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Thursday, July 16, 2009

Gopher Tortoise in Georgia

I was taking a photo of the Climbing Blackeyed Susan plant one day last year, when I saw this little guy rapidly making his way towards me.


Since I'd never heard of an Attack Turtle before, I waited to see just how close it would come to me.


As you can see, it got pretty close, but still no attack~ So I waited.

And Waited . . .
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And Waited . . .
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And Waited . . .
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. . . And the little guy totally ignored me, did not speed up as he passed me or while I followed to see where he was going. He then turned right to go behind the lawn supply shed and over to our daughter's storage shed, to dissapear down the new burrow he'd dug.


He, or his friends, have due tunnels in the south field far from our "yard" and right beside our yard, under the first fig tree we planted (which is now dying), under our daughter's storage shed, under my storage shet, in the east field, and under the trees out near the road. At least those are the only ones we've found . . .

They are a protected species here, but even if they were not we would not harm them. We don't kill any wildlife that comes in our yard. But we do kill most of the mice that come into our house. I don't think that's against state law~ ~ ~


Gopher Tortoise in Georgia

The gopher tortoise, also called a gopher or gopher turtle, is Georgia's state reptile and one of the high-priority animals listed in Georgia's State Wildlife Action Plan (SWAP). Georgia's only tortoise grows to nearly 15 inches in carapace length (the length of the upper shell) and is found from southeastern Louisiana to southwestern South Carolina and from Georgia's fall line to southern Florida. The majority of tortoises are found in South Georgia and north-central Florida.
The gopher tortoise favors sandy soils south of the fall line. Prescribed fire is necessary to preserve its habitat since fire spurs groundcover growth and keeps dry upland habitats such as longleaf pine and scrub oak forests open.

With wide, hard-scaled front feet with large nails, the gopher tortoise is skilled at digging burrows, which provide critical refuge from temperature extremes and fires. Their tunnels average six feet deep and 15 feet long, though some run more than 40 feet. Tortoises often frequent more than one burrow in a year. Other species such as eastern indigo snakes and gopher frogs also depend on the burrows.

The gopher tortoise mainly grasses and low-growing plants, such as legumes, and also will dine on less desirable foods like prickly pear cactus and stinging nettle.

Breeding season lasts from April to July, when the female tortoises lay clutches of five to seven eggs in the sandy mound outside the burrow. Hatchlings emerge August to October, and male gopher tortoises take up to 18 years to reach sexual maturity, and females take up to 21 years.
Adult males will fight over females and burrows, ramming each other with their gular projections, elongated scutes or plates under their neck. Females and males also defend burrows by turning sideways in the tunnels, blocking access.

Conservation Efforts The gopher tortoise is a protected species and is state-listed as threatened in Georgia and federally listed as threatened in Louisiana, Mississippi and western Alabama. Since the species is protected, it cannot be handled without a permit, including for study and relocation.

Gopher tortoise populations suffer mainly from habitat loss and fragmentation due to forestry practices; development; fire suppression; disease; invasive species, such as fire ants that destroy eggs and hatchlings; decreased presence of juvenile tortoises from predators; and gassing burrows, an illegal practice used to locate rattlesnakes.

Tuesday, July 7, 2009

Superhero Dream Catcher Afghan, especially for Spiderman Fans




DSuperhero Dreamcatcher Afghan - Especially for Spiderman fans
Copyright 2006 - Gail E and Wendy G


Also, please check You Tube for videos on making the Afghan. That might solve your problems before they become discourging. The pattern has been tested and the testers had no trouble as long as they followed the directions. Wishing you the best!

Please Note: if you have difficulties with the pattern, check the NOTES at the bottom, they may have your answer already.
Thank you! And Happy Hooking!

Each of these afghans have had different numbers of rounds in red and blue. I do not follow a strict rule of how many rounds of each color, nor how many bands of red or blue to make.
They are approximately 53 inches across.

The base pattern for this afghan is found at http://www.angelcrafts.net/ Please take a look at Lyn's original Round Ripple Baby Afghan, it's lovely and is a lovely gift for a baby.

To make a plain Round Ripple, without the web, simply follow Lyn’s pattern or mine, just drop the sc rounds and use whatever colors & band widths suit you and your needs.

Both afghans are under copyright. The patterns are intended for personal and charitable purposes only. The patterns are not to be sold, redistributed or placed into any collection or compilation at all. Publishing the patterns on other websites, mailing lists, in any print media, electronic media (CDs) OR the selling of these patterns, IS ILLEGAL! Sharing the link to our patterns on the web is not only allowable, but encouraged.

However, you may make & sell as many of the afghans as you can get buyers for. If we can make money from our art, I am all for it. Just don't sell your work for too little. Treat it like the work of art it is, whether it's an afghan or a potholder, your expertise and time are worthwhile.

Always remember, crocheting has three functions -
1. Enjoyment as you create a work of art,
2. Gives pleasure to us as we work & to receipents when we give them a crocheted item,
and
3. Keeps us from eating all the time~:o)

Superhero Dreamcatcher Afghan Materials:
14 oz Bright clear Red
14 oz Bright true Blue
1 skein Black
Size H hook
I always buy more yarn than needed, just in case~:o)

Large shell: (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) worked in space indicated
Small shell: (1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) worked in space indicated

Rnd 1: With RED: ch 4. Join with sl st to form ring. Ch 3 (ch 3 counts as 1 dc her and through out). Work 11 dc in ring. Join with sl st to top of beginning ch 3. (12 dc)

Rnd 2: ch 3, 1 dc in same st, 2 dc in ea st around. Join with sl st. (24 dc)

Rnd 3: ch 3, *skip next st, (1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in next st.  Repeat from * around. End with 1 dc in base of ch 3, ch 2, sl st in top of turning chain.

Rnd 4: sl st into ch 2 sp, ch 3, (1 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch 2 sp, * (2dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 sp.

Repeat from * around. Join.

Rnd 5: sl st into next st, ch 3, * (2 dc, ch 2, 2dc) in ch 2 sp, 1 dc in next st, skip next 2 sts, 1 dc in next st. Repeat from * across. Join. Finish off. Weave ends in.

NOTE: from Round 7 onward, you will work 1 round with small shell, then 2 rounds with large shell. Red and blue rounds are always dc, black rounds are always sc.

Rnd 6: With BLUE: Join with sl st in next st, ch 3, 1 dc in next st, * (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in next ch 2 space, 1 dc in ea of next 2 st, skip the next 2 st, 1 dc in ea of next 2 st. Repeat from * around, ending with skip 2 st. Join.

Rnd 7: sl st into next st, ch 3, 1 dc in next 2 st, * (1 dc, ch 2, 1 dc) in next ch 2 sp, 1 dc in next 3 st, skip 2 sts, 1 dc in next 3 sts. Repeat from * around, ending with skip 2 st. Join.

Rnd 8: sl st into next st, ch 3, 1 dc in next 2 st, * (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch 2 space, 1 dc in next 3 sts, skip next 2 st, 1 dc in next 3 st. Repeat from * around, ending with skip 2 st, sl st in top of turning chain.

Rnd 9: sl st into next st, ch 3, 1 dc in next 3 st, * (2 dc, ch 2, 2 dc) in ch 2 sp, 1 dc in next 4 sts, skip 2 st, 1 dc in next 4 st. Repeat from * around, ending with skip 2 st, sl st into top of turning chain.

Finish off color. Weave ends in.

Rnd 10: With BLACK: Join with sl st in next st, (ch 1, sc) in same st as join, *1 sc in each stitch to ch-2 space. (1 sc, ch-2, 1 sc) in ch-2 space, 1 sc in each stitch to bottom of “V”, skip 2 stitches. Repeat from * around, ending with skip 2 dc, sl st into ch 1. Finish off. Weave ends in.

Suggested Color Pattern for Rounds: This is not set in stone, it is a suggestion only and you should follow your own likes so that you make it YOUR afghan~:o)
5 rounds – RED
4 rounds – BLUE
1 round – BLACK
4 rounds – BLUE
1 round – BLACK
4 rounds – RED
1 round – BLACK
5 rounds – RED
1 round – BLACK
6 rounds – RED
3 rounds – BLUE
1 round – BLACK
6 rounds – BLUE

The only thing that should not change, is that there is one round of black because it is the “web” and would not look right if made wider.

The afghan can be made to any size with additional yarn.

NOTE: Continue working in rounds in colors and pattern established, always working 1 round with small shell, and 2 rounds with large shell. Continue repeating rounds 7, 8, 9. Work those three rounds over and over, regardless of the color used for the rounds. That is what keeps the afghan flat as it increases in size. Also, make the afghan as large as you want. The size is not ‘set in stone.’

Pattern for webbing:
To make “ribs” of the web, work from outer edge to middle of afghan.

Attach BLACK yarn in the ch-2 sp at the top of any point. (Ch 3, sl st in ch-2 sp of next round) for all BLUE and RED rounds. (Ch 2, sl st in ch-2 sp) for all BLACK rounds. Finish off.
Repeat 11 times. Weave in ends.

Border: Attach blue yarn in any stitch. *Ch 1, rev sc in ea st around, with (2 rev sc) in ea ch-2 sp. Finish off. Weave in ends.

NOTE: from Round 7 onward, you will work 1 round with small shell, then 2 rounds with large shell. Regardless of color, follow that sequence. Red and blue rounds are always dc, black rounds are always sc.

Wrap and gift to a Spiderman fan and watch their eyes light up~

NOTE: The round count for the colors used were only the number of rounds that were in each color of the afghan pictured above. Each one I have made has a different number of rounds in red and blue, black rounds are always only one round because it represents the web itself.

NOTE:  With a round ripple, the number of stitches from "sk 2 sts" to the "ch2" space, will increase each time you make a Large Shell round.  So on the round after every Large Shell round you will have one more stitch between the bottom of the "sk 2 sts" to the ch2 space".

If you want to knit the afghan, a wonderful lady, Anne, worked the Superhero Dreamcatcher Afghan crochet pattern up in knit, then translated it from Finish to English! So if you are a knitter and want a lighter finished blanket, give her pattern a try.
     http://muro73.googlepages.com/patternsinenglish

And another very kind lady, Ana, has translated the crochet version to Spanish.  You can find this translation at:
    http://hastaelmonyo.com/?p=1375 

There are these two videos that might help with this and other problems;

This one has helped others with questions about the vertical ribbing -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C4qoHUprCSk

And this one seems to be in general work on the afghan -
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mS-PTao3mo4

MY SINCERE THANKS TO ALL OF YOU WONDERFUL LADIES!