Family: VespertilionidaeGenus: Lasiurus Species: xanthinus
Pronunciation:lay-zee-your-us zan-thigh-nuss
Family: VespertilionidaeGenus: Lasiurus Species: xanthinus
Pronunciation:lay-zee-your-us zan-thigh-nuss
Common name:western yellow bat



 

Story time

Once upon a time, there was a family in Mesa, Arizona. The dad didn't like the palm trees in the family's front yard, but the mom and the girlie liked them because many interesting birds lived in them. They convinced the dad not to have the trees trimmed too often so that the bids would have safe places to nest.

After a time, the interesting birds moved out and birds like grackles and starlings took over and moved in. The yard got messy and the dad became more disgruntled. Finally, the mom and girlie relented and the dad found some brave, agile people to clean up the trees.

When the yard was FULL of green and brown palm fronds, one of the brave workers came to the family to show them what he'd found. It was a bat! It was a lovely bat, but she was very frightened, as her safe home had just been made unsafe! When she was released, everyone was amazed to see a tiny baby fall from the mama. The mama flew away, and the baby crawled into a shady spot and lay quietly.

Quick as a wink, the mom went to the computer and found the right rescue group to help. She carefully scooped up the little baby bat and then the mom and girlie drove to Paradise Valley to a waiting bat rescuer.

This kind woman explained that the bat was a Western Yellow Bat, a Lasirius Xanthinius. The baby appeared to be a female, so the girlie dubbed her "Sunny". The rescuer said she would care for and feed Sunny and try to release her when she was old enough. She showed them some other bats, Mexican Freetail bats, that she was caring for. She told the mom and girlie about echolocation and showed them the special part in Sunny's ear that would help her find bugs to eat.

The mom and the girlie thanked the kind rescuer and drove home, knowing that Sunny would be well cared-for. Hooray for bug-eating bats! Hooray for kind people who help them! Hooray for Mother Earth and her wild and fantabulous diversity!

The End

Frabanoogle.

Just like the sound of that word. Not much going on here, although I did send the first in a series of mailings to my SP! More to follow. Also had a nice note from the lovely knitter who drew me, the entirely regal Princess Caspian! I will say that I had a sneaking suspicion that you're in England, Your Highness, and I wish I were there with you! I've never been a true city-lover, but I really think I could live in London, and do so happily. I would, of course, travel about and see ALL of the island, as I know that there is oh-so-much more to it than just that jolly city, but ah, to be in England......now that summer's HERE (112 tomorrow--sob!).

Boastful pictures of my loverly ballerina. She had such a good time, and remembered all her steps. Hooray!

Off to have a cookie and perhaps do a row or two before bed.

Night-night!

Happy dancer. 

Post-show. 

Center stage in the Grande Finale. 

Ta-daaah!

No, I didn't knit it, but I have been poking along with this idea for quite a while. Several years ago, I salvaged an entire ocotillo that had been sucker-punched by a monsoon. Much to my husband's chagrin, I brought it home (now that was a job--this is not exactly a small shrub) and have been noodling with the branches and wood off and on. (Note to non-desert dwellers, this baby is covered in sharp spines, but is not a cactus. The wood is incredibly hard.)

I have made a small fence/gate, used it as a trellis, and have heaps of it left. To make the earring holder, I de-spined, peeled, and varnished some of the smaller branches. It's held together with baling wire and copper wire.

I think it's actually prettier in person than here. Yay!

Knitting last night at Coffee Rush was fun. Eva is a hoot, and Pam is a maniac crocheter. It's nice, each time I go to a SNB group, there are different folks there. How wonderful.

I'm off to knit--finished one African-bound scarf and am working on number two. Bon soir!

I think I'm very happy with the way it turned out. 

I love the two-tone color on this piece. 

Mmmmm, ocotillo wood. 

A quick note

Currently knitting a scarf to be sent to Africa! Our SNB group got a request for knitted items which will wend their way to an orphanage in Africa. I figger I can probably get a couple of scarves done, and perhaps even a hat, too. Yay for donations! Good karma, warm fuzzies, global hugs.

Plotting and planning gifties for my SP. Want to get something in the mix soon, as she is geographically NOT my next-door neighbor. Also because I remember how exciting it is to have that mystery envelope/package/whatever pop onto your doorstep. That's it, I WILL have something in the mail by this weekend.

It's heating up here. I'm going to sit out back and see if I can't get my earring hanger put together. Photos soon.

Laugh!

The early bird

I'm trying a morning post today-how unusual! Planning to participate in the Worldwide Knit In Public Day tomorrow in some manner. May well hit my LYS for supplies to make a felted bag for a friend. It also helps that the fab Takhi purple yarn I used for my New Mexico friend's scarf is now on sale--I just bet I could felt it into something fabulous!

Marion is at the Phoenix Desert Botanical Garden day camp this summer--today they get to go on a (non-white-water) river run! I want to go to camp! They go birdwatching, study plants and animals and do science experiments (not on the animals, thankfully). Yesterday, they went to a pond on the Garden grounds and caught frogs! (Do you hear that, Jackie?) I want to be my own 7-year-old daughter, please.

Off to work now. New building is making progress. Maybe I'll post a photo, if my boss continues to be nice. We'll see, as mom says.

Happy Friday! Go knit tomorrow, everyone!

Ironwood blossoms in early Arizona summer sunset. 

Copper bracelet I made for (and modeled by) my mom.