What’s Up With The Leaf?

Annie: Did you see? Worms are dangling from trees! Yellow-pale-green long worms from those short shrubby trees, and little tight curling worms on those tall pale trees.

Santa: Worms? Where! Don’t tell me the tent caterpillars are back!

Shell: Huh? What are you both talking about? Worms on the trees?

Tam The Teapot: Ah hem, I believe Annie is referring to catkins. I too have noticed that some shrubs and some trees are now displaying catkins. Some are yellow-green, some reddish brown. Other trees have other kinds, I suspect.  Catkins are basically the trees’ flowers.

Shell:  So the trees have flowers, and not worms?  That’s a lot more pleasant!

Tam The Teapot:  Indeed!

Annie:  I wonder if trees in other places have worms all over them right now–I mean catkins?  Hey, readers —  [Annie looks at you!]  — do any trees in your neighborhood have dangly-things all over, and no leaves?

Shell:  Hey, I have a joke!  Fresh from my Joke Shop!

Santa: What is it?  I could listen to something funny about now.

Shell:  Okay, here it is:  How is Jane’s book writing like those trees with all the catkins?

Santa:  Uh, gee, Shell.  How?

Shell:  Her book still has no new leaves.  Ha ha!

Santa: Not very funny–

Shell:  Maybe not, but it’s true.  Jane is working on the book–my book–and had hoped to post a new Leaf today, but ….

Annie:  She’s covered with worms instead?

Shell:  Annie, I just don’t think so.

Tam The Teapot: In any case, dear Reader.  Jane begs your patience and pardon.  She’s pretty sure the next Leaf will be ready sometime next week.

Annie:  The first Leaf of 2012–how exciting!

Santa: Hm.  We’ll see …..

To Be Continued!

Bandits!

It’s been snowing!  The raccoons have been crossing from field to hay barn to beyond.  I suppose they do this every day, but today we have photographic evidence!
It’s pretty cool to examine the tracks.  See if you can figure out how the Raccoon ambles along, back paw moving up to where a front pay is touching the ground … or so it appears to me.
Try walking  like a Raccoon!
Raccoon Tracks - photo by Jane Valencia

A Red Fox! And New Leaf

Shell here.  Wow, our families went off to a wildlife park, and we spotted this red fox!

Red Fox - photo by Jane Valencia

And here’s the red fox with eyes glowing!  Totally cool ….

A Glowing Fox Eye! - photo by Jane Valencia

Anyway, I just wanted to share Jane’s photos, and also let you know that the latest Leaf is posted.  Head on over to Leaf 3 – Bert The Gamesmaster, and prepare to be shocked!  (ok, I was shocked).