The Daily Bucket is a regular feature of the Backyard Science group. It is a place to note any observations you have made of the world around you. Rain, sun, wind...insects, birds, flowers...meteorites, rocks...seasonal changes...all are worthy additions to the bucket. Please let us know what is going on around you in a comment. Include, as close as is comfortable for you, where you are located. Each note is a record that we can refer to in the future as we try to understand the patterns that are quietly unwinding around us.
Looks like we're Bucketless today, so here's a quickie.
I hadn't really noticed until I saw the numbers, but this fall has been unprecedented in the Pacific Northwest. We are deep into a record-breaking Minimum Temperature Heatwave. Our local weather blogger Cliff Mass explains it in more detail, but the bottom line is that it isn't getting cold here at all this fall. Barely even a night dropping into the 40s!
One effect of that is we have insects flying around that are usually long gone by now. I saw two Ladybeetles yesterday out on my deck. The one on the Cosmos flower looks damaged but it was flying ok. Another effect of this warmth is plants are still flowering. Not growing - daylight hours are limiting - but surviving. I've even pulled a few more late florets off the broccoli. Food out there for late insects too.
All right, now it's time for your Sunday afternoon observations. I am in and out. It's a sunny day in the islands, PNW, but very windy. Currently 33 knots and climbing, gusts higher. Was going to go out on the water but...not in this blow. Walkies instead. How about you?
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"Spotlight on Green News & Views" is posted every Saturday at 1:00 pm Pacific Time and Wednesday at 3:30 on the Daily Kos front page. It's a great way to catch up on diaries you might have missed. Be sure to recommend and comment in the diary.