And I quote…

“Well, I’ve wrestled with reality for thirty-five years, Doctor, and I’m happy to state I finally won out over it.” –Elwood P. Dowd in Harvey

This has to be one of my favorite quotes. I love the movie Harvey. I know, it’s old and it’s silly, but I love it. If you haven’t seen it, you really should. You may not like it, but I think you will. It’s in the same style as Arsenic and Old Lace. Lots of situation comedy and a Pooka. Pooka’s are mischievous. Let me explain with another quote from the movie.

Marvin Wilson, sanitarium orderly: [Reading from a dictionary] “P-O-O-K-A. Pooka. From old Celtic mythology, a fairy spirit in animal form, always very large. The pooka appears here and there, now and then, to this one and that one. A benign but mischievous creature. Very fond of rumpots, crackpots, and how are you, Mr. Wilson?” [Inverts and shakes the dictionary] “How are you, Mr. Wilson?” Who in the encyclopedia wants to know?

Now, if I’m honest, another favorite movie is Mousehunt. I was a knitter before carpal tunnel syndrome set in, and I love the quote, “A World Without String is Chaos”—Rudolph Smuntz,  Mousehunt. What knitter could resist that?

Speaking of mice and Pookas and other animals, it’s been a good year for wildlife at our house. Earlier this year we watched a pair of birds build in the nesting jar on our back porch. They moved so fast we couldn’t get a good look at them for a couple of weeks, but we could see blue when they flew by. We thought it might be a bluebird pair, which would be weird as they usually nest in deep boxes. We finally got a good look at them and they were tree swallows! I sneaked a few pictures of the nest. The parents did NOT like that.

• 

• 

• 

I think they were tired of having their picture made and one mooned me the last time. Baby bird moons are covered with feathers, though, so they’re not that bad. A couple of days after the last pic they fledged and were gone. Since then we’ve seen a wren checking out the jar. They’re the usual occupants and have made their nest there now.

We bought the jar in Old Williamsburg about 25 years ago, and it has been used every year since. I would love to have more, but I don’t have a local source. Any potters out there who are reading this, you should think about making these. I know they would sell really well.

We wondered what was digging the dirt out of my strawberry jar, below, then we found out. Nicely camouflaged little guy, but very messy.

We are remodeling our screened porch into a sunroom. No more screens and no front porch full of pollen and dust! I found an Imperial Moth on the front porch one night and Carl found another a couple of days later. I got pictures during the day while they were asleep. It’s the only way to keep them still. They got in easily while the screen was off the windows.

The small butterfly on the Brown-eyed Susan is a Pearl Crescent. These moths and the butterfly are almost at the extreme ends of the scale of the size of moths and butterflies. The Imperial moths are about 6-7″ across and the Pearl Crescent is just over 1″. There are a few who are larger or smaller, but not many. I feel lucky to have found these. We have many Pearl Crescents around, but I hadn’t seen an Imperial moth for years.

• 

• 

• 

• 

I’ve been working on some sewing projects, but it’s been slow. I get mostly repairs and alterations done, but I’ve managed to get a few new things made. Nothing exciting. Mostly baby items–hats, blankets, a snuggler and some sock toys, some of which went to India with my friend, Chetna, for her nieces and nephews. The rest are at Locally Grown Gallery.

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

• 

And I’m sad tonight. My favorite sandals came apart. They’re several years old, but I was hoping to make them last a few more years. I’m going to try to repair them with a good cleaning, some ShooGoo, and a clamp or two. Anyone out there with experience doing something similar? Can you give me advice?

• 

• 

• 

Until next time, have a great day, week, month and year.