The Curious Case of The Confused Cormorant

Yesterday was quite the day for curiosities...
and a couple of mysteries.
The morning started out as planned with a visit from the farrier.


While he was busily trimming hooves, 


I happened to glance out into the dry lot
to see a flurry of wings as a rather uncoordinated bird landed on the fence.


At first I thought it was one of our muscovy ducks.
We often see them perched on fences and roofs...
even way up high on the large arena.


Then I looked closely and realized it was not a duck, but a cormorant.
They are actually more closely related to pelicans.


Cormorants are coastal birds, generally... their diet consisting of fish and eels and water snakes.
There are a number of them that live on the river about 30 miles downriver from our house.
This bird seemed lost and confused.


He sat on the fence, surveying the farm for about 10 minutes and then took off...
flying clumsily across the front pasture and out of sight.
Quite a curious visitor!


Then, after the farrier finished, I headed into the garden 


to check out something that I had seen earlier on a tall weed.


This fellow had caught my eye during morning chores as I drove the gator past the garden.
I needed a closer look.


Yikes.
How about those spikes!
I spent a good bit of time last evening trying to identify it, and could not find out
what type of caterpillar this is.
It's the first of its kind that I have ever seen.
Do you have any idea what he is?

I definitely did not want to touch this fellow!

The garden, has become exactly how I had originally envisioned it.
Much of the fence is now covered in vines... and morning glories.
It's become my very own secret garden.


The bean tunnel has finally filled in...


and I am harvesting lovely dry beans..


 that I am storing for winter.


On a day like yesterday with all of its curiosities...
I can't help but wonder if these might be magic beans. 
Perhaps I should plant them and see.
A vine that grows up into the clouds would fit right in with the mysteries
of this particular day!
Fe-Fi-Fo-Fum!

Comments

Louise Stopford said…
Your garden is looking amazing. The bean arch is incredible. I have had a disaster with my runner beans this year. They grew like made and flowered but everything dropped off, therefore, only literally a hand full of beans. Perhaps it was the very dry summer we have had.
Lynne said…
If only birds, ducks, bugs caterpillars could talk . . .
Tell us where they are from . .
Whose family they live in . .

Your gardens look full, ripe, beautiful.
I like the Minerva pic . . . (I think I have the right name.)
Keeping watch . . . tending Ina way . . .

Isn’t it a great day when our dreams match what we see . . .
That cormorant just wanted to see how the other half lives!
This N That said…
Another magical post full of mystery and wonder! Enjoy your day
daisy g said…
The garden is stunning! I love the idea with the dried beans on the arch. I will be putting in an arch in the spring and I think I may steal this idea!

The cat looks like some sort of fritillary, but I'm not sure which variety.
jaz@octoberfarm said…
i would have died on the spot if i ran into that caterpillar! i wonder what it will morph into. will the butterfly have the same colors? let us know if you find out what it is!
Patsy from Illinois said…
Your garden is magical due to you and hubbs' hard work. Make sure there isn't a giant at the end of those bean vines. I am so jealous of your garden. A work of love for sure.
Anonymous said…
Do you have any passion flowers in your garden? The caterpillar looks like a Passion Butterfly caterpillar covered in pollen.
Candice said…
I think Anonymous is right. https://www2.stetson.edu/~pmay/woodruff/passiflora.htm