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Today in Insect News…

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A beautiful and gigantic Garden Spider (Argiope aurantia) continues to take up shop in my lavender.

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This apparently six foot mutant tarantula made attempts to break into my house this afternoon. The authorities were called and my sword of enchantment was charged up by my local wizard.

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While watching the Democratic debates tonight, I was joined by this amazing tiny 3/16″ Southern Pink Moth (Pyrausta inornatalis Fernald, 1885). She was bored by the politics of man and flew away. But not before I got my little macro lens onto my smartphone!

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The @#&*+$% Waterfall Pump is Clogged Again!

It creeps upon me like a slow death, void of meaning or romance. From my bedside I can hear the daily lessening of its once mighty cry as it slowly dies. A single tear forms in the corner of my tired eye as I realize in the dreamy state that something is terribly wrong. The deafening roar of water that once dominated my senses begins to weaken to a soft purr of drip-drop failure.

My failure. My shame.

My waterfall pump.

Waterfall Pump Clog 01b_A clogged up water feature dripping away

Were I a better man, I would have cleaned out its sterile, dwarfed and paltry mini micro filter daily. But I didn’t. Because it’s @#&*+$% God-awful annoying to do that. I curse the pump filter demons that have taken hold of my once amazing water feature! Just look at this pathetic thing; after three solid days of “work” it’s all gummed up.

Waterfall Pump Clog 01_Useless mini filter that comes with the pump
“Hi, my name is Useless the Blob. Can I get you some failure or misery?”

Continue reading “The @#&*+$% Waterfall Pump is Clogged Again!”

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Backyard Chicken Eggonomics: How Much Does it Really Cost to Raise Chickens?

I’ve found that this is a question I’m often asked when I tell people that I raise backyard chickens. How much does it cost in dollars as well as time? So I decided to start taking notes of all my expenditure, the time that I spend on tending my flock as well as what I’m getting out of having backyard chickens. I always figured I kinda broke even, but I was surprised to discover that I actual turn a handsome profit for my labor of love. Continue reading “Backyard Chicken Eggonomics: How Much Does it Really Cost to Raise Chickens?”