Project Progress

So we have a backlog of blogs to write because we've been busy! Busy painting that is - our living room is the largest room of our house and hence has the densest concentration of paneling. Fine for some, of course, but a bit too dark for us. These past few days we've worked nonstop to get this room a little brighter and much more cheery.

Here's a short photo tour of our project that is not quite done, but getting close...

And the painted room - such an improvement don't you agree?!

During our work time we took lots of quick jaunts outside to feel the sun and enjoy this most amazing weather we are having here in NE Indiana. We found a number of caterpillars over these past few days on these quick jaunts outdoors. This beautiful little gal is a Gold Moth caterpillar. She feeds on wingstem - that pretty yellow plant we talked about here.

Steve noticed lots of these little guys chomping away on the dogbane behind our house. Consulting our Princeton Field Guide- Caterpillars of Eastern North America, we determined that these little gray caterpillars are Delicate Cycnias.

And finally our friend - the Black Swallowtail caterpillar. This little one is a few days old and gaining weight readily on our fennel. One of our other black swallowtail caterpillars we showcased here a few weeks ago met her demise in the mouth of a northern leopard frog. We were sad to see her life end short, but were glad to know the leopard frog consumed about 3 weeks worth of essential sun/plant energy stored in that caterpillar's body and ensured himself a longer life.

Expect more blogging action in the next few days - we have lots to share...a Harvest Fest tale, garden harvesting at Coffeetree Bottoms, and of our course Part 3 of Steve's latest project.

Happy belated Fall Equinox too!