Hummingbird Moths!

They're back!  After several years of being noticeably absent from our garden, we're really excited that the hummingbird moths are back... This picture is one on our front porch.  Look carefully in the upper left of the photo and you can see the arc being made by their fast-moving wings.  These little guys are awesome!

Here's what Wikipedia has to say: 
Macroglossum stellatarum, known as the Hummingbird Hawk-moth or sometimes the Hummingmoth, is a species of Sphingidae. Its long proboscis and its hovering behaviour, accompanied by an audible humming noise, make it look remarkably like a hummingbird while feeding on flowers. It shouldn't be confused with the moths called hummingbird moths in North America, genus Hemaris, members of the same family and with similar appearance and behavior. The resemblance to hummingbirds is an example of convergent evolution. It flies during the day, especially in bright sunshine, but also at dusk,^[1] dawn, and even in the rain, which is unusual for even diurnal hawkmoths.^[2] Its visual abilities have been much studied, and it has been shown to have a relatively good ability to learn colours.^[3]

Luke is Back as Keeper!

Luke is back as Goal Keeper, this time in the East Ridge Soccer Club... His team is already 2-0, thanks to his outstanding goal keeping abilities!

The Newest Gustie!

We are really proud of our new college student!  Jack settled in to his dorm room today at Gustavus Adolphus College, in St. Peter, Minnesota.  His Mom and Dad are really envious of the adventures that lie ahead, and we will all miss his calm, steady, dependable presence at home.  Great things await you, Jack!

Summer Evening on the St. Croix

2012 Sandstone Olympics!

The 2012 Sandstone Olympics happened this weekend, with about 50 kids, and their proud parents.  This was the third annual Olympics for the neighborhood, and we upped the stakes with a live band this time - the "Killer Bees!"  Luke took a gold medal in the high jump, and Jack and Libby did an awesome job with setup and judging, with some of their friends!  The weather was perfect for sports - 70 degrees and sunny, and the young Olympians had an awesome time.  We stayed with the basics:  50-Yard Dash, High Jump, Long Jump, Running Long Jump, Softball Throw, and a "Marathon" (0.44 miles, around the block).  The youngest athletes did the obstacle course, hill sledding, an airplane toss for distance, bubbles and balloons, bike and relay races, and chalk art.

Prelude to a Blue Moon!

Once again we are out on White Bear Lake, this time under the first of two full moons in August - a rare occurrence known as a "Blue Moon" (hence the term "once in a blue moon...")  A beautiful night in Minnesota! (...yes, that's the moon, not the sun!)

Jack Wins!

Jack's baseball team wins again... this time the big game - the Maplewood Baseball League championship, defeating 16 other teams to take the title!  Jack started the game with a foul ball that broke one of the field lights... then went on to get a double.  What a night!