Back to The Holler expecting hum-drum….but no, The Holler hates hum-drum, so look who chaired the welcoming committee!
Isn’t he a beaut! He’s been hanging around here. His wingspan clocks in at almost exactly 5 inches.
He’s a Ceanothus Silk Moth. His larvae feeds on the wild lilacs (ceanothus) that grow all over Hollerdom.
The adults fly at The Holler in January and do not feed. This is the first one I have ever seen.
If you’re feeling winter weary, here’s a couple of clicks of the tropics to warm you up!
This traditional Polynesian Canoe House is built to catch the tropical breezes and is amazingly cool even on morbidly hot tropical days. Remember Frost saying, if the world ended in fire or ice, he’d “go with those who favor fire?” He is one of my favorite poets, but he must not have spent much time in the tropics. The heat and humidity can get to you, just like the ice and cold.
This big guy is aptly named a unicorn fish. He can grow up to two feet in length and seemed curious and unafraid.
Flying away from paradise. Check out the surf on the fringing reef!
Cheers to you (and stay warm) from the rarely ho-hum Holler~
.
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Welcome back Cindy! I’ve seen the Ceanothus Silk Moth in my area of California as well but never up close! Thanks again for the many beautiful close-up photos you’ve shared. Love the vibrant warm hues and texture on that moth! And that unicorn fish. Feels like I can just reach out and touch him! 🙂
So happy you have seen the moth before. I hadn’t so he was quite a surprise. I think, if you were there, that fish would have let you touch him. He didn’t seem afraid at all, neither did the moth come to think of it~
I love the welcome committee chair and his velvety “fur”, gorgeous! Great pics!
He seems like a fuzzy wuzzy bear moth moth doesn’t he! The hidden things my camera sees, always surprise me! Cheers my friend & happy Wednesday~
Beautiful homecoming!
Thank you. The moth certainly made it more so!
That is one big, beautiful moth. I have never seen a unicorn fish before and what pretty markings.
What a remarkable world we live in. There are always new things to learn and see! Cheers my friend~
Once again I realize that no color is better than that found in nature.
I agree! Mother Nature is the best artist ever~
Fantastic pictures. I want to pet the fish. Just beautiful.
I loved the fish too. He seemed to follow me. He must have been fed before but I had no bread to give him…..
Heavenly! What’s the function of the unicorn?
Good question. Biologists don’t know the function of the horn. It is not used for defense. The fish has spines in his tail that he uses for defense. It certainly does not seem functional for this algae eating fish.
Beautiful pictures.. the moth is spectacular. Thanks for sharing.
Thank you more for appreciating!
Your holler is never hum drum seen through all the beautiful photos you share…have enjoyed your amazing Polynesian series of photographs – thanks.
I love blogging and it is because I get to meet people like you! ❤
WHAT a moth! 🙂 🙂
He’s spectacular isn’t he, and so big!
Wunderschöne Fotos mir den Schmetterlingen wünsche einen guten Donnerstag lieber Gruß Gislinde
Glücklich Donnerstag, Sie lieben Gislinde! Wir danken Ihnen fur Ihre freundlichen Worte . ❤ ❤
What a wonderful welcome home. The detail you captured on the moth is amazing. How are your hawks? Are they still flying over the Holler?
Thank you Ann for asking about the hawks. They are contesting for territory right now. There is an established pair that nest each year in the same oak tree and a newer pair, and they have been sparring in the air with talons lowered, strifing each other like military jets. I have been clicking away! Cheers to you my friend~
Ah, so we can expect some hawk posts anytime now.
indeed!
Beautiful bright red colouring! Adds richness and vibrancy to life in this cold wintry season of ice and snow!
I know it has been a hard winter. Wolfie probably loves it though. Hope all is well with you both!
Wolfie loved it – and it snowed today! First of the year!
He’s made for the snow!! I would love to see it~
Liebe Cindy Traumhafte Schmetterlinge und ein ganz eigenartiger Fisch sowas hab ich noch nie gesehen super Aufnahme einfach nur wunderbar toll danke dir einen schönen Donnerstag mit ganz lieben Grüßen in Freundschaft Klaus
Ich bin so glucklich Sie den Fisch Klaus gefallt! Ich auch. Er war groß und sehr freundlich. Vielen Dank fur die netten Worte mein Freund. ❤ ❤
Welcome home Cindy. A wonderful butterfly shot, the colors and patterns are awesome.
Merci beaucoup mon ami!
Amazing photos from paradise, Cindy. Happy homecoming. 🙂
Well, you after all KNOW paradise! 😉
I also know how wonderful it is to get back home again. 🙂
❤
Absolutely stunning dear Cindy!~ All my best wishes to you. Aquileana 😀
Visa versa 2 U X 2!
If you have to leave Polynesia behind, at least a gorgeous moth should welcome you home! What pleasure – I guess it’s a reminder that home isn’t so bad after all…
Exactly! Beauty is everywhere is you take the time to see as you know perfectly well my friend~
such interesting subjects you captured! Love the unicorn fish and all the moths! And for that matter, ALL the pics!!
I was just at your blog and enjoying myself immensely. Retirement rocks doesn’t it!! I have no idea why some people are so afraid of it.
Liked those shots of paradise…since we have more snow and ice at the moment.
Luckily it didn’t start until after we got home. 😉
Oh, I love your butterfly too! Those antenna are too cute.
Thanks much Jules. Glad your safe at home after your not so fun jury duty summons, but your hotel stay did sound kinda fun!
That moth is amazing Cindy and I certainly agree the heat and especially the humidity can get to you and saps all my energy. At least in the cold you can put more layers on and I feel more energetic in cooler weather.
I was surprised entirely by this moth.
First off I see it vaguely outside and ask Jim, “EEEEEW what is that?”
In typical Jim fashion he says, “I don’t know, why don’t you go and see.”
So I did, and my first thought was it stowed away in my luggage. This must be a huge tropical butterfly.
Then I googled it. Found it was native. Absolutely gorgeous.
I probably already told you about the African frog in Paris.
I planned this guts up self drive trip to Kruger. Matt, my son, came along.
We are going back really soon.
Anyway when we fly out of Johannesberg the stewardesses walk down the aisle of the plane with some sort of multi-pronged bug killer aerosal or who knows what. Dousing us all with everything killing chemicals, which surprised me.
We arrive the next morning in Paris. I’m jet lagged.
Still blown away by Africa.
We arrive at our hotel and I open my suitcase and this super huge African frog leaps out into our room.
I looked at it.
It looked at me.
I went to the French doors, opened them, and the frog happily leaped out to freedom in Paris.
Frogs have this ability to self reproduce.
Matt said, “If we hear there is a problem with African frog over population in Paris, we will know whose fault it was.”
Laughing.
I love travel just as much as you!
Mad dogs, an English woman, and me! ❤ ❤
No I hadn’t heard that story before, thank you for telling me, it is an hilarious story Cindy I can just imagine the panic if it started croaking as you walked through customs. Did you have time to get a photo? Is Africa your next trip?
It went through customs, baggage xrays, everything undetected. Kinda gives on pause about airport security. Yes Africa is next up~
I’m very surprised the xray didn’t query it!!!!
How did the frog get in your suitcase!? How funny.
I take some along with me for luck when I travel… but they are stuffed or otherwise made of material that doesn’t breath 🙂
Frogs are good luck in many cultures. I’m guessing though your froggy friend will adapt or be eaten. Hmmm aren’t some folks also known as ‘Frogs’…? So then he should be right at home. Surprised thought that they didn’t catch your stow away when your luggage went through security. Frogs do have bones.
So many things end up being where they aren’t native due to innocent travelers.
I’ll have to keep my eye (or ear) out for news of frog invasions.
Not too reassuring is it~
Oh that is rich Jules! Laughing….Exactly. I kept waiting for the news stories about the mysterious African frog invasion of Paris! 😉 😉
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Much appreciated! Thank you and be well~
You’re making the breathtaking almost routine…
This is a seriously nice thing to say! Thank you~
Your lovely pictures make for a perfect dream! Simply beautiful Cindy, have a wonderful weekend!
Great to hear from you Wendell and the same back to you my friend~
That is one humongous moth Cindy, and beautiful. Welcome home. And yes I remember my days of living in the tropics in Liberia. Heat and humidity can definitely be unpleasant. Or you can simply go to New York City in August. 🙂 –Curt
Oh please don’t remind me! The subway in New York in summer…..eeeeek! 😉 😉
Double eeeeek!, I think. 🙂
I am speechless in awe! Thank you for sharing all these beauty.
You are a dear friend Fae! ❤
What a gorgeous moth…. I generally don’t like moths but I wouldn’t mind seeing him around my house… I bet those antennae pull in a lot of TV stations!
Laughing! I bet you’re right and he doesn’t even need earbuds!
I was oohing, and aahing all the way down the page, admiring your photos, and came to the unicorn fish … I have never seen one before … so thank you, especially for the introduction to him … Mother nature never ceases to amaze me, and you capture her beauty so well.
He was a happy surprise to me too and quite a big fella! So happy you enjoyed him~
Marvelous post…the 3rd shot taking me in 🙂 Stunning photos and true paradise…hope home is a happy place as well, even if the weather may not be cooperating.
Home is a happy place and the weather today is pluperfect! Cheers my friend~
Thanks for the wonderful tour!
Thank you more for appreciating it!
Cindy, this whole series has been spectacular. Thank you!
I am honored you enjoyed it my friend!
Cindy the butterflies are amazing but the unicorn fish is absolutely astounding. Clearly this is paradise.
I bet the Unicorn fish agree with you! 😉
Welcome home, traveller.
Ahhh, thank you my friend! It is good to be home~
That unicorn fish is fantastic!! I love the colorful moth too! Gorgeous!! Have a safe trip back to the Holler! Hugz Lisa and Bear
Hugz & Happy Sunday back to you both!
When I see pictures like that, it makes England in midwinter seem very dull and very cold in comparison. Thanks for warming me up with those wonderful colours.
Well, I can understand that feeling. I will be in London in the spring and I am going to capture your ethereal spring flowers and other gorgeous sights. Spring is coming~ ❤ ❤
I’m sure your captures of our spring flowers on camera will be quite beautiful, as are all of your pictures 🙂
Sometimes the locale offers an unfair advantage. Canada is this way pretty much always, and England in the spring and summer is too~
Hi Cuz,
The moth pics are spectacular. Loved the tropical architecture but I think FL is as far south as I would choose to live. The real tropics are, as you say, humid and hot. I like warm a lot but can’t manage hot, so would rather not live where it’s hot…and humid too ! Hugz !
I think you have to live there for awhile to adjust, but I am with you, the tropics are fun to visit, but not where I want to live. To each his/her own~
OMC this made us certainly warm. Paradise indeed 🙂 Pawkisses 🙂 ❤
Back 2 U guys X 2! ❤
So sad to see your posts will not be tropical anymore. I feel as if my vacation is over, too. LOL
And I love the photos of your snow and the beautiful winter wonderland!
I have to let beauty find me. I can’t go in search of it now. 🙂
Trust me you find it many, many times every day!
You always say the right things. What a power you have.
Except of course, when I say the wrong thing and then it is always a most embarrassing gaffe!
I can’t imagine you doing that, but I suppose we all do sometimes. LOL
It really does look like paradise! And the pictures were beautiful!
How kind of you to say! Thanks much & cheers~
The colors are gorgeous in paradise!
Lucky Paradisians get to live there! 😉
Well my dear, your life is about as far from ho-hum as one can be. How many countries have you traveled to in the last 6 months? That fish is wild, I’ve never seen such a thing.
Cindy – You continually provide a feast for my heart and soul. Thank you.
We all need the these bright spots in our lives and they are always there, as you well know. Cheers to you Sheri! ❤
Yes, Cindy, I do know. When I ‘come home to the Holler as you say,’ I know my soul will refuel a bit before it jets off to yet another unknown location. Please be safe and enjoy your piece of heaven while you are there. I know you already do.
I currently have my eyes on what Viking River Cruises calls their Grand European Tour and Belgium. Tom has looked at the longboat as a possibility and he has family in Belgium. That gives me a possibility of enjoying the entire adventure with a resting place for Tom. I’m still exploring all the possibilities. I’ve already been to all the places listed but I’m not opposed to returning and have always wanted to go back to several places where I once lived for a brief time.
Yes we are looking at Vikiing too. Small world, no? We are looking at their new fleet of small ships that do ocean cruises, specifically the 10 dayer from Venice to Dubrovnik, Kotor, Kudasi, et. al., ending in Istanbul. They also have an eight day river cruise that goes from Nuremberg, through Regensburg, Passau, Melk, ending in Budapest. We’ve never done this, so my attitude is, why not try (almost) anything at least once!! 😉 I hope you do go. You know I have been hoping that you have a vacation and this sounds ideal for both of you! Keep me posted~
I liked visiting the Paradise with you 🙂
I loved having you along! ❤
Look at that Unicorn fish! Thank you for this captivating photos and for always dropping by my blog, thank you Cindy!
Visa versa 2 U X 2!
I didn’t realize unicorn fish could get so big. Cool!
But for big and truly spectacular, all you had to do was come home to the Holler! That moth is absolutely magnificent. A splendid specimen of a beautiful species, and to top it all off, it’s named for what is definitely among my top 5 favorite plants ever, anywhere. I am a huge fan of Ceanothus and its hardihood, its beauty, its variety, its bee-loved flowers, its brilliant colors. What a glorious post! Dessert on your arrival home.
Wheeeeeeee! Thank you.
❤
Kath
If you love ceonothus, you would love The Holler. The hills are covered with it and all the streets are named after it. It is so lovely when the mountains turn purple with these awesome scented flowers. the moth was an incredible sight and he stayed around for several days. Thank you so much for this lovely and motivating commentary!
oooh, I like the unicorn fish – he is so pretty!!!
Well I am surprised cuz he is quite unusual looking and sometimes you are not too keen about odd critters. I think your getting used to them cuz you’re friends with such an odd blogger!!! 😉 😉
Perhaps!
How absolutely stunning…both the moth and those island shots. I really appreciate the high level of detail in the moth particularly its antennae. Quite breathtaking!
I was surprised by him because I have never seen one before and didn’t know what it was, despite it being quite common out here. Glad you liked him too~
Wow Cindy, what a paradise!!! I like den Schmetterling, den passenden Text und deine Bilder sehr. Vielen Dank und einen lieben Gruss Ernst 🙂
Danke Ernst und haben eine wunderbare Woche mein Freund!