Full Black Phase Red Fox Squirrel Moon

 Way back in my work phases, in the beginning, phase one,  I had this great employee, Jeff, a high schooler, enthusiastic, strong like a mule and good hearted. Jeff had a buddy Kenny who worked for me as well. They had an Uncle, Uncle Bruce, who was actually Kenny's uncle Bruce but we all called him that, well he had a camp on Lake Dauterive, a great fishing lake east of Loreauville, ringed by a  dense forest on one side of the camp and miles of sugar cane fields on the other. Uncle Bruce was what I call a character, a raconteur. Uncle Bruce's woods were where a the young squirrel hunters were brought to cut their teeth, so to speak. There was deer hunting and fishing as well and great meals and great times. 

One day while at my job as Park Superintendent in City Park, that would be phase three of my career track, my secretary, Miss Joyce (she actually ran the show, didn't need me!) opened my office door to say that uncle Bruce was outside wanting to see me. Bruce tells me that in his woods at the Lake, there were a number of Black Phase Red Fox Squirrels, a normal variant in any Red Fox Squirrel population, though not real common. Seems Bruce had been trapping the Black Phase individuals and transplanting them into his neighborhood, across the bayou and across town. He had one in a cage in his truck and asked if he could let it go in that public park. I said sure why not. This was in about 1995. 

Each time I drive through that beautiful park I look for black squirrels. I have seen Black Phase Red Fox Squirrel many times over the years. Now you might expect one to live 3-4 years on average, 6-7 max or a little longer. Obviously I'm not seeing THE ONE Bruce released in the mid 90's, so these may  be later generations. OK y'all I'm getting to the reason for the name! Way back in April I had to stop on my drive through City Park because under one little Live Oak (that I planted) I sighted 4 black squirrels. Yeowser Y'all! Uncle Bruce would be so proud.

4-6-24 Iberia Arbor day Planting

4-22-24 Earth Day was a blast!

4-23-24 Full Moon was a blast!

4-26-24 National Arbor Day was a blast! I planted a trash tree on campus, every campus should have one Hackberry y'all! No I didn't ask permission.

4-27-24 Chuck reported34 Luna Moths on his Magic Moth Mile this morning.

I spotted MIKIs flying high and MIKIs flying low over the Whittington House on campus

4-27-24 Festival of Live Oaks in City Park. They recruited this old guy to talk about the beginnings of that great festival, I actually began that celebration the year after Hurricane Andrew, then named "Tribute to the Trees, One Year After". In August, it was so danged hot, we soon changed it to March-April

4-30-24 Buried my Uncle Lloyd, my favorite Uncle, actually married to mom's younger sister Curtis. My dad loved Unc too. Unc was actually one of Opal's science teacher.

5-1-24 Happy May Day y'all

5-4-24 Mulberry Bash at Brock's in Scott, with Bill Fontenot's Porch Band. Complete with worlds largest Mulberry Slip and Slide. Be sure to wear something that can be stained. I had no idea there were so many hippies left standing in the world. Fun!

5-10-24 Chuck reported an apparent second hatch of Lunas this morning with 42!

5-15-24 I noted an adult cicada emerging from a intermediate phase in my wanderings in some one's yard.

5-18-24 Tonight I heard the first Cicada Chorus that I remember, hmmmm, perhaps it was the wine

Full moon rises 4-23-24 as the sun sets, ENJOY

we plan to be studying that rising in Italy, packing like crazy people now, wish me luck.

peace love possumhugs

BT