A very interesting day in the north

I’ve always liked this Cicero quote, especially since we have both a wonderful garden and a an equally wonderful library. However, we both have other needs that we fulfill with our travels.

This afternoon we stopped at a rest area on I-75 just south of Grayling, Michigan. It has nice shady picnic tables that offer the chance of seeing and possibly photographing thirteen-lined ground squirrels. Today was just that day. These beauties are approximately the size of a small red squirrel.

Then in the evening our neighbor Chris appeared with a gift.

From this view it doesn’t seem all that interesting. But to give some perspective – wingtip to wingtip is about 7 inches. North Americans largest moth.

Here it is on the side of our cabin. It’s a black witch (Ascalpha odorata). These are a southern moth that ranges widely in the tropics. But for some reason this is the third specimen at Whitefish Point since 2022. Why? Good question and without an immediate answer,

More later…