David Leon Quarterman, April 29, 1946 – November 3, 2021

David Leon Quarterman was born April 29, 1946, in Little Griffin Hospital, Valdosta, Lowndes County, Georgia, to Laura Elizabeth Hargreaves Quarterman and David Sinclair Quarterman, Jr. He grew up on Longway Farm in the north part of the county, with his parents, his grandparents, David Sinclair Quarterman Sr. and Alla Irene Peek Quarterman, and his dog Bear, joined by his brothers Stephen Patrick and John Sinclair, with frequent visits to his Hargreaves grandparents in Pearson, Leon Abraham Hargreaves and Harriet Esther Elizabeth Blitch Hargreaves.

[Withlacoochee River, GA 122, 2006-11-05 by Cathy Reaves Quarterman]
Withlacoochee River, GA 122, 2006-11-05 by Cathy Reaves Quarterman

He inherited his parents’ love for reading and his grandmother’s egg business, which led to a lifelong interest in farming and nutrition.

He graduated from Hahira High School and received a B.S. degree in physics from Valdosta State College. He served four years in the U.S. Navy including in the Mediterranean Sea, and had the rank of Lieutenant J.G.

He attended the University of Georgia in Athens, and worked in the computing center there.

With his aunts Jane Sinclair Quarterman Comer and Elsie Quarterman and his brothers, he published Quarterman Family of Liberty County, Georgia, and Relatives, 990 pages of family history covering more than 350 years. He assisted with an Irwin family history. He camped with family at the summer Grandfather Highland Games, where his daughter Peggy was the first female to march in the parade, on her father’s shoulders, with Clan Sinclair.

He retired Continue reading

Scorpion 2021-08-21

“It’s stinging me!” screeched Gretchen as she rushed into the house.

Yes, “screeched” is the word she later used to describe the loud noise she made.

[On the sink]
On the sink

As you can see, she then managed to fling this Striped Bark Scorpion off her, but the Centruroides vittatus landed on the sink.

Like the one I stepped on recently, this one hurt like a bee sting, but caused no noticeable damage by the next morning.

The amusing part is that Gretchen did not get this scorpion here at the farm.

She got it in downtown Valdosta.

-jsq

Praying Mantis 2021-08-07

On the truck:

[Mantis]
Mantis

It’s some kind of Mantodea. Probably a native-to-Georgia Carolina Mantis, Stagmomantis carolina. Probably not the larger bird-eating species. These ones eat insects.

Here’s Gretchen observing it. Continue reading