Tag Archives: Blondie

Praying Mantis 2026-07-10

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Large as the span of a hand, an insect-eating insect.

They’ll also eat anything else they can catch with their stereo vision, including frogs, lizards, and small birds.

[Hand-span Mantis]
Hand-span Mantis

Gretchen likes mantises.

Blondie is paying no attention. Continue reading →

Dry cypress swamp 2026-07-09

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Looking up in the middle of the cypress swamp, you might think there was no damage from Hurricane Helene.

[Looking up]
Looking up

But there was.

Also, the drought continues to make this cypress swamp crunchy dry all the way across. Continue reading →

Oak deadfall on water line 2026-06-11

Me and a certain relative spent some time chainsawing a clear path here a few months ago.

[Blondie and the water line deadfall]
Blondie and the water line deadfall

Then this big oak, weakened by Hurricane Helene and drought, fell right across the buried water line we were reopening.

Blondie Dog for scale.

-jsq

Timber Rattler 2026-05-19

Snake of the week.

[Canebrake Rattlesnake]
Canebrake Rattlesnake

This Crotalus horridus was minding its own business, but it was in a woods path I was cruising with the golf cart.

For once, all four dogs listened and left it alone.

So they’re fine, and the snake eventually crawled off into the undergrowth.

-jsq

Heron in cypress in pond 2026-04-26

Happened to see a heron land in a cypress tree.

[Movie: Heron landing (52M)]
Movie: Heron landing (52M)

Not the usual heron tree; one to the east.

I’m pretty sure it’s a Great Blue Heron. Those and anhingas are all that usually nest in the middle of the pond.

I was assisted by Blondie (mysteriously not filthy) and Honeybun (not visible).

Here is some video:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1965142474124988/

https://youtu.be/TLRKt6If5Qs Continue reading →

Burning five acres 2026-01-06

Thanks to Max Barzallo and Mary Clement for helping burn five acres around the house. And of course thanks to Honeybun, Blondie, River, and Sky for helping.

Now if another fire gets loose, it won’t burn to the house.

[Burning five acres, Pine fire forest 2026-01-06, With neighbor help, and dogs]
Burning five acres, Pine fire forest 2026-01-06, With neighbor help, and dogs

Here’s some video:

https://www.facebook.com/reel/1644259806439943/

https://youtu.be/l3fZ-Adr_3I

For those who are not familiar with prescribed burns, we live in a longleaf fire forest. Southern pine trees are fire resistant, so burns don’t affect them much, but the fire does cut back on vines and other undergrowth, as well as competing oaks, sweetgum, and other trees.

Wildlife benefits. Continue reading →