A Fun-Loving Guide to the Natural World for Kids and Adults

The most interesting cases in CSGO in 2022

For Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, skins are available by three methods. They can be obtained from a cabinet, purchased from others, or crafted. Visit our blog to explore all the nuances to "yellow gaben's boxes" and learn about which cases make the most money to open.

Which of the cases are most profitable?

 There are a lot of player profiles. Some are linked to operations, while others simply appear in the game using brand new skin sets. In spite of this each case has items in the same proportions.

In the case of opening 100 best cs go case to open 2022, you'll get about 80 Mil-Spec skins, approximately 16 restricted skins, around 3 Classified skins and only 1 Skin that is a Covert, or rare object. It is also possible to get an uncommon item, gloves or knife is less than the chance of pulling the Covert skin. This data is published by Valve and validated by the community of game's game calculation in real-world.

A note of caution: Counter-Strike: Global Offensive does not have a pity mechanic, unlike other games featuring random item fallout. Let us present an example. For Genshin Impact the ninetieth attempt to obtain a five-star player is always successful. The game Counter-Strike: Global Offensive, even with nine hundred cases, you'll not get a knife or gloves, not even the USP-S conditional character Traitor.

It is a conclusion that it's simply not possible to open cases with the intention of making money from your own pocket. Each key to open a case is 2 dollars, 50 cents. In order to keep your money in the black, you have to pull the skins that are rare from the case time after time.

If you're looking for the coolest knife such as, for instance, AK-47 Redline, it's better to avoid spending money on best case to open 2022 instead purchase the product you are looking for. You can do that on our website that has lots of useful filters as well as an improved preview.

If you're interested in best case to buy in csgo 2022, there are 5 cases the best for having fun and have the best chance of winning the prized skin.

Use Bloodycase.com Promo Codes to open these cases 

  • BLCLIST01
  • BLCGZOD

Operation Bravo

Operation Bravo case was the second Counter-Strike: Global Offensive Operation following Operation Payback.. Operation Payback was officially launched on the 19th of September, 2013 and was set to run until January 20, 2014. Then it was extended to Feb. 5th in 2014 due its popularity.

Operation Broken Fang Case.

The case is fascinating due to its affordable price of around 50 cents and attractive contents. There are three skins for guns that aren't popular: Dual Berettas Dezastre, M249 Deep Relief and G3SG1 Digital Mesh. Everything else is fantastic. And if you're lucky enough to are lucky enough to win the lottery and receive something special it will be one of the 24 pairs of gloves.

Here https://skinkings.com/free-cases/ you can find websites with free cases 

Fracture Case

 In the case of Fracture Case there are 50 knives as well as nearly 200 of coolest skins. The case costs around 20 cents. As a reminder that opening each case requires keys, and keys are available at $2.50.

 Let's begin by looking at the knife. Included in the case are: Nomad Knife, Paracord Knife, Skeleton Knife and Survival Knife. They are quite rare knives. Individual items can have a significant collector's worth. For example there are two StatTrak(tm) Skeleton Knife Crimson Web FNs on the market currently. The most sought-after knife, worth many thousands in dollars.

 The remaining skins in the case don't have any collectible value. They are however among some of the coolest items available on the market in terms of craftsmanship. You can't miss the AK-47 Legion of Anubis!

 Glove Case

 Another one of the glove cases. It was inside the Glove Case that these items first appeared. Unfortunately, since their appearance in the game the case has significantly gone up in value. Each yellow box now costs at least 1.5 bucks through the Steam Marketplace.

 In spite of that, it's still the cheapest case with those gloves. This Hydra Operation bag (which also contains Bloodhound Gloves Snakebite, Hand Wraps Slaughter, and every different pair of gloves) is available for at around $11 on Marketplace.

 So if you're in the market for gloves but for some reason you don't want to buy them, you should definitely check out this Glove Case.

Horizon Case

If you're looking to open the case in the hope of pulling out stunning cool skins the Horizon Case is a good starting point. First, the case is quite affordable, with an estimated price of 10 cents or less. Second, it has great filling - lots of meth guns with brightly colored skins.

 All in all All in all, the Horizon Case is the optimal solution if you would like to open a few cases, and not spend any more cash on boxes.

 As a matter of fact, since we're talking about profit, we opened the Investments section of our wiki. It's easy to look out for profitable purchases and investments. Make sure you check it out.

What is SEO and how does it benefit an ecommerce site?

Ecommerce optimizations services for online stores with the notion of a company that is 100% focused and online, the matter of SEO-friendly promotion of the online store is brought to the forefront. I've worked since the year 2013 to promote the marketing of different types of online stores only using "white" techniques.

 Promotion of the online store as well as promotion of the store's site How do you best to draw customers?

 When you follow the correct approach, your SEO promotion, online store rapidly delivers tangible results. The cost of services used for promotion of turnkey websites can differ greatly based on the method chosen and the kind of website and other elements including particular goals and niches for traffic.

 Together, we'll create a strategy to make sure that you are promoting the best. The next step is to optimize your SEO both external and internal.

 The role of behavior factors in promoting the website

 Make sure that the website included all the information needed by customers regarding prices and payment terms, as well as the features of products. This is known as the behavioral aspects, which are the most important influence on the online store's SEO. In order to get outcomes, we would suggest to alter something in the design or structure of the website. The promotion of an online store is a complicated procedure. If everything goes according to plan the results can typically be anticipated in a matter of 1-2 months. However, even after that time the work we do will continue.

  We propose:

  • SEO optimization of an online store's seo-optimization - the configuration of the store for users and social networks as well as search engines.
  • Promoting online stores building link weights
  • Further promotion of the site's store through every possible method and channels, including social networks.
  • Check out my portfolio and the results we have achieved and the improvement of indicators from my customers. They are happy with the way the site has been designed for optimized for search engines, and the results it has produced.

 Do we have the ability to do my own store-specific promotion?

  If you do SEO on your own doing nothing more than searching and putting keywords into your texts typically yields extremely poor results. My customers, who used to do the work themselves, regretted the waste of time. Contact experts for SEO-optimization on your website.

 You'll be aware of exactly the price you pay and what the results will be at what point. Search engine optimization demands an extensive amount of research, take special classes, and study specialized books on promotion.

The most important thing is to practice, mastery and possession of special software that assists in the process of optimizing search engines.

 How can we conduct seo promotion for my online store? What is the best way to organize the job?

 SEO-related promotion of shops online SEO optimization of online stores

 Each niche is special. Thus, SEO-promotion is always a lengthy and laborious job. To achieve the most effective results it is crucial to look at the top competitors. What did they do to climb to the top? The ones who are one step ahead of their competition that are innovative and keep up with the current trends in promotion tend as successful. This type of promotion for online stores well-planned and planned promotion of the store's site will yield results.

Search engine optimization is an ever-growing industry. The effective promotion of an online store starts at the time of its launch and continues for a long time. When the website has stopped being active and is no longer being perceived. Particularly in the case of an entirely new store the promotion needs to be carried out from the beginning.

The process of optimizing the performance of your online store starts by analyzing the website, and then establishing strategies. Once the SEO tasks are completed you will get an in-depth report.

 If the website is brand new we typically begin by promoting low-frequency queries. After that, the site is gaining place in the rankings and be a significant competitor, we will be BF as well as HF queries. We will talk about these issues together and determine the semantic fundamental. we work with experienced copywriters, who aid me in SEO-related promotions for the online stores of my customers. 

 What's included in the SEO-promotions for the online store?

  •  comprehensive audit;
  •  The improvement as well as expansion
  •  Removal of sanctions on search engines.

 To get the best results from marketing on the store's online:

  • Moving beyond the standard seo
  • we can solve problems that are not standard;
  • focusing on automation;
  • we guarantee only the best outcomes;
  • we will explain everything in a clear and make it easy to understand.

 The outcome of working with me was to encourage:

  • the maximum number of people attending;
  • my own personal technologies;
  • Individual solutions with a price that is flexible.

Different types of balloons that you can purchase

 Latex Balloons

 The most common types of latex balloons are "pastel", "metal", " pearl" and "crystal":

  • "pastel" balloons appear smooth and feature the largest color palette;
  • "metal" and "pearl" is distinguished with an attractive, metalized, shiny surface;
  • Balloons "crystal" are transparent and have the brightest balls that are saturated in color.

 Pastel balloons are considered the most durable - the fact is that metalized, as well as crystal balloons, stretch less than "pastel" balloons and their lifespan is about a third less. On the other hand, they appear more attractive. can be significantly affected by high temperatures - in hot weather, the transparent balloon's "crystal" gradually turn cloudy "metal" and get less shiny, whereas "pastel" retains its original form and appearance.

 Latex balloons come in assortment of sizes. Manufacturers set them in inches 5' (12 cm), 9' (22 cm), 12' (30 cm) https://balloons.online/balloon-sizes/12-inch-balloons/, 14' (35 cm), 16' (40 cm), 18' (45 cm) and 3' (70-80 cm).

 The smaller balloons of 5" as well as the smaller 9" balloons are usually used to create garlands and also for decoration (for example, they are used to fill surprise boxes). The smaller balloons can't be filled with helium because the helium gas has a short lifespan and the balloon can quickly deflate and then deflate.

 The typical dimensions of twelve" as well as 14" balloons are commonly used - these are balls without a pattern and balls that have a pattern and balls with confetti. The color palette is most extensive, and the balloons can be inflated with air or helium (for decorations) and also used to make garlands.

 Larger diameter balloons, 16" or 18" have great lifting power and allow the use of paper garlands, tassels, and other decorations. A good example of 16' (40 centimeters) balloons are Golden Glitter confetti balloons, and 18' (45 cm) balloons are huge balloons without patterns.

 Three-foot (70-80 cm) Meter balloons measure 70-80 cm, which is among the largest (example). Despite the name, the meter balloons are usually inflated to 70-80 centimeters because otherwise, they will not be able to fit inside the doorway and they are more susceptible to various external influences and mechanical harm (the greater the inflation of the balloon, the thinner walls). The balloons can be transparent and opaque with various kinds of confetti, they can be decorated with garlands, and inscriptions, and even upon their foundations are created huge figures using balloons filled with Helium, such as the cat, a dog, or a unicorn, as well as a Giraffe.

 Agate Balloons

 Agate balloons are balloons with an amazing pattern that resembles designs of semi-precious stones. They are created using transparent colorless 12" latex balloons that are made by a unique technique that uses acrylic paint. The design is not repeated, and it is always distinctive. Be assured that even if this balloon explodes, the paint will not stain anything around, because we give balloons the chance to completely dry before delivery. Only our workshops are in danger when balloons are drying.) This is why the balloons must be ordered at least a day before the date of delivery/self shipping.

 They're perfect to use for photoshoots and memorable gifts or decorating fancy parties. However, because of the advancements in manufacturing technology, the flight time of Agate balloons is just about 1-3 days. If it is crucial to you that balloons acanfly for a longer time, it is best to be looking at other alternatives.

 Confetti Balloons

 Confetti balloons are one of the types that are transparent balloons made of latex ("crystal") that have confetti added by hand. The confetti can be either paper or metallic, in different shapes and sizes and the same color, or a variety of colors. Confetti of different sizes, colors, and shapes can be incorporated into one balloon. These balloons look stunning and perfect for photo sessions, memorable presents, or decorating celebrations, and are sure to create lots of positive emotions!

 Balloons that have confetti tend to fly smaller than regular balloons because the confetti is a source of extra mass on the balloon and decreases its capacity to lift. Furthermore, as with any transparent crystal ball that undergoes latex oxidation is most obvious on the confetti balls: over time, the balls get translucent, less clear, and lose their luster (you can learn more about the reasons for this here). In normal conditions (at normal indoor temperatures) the process is slow, but in the summer, under the pressure of high temperature and sunlight, it accelerates considerably, and so during the summer heat when the balls are intended to be utilized outdoors, be prepared for the fact that they will become transparent, and you might want to go instead of opaque balloons in the case aren't willing to risk it.

 There are two ways of creating these balloons. The float method (so the confetti is evenly distributed across the walls of the balloon, as well as the balloon itself can fly for longer than without treatment) or without hi-float (then the confetti is located near the base of the balloon and can move freely inside the balloon, but the flight of such balloons can last only one hour).

 Foil Balloons

 Foil balloons last for a longer time than latex balloons. They do not require HiFloat treatment because their materials don't allow helium molecules to quickly leave the balloon. Foil balloons will slowly deflate without losing their attractive look and, if handled with care, they can be reinflated by air (yourself with a tube) or Helium! Additionally, foil balloons are great for putting personalized inscriptions using stickers because on their smooth surface, the sticker goes on evenly and stays on it longer.

 The balloons that are oiled without pattern may be in form of a star, heart, circle, crescent, crystal, 3D sphere, the palm tree, the cube, and so on. They look amazing in sets combined with confetti and latex balloons!

 There are many different designed foil balloons in all sorts of drawings in addition to "walking balloons" that contain helium however, they don't rise into the air thanks to tiny invisible weights. They start "walking" as they live their life with any air movement.

How to adopt an animal

Probably, each of us has been dreaming of having a pet as a child. Today making this dream come true is absolutely possible, what is more, you will rescue an animal from a shelter.Our guide will be perfect for both single guys and couples. If you feel lonely, adopt a cute puppy, but it's better to meet someone special. Visit https://bebemur.com/ to break your lonely life: chat with single women, meet, build relationships. Later, adopt an animal together. How to do it? Read below

  • They say that in the shelters all the animals are sick and wild. It's true?

No, not all homeless animals that have got into a shelter are sick or have problems with socialization. In most institutions, new animals are examined by a veterinarian; they are given all the necessary vaccinations, and upon reaching a certain age, the animal is castrated or sterilized. Employees and volunteers are trying to engage in playing with dogs - they are taught basic teams and accustomed to the leash.

At the same time, there are indeed many sick and injured animals in the shelters (both physically and mentally). It happens that unscrupulous owners abandon old animals, which require constant care, and the services involved in catching bring brought down dogs or tormented dogs. Zoo-activists try to immediately attach such animals to the house to experienced owners or to opt for volunteers.

Animals from the shelter often suffer from some infectious diseases and diseases of the gastrointestinal tract. This happens for several reasons: in some institutions, animals are not vaccinated; in municipal shelters, they live in cramped and unsanitary conditions, and employees do not always have time to notice a sick dog or cat and isolate it from the rest.

  • To pick up the animal, you just need to come to the shelter and ask?

It is not that simple. First, you need to decide from which shelter you want to take an animal. Almost all institutions have websites and pages on social networks where employees regularly talk about their new guests - you can choose from photos and descriptions. But it would be better if you come to the shelter and personally meet its inhabitants.

Shelters have strict requirements for future owners. Employees and volunteers conduct interviews with those who want to take a homeless animal, request documents, can check your apartment, and even look at the neighbors. Some institutions do not give animals to young couples, lonely elderly people and families with babies. The shelter will refuse if they want to use the dog as a guard or put them on a chain, as well as if they want to take the animal, then hand it in as a gift.

If you decide to take a dog or cat from a shelter, you must have local registration and your own accommodation (some shelters make an exception for people renting an apartment, but ask for the landlord’s contacts). Also, representatives of the shelter will require the consent of everyone who will live with the animal: no one wants the cat to be abandoned due to the allergy of the younger brother, and the cheerful puppy fell into the hands of the givers. If circumstances do not allow you to take the animal home, you can become a volunteer - they are especially needed by state shelters (there are usually more animals in there because they are obliged to take everyone who brings services to catch).

After you have chosen a cat or a dog and met them, and also proved that they will feel good with you, the shelter signs a responsible maintenance contract with you. After that, you need to prepare your house for the new family member.

10 fastest animals in the world

Everyone knows that the cheetah is the fastest animal on earth. But with a small amendment - only on land. If the rating would be about all animals in general, birds of prey would win all places, and the cheetah would not even make it to the top ten. So, we will consider super-fast-moving animals not only in terms of the "kilometers per hour" indicator but also considering their size and habitat.

Pronghorn. This elegant creature is the fastest land animal in North America, developing a speed of 90 km / h. In the short distance, the pronghorn could not outrun the cheetah, but it would easily tear itself away from it on any long road. Endurance allows the pronghorn to migrate hundreds of kilometers each year.

Mexican free-tailed bat. The fastest of bats, accelerating to almost 100 km / h in a dive. Folded folds live in large colonies in caves, under bridges, and in old buildings. In the evenings, they simultaneously fly out to hunt, forming an amazing "cinematic" picture.

Sailfish and swordfish. A curious example of a draw - different sources call either a sailfish or a swordfish the world's fastest fish, developing a speed from 100 to 130 km / h. One of the studies, giving away the victory to a swordfish, found with the help of an MRI scan that there is an amygdala in the upper jaw of the fish that produces oil. Spreading around the fish head, the oil reduces friction against water and improves speed.

Anna's hummingbird. The upper limit of the speed of this bird is 80 km / h, which does not seem to be a very impressive result until you appreciate its size. Biologist Christopher Clark of the University of California at Berkeley decided that at this speed the hummingbird covers 385 sizes of its body per second, experiencing the strongest overload in 10G.

Cheetah. Far from being the fastest animal on Earth, giving way to birds, fish, and even insects, but still the fastest land animal and fastest mammal. It reaches speeds of more than 100 km / h, accelerating from 0 to 100 in three seconds. This animal will forever stay the symbol of greater strength and speed.

Black Marlin. According to the BBC, the maximum speed developed by black marlin is 130 km / h. It was measured according to how quickly the fishing line was wound from the fishing pole while catching fish, which is a somewhat controversial method. Did the boat move at that moment, did the fish swim in a straight line? Anyway, it is not surprising that with such speed black marlin is very popular among fans of sport fishing.

Horsefly. If one of these biting creatures ever chased you, you know how fast they are. Jerry Butler, an entomologist at the University of Florida, states that the adult male horsefly Hybomitra has a speed of over 144 km / h. True, it is difficult to accurately measure the speed of an insect due to its size, nonlinearity of flight, and other factors.

White-throated needletail. This bird has a speed of up to 170 km / h, which makes it the fastest flying animal. It lives in Asia and Australia, occasionally flying into Europe.

Help the Cheetahs!

We recently learned of a wonderful project headed by Marilu O’lyaryz. She is using her talents at film-making to bring attention to the plight of the cheetah.

Predators throughout the world have experienced more than enough prosecution. Projects like these that benefit large predators are so important. Please visit her page and learn more about what she’s doing, and if you can contribute even a single dollar, it will be greatly appreciated! You can also visit her blog to learn more. We’re so inspired when people dedicate their energies to helping nature!

We’ll leave you with a beautiful photo from her website —

These great cats have a powerful ally in Marilu O'lyaryz and her team.

New Visitors in the Woods

We try to get out for a hike with Mirabelle almost every day. Often it’s just a walk down the long drive, but the other day we had a good two-hour adventure through the Hundred-Acre Wood. There were some new tracks in the woods that we hadn’t seen before. The glove in the bottom left is for reference, thought it’s kids-glove size so the tracks, though quite large, aren’t quite as big as you’d think. Does anyone recognize them? More clues can be found below if you’re stumped.

Clues: These were found in a mixed hardwood forest along a rise going up to a ridge, though we saw the tracks throughout the 2-hour hike. The animal(s) were everywhere, often bounding in a pattern that left two parallel holes, a space, and the two more parallel holes (a 2x bounding pattern). The tracks had five toes each, with claws visible. Though the tracks were mostly on the ground, the occasionally disappeared up a tree. Do you know who this is?

You can find the answer in our Adventure Journal, in a post by the same name.

Seeing Nature

The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched. They must be felt within the heart. – Helen Keller

I vividly remember when I learned that my grandfather was becoming blind.  Macular degeneration had destroyed all but his peripheral vision, and in order to see me when we spoke, he looked away from me.  It was an eerie experience for a young boy.  As his vision disappeared, his precious wood-carving tools began to gather dust in the basement, and his well-loved books sat silent on their shelves.

But my grandfather never seemed upset as his vision faded.  I’d sit next to him in the living room, gazing out the huge picture window, and he’d say, “Here come the chickadees.”  The first time he did this I felt a little embarrassed for him, because the feeders were empty except for a pair of cardinals.  But a moment later, as if my grandfather were some mystic seer, his predication came true and the chickadees flickered down out of the sky.

He could predict which birds would come to the feeders with uncanny accuracy.  He wasn’t psychic, of course.  Rather, he was hearing birds perched in trees across the yard as they discussed how they’d approach the feeders.  But the sounds that were so clear to his ears seemed inaudible to me.  The loss of his sight had helped him pay more attention to his other sensory impressions – impressions that I ignored because I relied so heavily on sight.

I had forgotten the lessons of my grandfather’s blindness until my wife and I stepped outside the other day and were confronted with a remarkable cacophony. It was the busy chirping of a horde of goldfinches that had just come to the feeders.

As we stood there enfolded by an almost deafening symphony, I closed my eyes and suddenly remembered my grandfather’s ability to predict the coming of the birds.  It made me wonder how much of the world passes us by, lost because our senses have grown complacent.  As writers, Rebecca and I often spend much of our day in front of a computer, with a bright glare in our eyes and the computer’s hum in our ears.  Often it’s not until we step outside that our senses begin to wake up, and if we sit outside long enough, the world begins to come to life.  Birdsong and wind’s caress, dripping icicles and billowing clouds, a hawk spreading its feathers into the rising air of a thermal.  These are hints of the bounty available to our senses when we take the time to step out into nature.

As Rebecca and I went back inside to sit down to our computers, I silently thanked my grandfather.  He had turned his blindness into a gift, inspiring a young boy to realize that the world is bigger and more mysterious than we usually think.  Nature is uniquely qualified to compliment his teachings- next time I go for a walk, I think I’ll take a bit more time to pay attention to the sounds, smells, visions, and sensations around me.

As Helen Keller suggested, the gifts of our senses can lead us to beautiful discoveries.  For me, the sound of the goldfinches led me back to a memory of my grandfather, and his lessons bring me full circle to nature, where I discover what it really means to see, even when my eyes are closed.

Come Adventure With Us!

Hello Everyone!

Rebecca and I are proud to announce the birth of our first child, Mirabelle Soleil. We’re also announcing the launch of a new blog where you can read about her adventures. We’ll still be posting articles on Wild About Nature, but this new blog will feature  our journey with natural parenting and a whole range of our life adventures — from wilderness survival to bellydance. We’ll be including our weekly Adventure Journal, as well as writing about diaperless parenting, Products Worth Actually Spending Money On, book reviews, natural birthing, world’s best recipes, philosophy and science, and all sorts of other fun things.

Come join us at www.kentonandrebecca.com, and as always, send us your own stories of your adventures as you explore the wonders of life!

Hugs,

Kenton and Rebecca

Brought To You By Nature

The other day I brought a shelf fungus home.  I found it on an old fallen tree that the neighbor was cutting up for firewood.  This particular species, Ganoderma applanatum, or the Artists’s Fungus, is as hard as wood, and gets its name because the white spore surface on the bottom can be used as a canvas by artists.  My thought was that we could affix it to the wall in our living room and use it as its name implied – as a shelf.  Rebecca told me she’d have to think about it for a short while, assuring me I’d have an answer before the next millennium.

The funny thing is that nature is full of these sorts of things – objects that mimic much of our modern technology.  Or perhaps it’s more apt to suggest that our modern technology has taken many of its cues from examples found in nature.

Sometimes these examples are fairly simple.  Last winter, when Rebecca and I were out for a walk and my jacket suffered a zipper malfunction, she walked over to a stalk of burdock, grabbed some burs, and used them to close my jacket against the wind.  It was a Swiss gentleman, George de Mestral, who used the hooked design of the burdock bur to invent Velcro.

When I lead people on wilderness survival classes, they are often surprised to find that many modern conveniences are readily available in the woods.  We sip tea from straws made of reed, sleep on heated floors by burying hot stones in the ground beneath our blankets, and even enjoy fresh running water – straight from a spring.

When bow and turkey hunters venture out into the woods, they’re using tactics our ancestors learned from watching animals – namely the benefits of camouflage, which is the basis behind a leopard’s spots, a rabbit’s soft coloration, and the uncanny mimicry of many insects.  Even highly-advanced technology benefits from observing nature’s ingenuity.  The fluorescent wings of the African Swallowtail butterfly are giving researchers insight into creating more efficient LED lighting, and by studying the super-efficient flight of flies, scientists are creating micro-robotic replicas that could be used for surveillance.  Some futurists even suggest that the human species, with its growing interconnection via modern communication, is evolving into a unified network like a hive of bees.

As for me, I decided the next millennium was quite a way off, so when Rebecca wasn’t looking, I put up the applanatum shelf and set a few knick-knacks on it.  And to my relief, when she saw it, she liked it.

Of Mystery Mushrooms and Rare Plants

On a casual romp through the woods the other day, we came upon a humongous mushroom. A bit more searching and we discovered others of the same species growing nearby (though not of this massive size). Kenton was almost positive that we had found a Boletus edulis — a Porcini — even though we didn’t think they grew in Wisconsin. Some research at home confused the issue — it turns out that genus boletus is being restructured all the time, and that ‘true’ Boletus edulis may not even grow in North America.

Our enthusiasm wasn’t affected, however, so we continued to work on identifying the mushroom. No bruising . . . good. Another point for edulis. Reticulation on the upper stem . . . another edulis trait. Everything looked right. All we had left to do was try a spore print, but Kenton was too eager (bad, bad Kenton!), and decided to try a little nibble.

Now, as anyone who knows anything about mushrooms knows, this is not a good idea. Mushrooms can contain some pretty potent toxins, and since we’d barely rank as amateur mushroomers (our harvest is limited to puffballs, morels, chicken of the woods, and hen of the woods), his action was foolhardy at best. Especially as the mushroom did not have the expected pleasant taste. It wasn’t horrible, but it did have a mild bitter taste.

The next day, when we observed our spore prints, the color was totally wrong (bright rust red, instead of olive-brown). We were stumped on our ID, and Kenton reluctantly returned the mushroom to the woods.

The day gave us another surprise, however, as we discovered an elusive and beautiful plant that was once almost extirpated from the Wisconsin forests due to over-harvesting. Does anyone recognize it?

Cedar Waxwing Feather

We’ve always admired Cedar Waxwings for their airbrushed beauty. Watching them in their congregations, however, we’ve always been curious about the mystery of their name — a name that references the tiny red bits of ‘wax’ that are perched on the tips of some of their flight feathers.

This is a mystery we’ve only been able to wonder about from afar, trying in vain to look through binoculars to see what those red tips really are. Then, the other day, an unbelievable treasure crossed our paths. There before us was a feather — a feather with a red, ‘wax’ tip.

Taking it inside, we examined it excitedly. The ‘wax’ wasn’t waxy at all — instead, it is smooth and shiny, like the feather’s shaft. The back is lighter colored and concave.

Even more perplexed, we searched the internet, only to find that no one really knows why these birds are graced with this special addition to their feathers. It seems to have something to do with age and mating, but it’s curious that the waxwing family alone has developed this trait, while most other birds (at least in our area) accomplish the same thing with bright colors, fabulous dances, and beautiful song.

Another of nature’s fabulous mysteries. Now that we’ve finally gotten close to an actual feather, it’s even more mysterious!

The Usual is so Unusual

One of our favorite things to do is to go outside and take a closer look at some of the normal, everyday things that we often tend to walk right by. Today, a short walk down the road showed us some marvelously ‘usual’ delights.

Our first discovery was this strange, pocked object. Any guesses?

It’s the top of a dandelion, the seeds having drifted off on the wind.

Then we came across this, which reminded us of the skin of an alien.

It’s actually oozing sap from a red pine tree.

Further along our journey we came across this beautifully colored pattern, like an exotic rug.

This is a tent caterpillar. Can you see the spiracles where it breathes?

This one amazed us. It looks very odd, and we had never bothered to look at one up close before.

This is the point where a pine cone breaks free of its branch and falls to the ground.

Finally, we couldn’t help but notice a not so subtle beauty — this lovely beetle who was spreading its wings out. We weren’t sure if it was injured or doing something else, but we couldn’t help but stare.

What a lovely world we all live in!

Wicked Cool Spider

My mother, over to visit for the annual morel hunt, spotted this tiny creature crawling out of a morel and across the table. We had it halfway outside before we decided that we simply had to get the camera. This creature is COOL!

Haven’t been able to ID it. Perhaps it is a ‘dwarf spider’ — Erigoninae.  But it’s difficult to concentrate on a name when something looks this awesome. Can you tell we’re infatuated? Another case of taking a closer look and being amazed at what we see. Dang, this is a cool world we live in!

Madison Meteorite

Have you heard about the recent fireball in southern Wisconsin? We weren’t lucky enough to see it, but in today’s communication-based world, it seems that almost everything is getting caught on video: (please excuse the ads — yuck — but we were unable to find any videos that weren’t on news channels).

One of the most fascinating things about this one were the reports of the sonic boom — a house-shaking boom that some are saying didn’t arrive for 15 minutes after the fireball was visible. Now, by our calculations that’s a bit strange — 15 seconds would be a more likely arrival time, based on the height of our atmosphere and the speed of sound — but even a 15 second delay would be a remarkable experience.

Speaking of meteors and such, the Lyrids are here, and though they’re not the most active of showers, they can sometimes deliver bursts of 100 or more meteors per hour, so it’s worth taking a peek outside if you have clear night skies. Who knows? Maybe you’ll see a whopper like this one we saw last year!

Visit our Adventure Journal at Live the Juicy Life! to learn about this week’s nature adventures!