Then and now

 The Wuppertaler Schwebebahn ("Wuppertal Suspension Railway") is a suspension railway in Wuppertal, Germany.

 

 

 

 For more information:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wuppertal_Schwebebahn

 

 

 

 

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Hubby and I are....

 .... taking some time off!  'Hope you can, too!

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Friday Night Steam

 If you miss the wonderful sound of a steam engine whistle, this video is for YOU!

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Today's funny :o)

 H/T to Gary!

 

 

 

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Just chillin' out

 Taking in the sunshine while they can:

 Kitty-Kat covering his eyes:

 

 Benji telling the girls dirt bath time is over!

 

 Found a caterpillar cocoon on the coop. Wonder what kind it is:

 

 

 The nighttime line-up:

 

 Reba insists sleeping on her eggs:

 

 

 A feather from Benji's foot. It must have been annoying as he pulled it out and his

 foot was bleeding a little bit.

 

 'Hope you can see the lightning bugs from last night!

 

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It's that time again!

 Have fun!!!!

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Today's funny :o)

 H/T to Donna!

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Pic dump!

  From Wednesday and Thursday:

Baby groundhog - We have three of  'em plus mama:

 

Still  getting smoke from the Canadian fires:

A very, very grumpy Kitty-Kat:

Lots of blooms:

It is so pretty this time of year!

Even the sunflowers are starting:

The gang waiting to get out - Reba is in the nesting box. I let her have more of Dolly's eggs to sit on.

Being grumpy is soooo tiresome!

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A really, really cute bug!

 

 

Tortoise Beetles Insects By: Mary H. Dyer, Credentialed Garden Writer Printer Friendly Version Orange Tortoise Beetle On A Green Plant Image by Henrik_L Tortoise beetles are small, oval, turtle-shaped beetles that survive by chewing their way through the foliage of various plants. Fortunately, the pests usually aren’t present in large enough numbers to do serious damage, but they may chew unsightly holes throughout plant leaves. Read on for more information and tips for tortoise beetle control. Tortoise Beetle Facts Measuring only about l/4 inch (6 mm.), adult tortoise beetles are odd little bugs with several interesting adaptations that keep them safe from predators. For example, tortoise beetles have hard wing covers that they can clamp down tightly against a leaf surface. The covers also hide the head and legs, which makes the beetles more difficult for predators to grab hold of. Tortoise beetles are often dark in color, but many have a distinctive metallic coloration – usually gold or orange – sometimes with black or red markings. They can actually alter their metallic color to blend in with the leaf surface. The larvae, which are dull brown, green, or yellow with dark heads, have their own unique protective mechanism – they can glue debris, discarded skin, and poo together to form a sort of protective umbrella known as an anal fork. What Do Tortoise Beetles Eat? Tortoise beetles feed on various plants, including: Cabbage Strawberries Raspberries Corn Milkweed Eggplant However, some species feast primarily on plants in the sweet potato family. This is generally where tortoise beetles do the most damage.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Tortoise Beetle Control: Learn How To Get Rid Of Tortoise Beetles https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/tortoise-beetle-control.htm

 Tortoise Beetles Insects By: Mary H. Dyer, Credentialed Garden Writer

 Tortoise beetles are small, oval, turtle-shaped beetles that survive by chewing their way through the foliage of various plants. Fortunately, the pests usually aren’t present in large enough numbers to do serious damage, but they may chew unsightly holes throughout plant leaves. 

 Tortoise Beetle Facts:

 Measuring only about l/4 inch (6 mm.), adult tortoise beetles are odd little bugs with several interesting adaptations that keep them safe from predators. For example, tortoise beetles have hard wing covers that they can clamp down tightly against a leaf surface. The covers also hide the head and legs, which makes the beetles more difficult for predators to grab hold of. Tortoise beetles are often dark in color, but many have a distinctive metallic coloration – usually gold or orange – sometimes with black or red markings. They can actually alter their metallic color to blend in with the leaf surface. The larvae, which are dull brown, green, or yellow with dark heads, have their own unique protective mechanism – they can glue debris, discarded skin, and poo together to form a sort of protective umbrella known as an anal fork

. What Do Tortoise Beetles Eat? 

Tortoise beetles feed on various plants, including: Cabbage Strawberries Raspberries Corn Milkweed Eggplant However, some species feast primarily on plants in the sweet potato family. This is generally where tortoise beetles do the most damage.

Read more at Gardening Know How: Tortoise Beetle Control: Learn How To Get Rid Of Tortoise Beetles https://www.gardeningknowhow.com/plant-problems/pests/insects/tortoise-beetle-control.htm

 

 Tortoise beetles own their name to the carapace under which they can find shelter like a tortoise, with the difference that their carapace can open for flight. This species with a ruby ring on gold ground is from the Amazon rainforest of Ecuador

 

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Today's funny :o)

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Over the weekend....

 ..... Coopville had a LOT of rain!

More flowers bloomed, though!

Reba is still broody - going to let her hatch one of Dolly's eggs. 

Oh, how she wants to be a Mama!

The gang yesterday:

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Friday Night Steam

 Let's visit Japan tonight!

Source: Darren Ashmore   

 

 

Akita is often seen as the end of the famous 'Narrow Road to the Deep North', popularized in the writing of the poet Matsuo Basho.
This allusion certainly speaks to the isolation and remote beauty which the prefecture possesses even to this day. However, though Basho’s original narrow road has long since faded into memory of most folk in the Tohoku, in 2011, Japan Rail East determined that, as far as they could, the company would create their own take on the narrow road, by refurbishing one of their classic locos and re-establishing regular steam services up the beautiful Japan Sea rail link through the prefecture.
JR East already had two steam engines in regular service before engine C61-20 was restored for the Akita region at the cost of over three hundred million yen (about three million USD).
First going into service in 1949, this engine is a truly lady of the North, serving most of her career drawing passenger traffic between Akita and Aomori. That being the case, it is only fitting that, when her restoration was complete, she was given the name ‘Akita Komachi’ 「秋田小野」, after the name of the famed poet of the North Ono-no-Komachi, whose beauty won the heart of Emperor Ninmyō in the 9th Century.
Since the Summer of 2011 she has regularly steamed up and down the coast of Akita, carrying tourists back into the past on her own narrow road, and opening the beauty of the Japan Sea coast both to rail fans and to travelers who wish to take a more leisurely, and stately route up-country on the Gono Line in the Summer months.
In the Summer months JR runs several scenic trains every day from Akita to Aomori – known as the ‘Resort Shirakami’, using specially designed railcars which allow for unparalleled views of the spectacular volcanic sea coasts.
However, there is something about steam travel which cannot be equaled by the quiet functionality of an efficient electric car. Therefore, when planning train travel in Akita, we strongly recommend you consider the beautiful Steam Komachi as your vessel of choice, if she is running during your visit.

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The deck.....

 ... is done! Took two days to finish - Hubby did a great job!

 The Rose of Sharon is starting to pop!

 

 Looking for bugs!

 

 Tomatoes:

 

 Lettuce:

 

 Basil:

 

 Thunder clouds!

 

 

 

 

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Northern Lights

 

 

 

 

 

A solar storm, which has been forecasted on Thursday, is likely to give sky gazers an opportunity to catch a glimpse of the Northern Lights that occur when solar wind hits the atmosphere. The phenomenon is likely to occur in 17 American states, including three in New England.

Northern Lights, also called as aurora borealis, are often witnessed in Alaska, Canada and Scandinavia, however, the 11-year solar cycle which is expected to peak in 2024 will make the lights visible in the south.

The Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska at Fairbanks made a forecast about the auroral activity for the regions on Thursday in New Hampshire, Vermont and Maine.

As per the forecast, if the weather conditions remain favourable, the northern lights will surely illuminate the night skies in the northern regions of these US states - Alaska, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Michigan, New York, New Hampshire, Vermont, Indiana, Maine and Maryland.

The report published by the UAF Institute states, “Auroral activity will be high(+). Weather permitting, highly active auroral displays will be visible overhead from Inuvik, Yellowknife, Rankin and Iqaluit to Vancouver, Helena, Minneapolis, Milwaukee, Bay City, Toronto, Montpelier, and Charlottetown, and visible low on the horizon from Salem, Boise, Cheyenne, Lincoln, Indianapolis and Annapolis.”

When to view Aurora Borealis in the night sky

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Space Weather Prediction Centre stated that people, who are planning to experience an aurora borealis, should move away from city lights and added that the best time to view the phenomenon is between 10 pm and 2 am local time.

The visibility and brightness of the aurora borealis significantly depend on the level of geomagnetic activity. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) will be monitoring the activity closely as the date approaches. NOAA will be publishing its own forecast for assisting potential viewers.

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Today's funny :o)

 

 

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Chickens, bugs and Kitty-Kat

 

 

Chipper came on the deck for a visit

 

No treats - so she left:

 

 

Looking for bugs:

 

 

For once, blabbermouth is quiet:

 

 

A big, dead bug: