Weekly Chat (Non-Osprey), 19 April 2020

HAPPY NEW WEEK!

I hope everyone has a wonderful and healthy week! 

I have a small natural sack hanging from a branch next to my front door. It feels like papery leather, and there's clearly something inside it, because it moves on its own! It's oddly heavy! I've been concerned that it may have been made by a swarm of wasps or a large bat. 

I think I've finally figured out what built it and is living in it. I believe it's a Cecropia moth, a giant silk moth. These are the largest moths in North America, and they can be more than 7 inches wide or 18 centimeters. They appear as big as a human hand. I hope I'm outdoors when the cocoon opens. 

Here's a photo showing what the cocoon looks like (mine is wider than this one): 

Cecropia Moth Cocoon
Photo labeled "Public Domain" (copyright free)

Here's a photo showing what the moth will look like, if that's what comes out:

Cecropia Moth, giant silk moth
Photo labeled "Public Domain" (copyright free)

  • AQ - can empathise with you.. Somehow it seems we end up doing things we wouldn't normally do if life was normal. Enjoy your research on the old buildings you have in mind and hopefully one day you will be able to photograph them.

    Weather very kind today, listening to all the birds around probably nest building or by now rearing young. Managed to put the washing out all day so nice and dry and love that smell from being outside.
  • We also seem to hear conflicting do's and don'ts in the paper . I'm afraid we just keep ourselves to ourselves and go out as little as possible. I had a lady ring me from the Government as I'd signed in having had a letter. We talked and I said that actually I'm not seriously vulnerable as I don't have any of the underlying conditions that they list. Yes, I have a heart condition which is manageable. I also told her my doctor had rang re the letter and he seemed to think as well I was not as vulnerable, so to cut a long story short, we don't need any government help as we have our dau living with us who can help us if needed. We only go out to pay the papers once a fornight and usually there is no-one in the shop when I go. Common sense is all that is needed.
  • ROSY – Last year I knitted sleeveless vests for the Trio. Many colours, each vest different combinations of stripes, alas I don’t think they were popular. Certainly I have never seen them worn. Oh well, it amused me for a while. OH has decided he would like a new sleeveless cardigan and chose 5-ply in a dark grey – boring. I have ordered the wool from Bendigo and await delivery. I told him it may be finished by end of winter, ie August.

    Busy day!!! Washing followed by visit to library to return 18 books and pick up the “click & collect” ones I placed on hold. Staff found 9 of 10. They will need to use the electronic wand to find the one misplaced. They were delivered, at arm’s length at the side door, in a book club bag, as I had so many(!). So exciting to go OUT, my 3rd outing this month.

  • Just a thought
    The bird a nest, the spider a web, man friendship. (William Blake)
  • Good Morning. I keep wondering how we will look back on these weeks & months, come next winter.

    My OH has gone out with Bonnie and has decided that in future, he will go out with her twice a day, as at first he was worried that people would criticise him for going out more than once, but both he and the dog are getting very fidgety on only one walk a day - she still has lots of energy.

    Yesterday he cut our neighbours lawns again, as they were waiting for their mower to come back from the repairers. They are rather elderly for the big job that it is, so I know he's tempted to say that he'll keep on doing it, but I have mixed feelings about it as although he needs things to do, later on it might become a burden to keep it up.

    Today, it's hedge cutting day, here, at the bottom of our garden.
  • AQ -- I'm glad you managed to get hold of more books. Enjoy!
  •    AQ Our libraries are shut at the moment. Luckily I have plenty of books to keep me going.  We visited friends a while back and when I mentioned I like Ian Rankin he gave us about a dozen he had read.

    OH took these yesterday evening. I just love the blossom tree which was a birthday gift nearly 20 years ago.

  • Really pretty, dibnlib. And all the better for being in the sunshine.
  • Love the tree, DIBNLIB.
    It is a bright sunny day here but a cool North wind, which has diminished my enthusiasm for weeding today!
    AQ - like the method of collecting library books --
    Keep forgetting to say, DIANE - I hope that you do get to witness the ? moth emerging.
    Have to go, a photo has just arrived from my youngest, must see what it is...
  • Just back from weekly hunter/gatherer outing. No woolly mammoths available, but did get most other staples.  Went eastound to Gelsons and Trader Joe's this morning; will head west to Costco and Target tomorrow morning.

    Was filling the fountain earlier and noticed a hummingbird hovering nearby.  I had the hose on a steady stream but changed it to a gentle spray and - don't you know it?! - here came the little bird to enjoy a shower in the sunshine.  :-)  

    dibnlib:  What's the pretty tree?   I love that forest in the background!  Was it you who likes Ian Rankin?  I've just finished re-reading The Black Book.

    AQ:  I have to head up to our library's 'honor' table they've set up outside the doors to see what they've got; we've been told to hang on to our checked-out books until further notice.

    Hope everyone is well...