fuzzi's Gallery
10/7/23 - Hoop Coop and some of the chickens (black & whites are Dominiques, browns are Speckled Sussex)
A friend of mine made this from a couple of my father's shirts, as a way to remember him after he passed away.
About 1947, my great grandmother Clara (right), my grandmother Mildred (left), my aunt Norma (seated), and my cousin John
4/29/23 - Raised bed gardens with volunteer watermelons (foreground) and bush wax and green beans in the back
7/13/22 Harvest after being away for 6 days, not including 3 Roma tomatoes which I already gave to my dad
5/19/22 - Wax bush beans are actually POLE beans! I set up an impromptu support using five old tomato stakes and string. Early Girl tomato plant has a 1" fruit. Third-time's-a-charm Blue Lake bush (I…
4/16/22 - Raised bed garden completed and planted! Roma and Early Girl tomatoes, wax and Blue Lake bush beans, carrots, borage, lettuce, and basil.
This is Moonpie. He's 19 years old but has always inclined to be "different"! Photo taken 10/19/2021
11/21/21 Deborah, aka "Little Debbie". Her mother was a feral who had her kittens in our yard, and forgot one when she moved them to another location. We're kind of glad she did.
10/22/21 - Deborah, aka "Little Debbie" has found the big bed and is sleepy! She's 14 weeks old in this photo.
Back in 2002 my cat Java broke his left front leg in two places. Wearing a cast didn't slow him down much. You can see the top of the cast in this picture.
9/6/21 - Deborah, aka "Little Debbie", during a rare moment of stillness. Cleo the dog is at my feet.
Meet Deborah, aka "Little Debbie". Her mother was a stray who moved the others but didn't come back for this one. She's about 5 weeks old and I love her to pieces already.
6/7/20 - Black racer grabbing one of the Green frogs that lives in my garden. The frog escaped due to my intervention.
4/11/20 - My "Victory Garden" project, which I started on the spur-of-the-moment. The square planters had been lying fallow for 2-3 years, so I took out the weeds, added more soil and started…
4/5/20 - Several hours of work later, the waterfall is running and I've started working on the retaining wall.
4/1/20 Pond Update: Pond #1 has been cleaned, all marginal plants (on the shelves) have been repotted in pea gravel and should do better. Spitter (gray heron on left) has been cleaned and reattached.…
Inscription in a book I just purchased online. I wonder if Helen liked the book given to her from her mother?
3/21/20 - Progress getting pond #1 clean, water lilies repotted. Pond #2 is leveled, backfilled, need to work on connecting it to #1...
7/11/19 - White (not albino) squirrel, near Birmingham, AL. I saw two at one time, and a neighbor said there's a colony of these squirrels in the area.
7/9/19 Little Blue heron and White-tailed skimmer, at Land Between the Lakes in Golden Pond, Kentucky
5/23/19 - South side with new siding, steps, stoop, and awning! Replanting of my trampled perennials is on my list, now.
5/5/19 - I came across a couple Black Racers while out walking my dog. I suspect they were "in love", but were gracious enough to hold still to have their picture taken. These are harmless snakes…
6/30/18 - Black racer, a "good" snake that lives close to my pond. I assume it's been eating frogs and lizards, but when I took this photo it was merely drinking from the big pond. It looked at me,…
4/29/18 - View of the pond area from my kitchen window. You can see a Silver-spotted skipper on the shepherd's crook to the left side.
4/20/18 - Mockingbird perched on the propane tank. I was sitting outside at the time, and took this photo with my little Ricoh CX5.
2/24/18 - Small Southern Leopard frog (you can't see it in this photo, but he still has a tiny "tail")
1/4/18 - My dog Tirzah loves the snow. We got about 6" of snow, which is a lot for us. The schools and businesses are closed, the secondary roads are not plowed, and most of us with any sense have…
12/17/17 - A Hermit thrush! I wish the picture were clearer, but all I had "handy" was my Ricoh, and I was shooting through the kitchen window.
My Christmas present from my dh (dear husband), a new feeder pole and a woodpecker feeder to attract Pileated woodpeckers!
11/30/17 - Same nursery tank, in the middle of the cleaning process...posted to show just how many of these fry I have!
10/18/17 - My Bristlenose plecos keep reproducing. I finally set up a small (5.5 gallon) aquarium to raise them, as they're hard to catch once they get big enough to sell.
8/30/17 - While on vacation at Cape Lookout park, I saw a Black-bellied plover for the first time! The bird with long legs is a Willet, and the little bird is a Sanderling.
10/16/17 - One of the Alpine kids at Goat Milk Stuff, an organic, family-run farm and business in Scottsburg, Indiana. Stop by if you're in the area!
10/16/17 - Me feeding a carrot to Genuine Reward, the eldest son of Genuine Risk, who beat the boys in the 1980 Kentucky Derby.
9/12/17 - Butterfly kisses from a Red-spotted Purple butterfly...I am in awe and wonder at the delicate creature that decided to land on my finger and taste my skin with its proboscis (tongue)
8/7/17 - At work, a hawk decided to rest on a railing inside a seldom-used courtyard. ID to be confirmed soon, but I think it's a juvenile Red-tailed or Red-shouldered hawk.
8/2/17 - A very very tiny tree frog (less than 1/2"), crawling out of my little pond. I suspect it has just emerged from its tadpole stage. Welcome, little one!
8/3/17 - Water hyacinths blooming in the upper falls/spillway of my pond, along with a ceramic duck decoy and a frog ornament. The green plants at the bottom of the picture are water lettuce.
7/30/17 - Pond area, with a flamingo added (to the left of the bench). There's a craftsman at the local farmers' market who makes and sells bird decorations using pvc pipe! I went back and got a…
7/29/17 - A Red-bellied woodpecker JUVENILE at my feeders. I am unsure if it is male or female though you can see some hint of red on its head.
6/6/17 - A Green Tree frog has been serenading me every night, but I finally captured him with my camera!
4/30/17 - We have "new pond syndrome": murky (algae) water, but the pond is still coming along nicely!
4/16/17 - As of 8pm, this is what my new pond looks like. The filtration, waterfall, bog garden, and plants will be added in the next couple weeks, depending on the weather!
4/16/17 - the installation of my pond is almost done, just have to backfill with sand a little more around the edges, and add landscaping blocks under the rim for support
4/3/17 - A not-yet-identified snake was weaving its way through my chain link fence today. I got a lot of photos, but am only posting one here due to space constraints.
10/22/16 - A first-time NC sighting for me today, a female Towhee! They feed in the leaf litter of wooded areas, and don't generally visit feeders, but this one came for a drink, and a bath. I recall…
10/22/16 - A coworker found a used pond for me, probably at least a 50 gallon, maybe more. We'll be digging, soon, but don't plan to totally remove the old pond.
10/5/16 - A Northern Pearly-eye inside, at my place of work. It seems to be looking through the window, longingly, so I cupped it in my hands and released it...freedom!
9/24/16 - Excitement! A female Rose-breasted Grosbeak visited my feeders, and came back the next day as well.
9/10/16 - Most of my "haul" from the public library book sale. I gave another book to my dh, and one to my brother.
9/4/16 - I've got a Green Frog, yippee! You can see how tiny it is: that's my thumb on the left for scale.
9/3/16 - After the storm passed through, my Milkweed were in disarray...and in the front, you can see my poor carrots, eaten to the bone by the Swallowtail caterpillars!
8/21/16 - My Pentas, Lantana (hard to see), and Hummingbird feeder. In the background you can see some Canna lilies
8/16-16 - Young male Ruby-throated Hummingbird takes a meal at my feeder (you can see the white of his newly-fledged feathers)
The back of the Holiday Inn postcard I found inside a used book I bought today. Based upon the yellowing of the card (and the book), I suspect it's been there since the book was fairly new, back in…
8/16/16 - Woo hoo! I found TWO Black Swallowtail caterpillars munching on my carrots (which I grew to attract and feed butterfly caterpillars).
8/2/16 - A male Pipevine Swallowtail, a first-time view for me! I did not get a photo of him above, but recall the "flush" of blue toward his tail.
7/28/16 - One of my Petite Marigolds is doing very well...it was planted on the edge of that planter!
7/23/16 - Female Ruby-throated Hummingbird just inches away from me. She gave me a look, then decided I was not a threat. I sloooooowly moved my camera up to shoulder level and took a few pictures…
7/23/16 - After discovering a medium-sized Copperhead (venomous snake) by my door, I decided to clean out the weeds, and make the area less hospitable for snakes.
7/13/16 - Eastern Tailed Blue butterfly, seen in Valle Crucis, NC. This was another first-time sighting for me!
7/11/16 - This is Silver Charm, in retirement. He won the Kentucky Derby and Preakness in 1997, barely missing out on being a Triple Crown champion. He is 22 years old, and lives at Old Friends…
7/6/16 - It is not a clear picture, but with help from bugguide.net, this has been identified as a Funereal Duskywing, a first-time sighting for me! Location: Max Meadows, VA
7/1/16 - One of my "water garden" planters. The tall stem plants are Pickerel Rush (they have a Hyacinth-type of purple bloom), the small round green leaves are a Water Hyacinth, the round…
7/2/16 - Milkweed growing! In the background you can see the overgrown vegetable garden (one of these days...), and the burn pile. The Lantana and Pentas are to the right, see next photo.
6/29/16 - Caught eating the feral cats' food, this little boy (or girl) scooted up a small tree on the edge of the woods. It looks scared, but would not have been hurt by my dog, Tirzah, as the fun…
6/24/16 - A few minutes later I saw another butterfly, another male Horace's Duskywing, but very tattered (2 of 2 images)
6/24/16 - A few minutes later I saw another butterfly, another male Horace's Duskywing, but very tattered (1 of 2 images)
6/22/16 - A Sleepy Orange butterfly that would not cooperate with my picture-taking efforts, but you can still see it pretty well.
6/10/16 - from outside my work place: I think this is a Painted Skimmer. Just as I noticed the dragonfly, one of the helicopters started up, and there was such a breeze, I could not get a clear…
Overhead view of house and yard, with some info. The photo is at least three years old since I see my father's old RV parked at the top of the driveway! Property lines are approximate.
6/6/16 - My not-yet-completed project: the front yard slope, to be covered entirely with junipers and ground cover so we never have to mow it again, and hopefully not weed it much.
5/19/16 - First blossom ever on my "new" Gardenia. This plant replaces a huge bush that died a couple years ago when we had some extended frigid temps.
5/12/16 - Still working on clearing out the Privet on north side of the house...now, what to put there in its place??
5/1/16 - Milkweed are doing well! In the back are carrot seedlings, in the front are Swiss Chard seedlings.
4/24/16 - This entire area was overgrown with Privet and Sweetbush and treelings. My son cleaned it out this afternoon, and I am thrilled.
4/22/16 - Skink, and what a survivor! Notice he's not only missing his tail, but he has damage all along his back. It looks as if he narrowly escaped becoming a tasty snack...
4/9/16 - Tentatively ID'd as Star-of-Bethlehem (Liliaceae Ornithogalum umbellatum) argh, it's invasive. :(
4/2/16 - I got inspired and weeded the pond area, and some of the perennial garden. You can now see the Stella D'Oro lilies in the top right of the garden.
3/23/16 - TBI wildflower #3 with ruler (each of the marks is 1/16") Addendum: ID'd as Japanese Mazus
3/16/16 - An addition to my desktop "aquarium" at work: one of three Cherry Shrimp I bought yesterday
3/2/16 - One of two raccoons my dog "treed" just outside our door. No raccoons were harmed, as I would not allow it, though I doubt my dog would have known what to do if she'd actually "caught" one.
2/20/16 - Eagle nest on left with one of the parent's heads showing (white), and it looks like the other parent is watching from the left.
1/23/16 - Apart from a bunch of branches "down", this was the only damage I could find from storm Jonas: my reflectors were bent by the wind!
Hey, I never claim to be a carpenter, a mechanic, or even a "handyman"...I just do what needs to be done to hold something together until I can get someone capable to do it for me!
Inside cover of my copy of Chicken Soup Wtih Rice: notice the little picture taped/pasted on the page...the Weekly Reader had included that picture of the author on the order form, and suggested that…
10/25/15 - Sweet potatoes! All I did was stick a softening sweet potato in my raised bed flower garden a couple months ago...
10/25/15 - Caterpillar hiding in a pot of dirt. He had a "horn" on one end which is not well-defined in this photo.
9/10/15 - Where there's a will, there's a way: the Green frog from my pond and another Green frog are sharing some "quality time" together in a water planter...
9/8/15 - A Duskywing butterfly, I think, and specifically, a female Horace's as per my perusal of Kaufman's. I've submitted this and a couple other photos to bugguide.net.
9/6/15 - Look who checked out my gardens last night...nothing much to damage, so he/she's welcome to stay around.
8/30/15 - A caterpillar covered with parasites. He/she will not be turning into a butterfly or moth.
8/11/15 - Wet webs and garden ("writing" spiders). The little spider on the left is probably a male, who is waiting for the opportunity to woo the huge female on the right, the black and yellow…
7/28/15 - Male Eastern Tiger Swallowtail butterfly. I would not have gotten a chance to photograph him except that he was injured, poor guy.
6/24/15 - Red-spotted Purple (Limenitis arthemis astyanax), at a rest stop off the highway, in Pennsylvania, or Maryland, or northern Virginia. Wish I could have gotten closer.
6/24/15 - Limenitis arthemis astyanax - Red-spotted Purple (Admiral) butterfly, at a rest stop off the highway, in Pennsylvania, or Maryland, or northern Virginia. Looks like some sort of Gray…
7/10/15 - A better view of the Bullfrog. The first time I opened the bag, to give him a little air, he leaped out and away, about six feet!
7/10/15 - Bullfrog, caught this morning in my little pond. So, THAT'S why all my goldfish have been disappearing! The quarter is on top of the bag, for scale, to show how hugs this fellow was.
6/12/15 -What a find!!! Large, heavy-duty cardboard boxes to (hopefully!) finish up my mulching project. We'll head to the garden center in a few, to get the remaining cypress mulch needed.
6/8/15 - YES!!!! Finally I got a photo of the male Ruby-throated Hummingbird that's been coming to the feeder this past week, woo!
5/30/15 - Raised bed "butterfly" garden, with Marigolds, Thyme, Dill, Milkweed, and Canna lilies (on the right)
5/26/15 - A male Summer Tanager stopped by my birdbath at dusk, and I was so very excited! I have not seen one in over 40 years.
5/22/15 - A Question Mark butterfly (Polygonia interrogationis), a first sighting for me! The top of the wings are orange with black spots, but I was unable to get a clear photo of those.
5/16/15 - Too bright for a good photo, but here's my current pond and "bird" garden setup. You can see the red Amaryllis just to the right of the main bird feeder pole.
5/14/15 - Damage done while placing underground cable: three days later and no one has come back to "fix" it. Grrr.
4/22/15 - Tirzah was playing in the backyard with this little guy, but he seems to be fine. He's just hiding from an over-playful dog.
Black and white illustration of Mowgli being "adopted" by the wolf pack, illustrated by Fritz Eichenberg
12/28/12 Red Betta (Siamese Fighting Fish) and a recent addition, a Blue Gourami, do a little 'dance' of sorts to see who is boss. No fish were injured, but I think the Betta won.
12/16/12 Bluejay eating from a feeder designed to thwart large birds. I guess he/she didn't read the specifications? ;)
8/27/12 Green caterpillar with a forked tail (Identified as a Mottled Prominent moth caterpillar-Macrurocampa marthesia)
8/5/12 I think this is Borage, although I did not plant it this year, nor did I plant it in this area last year...but on the other side of the yard!
7/28/12 Vegetable (weed) garden, oh the shame! I never got it planted this year. The tall feathery weeds are 'Dog fennel', which is not only a tough woody invasive plant, but it also has an…
7/28/12 Front border (by front porch) close up. See the tomato plant? Also, what is that weed in the middle, with the multiple leaf structure?
Japanese maple: I planted it six years ago, but it's not started to look really healthy and happy until this year. Note the marigolds I planted around it, and the grass clippings for mulch (the…
My other project from Tuesday: I moved the marigolds from pots to the area around my Japanese maple, then put my bargain geraniums in the posts instead. I had too many for the pots, so I put three in…
Finally! A picture that is close to the true color of the Hydrangeas (they are doing so well this year)!
05/23/12 Storm, picture 3. See the water cascading off the roof, in front of the porch? We got approximately 6" of rain last night!
I believe these are called "Sundrops". They are prolific, and could be invasive except they are easily pulled up. They can take heat, drought, cold, and still keep on growing.
Aha! Caught! My cat, Moonpie, is checking out his new roommate, Dagon the goldfish...tsk, tsk, naughty, naughty, naughty....
Another view of the perennial garden, March 18th. Behind you can see the blueberry garden, which I need to weed.
My perennial garden from March 18, 2012. The bird bath was reinstalled today after some creature knocked it over last night. This time I have sunk it into the ground and put large rocks around it for…
One more picture of Tirzah, so you can see her tail - it looks like she got her tail from her German Shepherd mother. Her father was a black Labrador Retriever.
My dog Tirzah, after I said the word "squirrel" (even though there wasn't one!). I was just trying to keep her still enough so I could get an UNblurred picture!
Moonpie (left) and Java sitting at the kitchen window, waiting for the birds to arrive at the feeder.
Mexican sunflower. I've not planted these in years, they continue to self seed. Some of them are over six feet tall!