Sunday, July 20, 2014

Off Topic: That Was the Week It Was - July 20, 2014

Happy Sunday morning to y'all! This is my weekly off television topic reflection on the week gone by in both words and photos I've taken along the way. If you're looking for the latest Big Brother live feeds or show posts, they're right here at this link.

Onto stuff ...!
Despite the dire warnings that if I refused the bug bombing of my apartment, I'd be overrun with critters ... ha. None. Well, I did have a tiny moth in here that apparently came in somehow through the screens. To be honest, I think most of the people in the building refused the fogging. I doubt that, with the exception of a very few apartments, the building has any sort of infestation of roaches or whatever. I really think the new exterminator is milking the cash cow landlord. I'm just glad I could refuse the treatment without issue.

Random stuff ...!
  • If you're going to break up with your girl, don't do it loudly on your cell phone on the train.
  • If you stand in front of a marked automatic out door wondering why it doesn't open for you, those people trying to exit know the door won't open for them because some fool is blocking it!
  • Heard as I walked by a couple on the street -- "You know that fire wasn't an accident. This is between us." Oh my.
  • My good quiet upstairs neighbor moved out. I happened to share the elevator with the super and a couple there to look at the apartment. I innocently mentioned how much I missed the guy upstairs because he was so quiet. The super then said I was very quiet myself. Then we both talked about the building being quiet. I hope the couple got the hint if they take the apartment.
  • Cool. Mr. Ed is on one of the cable stations way early Sunday mornings. A horse is a horse of course, of course.
  • I cringe every time I see a skateboarder on the street itself.
  • But I really wish Plainfield would enforce the NO BICYCLES on the sidewalks ordinance. Law? Whatever. Now a bunch of them have bells. This is a case where I stand my ground. I make them slow down and go around me!
Onto the photos ... clicking on an image will open it in a larger Photobucket page and you can make it larger twice using the magnifying glass at the bottom of the image there. Just close out the Photobucket window and you're back here!

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Cicada Killer Wasp heading at me!

Last year at the Bridgewater Train Station, I saw garden snails for the first time. Well, at the station, that is, not the first in my lifetime. Earlier this spring, garter snakes. Now Cicada Killer Wasps. This is a male guarding his territory (and looking for a mate). Although they can get as large as two inches long, the males can't sting at all. The most he can do is bump into me and beat me with his wings. The females can sting, but generally don't. They do, however, sting cicadas, then lug them back to their underground nest to feed their brood.

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A mother's job is never done

Even though her babies born some weeks ago look bigger than her, they still follow her around jumping up and down and fluttering their wings for food. They remind me of spoiled toddlers. Plainfield Train Station.

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Yellow jacket wasp

Now, these wasps I have a very healthy fear of! I also have a fear of ending a sentence in a preposition, but there ya go. I'm allergic and these can be very aggressive. That said, they're usually more aggressive as the summer wears on. Right now they're way too busy building their nests. This one is guarding what's evidently a huge nest inside the base for a light pole at the Bridgewater Train Station.

This week's flower slideshow and more photos after the jump!

**CLICK THE 'READ MORE' LINK TO CONTINUE!**
I took the flower shots for this week's flower show on the streets of Plainfield, the flower planters are in both Plainfield and Bridgewater. You might even see a bee or two. You can make the slideshow full-screen by clicking on the diagonal arrow icon on the bottom right.



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The Cicada Killer Wasp

One was kind enough to pose for me. It's HUGE and quite scary when you don't know it's harmless.

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Three cicada killers vying for territory

That's a tangle of three male cicada killer wasps biting at each other and beating each other with their wings. The noise is incredible!

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What the ...?


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Oh ... now I get it!

This is the light pole base I mentioned above. It's got to be full of yellow jackets!

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Wasps marching

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They're all throughout inside

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Too busy to worry about me!

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Two huge cool mushrooms

These sprung up amongst the graves at the old graveyard behind the Friends (Quakers) Meeting House in Plainfield.

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Nightshade berries

I like how they change colors on different time schedules. East Front Street, Plainfield.

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My bunny buddy

Out there every early morning at the Richmond Towers housing twin towers on East Front Street in Plainfield.

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Whazzat over there?

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Why, it's a sitting butterfly!

Seen on Berckman Street in Plainfield.

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Finally red-tagged

I've been posting about this building's caved in roof (look at chimney), huge structural cracks, popping out window frames and more for a few years. It's finally red-tagged. I have no clue what they plan to do with that stack of cinder blocks. I think it would probably be best that whole addition to the rear of the building just comes down. Seen from the train at the Bound Brook Train Station.

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Trudging off to work

The days are getting a bit shorter as you can see the light from the streetlamp on the sidewalk. East Front Street, Plainfield.

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Catnip AND a Temptations cat treat!

Life is good for a cat named Vincent!

4 comments:

Delee said...

Who needs a flower garden when we have beautiful flowers provided by you!
I hope someone sprays for those yellow jackets. I had them try to nest under my wooden step into the backdoor. Poured scalding water in it then spray. I ran real fast after I poured the water. They were not happy!!!

Laurie said...

Beautiful flowers and animals and bugs! Not sure I would get that close to the yellow jackets!
Happy Sunday!

Jackie S. said...

I was a few feet away. I use the zoom for the close-ups!

And, thank you both for the kind words!

Becky said...

Wonderful week of pictures. I agree with Delee about the beautiful flower pictures.