Its a Snowberry Clearwing hummingbird moth

Thank GOODNESS its just a moth! Thanks Illene reading me on Multiply for identifying this.

http://www.birds-n-garden.com/hummingbird_moths.html

What the HECK is THAT!?!

I was outside with the cats figuring out my new Nikon D80 and this HUGE something flew into the garden. It looked like a giant bumble bee. Of course, Stryker had to go check it out. After I snapped the above photo, I grabbed him to keep him from sniffing the bee. I had visions of him being stung on the nose by this bee on steroids. That is all I need! A year ago, he broke his leg, which I'm still paying off, I don't need him to get stung and go into anaphylactic shock!

I took some pictures of this bug - - which, after looking at on my camera's viewer, I thought it might not be a bug, but a hummingbird. I got really excited about a hummingbird visiting my garden.

But then I blew these up on the computer and counted six legs on this creature. Hummingbirds don't have six legs. EWWWWW! What is it? I've never seen this bug before? Is it a moth? Or some new killer bee? I dont' see a stinger on this thing but I don't want a bunch of them visiting my garden either.

John Adam's Thoughts on Independence Day

John Adams' famous letter of July 3, 1776, in which he wrote to his wife Abigail what his thoughts were about celebrating the Fourth of July .

The Second Day of July 1776, will be the most memorable Epocha, in the History of America. I am apt to believe that it will be celebrated, by succeeding Generations, as the great anniversary Festival. It ought to be commemorated, as the Day of Deliverance by solemn Acts of Devotion to God Almighty. It ought to be solemnized with Pomp and Parade, with Shews, Games, Sports, Guns, Bells, Bonfires and Illuminations from one End of this Continent to the other from this Time forward forever more. You will think me transported with Enthusiasm but I am not. I am well aware of the Toil and Blood and Treasure, that it will cost Us to maintain this Declaration, and support and defend these States. Yet through all the Gloom I can see the Rays of ravishing Light and Glory. I can see that the End is more than worth all the Means. And that Posterity will tryumph in that Days Transaction, even altho We should rue it, which I trust in God We shall not. (The Book of Abigail and John: Selected Letters of the Adams Family, 1762-1784, Harvard University Press, 1975, 142).

Ugly Earth Scuptures

The day I was in DC I headed over to the Botanical Gardens to see how the flowers were blooming there. Outside were all these "Earth" sculptures. Most of them, in my opinon, really ugly. This was one of the more pleasant looking Earths. Looking ugly, well, I'm sure it was to get a point across - - the ugliness of how we don't conserve energy and resources.

The "Get-A-Ride" Earth had this to say:

Commuting Americans have so much exta room in our 140 million cars we could give everyone in Western Europe a ride.

If every car carried just one more passenger on its daily commute, 32 million gallons of gas and 600 million pounds of carbon dioxidewould be saved each day.

EACH DAY!

Holy exhaust fumes Batman!

That is just incredible!

I gotta tell you. It cost me over $60 to fill my Honda Accord this last time - - over $60! That is three times what it used to cost me. I have drastically changed how I use energy. I have the energy saving light bulbs in ALL of my lights. I only run the A/C if it is over 90 degrees- - and when I leave for work on those 90+ degree days, I turn it up to 85. I'm at work, the cats usually sleep in the sun spots all day anyway - - they don't care. It looks like it may be paying off for my. My electric usage for the month of June was half what is was for last June. Yay!

What types of energy conservation have you begun? Are you seeing any results?

I'm wondering about installing solar panels on the south side of my townhouse. I wonder how much energy that would develop? Enough to power my lights?

I want to know when the heck US auto makers and energy suppliers are going to come up with more mainstream alternative forms of energy? I don't care if it will take 5 - 10 - 20 years to develop stuff - - that is what they were saying 20 years ago when I was an elementary school kid. The thing is, if its something that can't be utilized "right now" no one wants to take it on. Well, had they been more serious 20 years ago, maybe we wouldn't be in the situation we are in today.

Garden Tour, Smithsonian Museum

I love how in the heart of the Capital of the United States of America, we have the vast lawn known as "The Mall" - - granted, its been getting so much traffic that the lawn is looking a lot like an over worn football field. I love it - - I love the ability go go from cement jungle just a block away to lush green gardens. All of the Smithsonian museums have gardens in their courtyards. Above, the Smithsonian Castle garden that big office building is the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

Below, some of the detailed areas of the garden.





This is a courtyard at one of the art museums. I don't remember which one. Chains prevent visitors from walking out into the courtyard. Guess they don't want people throwing coins in the fountain or (bleck!) getting too close to the box wood. The only 'nice' thing I can say about boxwood is you can sculpt it - - other than that, I think it is smelly.



Along 'The Mall' side of the Smithsonian Castle is a gorgeous rose garden. So many varieties!



Near the sculpture garden, a shady retreat from the harsh sunshine and humidity.


All along the walls were different garden areas, each with different featured flowers. I liked this area because of the colorful bird houses.



I gotta tell you, nothing de-stresses me quicker than a nice walk through a beautiful garden.

Oh, tourist tip I want to share about DC. The cleanest bathrooms are in the Art Museums because they are the least visited, well the smaller Art Museums, anyway.

The Gardens of Montpelier

Doesn't that just look like an entrance to a fairy tale garden. It was amazing! The garden was a DuPont familiy improvement. It was smaller than what the Madisons' would have had. The big difference for the DuPonts', they grew flowers in this garden, the Madisons' would have grown fruits and vegetables.

Yes, I was making my visit at high noon on a very sunny day.

I love this lion. He looks like he wants to frolick and play. His brother was on the other side of the stairs.

He doesn't look so bothered that he can't go and play. Its like he's telling the first one, "Hey, its o.k. when the fairy magic comes back, we can play again."

By the way, can I just tell you that I HATE boxwood. The bush smells like stinky wet feet. Bleck! It just makes me want to gag! Of course no one else in my family could smell anything. But look at that glorious garden that stinky boxwood path leads to. I just loved all of the Irises and Peonies. I wish I had a yard this big to accommodate a garden like this. My dad of course commented on the wonderful mowing job - - he should know, in his retirement from 30 years of teaching, he mows the golf course at the Country Club.

Does anyone know what the following flowers are? I want to plant a couple of these in my side yard garden.

I also absolutely love Peonies. I want to plant them in my side yard garden also. I really liked this particular pink variety.

James Madison, His Estate and Marine Corps Connection

The most exciting thing for me on my recent visit to Montpelier, the estate of the 4th President of the United States, was that I could see a historic home being restored to its original state.  You can check out the Restoration Blog here.

Restoring Montpelier to the way it was when James Madison and his wife Dolley lived there was not easy feat.  The Estate had been purchased in the early 1900s by the DuPont family and they proceeded to add two additional wings as well as second floors over the existing wings of the Madison home.  In the picture below, you can part of what remains of the DuPont addition and that is just a small part of what was there.  This DuPont remnant is used as a carpentry shop. 

You can see a video and photos of what the home looked like as the Madison's added to it and what it looked like as they demolished the DuPont additions here.

When the home was originally built by James Madison's father, it consisted of half of what you see (the right half).  After James married Dolley, he built a mirror image half to the left.  The center door was not there while the two Madison families were in residence.  So, yes, it was a duplex.  After the deaths of Jame's parents he created a central hall, connected the two sides from inside and inserted the central front door.

Below is a side and back view of the house.

Since this is on the National Historical registry, I couldn't take photos inside to show you what they were doing.  However, their blog shows you the steps they've been taking to bring the home back to its original 1830 grandeur.

Amazingly, many of the original panels, doors, windows and mantels had been recycled by the DuPonts in other parts of the house so they have truly been able to restore it to its original condition.  What they didn't have originally, for instance marble from one of the fire places, they were able to find the quarry in England where the marble was quarried and even the same vein from which is was cut to get a replacement.  They had a lot of lucky things like that fall in place for them.

Ok, now for the Marine Corps connection.  That tree, that's it.

Its a Cedar of Lebanon and the Marines brought it back from their mission against the Barbary Pirates and presented it to James Madison as a gift.  At the time, when the Marines led by Lt. Presley O'Bannon were sent to free US ships captured by the pirates, Madison was the Secretary of State.  Apparently, he recommended the Marines be sent - - they were after all, the Delta Force of the day.