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Spring begins in the northern hemisphere tomorrow, Monday, March 20, at 5:24 EDT. And here is one last winter flower that's blooming in my neighborhood. Behold the blue squill. Click to enlarge. |
Urban Wildlife Guide
Sunday, March 19, 2023
It's Equinox Eve!
Saturday, March 11, 2023
Periwinkle
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Five purple petals, trailing low growth, glossy dark evergreen leaves -- it's a common periwinkle! You might know it as creeping myrtle or Vinca minor. |
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The periwinkle is mentioned in the poem below. I predict that you will be laughing or at least smiling before you find it -- especially if you read out loud. |
Bleezer's Ice Cream
by Jack Prelutsky
"I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
there are flavors in my freezer
you have never seen before,
twenty-eight divine creations
too delicious to resist,
why not do yourself a favor,
try the flavors on my list:
COCOA MOCHA MACARONI
TAPIOCA SMOKED BALONEY
CHECKERBERRY CHEDDAR CHEW
CHICKEN CHERRY HONEYDEW
TUTTI-FRUTTI STEWED TOMATO
TUNA TACO BAKED POTATO
LOBSTER LITCHI LIMA BEAN
MOZZARELLA MANGOSTEEN
ALMOND HAM MERINGUE SALAMI
YAM ANCHOVY PRUNE PASTRAMI
SASSAFRAS SOUVLAKI HASH
SUKIYAKI SUCCOTASH
BUTTER BRICKLE PEPPER PICKLE
POMEGRANATE PUMPERNICKEL
PEACH PIMENTO PIZZA PLUM
PEANUT PUMPKIN BUBBLEGUM
BROCCOLI BANANA BLUSTER
CHOCOLATE CHOP SUEY CLUSTER
AVOCADO BRUSSELS SPROUT
PERIWINKLE SAUERKRAUT
COTTON CANDY CARROT CUSTARD
CAULIFLOWER COLA MUSTARD
ONION DUMPLING DOUBLE DIP
TURNIP TRUFFLE TRIPLE FLIP
GARLIC GUMBO GRAVY GUAVA
LENTIL LEMON LIVER LAVA
ORANGE OLIVE BAGEL BEET
WATERMELON WAFFLE WHEAT
I am Ebenezer Bleezer,
I run BLEEZER'S ICE CREAM STORE,
taste a flavor from my freezer,
you will surely ask for more."
Sunday, March 5, 2023
Daylight Savings Time Coming Up
Sunday, February 26, 2023
International Tongue Twister Day -- Not
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Starting with something short and simple: "Zebras zig and zebras zag." |
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"She sells seashells by the seashore." Classic! Click to enlarge the gooseneck barnacles. |
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This one is challenging and icky: "The crow flew over the river with a lump of raw liver." |
Apparently five swans have left already. "Six sleek swans swam swiftly southwards." |
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And here is a tongue twister I composed for the occasion. "Round-eyed raccoons recline and commune in a rough-hewn treetop raccoon cocoon." Try saying it fast three times. |
Sunday, February 19, 2023
Lunch in the Park
A passerby offers seeds to a tufted titmouse. Click to enlarge. |
Seems impressed by how big a human is up close, right? |
Chancing it! |
Got a nice one. |
Thanks! Bye! |
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Starring the tufted titmouse, a year-round resident in the eastern United States famous for bold encounters with humans like above. And among the cutest of birds. |
Sunday, February 12, 2023
Sunday, February 5, 2023
Spotted Lanternfly Control
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Scanning the branches in the park revealed many SLF egg masses. The only hard part was differentiating them from lichens and the other kinds of tree bark blobs and blotches. |
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Here are a few uncovered masses from a previous year from which the insects have hatched. Note the exit holes. |
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We removed egg masses from beyond arm's reach with scrapers on poles. There were a lot of them on the structural supports of this wooden gazebo in the park. |
Click here for a recent report on the state of the SLF invasion from the Penn State Extension Service. |