Lughnasa, The First Harvest

Today is the celebration of the first harvest. There being three...today, September 21st and October 31st. In honor of the grain I've made Rosemary Focaccia. A delightful Italian bread. We'll be having Rumpledethumps for supper. (Cooked potato, cabbage, broccoli, milk and butter all mashed together in a casserole with grated cheese on top, then into the oven.)


Yesterday I spent a good part of the day working in the garden. The first day I've really put any effort into it, extending the borders as the grass had grown right up to the plants. The one chicken that I have left was with me all the way, gobbling up any bugs that were uprooted. So nice to have someone to chat to while working.

I found this marvelous creature on one of the plants. It was almost the size of a bumble bee and I found out that it's a Sexton Beetle. The first one I've ever seen. I googled it and found it's quite a fascinating creature in that it can sniff out a dead animal from a mile or more away and burys it as a food source. It's also very family oriented (one of the few bugs that is) and protects and feeds its young. I ran for the camera hoping it would still be there when I got back out and it was.
Speaking of fascinating creatures, lol. You can see what the little imps have done to the sunflower seed feeder. Now, most of the squirrels simple lift the top off but someone can't seem to get his head around this idea so figures he has to eat a hole in the top and go down through. This is one of the smarter ones.



The rain poured out of the heavens last night and every once in a while lately I can feel a bit of fall in the air.