Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Home to The Holler We Go!

On By cindy knokeIn MY PHOTOGRAPHS, TRAVEL REVIEWS

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Back to The Holler expecting hum-drum….but no, The Holler hates hum-drum, so look who chaired the welcoming committee!
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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.
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The adults fly at The Holler in January and do not feed. This is the first one I have ever seen.
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If you’re feeling winter weary, here’s a couple of clicks of the tropics to warm you up!
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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.
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This big guy is aptly named a unicorn fish. He can grow up to two feet in length and seemed curious and unafraid.
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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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238 thoughts on “Hi Ho, Hi Ho, It’s Home to The Holler We Go!”

  1. 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! 🙂

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    1. 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~

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    1. 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.

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    1. 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~

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  14. 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

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  22. 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.

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    1. 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! <3 <3

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      1. 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?

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      2. 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.

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  27. 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

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  29. 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!

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  30. 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.

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  31. 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.

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    1. 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~ <3 <3

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  38. 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 !

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  43. 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.

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      1. 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.

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      2. 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~

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  47. 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.
    <3
    Kath

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    1. 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!

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    1. 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!!! 😉 😉

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  49. 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!

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