Preparations

Wisconsin's bow deer hunting season is only about five weeks away so it is none too early to begin advance preparations for the hunt.  Including the brushing of trails, shooting lanes, inspection (and repair) of deer stands and more.






Last weekend was a working weekend for me and some of the guys to attend to the foregoing.

The armpit stand received an extensive rebuild to make it safe a secure.

click on Swamp Gas toenlarge

With the frails and shooting lanes cleared it now has a terrific view of any quarry careless enough to traverse this way within the steady aim of a lurking hunter.

And afterwards there was time for porch-setting and adult beverages and grazing thru a Saturday dinner that started with duck liver pâté with cognac, artisanal cheeses, Bloody Marys built-upon a foundation of homemade tomato juice from the garden and ended with burgers from the grill. 








There was even grilled side pork.  Lawyer put a twist on it with a glaze of Ivan's Door County honey and Dijon mustard. 

Very yummy and a nice warm-up to the pleasures of deer camp....

Homework

 

It is difficult to say exactly how these students were graded for their creative, logical and literal answers.   If points were awarded for humor they’d certainly be scored above-average.   20 Hilarious Assignments Kids Have Turned in to Their Teachers...

Nectaring

The title of this post come from the present participle of the word:  Nectar. 

With attributes of both moth and butterfly the butterfly in the photo is some sort of skipper - precisely what member of that family I am unsure.  In any event, it is sipping on nectar from a common milkweed blossom.   

Be sure to click on the photo for a very clear view of the anatomy of the drinking apparatus.
 
 
 
 
 
 
Butterflies have these taste sensors on their legs, which inform them about the taste of the plants they stand on.  Most adult butterflies drink through their tongues - called a proboscis - which function much like a straw.  They will drink liquids in the form of nectar and sap from flowers and trees, juices from fruits and water and minerals from puddles.  Poop and road kill are not beneath a hungry butterfly either. 
 
New butterflies often curl and uncurl their proboscis to test it.   When the proboscis is not being used it is rolled-up like a garden hose.   
 

The Garden Chronicles

Schützenfest is this weekend - an annual festival here at The Platz featuring target shooting, deer stand maintenance, barbecue, adult beverages and testosterone.  So naturally I started the day picking fresh produce - Bibb, romaine and read leaf lettuces, spinach, carrots, sweet peppers, green beans and broccoli. 

Everything has been washed and bagged - half for my frau who is joining with some friends elsewhere on the peninsula and half for me and my pals.

It is a good thing that I purchased dill dip to accompany all of this yummy, fresh-picked, sunshine.....

Friday Music

This song tells of the marriage of two teenagers and their lives afterward.  Composed by Chuck Berry early in the 1960s is was released in 1964 on the album St. Louis to Liverpool and reached number 14 on the Top 40 Chart. 

Covered by Emmylou Harris in 1977 it rose to be included in the Top Ten of the Country Western Chart.  Other artists who have covered this tune include:  John Prine, Bruce Springsteen, New Riders of the Purple Sage, The Mavericks, Jerry Garcia Band, Bruce Springsteen and Bob Seger.  One of my favorite female artists -

Fawns

Sometimes life needs a dose of cuteness....

click on images for a better look

 

Dispatch From the Butterfly Ranch

Meet Limenitis archippus – the Viceroy butterfly.   

Much smaller than a monarch the viceroy is also characterized by a narrow, curved black line crossing the middle of the hind wings.   In flight the viceroy glides with its wings held in a horizontal position - monarchs glide with wings held at an angle.   

This critter enjoys a couple of interesting defenses.  In the larval stage the caterpillar bears a striking resemblance to bird poop - camouflaging it from predators. The butterfly bears a close resemblance to a monarch and as a consequence birds who have previously attempted dining-upon the poisonous monarch will avoid the viceroy. On the other hand birds that have not had that negative experience will readily eat viceroys.  

This butterfly will propagate two generations in this part of North America and inhabits wetter habitats that contain its preferred food – poplar and willow.  These viceroys were part of a large group feasting on the nectar of Jill’s herbs in the kitchen garden.

click on images to enlarge