Monthly photo: I'm Ready for My Close Up

This months Monthly photo landed on our sliding glass window. Carol from amazing nature tells me this is a Western Conifer Seed Bug. You can my photo on her website  here.

"Well, it looks like you have the Western Conifer Seed Bug. It's in the family of Leaf-footed Bugs. You've probably noticed that the rear legs have a spot on them shaped like a leaf. They feed off trees and pines cones, etc." 

The Western Conifer Seed Bug flies like a wasp, they lay eggs in rows on pine needles, have 6 stages of life (performing all six within the warm months of summer), they produce a funny smell if alarmed (smells like pine- similar to stink bugs), and the adults (shown below) overwinter by finding a warm spot to rest -this means he will try to winter in your house. There is a funny poem about a Western Conifer Seed Bug  here.

 Tanner posed with this bug from the inside of our sliding glass doors.
(Yes. This is yet, another iphone picture. I can not help myself, its so convenient.)  

Western Conifer Seed Bug's are not dangerous but they do look very similar to a Western Leaf-footed Bug (squash bug) that are known predators of squash plants. So I made a list of how to tell them apart.

To tell a Western Conifer Seed Bug from a Western Leaf-footed Bug:

• The Western Conifer Seed Bug has a thin zigzag line across his back
• The leaf shape on the back legs is symmetric (the Western Leaf-footed bug is Asymmetric)
• and lastly the Western Conifer Seed Bugs are from Europe so they will have importation documents

Win-win

This school year, I made the obvious realization that ugly, plain notebooks are 10X cheaper than the cute ones with buggy-eyed cats and purple swirls. This realization may have caused a slight upset in Shopko but I assure you no teenagers were harmed in the purchase of said cheaper notebooks. And now, since I spent $25 less on Casi's school supplies, I was able to buy me new undies! A much needed expenditure. Of course, Casi has already done an excellent job creating personalized and unique covers for all 6 of her school notebooks. I think they reflect who she is better than anything we could have bought. 

Guilt ridden fruity notes

As you know, I am a working mother. So, during the summer my kids are home. Alone. And, so, I worry about them eating their fruits and vegetables. (I worry about a few other things too.) Thats two meals a day of unmonitored eating and it gave me a LOT of culturally sponsored parental guilt.

 So, I asked them to eat one fruit item from the fruit stocked bowl on the counter. I said, "Do you think you could eat one fruit after lunch each day?" Which I think means "You will eat a fruit every day after lunch." but the kids interpreted it as "Eat fruit but, only if you want to." 

They did not eat any fruit. I think its because we have a freezer stocked with popsicles. 

So, in the end, I ate the fruit.

I took the fruit with me to work due to the guilt of them going bad. But, I have a secret. I don't really like fruit. (No gasping) Well, thats not exactly true I just prefer a veggies. And so, the other day, when I went to get the pear to take to work. I did not really want to. And, then....

I had this idea.

And, it worked!

And even though, it was only 1 piece of fruit over the three months of summer. The guilt is gone.

Whiptail in a window well

Look what I found in my window well.

I believe it is a whiptail lizard. My guess is, its either the introduced New Mexico Whiptail or the Tiger Whiptail according to DNR's website. If you have time, the distribution map of the New Mexico Whiptail is interesting. You can see it here.

Other items, also found in window well include: 6-8 inches of leaf decay matter, a green plastic planter pot, one child's sized flip flop, and two 18 inch long wood planks.

Monthly Photo: Patriotism

I had a REALLY hard time with this months challenge. I looked for patriotism in everything from the marketing of Dominoes and Pepsi to the overtly symbolic patriotism in things like flags and eagles. I even thought about going to a parade. Scary. I know. 

I did not want to give up because this is month two of starting this challenge and nothing is less patriotic than giving up. Then I remembered that I made pie! And in case you have not seen American Pie, the movie, they informed us that pie is as American as you can get. And don't start telling me that it is the Apple pie that is the American Pie because nothing is more American than the acceptance of all types of pie. 

Plus, Bourbon pecan pie is pretty down right American since it was created in New Orleans after the Native Americans told them about nuts.(God, I LOVE NUTS and now Native Americans) 

Besides, look how patriotic it is next to the American Flag and the Bald Eagle.

BTW: I made this pie myself! With LARD! Check out that crispy layered crust. 

I made this pie because, this year in addition to the fireworks, beer and BBQ's we celebrated Pioneer day with Pie-n-Beer because Pioneers are freaking awesome! 

Golly, I amaze myself with this act of patriotism.