Wilderness At Dark

At night as the sun goes down, i sit in my bedroom and listen to all the sounds of the creatures outside. It makes living remote alot less lonely when you know there is a busy world going on, right on the other side of the walls. Sometimes I go out onto my deck to listen too, but mostly I like to do it where they can't see me so I get the full effect.

I haven't seen all these critters- but here is a list of the things I have heard in the last 2 weeks:

• Frogs mating
• Toads mating
• Bats, bunches of them squeaking in the trees, surrounding my cabin
  
• A Bear, coughing outside the house (unless it was a stalker who isn't too good at stalking)
• Owls, a screech owl and the barred owl
• Crows and other small birds

I have found scat (poop) for rabbits, deer and raccoons - and was told by some life long locals that my area harbored bobcats too.

Thanks critters for making life exciting! Soon I am sure I will have met each one, face to face.

XoXo

Micro Tiny Gold and Black Beetle Bug

This beetle was sooooooo tiny, but when the sun was shining on it's back I could see it's bright golden armor and it reminded me of something the Egyptians would have revered and respected. You don't have to be big to be special... ;) (so i like to tell myself!)
Does anyone know what type of beetles these are? And if they are even really beetles... cause they have the head of an ant, and definitely it could fly...

You can see how small it is compared to my hand in the picture below.

XoXoxox

Guessing Game: What Is This?

Here is one that might be too easy for some, but baffling to others.
Try and guess what this is!!!

Helpful Hints:

• It ain't ya mama's lemon poppy seed dressing that's been in the fridge for 5 years
• It's gonna get alot bigger

XoXo