iiinova — where your digital self keeps evolving

Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 08/10/2026

For #Arachtober, a large wolf spider freshly relocated from our front hall into the garden. The cats may be disappointed but the spider will be much happier outside I think!

A robust dark brown spider with a pale stripe down its back, sitting in a light blue cardboard box.

The same spider, much less visible in its native habitat of leaf litter and woody debris.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Ebony doesn’t partake of sunbeams, but she certainly helps herself to the dog’s bed whenever she feels like it.

A black cat curled comfortably into the middle of a large grey dog bed in front of a bookshelf.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 26/09/2026

Cinder has progressed to her early afternoon sunbeam on what used to be the dog’s bed. He also enjoys a good sunbeam, but is not disputing her possession of this one. #Caturday

A calico and white cat luxuriating in the sunlight bathing the corner of a blue dog bed on a wooden floor. The dog bed is old and its inner white pillow is exposed along the edge, but that doesn’t matter to her.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 06/09/2026

Not too late for a #Caturday post…do we think she’d notice if there was a pea underneath all those layers? Maybe if it rustled…

An orange, black and white calico cat dozing comfortably on top of a pile of blankets and pillows in a pink armchair.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

Did some shopping at the pet shop and the bookstore today, had to laugh at some of the pet merch but was impressed by the hastily assembled collection of books by and about Dolly. Also managed to snag a signed copy of Mercutio by @kateheartfield.com, looking forward to reading it!

A seasonal display of Halloween costumes for bearded dragons, including a cowboy hat with bandana, a set of purple bat wings, a jack o lantern, a scorpion, a rattlesnake and a Highland cow.

A display of Carhartt workwear coats and accessories for dogs.

A display of books by and about Dolly Parton, including several biographies, a couple of cookbooks and a thriller co-written with James Patterson.

Front page of Mercutio, stamped and initialed by the author Kate Heartfield. The purple front cover of another copy is visible behind the open book.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 29/08/2026

I found this little friend in my garden today and wondered if it was sleeping, or had been nabbed by a crab spider or other predator…just sleeping!

A green, black and yellow sweat bee clinging facefirst to a spike of purple flowers.

Dorsal view of the bee, still clinging to the flowers.

The bee, now awake, perched on top of the flower spike in front of my hand.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 22/08/2026

Spent a happy couple of hours at the monthly Friends of Ottawa Public Library used book sale today, for the first time in a long while. Highly recommend, incredible value for money! www.fopla-aabpo.ca/events/categ... #booksky @scalzi.com @crobertcargill.bsky.social #ottcity

Two bags full of books sitting on a wooden bench. The brown paper bag contains 15 mass market paperback books that cost $2 each or $10 for the full bag. The black fabric bag contains hard covers and trade paperbacks.

An array of used books lined up on a blue and grey rug. Vintage titles by Anne McCaffrey and Chelsea Quinn Yarbro were $1 each, the other hard covers were $3 each, including 4 massive omnibus volumes of the Legend of Drizzt by R.A. Salvatore, a pristine hard cover of Lock In by John Scalzi, and Dreams and Shadows by C. Robert Cargill. Total cost was $40 for 29 books.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 18/08/2026

I LOVE it when my preordered books appear magically on my porch…like surprise gifts from past me! Thanks @tkingfisher.com for another delightful adventure in the world of the White Rat!

Front cover of Daggerbound by T. Kingfisher, featuring beautiful artwork of a crossed pair of blue daggers, birds, plants and temples.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Found this tiny cutie on my swamp milkweed today! Meanwhile a female Monarch was laying more eggs on the common milkweed nearby. Haven’t found any on the butterfly milkweed yet… 🌱🐛🦋

A tiny black, yellow and white banded Monarch caterpillar with stubby little black horns crawling across the underside of a leaf. It has eaten a hole out of the leaf already and is moving on to a different picnic spot.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

#OttCity if you’re looking for some furry friends, Corn and Cotton are waiting for you at the Barrhaven PetSmart adoption centre. SO CUTE. Must go together. If we didn’t already have a house full of animals…

Sleepy tuxedo kitten named Corn just waking up from his nap, opening his yellow eyes. He is curled up in a grey cat bed inside a kennel with his calico sister, Cotton.

Tuxedo kitten stretching and showing off his adorable black toe beans, which contrast beautifully with his white socks.

Calico kitten attempting to solicit scritches by rubbing against the bars of the kennel. Sadly for both of us the plexiglass barrier prevents contact. Her tuxedo brother wants to know if we are here to let them out to play.

Tuxedo kitten leaning in for his close up, while his sister settles back down into the cat bed behind him.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 24/07/2026

Look what arrived in the mail today! Husband is very pleased with his birthday present, especially the Get a Warrant one, which he thinks might make a good passport holder. Thanks @neolithicsheep.bsky.social! Happy to have been the first Canadians to buy from suncircleranch.com

Two hand stitched leather document holders on a wooden table. One is a very pale blue with dark stitching. The other is tan with an elegant pattern burned into it, framing the message “Get a Warrant”.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 22/07/2026

Getting there! These ones were big enough to easily grab without squishing, at least!

A large mosquito called a gallinipper being gently pinched in someone’s fingers. It is not smiling for the camera, it’s too busy trying to escape.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Saw this post shortly after unboxing my copy of your book, which just arrived this morning!

Front cover of John Wiswell’s new book, The Dragon has some Complaints.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 18/07/2026

Spent some time in my garden today and was gratified to see my milkweed patches being used for their intended purpose!

An orange and black Monarch butterfly laying her eggs on a slender green swamp milkweed plant growing beside the wall of a house.

A freshly laid Monarch butterfly egg on the underside of a swamp milkweed leaf.

A tiny yellow and black banded Monarch caterpillar, found shortly after hatching on the underside of a common milkweed leaf.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 01/07/2026

Ebony wants to know who’s making all the racket outside on this stormy Canada Day…and why does it feel like #Caturday again already? And most importantly, isn’t it dinnertime yet?

A black cat stares moodily out a rain-drenched window. She appears displeased with the view.

A black cat with yellow eyes sits on a windowsill with her tail hanging down. She would like to speak to the manager about several issues, including the noisy storm outside and the disturbing lack of dinner.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 27/06/2026

I always enjoy seeing your daily bullfrogs, thanks so much! I don’t get to see frogs daily in real life, but here is a magnificent one we found during fieldwork yesterday. He was massive!

A burly golden-green bullfrog sitting in a sun-dappled hollow surrounded by dense vegetation. His prominent eardrums are twice the diameter of his eyes.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 21/06/2026

Some friends joined in the celebrations at Pollinator Appreciation Day today!

A black and yellow hornet sits on a green cloth. It is an aerial yellowjacket, which may not do as much pollinating as some other bees and wasps, but still provides valuable ecological services in the garden.

A large black bee with a fuzzy yellow midsection crawling over an orange pencil while exploring a colourful pile of pompoms. According to iNaturalist, it is an eastern carpenter bee. Not sure if it was looking for a cozy nest location or a snack, but it eventually left the craft table.

A tiny brown and yellow calligrapher fly with a striped abdomen perching on the edge of a white display board against a green background.

A pair of large brown dogs with black ears and faces standing on either side of a man wearing black pants in a gravel parking area. While not pollinators, these Belgian Malinois were lovely, well behaved ladies and I appreciated the chance to meet them.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 10/06/2026

My merch arrived! With some delightful bonus freebies! Thanks merchfairy.kitrocha.com (@mostlybree.kitrocha.com) for the quick international service! Most of these are gifts for family members, but I love the tiny bonus frog so much that I’m keeping it for myself. ❤️🌈🐸

An open box with a variety of colourful fidget toys peeking out, along with a sticker and a card that reads “Need cute stuff in bulk? Want custom swag? We’ll work with you to make all your merch dreams come true. merchfairy.kitrocha.com”

Tiny multi-coloured and slightly sparkly frog toy perched on my fingers.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 09/06/2026

@tkingfisher.com my husband texted from the bookstore, asking for input on which of your books we already had in hard copy…I think we’re going to need a bigger bookcase!

A stack of books by T. Kingfisher sitting on a beige ottoman along with some red and blue fuzzy blankets.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 06/06/2026

Recently checked on the bee hotel at work and discovered a new self-appointed concierge, eager to greet all guests with a welcoming embrace!

A large, fluffy jumping spider lurks in the space between a wooden bee nesting block and the surrounding blue framework of a bee hotel. The spider is mostly grey with banded legs and has big bright eyes. It is a bold jumping spider, Phidippus audax.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Of course I also enjoyed seeing how my already-established plants were doing!

Blue-eyed grass flower with six pale blue petals around a bright yellow centre. It’s actually a type of lily, but it looks like a clump of grass at first glance.

Flat-topped aster, two species of ferns, and some young spotted jewelweed in a fenced corner of the yard by the rain barrel.

Bright orange and dark purple petals of Sorbet variety mini pansies. Not native, but I love them!

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

Today was the last day of the native plant spring retail sale at the Ferguson Tree Nursery in Kemptville, so naturally I had to pick up some new garden friends! 🌱🌼 🌱

Newly planted anise hyssop (with nursery info tag) in naturalistic garden bed with leaf litter.

Photo of a garden with common milkweed, New England aster, woodland sunflower, Canada goldenrod and wild blue indigo surrounding a newly planted grey-headed coneflower and a blue watering can.

Newly planted butterfly milkweed in front of a prairie smoke covered in pink flowers.

Two small cardinal flower plants with a slightly larger great blue lobelia, planted in a small clearing amid grasses and sedges.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 30/05/2026

SUCH a great movie, just a beautiful job by everyone involved. We bought it immediately to watch as often as we wanted. Love it!

Screenshot from the movie Dungeons and Dragons: Honour among Thieves showing the magnificently rotund red dragon Themberchaud emerging from his lair and roaring as he prepares to feast on the party and their foes.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 29/05/2026

LOL, very true! Congratulations on getting yours done early.

Screenshot from Pokemon Go showing progress towards the weekly group challenge goal to spin 150 pokestops or gyms. The person posting has contributed 45 spins, “Jason’s alt” has 23 and Jason has 2. They still need 80 spins over the next 3 days and 4 hours.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 18/03/2026

Looking forward to reading this newly-arrived book, once it’s cleared inspection! Guess I should also finish work for the day too… @kbspangler.com @alepresser.com @neolithicsheep.bsky.social

Copy of a book entitled SideQuested Vol.1 by Ale Presser and K.B. Spangler, featuring a cover drawing of a young woman paging through a large book. She looks like she’s about to set off on an adventure. The book is lying on a large blue cushion and is being sniffed by a white and calico cat who has just walked into the top of the photo.

View of a calico and white cat’s head as she continues to sniff and inspect the new SideQuested book that has just been delivered.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 16/03/2026

Went snowshoeing in the winter woods today and it’s really hard to believe that tomorrow will be 14C and thunderstorms…

A group of leafless deciduous trees in front of a dense stand of evergreens in winter.

Snowshoe hare tracks in the snow, with my snowshoed foot beside them for scale.

Tiny rodent tracks in the snow, beside my showshoed foot.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 18/01/2026

We had a surprise visitor in our backyard today; while I knew they were present in the neighbourhood I didn’t expect to see one sauntering around in broad daylight! My daughter took this shot while I was out shopping, but I was lucky enough to see it myself later as it continued its explorations. 🦊🌱

A handsome red fox loping along the top of a snowy wooden fence in between suburban backyards. We later saw him lifting a leg on a neighbour’s shrub, which I’m sure their dog will find interesting.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 17/01/2026

Took a while to track down a photo of the good boy who came with the house! As you can see, he didn’t seem to mind the change in ownership (or furniture).

A large German shepherd snoozing peacefully on a blue and pink floral patterned sofa.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 29/12/2025

Spent the day at the Royal Ontario Museum, enjoying the collections and special exhibits including wildlife photography, Crawford Lake and sharks! A bit disappointed that they didn’t have @whysharksmatter.bsky.social’s book, but at least they included this species in the display. #SharksNearMe

A diorama display of several shark species, with blue lighting to make it look like you’re underwater. One of the sharks is a sand tiger shark.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

Mind you, both the text and artwork are a bit dated now. It’s a great example of how much knowledge we’ve gained over the years!

Pages of information on dinosaurs, with illustrations showing several commonly known species such as Tyrannosaurus, Allosaurus and the duck-billed Trachodon in awkwardly upright poses. Brontosaurus is also shown in an awkward pose and is described as spending almost all its time in ponds and swamps where the water could help support its body.

A beautiful but outdated illustration of a Tree of Life accompanying the chapter on the Plant Kingdom. The lowest branch on the left is labeled “Fungi,” which are not plants, and that branch includes “Bacteria,” which are neither plants nor fungi, although they are often found living together.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 27/12/2025

I don’t know how much my Dad appreciated this Christmas gift in 1956, but it became a treasured part of my childhood in the 70s. I spent hours studying its beautiful artwork and fascinating text, in between field trips outdoors to look for living examples.

Front cover of an old hardcover book titled The Golden Treasury of Natural History by Bertha Morris Parker. The words are framed by gold and black drawings of various plants and animals from prehistoric times onwards, including an old-fashioned upright rendition of a carnivorous dinosaur.

Title page of the book with a beautiful colour illustration of a green leopard frog sitting among grasses, toadstools and red clover. There is a bumblebee on the clover and a small yellow and black beetle on the smaller toadstool. The text reads “THE GOLDEN TREASURY OF NATURAL HISTORY” by BERTHA MORRIS PARKER, LABORATORY SCHOOL, UNIVERSITY OF CHICAGO RESEARCH ASSOCIATE, CHICAGO NATURAL HISTORY MUSEUM.
SIMON AND SCHUSTER • NEW YORK

Page about prehistoric mammals from the Ice Age, showing a mammoth, a cave bear and a pair of sabre-toothed tigers.

Page describing the metamorphosis of frogs, with accompanying illustrations showing their progression from eggs to tadpoles to juvenile frogs.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

…the void will stare back at you. Condescendingly.

A brightly lit Christmas tree with a calico and white cat underneath it. A black cat is now visible sitting on a chair to the left. She is staring towards the viewer. Bonus points if you also noticed the festively adorned skull of a deer on top of the wall unit beside the tree. It has bows on its large antlers and a bright red ball in place of its nose.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 24/12/2025

‘‘Twas the night before the night before Christmas, and all through the house, not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse…although the two cats in this photo would have welcomed an early gift like that. Yes, 2 cats. Have fun finding the 2nd one, but remember, if you stare at the void too long…

A brightly lit Christmas tree in a shadowy room. A white and calico cat is curled up on the mat beneath the tree. There is a picture of a tiger on the wall behind the tree, which does not count as the second cat.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

Reinforcements were called in as one of the techs was bitten early on. The war cries continued, despite much cajoling with treats. Eventually they decided to call it a draw and returned her to us with most of the samples taken and the shots given.

Brown treat tube lying on a white counter top. It is almost empty, having been generously dispensed in an attempt to bribe or distract Ebony from further mayhem.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 20/12/2025

Derailed both cats’ morning routine today by stuffing them into their carriers and taking them to the vet’s office for their annual checkup and vaccinations. They felt BETRAYED. Cinder protested loudly, all the way there. Ebony quietly plotted vengeance.

A black cat with greenish yellow eyes crouched beside a white weighing scale on a steel table. She is calmly contemplating violence.

A calico and white cat resting in a padded carrier cage. She is not currently complaining, because she has already been weighed and given a quick checkup and nail trimming and she thinks she’s safely done for the day. Alas.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 11/12/2025

That’s how I acquired my full-mount juvenile red-tailed hawk. It missed its target at the neighbour’s bird feeder and crashed headfirst into their glass door, breaking its neck. A dramatic example of the risks birds face in our built environment!

A taxidermied brown and white hawk, with yellow feet, posed on a segment of tree branch in front of a beige wall.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 22/11/2025

Copycat! She often does this, it’s adorable but still makes him nervous.

A calico and white cat and a similarly coloured dog reclining next to each other on a white comforter in a dimly lit bedroom. They are in almost exactly the same pose with their left front paws extended and the other limbs folded underneath, tails curled around the right flank, heads turned to look up at the camera.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 29/09/2025

Found these ones quickly enough, I remember having more so they’re probably in a different storage container…

An assortment of small plastic figurines of African animals.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Then found another predator-prey pair a bit later, a twofer of twofers! This time it was an aphideater living up to its name with an (ex)oleander aphid. #invertebrates

A black and white caterpillar-like fly larva sitting along the midrib of a green leaf, with a tiny bright yellow aphid in its mouth.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Had a surprise #TwoferTuesday observation for @inaturalist.bsky.social today: this bumblebee was staying unusually still I thought, then I noticed the ambush bug clinging to it!

A bumblebee apparently perched on a spike of small pale flowers, but which is actually being fed upon by an ambush bug hidden among the blossoms.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 20/08/2025

Preorders are love for authors, but they can also be a delightful surprise for readers who forget which books they purchased months ago, and suddenly received in the mail!

Front cover of Hemlock and Silver by T. Kingfisher. It’s a handsome hardcover book with a bright red apple apparently wreathed in flowers and leaves…but on closer inspection you notice the plant materials are in the shape of a snake! Very cool art by Christina Mrozik.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 17/08/2025

Our late summer asters and goldenrods are just getting started, but we’ve been getting heat waves and almost no rain for weeks so even well-established plants are struggling this year! I’ve been having to water my garden way more than usual.

Vibrant purple New England aster flowers with yellow centres, standing out against the green leaves.

A spray of white and yellow flowers against a backdrop of dry grasses, leaf litter and the characteristic large green heart-shaped leaves of the large-leaved aster.

A spike of tiny yellow zigzag goldenrod flowers with green leaves, seen against the grey bark of a tree.

Very pale purple flowers of wood aster (also called heart-leaved aster) against a backdrop of green leaves and a grey tree trunk.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 30/07/2025

The face of a dog who doesn’t understand why he deserves this kind of treatment…all he did was try to chase a black and white striped kitty out of the yard? Is it really his fault if the kitty made a big stink about that?

A wet brown and white dog stares mournfully at the camera. He is standing in a white bathtub on a green mat.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 10/07/2025

I have been delighted to have the opportunity to watch a family of merlins growing up near my house this year. Here are two of the (I think) four fledglings mugging for the camera while waiting for Mom to deliver snacks. Look at these adorable little muppets! 🪶

Two young falcons in a spruce tree. One is vigorously practicing its wing flapping while the other screams for food.

Two young falcons sitting in a spruce tree. One is looking fierce while the other is staring at it with its head twisted completely upside down, looking ridiculous.

One young falcon is again vigorously flapping and trying not to lose its balance on the spruce branch while its sibling screams at it.

Two young falcons perched close together on a spruce branch, posing majestically for a brief moment.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 09/07/2025

Just finished reading this in one sitting, because I couldn’t put it down…dang it, @tkingfisher.com, I have to work in the morning!

Cover of the book “Bryony and Roses” by T. Kingfisher, featuring a drawing of a clockwork bee.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 06/07/2025

Some fireflies found resting in our milkweed plants this summer. Three different species in our yard! #WorldFireflyDay

An elegant black beetle with a pair of red marks on its pronotum, near the edge of a green leaf.

A stunning gold and brown striped beetle perched on a green leaf. The beetle appears to be shimmering in the sunshine, with a yellow, orange and black pronotum.

A small black beetle with yellow edges on its wings and a red, yellow and black pronotum, perched on the tip of a green leaf.

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 25/06/2025

Nature’s delight? Oh no, who’s going to tell them…this could have been so nice if they had used a native bee instead, and skipped the hexagon shape!

Advertisement from the Royal Canadian Mint promoting their new commemorative coin, entitled “Nature’s Delight: Honey Bee.”

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Amy MacPherson @amymacpherson.bsky.social · 23/06/2025

We delayed our evening walk until dusk to avoid the worst of the heat wave, and were rewarded with some summer magic: dozens of fireflies twinkling around us, throughout the neighbourhood. Including some in our own yard! I found this one resting on our milkweed yesterday.

A handsome firefly beetle on a green leaf. The beetle has dark brown and gold stripes down its back and two red spots near its head. It shimmers in the sunlight as though sprinkled with gold dust.

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