and that it won’t be quite so hot. This would be a great place for a walk…even if it was just back along the ruts of the road!

Gleanings of the Week Ending July 26, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Greenland Sled Dog DNA Reveals a Story of Human Migration and Ancestry of the Unique Breed - The ancestors of the Inuit arrived in Greenland earlier than previously thought—potentially even before the arrival of the Vikings.

A Bird’s Eye View: Drones Search for Grassland Birds in Colorado - Drones have been used to survey animals from afar for years; this project borrows from those learnings for the novel —and challenging—task of detecting small-bodied, ground-nesting birds (Bobolinks) amid thick, tall grass, without disturbing the species of interest.

Hungary's oldest library is fighting to save 100,000 books from a beetle infestation - Tens of thousands of centuries-old books are being pulled from the shelves of a medieval abbey in Hungary to save them from a beetle infestation that could wipe out centuries of history. I wondered how many of the books have been scanned.

'Wobbly-tooth puberty': How children's brains change at six-years-old – A stage in which a child is constructing their identity, and they're trying to figure out who they are in relation to other people. The transformation includes a greater capacity to reflect on their feelings and modify them when needed, along with an "advanced theory of mind" that allows them to think more sophisticatedly about others' behaviors and respond appropriately. They also begin master the basics of rational enquiry and logical deduction, so that they can take more responsibility for their actions

How a hidden brain circuit fuels fibromyalgia, migraines, and PTSD - Scientists at the Salk Institute have discovered a hidden brain circuit that gives pain its emotional punch—essentially transforming ordinary discomfort into lasting misery. This breakthrough sheds light on why some people suffer more intensely than others from conditions like fibromyalgia, migraines, and PTSD. By identifying the exact group of neurons that link physical pain to emotional suffering, the researchers may have found a new target for treating chronic pain—without relying on addictive medications.

Greenland’s Bejeweled Ice Sheet - In spring 2025, jewel-toned points of blue began to appear on the white surface of the Greenland Ice Sheet. As summer arrived, they grew larger and more numerous, taking on unique shapes and occasionally forming connections. The colorful seasonal phenomenon is due to meltwater from snow and ice, which pools atop the ice sheet in places each melt season. An image from the Operational Land Imager-2 on NASA’s Landsat9.

Easter Island Was Far Less Isolated Than Previously Believed, Study Reveals - Earlier genetic studies in the 2010s laid the ground for the most recent investigation, showing that Easter Island was reached at least two times by the 14th century. Further influence arrived from pre-European South Americans, an interaction evidenced by the presence of sweet potatoes and the Birdman concept. This post is about the idea that after language, plants, animals, and material culture arrived on Easter Island from the west, monumental ritual architecture began traveling in the opposite direction.

In a First, Solar Was Europe’s Biggest Source of Power Last Month - Solar was the largest source of electricity in the EU in June, supplying a record 22 percent of the bloc’s power. Solar amounted to more than 40 percent of generation in the Netherlands and 35 percent in Greece. Analysts say that the June surge in solar power helped Europe weather a brutal heat wave, which saw temperatures soar upwards of 110 degrees F (43 degrees C). Last month was the warmest June on record in Europe, and scientists say that climate change played a key role in the heat wave, pushing temperatures to dangerous extremes.

Inequality has risen from 1970 to Trump − that has 3 hidden costs that undermine democracy – A thought provoking post. The author described 3 ways that the increase in inequality undermines democracy: 1. Fraying social bonds and livelihoods, 2. Increasing corruption in politics, 3. Undermining belief in the common good.

Honeybees remove 80% of pollen—leaving native bees with nothing - Our modern agricultural industry is so reliant on honeybees that humans have introduced them worldwide, and in many cases, they have escaped human management and risen to prominence in natural ecosystems as non-native, feral populations. And, like any other non-native organism, feral honeybees may perturb native ecosystems when they become sufficiently abundant.

Life Magazine in 1939

Internet Archive has digitized versions of many Life Magazines. I have been browsing through them – slowly since there was an issue for each week. As I looked at the issues from 1939, I thought about my parents in elementary school then. War was becoming more serious over the course of the year but Pearl Harbor was not until December 1940; the US was providing supplies but was not actually engaged in the war effort.

Life Magazine 1939-01-02 – Japanese Navy holds the Yangtze

Life Magazine 1939-01-09 – Very cold in Europe

Life Magazine 1939-01-16 – US Capitol building

Life Magazine 1939-01-23 – Scenes from Mexico

Life Magazine 1939-01-30 – Tourist trailers in Tampa municipal park

Life Magazine 1939-02-06 – American plane breaks speed records

Life Magazine 1939-02-13 – Fort Wayne house goes up in 1 hour 4 minutes

Life Magazine 1939-02-20 – Birthplaces of presidents

Life Magazine 1939-02-27 – This is the way the fleet goes to battle

Life Magazine 1939-03-06 – German battleship launched

Life Magazine 1939-03-13 – World’s Fair

Life Magazine 1939-03-20 - Goebbels

Life Magazine 1939-03-27 – Construction of “America” at Newport News shipyard

Life Magazine 1939-04-03 - Coelacanth

Life Magazine 1939-04-10 – Madrid falls and General Franco’s Spain joins the European dictatorships

Life Magazine 1939-04-17 – Britain’s defense against planes from continent

Life Magazine 1939-04-24 – Marian Anderson

Life Magazine 1939-05-01 – Louis Raemaekers drawings from WWI

Life Magazine 1939-05-08 – Burning ship in Le Havre

Life Magazine 1939-05-15 – British royal women

Life Magazine 1939-05-22 – Chicago fire affects the price of wheat

Life Magazine 1939-05-29 – Hyde Park and the Roosevelts

Life Magazine 1939-06-05 – Grand Coulee Dam

Life Magazine 1939-06-12 – Albert Switzer

Life Magazine 1939-06-19 – British royalty in Washington

Life Magazine 1939-06-26 – WWI trenches

Life Magazine 1939-07-03 - Antarctica

Life Magazine 1939-07-10 – Emperor Hirohito

Life Magazine 1939-07-17 – Mount Rushmore and fireworks

Life Magazine 1939-07-24 – Coca-Cola ad

Life Magazine 1939-07-31 – Texaco Dealers (rest rooms registered)

Life Magazine 1939-08-07 – Japanese showing captured Russian tank and plane wreckage

Life Magazine 1939-08-14 – Bloody climax of U.A.W. Strike

Life Magazine 1939-08-21 – Concentration camps

Life Magazine 1939-08-28 – Wizard of Oz (technicolor)

Life Magazine 1939-09-04 – Madeline (children’s book)

Life Magazine 1939-09-11 – Salvaging the relics of WWI I France

Life Magazine 1939-09-18 – Liner “Athenia” is sunk

Life Magazine 1939-09-25 – German leaves its mark

Life Magazine 1939-10-02 – The English take the war in their stride

Life Magazine 1939-10-09 – Queen Elizabeth looks over London’s air-raid precautions

Life Magazine 1939-10-16 – Hitler reviews German Army from plane

Life Magazine 1939-10-23 – Hitler and von Ribbentrop walking

Life Magazine 1939-10-30 – German submarines in the North Sea

Life Magazine 1939-11-06 – 3 Ocean liners in New York

Life Magazine 1939-11-13 – Helen Hayes and family

Life Magazine 1939-11-20 – Nazi Bombers reach Scottish coast

Life Magazine 1939-11-27 - Lockheed

Life Magazine 1939-12-04 – 6  of 140 Allied and neutral ships sunk in the war

Life Magazine 1939-12-11 – French guard on German border

Life Magazine 1939-12-18 – Military inspired toys for Christmas

Life Magazine 1939-12-25 - High spots of “Gone with the Wind”

Luna Moth Cocoons

Some of my 30 or so luna moth cocoons are over 2 weeks old now. So far – no moths have emerged, but the pupas are making noises as they move around inside the cocoon! I made a short recording of the small noises that reassure me that they are indeed viable and developing.

The cocoons are optimally silk produced by the caterpillar and sweet gum leaves, but sometimes other things get incorporated – twigs and bits of paper towel (which was on the floor of the bin) are the most common additions. At the time these caterpillars made their cocoons, the bins were very crowded and sometimes two cocoons are side by side…too close to separate without risking damage to the cocoons. It will be interesting to see what happens as all of these emerge.

Sometimes the caterpillars don’t use silk and leaves; they are ‘bare.’ I have three that are like that. They are easy to see moving so seem to be acting like the ones that do have the outer covering. Will they emerge and be healthy? In the wild, it seems like they would be vulnerable to be eaten although if they fell to the ground, they might look enough like poop that they would be left alone.

I have so many cocoons that I will have plenty of opportunity to observe moths emerging….so looking forward to that experience.

All or Mothing (1)

Last weekend, Friends of the (Springfield Botanical) Garden offered the docents for the Butterfly House a summer afternoon/evening treat - a potluck (with barbeque provided) and seeing what came to lights/sheets after dark. It was a place I had been for a field trip last fall during my Missouri Master Naturalist training (my posts about it: one, two) and I was excited to visit again. My husband came along this time, and I was glad that we were his car rather than mine (his has a higher clearance). The gravel rutted road that was the last leg seemed longer than I remembered!

There was an extreme heat warning for the day, so we didn’t do any hiking…sticking to the shady area around the cabin.

I photographed the moss on the shingles of the roof over the old well.

I remembered the spice bush from last fall; the fruit was red in the fall…still green now. The yucca pods were still green as well, but they are interesting shapes already.

To be continued…in a few days.

Road Trip to Dallas in July 2025

It was a very summery road trip to Dallas this month. The days started out warm and got very hot. I noticed that the temperature came down a few degrees after I exited from US75 in Dallas and drove into the neighborhood (went from 96 to 94). The 4 lanes of concrete in each direction….a wide concrete ribbon…created their own heat island. I was glad I could park in a shady place at the assisted living home and that I had packed my cosmetics in the ice chest along with the snacks!

I watered the plants in the small garden that my sisters have kept going for my dad. He was too worn out from a round of physical therapy to go out with me in the afternoon (and maybe that was for the best since it was so hot), but he did the next morning when it was only in the low 80s. I took some pictures of the sunflowers after I watered and he enjoyed being outdoors while his breakfast was prepared. He was less talkative than usual and didn’t seem to be able to hear or see the planes that taking off from Addison airport.

The Texas sage was blooming but it was not as showy as I remembered; it appeared that the plants in the median on Preston Road in Plano had been neatly trimmed at exactly the wrong time!

On the plus side, I saw a flock of cattle egrets as I drove north….just before I got to the Oklahoma border. They were so showy I noticed them even with the challenges of navigating through a lot of road construction. I’m thinking about making a trek to Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge on my next road trip…maybe see even more of the young egrets there.

Springfield Botanical Gardens – July 2025

We visited the Springfield Botanical Gardens in mid-June….on a cloudy morning. There was a breeze to help make the warm, humid air more comfortable. My husband was keen to photograph insects in flight. It was probably warm enough, but the insects were not as active because of the thick clouds and everything being so wet.

The Botanical Center was our first stop. Then we walked by the rain garden (indigo with pods and golden rod) and down the sidewalk past the Butterfly House and surrounding garden.

The daylilies were blooming profusely and were the main draw for my visit. I started out doing some macro shots with my phone (iPhone 15 Pro Max)

But changed to zoomed images with my small point and shoot (Canon Powershot SX730 HS). Both cameras captured the water droplets on the flowers.

As we started back toward the car I saw something off the paved walk landing in the grass. It stayed put as I carefully walked over….and got a picture. It was the only large butterfly I saw all morning (other than in the Butterfly House).

Before we left for home, I got a small branch of sweet gum leaves for my luna and cecropia moths.

Late June Storm

We are still dealing with the aftermath of a late June storm. At our house, one of the two maples in our front yard lost some larger branches. It spilt in such a way that leaves it vulnerable to the next high wind event – likely to fall into the street. This was the first year that the daylilies I’d planted around its base have been numerous enough to look good. It is upsetting; we’ve accepted the arborist’s recommendation to cut it down. In preparation I’ve cut the daylily flowers and am going to transplant the rhizomes elsewhere. We aren’t going to grind the stump. Instead, I am going to create a native plant garden around where the tree was cut and incorporate a lower place where a tree was removed before we bought the house. It will include a small tree (maybe a serviceberry), a bush (maybe winterberry holly or ninebark)…and then some perennials; I’m looking for a landscaping company that can do most of the work…hopefully leaving it where I can maintain it. I’ve also requested the wood chips from the tree that I can spread elsewhere around my yard…keeping the nutrients on my land.

My daughter’s yard had damage too. One of her amur maples dropped a limb on the driveway and the other dropped a limb on a fence (but gently enough that it didn’t take the fence down. Her husband handled the branch in their driveway shortly after it fell. The tree service will take the limb that fell on the fence and the junipers that fell over at the side of her house. She had her trees trimmed earlier this season or she probably would have had more damage. She is contemplating what to plant once the junipers are gone.

There were many people that had more damage that we did and were without power for days. We are using the destruction of the storm as an opportunity to plant more natives in our yard!

Gleanings of the Week Ending July 19, 2025

The items below were ‘the cream’ of the articles and websites I found this past week. Click on the light green text to look at the article.

Doctors say we’ve been misled about weight and health - Doctors' advice about healthy eating and physical activity is still relevant as it may result in better health. The main goal is to offer good care irrespective of weight, which means not caring less but rather discussing benefits, harms, and what is important to the patient.

Let’s Consider a Couple of Workable Solutions to the Plastic Crisis – The first is to reduce the reliance on plastic shopping bags. Research shows that plastic bags were much less frequently found in beach litter where communities had implemented plastic bag policies. The second is green roofs in cities. Green roofs were shown to be more than capable of intercepting microplastics — at the rate of 97.5% efficiency for trapping microplastics from atmospheric deposition…..and roof areas make up 40-50% of urban impermeable areas.

Melting Glaciers Will Lead to More Volcanic Eruptions – New research from the Chilean Patagonia. Glaciers tend to suppress the volume of eruptions from the volcanoes beneath them. But as glaciers retreat due to climate change, the findings suggest these volcanoes go on to erupt more frequently and more explosively. According to a 2020 study, 245 of the world’s active volcanoes are within three miles of ice. 

A Partnership for a Healthier Appalachian Forest - The story of the southern Appalachians – and many forests across the United States – is one of widespread logging between the early 1900s and 1940s. That was followed by the “Smokey Bear era” of fire suppression. Now active management is the strategy including thinning, herbicide application and controlled burns.

The Vienna cemetery where endangered species and biodiversity thrive – 2.4 sq km (0.9 sq miles). The cemetery is home to European hamsters, Europea green toad, Alpine longhorn beetle, European ground squirrel, and Eurasian hoopee….and many other species.

Photos: Before-and-after satellite images show extent of Texas flooding destruction – It’s hard to fathom the scope of the destruction...and how fast the water rose in the darkness.

Florida Seniors Face Rising Homelessness Risk - Florida seniors make up a growing portion of the state’s unhoused population as the housing crisis continues. Cost of housing is increasing with institutional investors buying up land and insurance costs skyrocketing.

Researchers Unearth 3,500-Year Old Peruvian City with an Illustrious History - Probably a market hub, and that once connected Pacific coast communities with those in the Andes and Amazon thriving around the same time as early Middle Eastern and Asian civilizations. The urban center is known as Peñico and was founded between 1,800 and 1,500 B.C., experts said. It is near the location where the Caral civilization, said to be the oldest in the Americas first appeared 5,000 years ago. Following eight years of research, the experts classified as many as 18 structures including ceremonial temples and residential housing complexes. Sculptural reliefs and works showing the pututu, a conch shell trumpet can also be seen on some of the walls. Researchers also found clay sculptures of human and animal figures, as well as necklaces created with beads and seashells.

Emily Sargent’s Long-Hidden Watercolors Debut at the Met – John Singer Sargent’s younger sister watercolor paintings. They were lost for decades, until some of her relatives found a forgotten trunk in storage containing hundreds of her paintings.

Blast From the Past: Arizona’s Meteor Crater - Meteor Crater (also called Barringer Meteor Crater) is located between Flagstaff and Winslow on the Colorado Plateau as seen by the Operation Land Imager (OLI) on Landsat 8. I’ve seen it from the ground!

The Craftsman (magazine)

I browsed 47 months of The Craftsman magazine from the early 1900s (1912-1916 back in March. They are available from The University of Wisconsin-Madison digital library. They are a way to understand the way people were living at the time – when my grandparents were children. The sample images I picked show structures, plants, furniture, gardens, homes, pottery, landscapes, and jewelry – even the Christmas tree in Madison Square in New York! Click on any of the sample images below to see a larger version…and use the links to browse the whole magazine.

 

The craftsman Vol. XXI, Number 6 March 1912

The craftsman Vol. XXII, Number 1 April 1912

The craftsman Vol. XXII, Number 2 May 1912

The craftsman Vol. XXII, Number 3 June 1912

The craftsman Vol. XXII, Number 4 July 1912