Bob Tarte - Octodon @BobTarte@octodon.social

Please don't celebrate July 4 with fireworks. They scare pets and wild critters. They disturb children, people with PTSD, elderly people, and more. Celebrate, if you like, but do it without the bang and the boom.

My sister Joan died one year ago this month. We share an identical love for animals. Here's an amazing drawing she made in first grade of our parakeet, Kee-kee.

Finally feeling better this afternoon after waking up this morning with terrible anxiety, a migraine, and continuing grief over a special lost pet. Thanks to everyone on the Fediverse who showed me kindness today rather than adding to my pain.

Mother Tree Swallow peeps out of nestbox at Nayanquing Point Wildlife Area, Michigan USA

Stunning newly emerged Blue Corporal Dragonfly, West Michigan, USA

Two-Striped Grasshopper (Melanoplus bivittatus). I had trouble finding the name of this one, because it's a youngster and the coloration is different than the adult.

@julianaito Thanks so much!

Close-up of Blue Corporal Dragonfly, West Michigan, USA

Close-up of Twelve-Spotted Skimmer Dragonfly, West Michigan, USA

American Rubyspot Damselfly - female

Tiny grain-of-rice-size Long-legged Fly on a nettle leaf.

This beautiful Eastern Meadowhawk dragonfly showed up in our yard in West Michigan over the weekend.