Curses! Foiled again.
As we were drifting off to sleep last night, one of our smoke detectors went off. But it was just a quick beep-beep. Don got up and disconnected the one he thought was making the sound. (We’ve had trouble before with moths and bugs flying in the detector and setting it off.)
We went back to bed, now wide awake. About ten minutes later, another beep-beep, beep-beep. So Don got up, as did I, and we took the cover off the detector that is right outside our bedroom door. We couldn’t smell any smoke. None of the detectors downstairs were going off.
Back to bed. Ten minutes later…you guessed it. So we got up and went to the detector that is over the stairs. It had to be this one. (There are three detectors rather close together. One is wired into our security system, the other two aren’t.) This one was wired into the system. Cover off. This time we went downstairs and checked everything out. Nothing. We got back into bed. Neither of us could sleep. I got up and checked out the office, just to make sure. Nothing. No more beeps. But sleep was a long time coming.
You understand why I say I really don’t feel like driving 2½ hours to the Miniature Show. In stormy weather, no less.
Someday, I guess. Someday I’ll get to one.
Late yesterday afternoon, I saw something on the kitchen screen.
I grabbed my camera, intercepted Don as he arrived home, and went to investigate.
Oh my heavens! We gasped when we saw this moth. The wings look like leaves. It has a swallowtail. The top edge of the wings looks like a twig. And the antennae look like feathers.
There’s a ruffled edge on the wings as well as ‘eyes.’ I ran inside to look it up and discovered it is a Luna Moth. I’ve heard of them, but sightings are rare, as they only fly at night. They live for one week, in which they mate, lay their eggs on the underside of a Black Walnut leaf, and die. We have several Black Walnut trees on the property.
We were entranced by this beautiful being. I’ve never seen one in person, only in photos.
It’s one of the largest moths in North America.
Seeing it there felt like a blessing, an amazing sight that was witnessed by only Don and me. Sure enough, as soon as it was dark, it was gone.
Aren’t we lucky?
My Julia Child roses are blooming. I originally chose the bush because the flowers were yellow. Over the course of the years, they’ve turned dark red. That happens sometimes with roses that are grafted onto another bush. I miss the yellow, but I’ll take the red, especially since it didn’t bloom last summer after the harsh winter we had. I thought it was gone, remember? I was even considering digging it out and removing it. But it surprised me this year.
Some of the leaves have been chomped on by some creature or other. But I won’t use pesticides, so that’s the way it’s going to be.
Pretty!
So we’ll try to figure out the mystery of the smoke detector today. Perhaps the battery needs replacing.
I have a book review scheduled for tomorrow. It’s for Keep You Close, an incredibly well-written mystery with a twist in the plot that will shock you. I’ll be giving away a copy, so be sure to stop by.
Happy Sunday.
Oh nights like that make the next day a long one. I wouldn’t be traveling today either. The moth is a stunner. Nature has made some incredible creatures and seeing them up close in person is such a gift. I hope you have a quiet day and get some rest tonight!!
hugs,
Linda
Me too! We just have to figure out the smoke detector thing, Linda.
It sure is a beautiful moth. A great close up picture too. Enjoy the lazy rainy day together.
Thanks, Doris. That moth was simply spectacular!
The moth looks like a ballerina on her toes, dancing the part of an angel with her wings spread wide! Stunning!!
Probably a wise decision not to travel. In rain, the traffic can be ridiculous. There will be another for sure!!
Have a good day….. take a nap!!
I know! Isn’t that moth incredible? Rain, storms, not enough sleep – not a good day to drive any distance. Hey, I’m saving money!
What gift for you and Don to see that wonderful moth up close. And for your
rose to return full of beautiful blooms.
As for the alarms, one of mine went off screaming like crazy for no reason and scared the beejeebers out of me and other times they beeped and beeped until I finally changed their batteries. A fireman told me to change them every 6 months and suggested using Christmas and the 4th of July as reminders.
I am reminded, but don’t always do it and then they beep again. O, well.
Hope you have a beautiful day.
I think it might be the battery, which is a lithium battery. We’ll get a new one today, Joan.
That Luna Moth is gorgeous!! I bet it is your batteries. That’s what happens when mine do that. Scares you to death and makes it impossible to go back to sleep.
Your roses are beautiful. Sorry you missed the miniature show but I don’t blame you for not heading out after the night.
Judy
I think it’s better if I stay home, Judy.
Those gosh-darned alarms! I couldn’t get back to sleep for a while, asking myself if I smelled smoke, etc. Why can’t the batteries go bad during the day?
Beautiful moth, you will be talking about for ages, with the photos to prove the story. We change our batteries January 1, new year new batteries. Quick story a few years ago I had flu, fever and all. I was sleeping in guest room to not disturb husband. One night I was awaken by , I swear , a voice saying ” low battery”. I thought I was hallucination, my husband said nothing here says low battery. I know he thought I was crazy! A few nights later back in my own bed we both heard ” low battery”, got up to find the smoke detecter in hall speaks to us…freaky. The machines ARE taking over!
Yikes! It actually said “Low Battery?” Wow.
That moth is incredible. The wings really do look like leaves. Thanks for sharing!
You’re welcome. I was so thrilled by it that I had to share!
Our smoke alarm do that to us too. Why is it always at night and not during the day? That moth is gorgeous. I have never seen one like it before either. Everything about it is stunning. Glad your staying in today and not traveling. I’ve found bad weather seems to bring out the worst in drivers.
Blessings,
Betsy
It is ALWAYS in the night. Don’t know why? Some cruel sense of humor?
Yes, you’re right about the drivers!
Such a pretty moth; the color is beautiful! Regarding your smoke detector, I’m betting on a low battery. Why is it smoke detectors must chirp or beep (or now even “voice”) their low battery warnings in the middle of the night? Seems to be some undisclosed rule. : )
I’m thinking that it’s a low battery, too. Don is going to get a new one today. As far as the middle of the night, that seems to be the case here as well. Always when we’re just drifting off to sleep.
When I saw the moth through your screen I thought I was looking a a bird! It is a beauty, and how fortunate you were to be looking out the window at just that moment. If they only fly at night I wondered what confused it?
It may have just matured. They usually hang out on a tree until their wings harden.
That’s a spectacular moth! What a wonderful surprise! I don’t blame you for not wanting to travel in bad weather…there will be another opportunity before too long I’m sure. Besides…maybe a porch nap would be in order, after your smoke detector annoyance of last night! ;)
No porch nap! It’s pouring rain outside and everything is wet!
Oh…silly me! Didn’t realize it was raining in your neck of the woods too! ;)
It is. It’s been raining all day long!
Claudia, I loved seeing the moth. I have only seen luna moths twice. I love how pretty it is. Your flowers are looking wonderful. I thought of you yesterday as some blossoms were falling off our catalpa tree. Blessings, xoxo, Susie
Our catalpa hasn’t started to bloom yet, Susie. We must be a week or so behind you!
You’ve had a couple of rough nights. It’s unnerving when smoke detectors go off. It would be hard to go back to bed, with the worry of it. You wake up out of grogginess, to such uneasiness. We had this happen in the middle of the night in winter, when the furnace had come on. I think I remember it was a problem in one of the ducts and we definitely smelled smoke (darned old rental house with a slumlord instead of a landlord…they were our own smoke alarms, as she’d installed NONE). But my total experience is that it’s generally the battery. Still, a lot of weirdness…that, and the monster moth! Awesome photos, Claudia!
Yes, when you’re fatigued and you have a stormy, tense drive ahead of you; best to tuck in and stay cozy at home, although I know you would have liked to see the miniatures. Back in the day, like age 20-something, I never let a thing like traffic or weather deter anything I wanted to do…but with age comes wisdom. And, at this stage of life, we’re also not bullet-proof; we need sleep. Can’t run on empty.
Completely off topic, but have we talked in the past about old houses and a lack of closets? I’d heard that it was because people of the past just didn’t have the amount of stuff and clothes we have today. Then I came across this; new info for me (thought it might be of interest to you, if a lack of closet space gets to you, like it did to me when I had a early-20th century bungalow)…it’s from the home improvement guy on TV, Bob Vila: “Many older homes didn’t have closets because tax rates were based on the number of doors you had. Storage for clothes and linens was outsourced to wardrobes, trunks, and chests.” I can’t help but think, ‘well, why not put in a closet but just draw a curtain across its entrance instead of doing without closets in general?’
We just replaced the battery, so hopefully, all is okay.
I would have gone no matter what when I was young, but I know my limits and I’m just too tired to handle a total of 5 hours driving time – in the rain, with thunderstorms along the way!
Good question! Why didn’t they build the closet and not use a door???
Same thing happened to me. Only it wasn’t the batteries since where I live, the detectors are the type that are hard-wired into the electrical system. My nephew, who works Summers as an electrician’s assistant and knows how to do a lot of basic household wiring, told me the device itself was probably in need of replacement. And that turned out to be true, according to the maintenance crew at my complex. In your case, it probably IS the battery situation though. Do the simplest thing first. Try putting in fresh ones today and if you STILL get “chirped” at during the wee hours, you’ll know you have a bigger issue. PS – tis weird that these things ALWAYS happen at 3 am, isn’t it? PS – it just got so dark here I’ve had to put on a lamp! Big old black cloud thunderstorm approaching…?
It is definitely hardwired into our system, but it has a battery as well, so we’ve replaced the battery. If it happens again, we’ll call our security company – they installed the system.
We’ve had lamps on all day long!
The Luna Moth was a lucky chance sighting. I personally don’t like insects, but the moth is a pretty color. I think all of us have had mystery detector beeps at least a few times in our lives. When my CO2 detector went off a few months ago, it was an entirely new sound, which confused me. Turned out it was telling me to change the battery,
Those sounds can be unnerving, Wendy!
I’m rather squeamish about bugs and insects, but that moth is beautiful. What a work of art!
It was gorgeous! We couldn’t stop oohing and aahing!
I know it is scary when those alarms go off…I kind of like the idea of having an alarm that talks and says “low battery”…that way you don’t have to worry and you know right away what is wrong…I think I will look into buying that type…Yes..I knew it was a Luna Moth as I was lucky enough to see one once in my life..it’s something you likely won’t forget…While we are discussing bugs…I will tell you about “The Great Insect Fair” held once a year and hosted by Penn State University’s Department of Entomology just over the mountain from us..it is a very popular fair held on the grounds of PSU…People from all around and from PSU display their collections from around the world…if you think the Luna is big you should see some of the bugs from other countries…Unbelievable…if I saw one of them coming at me I would be hiding under my bed..lol..Plus they have many activities, games, crafts and the best part..other than the insects themselves is The “Insect Bistro” where you can sample such delicacies as chocolate chirp cookies,” white chocolate-covered mealworms, dry-roasted crickets, chocolate-covered crickets, mealworm sushi and Moth larvae hummus..the last time my son and I were there I had a sample of the mealworm pizza…Yummy…Anyhow..I just wanted to share this as it is so much fun and it is all FREE..but it is nice to leave a donation for all the work they put in to this…I had no idea that roses could change color..how interesting but I guess it wouldn’t be good if you didn’t want them to…You are more important to us than seeing pictures from the mini show..I’m sure you will go to one when circumstances are better..It’s a wet day here too..
Our alarms are wired into a Security system – at least, this one was, so we don’t have the option of selecting an alarm. We have to go with what is installed.
The insect fair sounds interesting, but I couldn’t eat a bug! I guess for the same reason I don’t eat meat!
I love Luna moths! My first Gene Stratton-Porter book I ever got is The Harvester and in that book the hero carves a pair of candlesticks for his lady love with Luna moths on them. I saw them occasionally when I lived near Houston. Out here I get to see the big hummingbird moths, not as beautiful but definitely different.
Love love Gene Stratton Porter! We have hummingbird moths as well. I just saw one the other day.
I also love Gene Stratton Porter, and immediately recognized the Luna from Girl of the Limberlost…one of the elusive moths Elnora was seeking to complete her moth collection!
I once found a lovely wooden pin in the shape of a Luna, with the beautiful green color and distinctive markings. I wear it proudly and always think of my Indiana roots when I do so.
I love your beautiful moth, I have never seen anything quite like him or her!
An amazing being.
Luna moths are gorgeous! And your flower pictures from the previous post are lovely Claudia. Hope you figured out the smoke detector mystery and I hope the little foxes are ok. I’ve been reading posts, but have been so busy I haven’t been able to comment! Vacation in a week – cannot wait:)
I think we’ve figured it out, although yesterday after changing the battery it acted up again and we were on the phone with the security company. It seems to have settled down now. Fingers crossed!