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Time to ignore the insects (hah, as if I can do that) and pick beans. I needed to do this before they were too big and tough. I do this every few days. Typically, I pick enough beans for three meals. But when I added the beans from today we probably had more than aContinue reading “Today in the garden”

In the late spring, all summer and into fall we spend a lot of time in our garden. As a result of the time we spend there we get a lot of vegetables and encounter many interesting insects. The cicada killer ( a large wasp that nests in our yard, usually along the edge ofContinue reading “Insects in the garden and more”

It should be of no surprise to know that as I rearrange bookshelves, getting rid of things I no longer need or want I run across books that were an important part of my life, such as this small volume by Stuart Hill, Emerging Infectious Diseases published in 2006 (Pearson/Benjamin Cummings, ISBN-0-8053-3955-8). This small volumeContinue reading “2003 SARS Pandemic”

While taking a walk the other day I found the above book in a “Free Little Library” that we walk past on a daily basis. Sometimes we leave a book, or like the above take one. This reminded me of a trip that I lead in the Yucatan for the Michigan Audubon Society (MAS) inContinue reading “My time in Mexico (Part 2)”

In light of today’s horrific events in Kabul I decided to post some old photos that I took in Mexico over the years. The above howler was just outside of the archeological site some 20 meters up near the canopy of the forest. AT the time it was eating leaves and perhaps acorns. The aboveContinue reading “Photos from Mexico”

I grew in in a house with my parents (Edward and Maria Kielb), grandparents (Michele and Frances Bellotti) and my aunt Irene Bellotti. Later she would marry Matthew Bratek. My mother would give birth to my brother, Mark and my aunt would give birth to my cousin Tony, who was more of a brother thanContinue reading “Growing up in a multigenerational house”

Today we picked 17 1/2 pounds of tomatoes that will be used to make sauce for canning. I also picked enough pole bens for dinner. After processing the tomatoes the slowly become tomato sauce. Sometimes Susan will also make diced tomatoes to can. Once canned they go onto the pantry for later use. On SundayContinue reading “The garden, breakfast out and more”

For years I spent time drawing fish and turtles at the Belle Isle Aquarium in Detroit, Michigan. Some were used to produce illustrations others to learn the finer points of drawing live fish – which can be a challenge. One year while spending a long weekend in Chicago we spent a day at the SheddContinue reading “The Belle Isle Aquarium and more”

Wherever I have been in the past 40 years I loved to draw. My earliest drawings (from 40-50 years ago) are all very private and I was not confident enough to draw while others were watching. But as confidence built I started drawing when others were around. I took sketch books where-ever I went. InContinue reading “Drawing in public areas”

My interest in México started as a child reading comic books. The Conquest of México by Bernal Diaz del Castillo was available for 10 cents as a Classics Illustrated from the nearby Kresge. I was intrigued by the Aztecs and their unusual society, as well as the Conquistadors who defeated them. Then I saw theContinue reading “Viva México!”