Dear friends, thank you so much for your concern, for checking in here to say hello and see if I'm about ... suffice it to say, a whole host of issues kept me offline these past few weeks, but I'm here at last and eager to share some August pictures with you ... I hope you all have been well. :)
First of all, we just got finished celebrating Crackerjack's 11th Birthday this past weekend ...
This was taken at his "friends" birthday party on Saturday. (The family celebration was held on Sunday.) It was another Lego theme party - our favors were smiley "minifig" face bags filled with a jumble of treats:
I found these football candles at Shaw's Marketplace (my grocery store of choice). I couldn't resist them - we get very excited about football season around here. Not that any of the boys play, but we are, as many of you know, super-huge Pats fans and what's more - football season means fall - and both are right around the corner. :)
We've been happily watching our little red squirrels - five in all at last count!
Since it's been so hot here this summer, the squirrels have taken to "lounging" in the seed trays. The above is actually an action shot - this fella was feeding himself in this very position! It was too funny to watch.
The squirrels have also taken to sampling the spruce needles ...
The raccoons have also made their presence known ... they're comical and so very clever.
Another critter to look for at this time of year is the grasshopper. We find them on our house - walking across clapboards or as in this case, a storm door.
I just took out a library book for Earlybird on grasshoppers because he's slightly freaked out when he sees them, lol. We also have a beautiful Tiger Swallowtail that graces our yard on occasion, as well as a pair of hummingbirds, ginormous dragonflies, lots of chipmunks, and we THINK a screech owl in the woods. (We've heard him but not seen him.) The boys also found this odd looking insect on the deck recently ...
We're pretty sure this is a Carolina Locust. Bookworm (who took this picture) said he had wings like a butterfly when he flew off. He also asked me if I thought we should alert the proper authorities considering the infamously destructive nature of these creatures. Lol.
I told him since we lived in a residential (rather than agricultural) area we were probably ok. But I asked him to let me know if he sees any more. :)
Above you see my most successful gardening venture this summer - my glorious morning glory vine!
The basil and nasturtiums have also done well.
The tomatoes, not so much.
I dare say we've used our deck more this summer than ever before. I bought some pretty sun lights for the railing ...
They'll look even better when they're peeping out between morning glory blossoms. :)
That's all for now, folks! I hope to be back again before the start of the new year (academic, that is). I have lots of planning to do and a school room to set up. Hope to get it all done before Labor Day!
Be safe and well ~ and see you all again soon!