Sunday, July 31, 2011

108.5 degrees (feels like 107)

That's what it says...

Hahaha. It's been hot, but not that hot. Makes me laugh because that weather site feels compelled to tell you that you might feel a degree and a half cooler than what's going on outdoors...like that temperature was even correct (!).

It has been hot. Just not 108.5 degrees worth of hot.

Still, this grasshopper was kind of out of it and looked like he had had enough of this heat, whatever temperature it really is outdoors....because look how flushed and pink he is.

His pink coloration is just temporary. I didn't know this but after a grasshopper molts, for a short time they are a different color than what their permanent color will be. I just never expected that color to be pink!

And did you know they could swivel their heads like this? That's a new one for me too. Looks just like a little toy.

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The silvery checkerspot butterflies were so happy to try out all the new coneflowers that just got planted. A regular butterfly cafe. When I was planting this small garden a couple weeks ago, I had a lot of ebony jewelwing damselflies hang out while the plants got dug in. And then last Sunday, the silvery checkerspot butterflies moved in. There were one and two on nearly every flower, nectaring away and I hope that's all they were doing. Coneflowers are a host plant for the caterpillars of these butterflies and although that's why I planted them in the first place, I hope they wait until next year to chomp them down.

It doesn't look like much but this is my one patch of order in my 20.8 acres (feels like 20).

I plan to put a walkway in behind this small area (for dog traffic) but haven't figured out exactly how to do it yet. Could be recycling old pavers (the ones that look like little loaves of bread)...I would love to do something like this...

And after Angie has her wedding this fall, I can have all her empty clear wine bottles that she's been collecting to put candles in....at least 250 of them. Terry says that weather will make them cloud up but I'm imagining a two bottle width strip of clear glass bottles containing the wood slices and sand between the two rows might look kind of nice behind all my white flowers, even if the bottles choose to weather in an ugly way. I'd like to start excavating the area right now but you know, too hot.

I just checked my favorite weather site to see what the temperature is today. A little cooler than last week...

...but feels like 108!

(Uh, I just went outside to check on this current measurement of heat. They might be right this time.)

7 comments:

Country Girl said...

I'm wondering how 108.5 can feel like 107, but when it's that damn high, what does it matter? I cannot believe how hot you've got it there.

And that pink grasshopper! Cool how you did the head wiggle thing.

Maria said...

It's not really 108.5. It's more like 100. I don't know why that weather site adds an extra 5 degrees or so to whatever temperature everyone else is claiming it is outside. It's hot but not as humid as what it could be and so.....actually almost tolerable. I have the back door open right now with the a/c turned off. I think that weather site should rename itself "www.weather-for-dramaqueens.com" because it really isn't that bad. Bad, but not that bad.

Isn't that pink grasshopper a neat little thing? I was putting down more mulch and he just sort of hung out by the mulch bags. Unlike your normal grasshopper, he did not mind me moving around him. When I researched what he was when I got home, that's when I found out about how they have a different color until they harden up after a molt. That also explained why he wasn't jumping around like a....grasshopper.

And that head wiggle thing? That is a very easy animation you can do in Photoshop. If you have Photoshop, I can send you instructions on how to do it. Just let me know.

I'm still on the lookout for the elusive pink katydid (and you probably should be too) but finding a pink grasshopper, I was pretty excited about that.....no doubt I'll find out that that is yet one other common thing that has escaped my notice until now.

Leenie said...

Temps over 100 degrees are like temps under minus twenty. When it goes past that point it kinda hits a critical mass in my mind. Any increments after that are just numbers.

I really like the idea of a walkway made of bottles. And yes, it's too hot there to do any excavating.

Love the butterfly on the coneflower. Mine are in bloom too. (the coneflowers not the butterflies)

Maria said...

Leenie-Regarding cold weather, I am fine until it goes one degree below zero...and when it does that, I can feel every degree going lower. Same with the 100 degree mark. You can really feel every degree over that and as of these past couple weeks, I've been pretty accurate with my calculations. MUCH better than that crazy weather site...but I continue to look up what it says anyway just for entertainment reasons. Makes me feel tough. :-)

I'm intrigued with the bottle walkway too. Nothing to lose. If it doesn't work out, I can just haul them off for recycling. Sometimes (oftentimes?) what you imagine, when it becomes real, the two don't match up. I'm hopeful though. I can always use recycled brick instead.

Pix at Under the Oaks said...

Oh Maria, I love it when you post! Great picture of the hopper :) I think it really is 108. Yikes it has been hot and in the sun 108 does not seem that off! I can be a drama queen but I fight it ;) That little one patch of order makes me smile and I can just see you out there smiling as you did it and smiling when you see it!

Maria said...

PIx-I love it when I post too. You know how it is. Hahaha. Are you ready for tomorrow? Even the normal weather forecasters are saying it might reach 110. I cannot wait to see what that drama queen weather site dreams up tomorrow. One hundred ten degrees. One hundred ten......

Pix at Under the Oaks said...

Maria 108 here right now! I kid you not! 3:45pm