Little Beasties and Pumpkins, Too

 I can remember a fascination with bugs as a child.  It seemed, in those days, that there was not the variety that surrounds us today.  I remember ants and flies, Japanese beetles, lady bugs, lightening bugs, cicadas, crickets, grasshoppers, bees and wasps and the like.  Is it just me... or does there seem to be new insects popping up each year?

Perhaps it's because I spend so much time with my nose in plant-life that I see all manner of insect.  But still... I find new ones that I've never even imagined!  I am always happy to see pollinators busily buzzing from blossom to blossom - and yesterday I snapped this photo of a bee in my mint garden.

I think this photo gives us an interesting up-close look at his face.  You can see his two enormous eyes... but, if you look closer, between those eyes, you can see three more tiny eyes!  These primitive eyes are called ocelli are sensitive to ultraviolet light and green light rays. They help the bee detect changes in light.

In other areas of the garden, I found these beautiful beasties....

a cucumber beetle...

A tiny harlequin bug...

Amazing... where have they been all my life?

Lastly, I found this spider, dragging something along behind it on its web - perhaps an egg case?  I have no idea and could not find any information about this.  If you happen to know what this is... please enlighten me!!

Hubbs and I took a quick trip to a local Amish pumpkin patch.  This is where I buy my fall decor each year.  And although I am growing lots of pumpkins on the manure pile... they are not yet ready to pick.  I am saving them for the kids to pick when we have our upcoming Fall Festival picnic.

Check out the sign on the box below - yes, you read that correctly!  Every pumpkin in this area is $1.

I left with a trunk full, only having spent a total of $20.  The biggest one was $4.

(This was the second trip to the pumpkin patch this week.). I love to decorate for Autumn!!

In front of the shed...

Down the driveway...  this size pumpkin was 3 for $1.

On the dining room table... flowers from the garden and miniature pumpkins...

Autumn arrives this coming Sunday- and I'm ready!!