Saturday, August 14, 2010

Bordered Patch Butterflies

In a previous post I had told you that Michael and I had found some caterpillars. At the time we weren't sure what they were. We now know they are Bordered Patch Butterflies.

Our Cow Pen Daisy's out in the pasture were just covered with caterpillars.

We brought a few in the house to raise. I found a butterfly habitat thingy at target on sale and it was sweet. We fed the caterpillars, watched them grow.

Then they curled up and began their transformation into Chrysalis's.


Why the different colored chrysalis's I don't have a clue. It was interesting waiting to see what type of butterflies they were going to become.

And then the other Morning we noticed a butterfly and then again this morning we had two more make their appearance. It takes them awhile before they start fluttering around as their wings need to stretch out and dry.

After their wings are dry we turn them loose outside.


Michael has so much fun watching and waiting. When the first butterfly came out he was so excited! He doesn't like turning them loose but knows it has to be done. They need to be free.

And that was our Butterfly experience this year!!

Thursday, August 12, 2010

Guess where we went today????

Can you Guess? Can you say 44 yr old is HOT & TIRED from chasing a soon to be 7 yr old around...here's a hint...He went from Engine room to Bridge and then from Bow to Stern...got a good idea now?
How about the
U.S.S. Lexington aka: The Blue Ghost!
And because I chased him all over taking photos here and there I am going to make y'all suffer and look at all of them...( I also messed up with the ISO a few times, please excuse the grainy photos) P.S. Most of these photos were taken with the 10-22mm lens...Most but not all :o)

As always the VERY first place we head upon entering is one of several cockpits...and we stay there and we stay there...

He loves it....(Momma not so much :o()

Then we head for one of the other cockpits...and we stay there and stay there. I'm beginning to think maybe investing in our very own cockpit might be a good investment :o)


Ace Pilot shooting down the enemies...(at least that is what he thinks :o)


And he loves it!!


Uh Oh...The Lexington has acquired some air combat video games...Now we'll never leave, sigh!! He kills everything good and bad, lol...Instead of Run Forest Run...it's Shoot Michael Shoot!


A reprieve as we head to the flight deck...only to find out the gun turrets are open to explore, yikes!! And let me tell you it's really HOT on the flight deck, ekkk.


Ahh cool now he wants to tour the Bridge...sweet been awhile since I've been up there and I also know there is A/C in the bridge, yeah!


Here we come A/C :o) I am so happy!
But alas he ran right through the bridge tour...didn't even let me stop to feel the cool breeze, grr.


Back on the lower deck...above is a bit of history for y'all regarding the Action that the U.S.S. Lexington has seen. I actually took the photo while Michael was back in one of the cockpits playing, lol...He loves them what can I say...(if you want to see a bigger photo click on it)


A boat coming in with some catch...Not sure it's a shrimper as there are no arms...John what is it? LOL...John can tell us! It was called the Green light or something like that...I'm old and forgetful :o)


Now we are back at the Combat games again, sigh!! Not sure if you see that big FAN off to the left but I stood under it for a long time...the breeze felt really really good!


Trying out a little sub...it transported divers (I think), at least that is what the sign said...I was Hot and my brain was melting at this point :o)


sheesh back to the cockpit, again!


Some more History for y'all...Beautiful little plane. I had a lot of time to stop and look at it as the one cockpit was right next to it...

Here's a side view of the N3N Yellow Peril. And Michael is still in the cockpit, sigh!


A view of Corpus Christi Bay from one of the many side doors open to (possibly) let in a breeze (if there was a breeze)...The gulf breeze alluded us today :o(


You see those fish...Cool. I found something to photograph!! The big black and white striped thing (and it was HUGE) was a black drum. Not sure what all the other fish are but they were having fun eating whatever they were eating on the side of the U.S.S. Lexington....(oh by the way I took this with the telephoto lens)


My fish photography didn't last long...Someone found me and dragged me off to the other cockpit, Argh!


Then he decided he wanted to see the Engine room...Down into the bowels of the ship we go...and remember still no A/C...ugh!


Down, Down, Down we go...I got my exercise today!


Mom take my Photo!! Oh by the way he is posing with a mine, he loves them, yes he does. You know why? Because they Explode, yippee!!


We've been down down down to the engine room...Now we are headed back up up up to the deck...Did you know aircraft carriers are quiet LARGE!!!!

(A view of Corpus Christi with the bay)
Whew...after finishing up at the Lexington (I pretty much dragged him off of the ship, lol) We went to the Whataburger on the bay for lunch, Michael's favorite Corpus restaurant and then headed to the Mall but got side tracked by the Toys r Us sign, Yikes....Just don't ask but we had fun. Then we stopped to see Kathy and the grandbabies for a bit and headed home....oh so sweet home with Central A/C and ceiling fans...ha ha ha!


Momma is it a Tornado? No Michael just a little rain shower, wish it would follow us home! I think maybe Michael needs to stop watching storm stories with me!


Do you see it? It's Texas snow...otherwise known as Cotton!! It's always looked like a light dusting of snow to me...sweet!


Yeah!! The road home...love that view.
(Coastal Plains of Texas)

~
I hope y'all enjoyed our day...We did, it was just a wee bit warm. But we survived. Not sure what our next before school adventure will be but stay tuned. I'm sure it will be interesting!



Wednesday, August 11, 2010

Misc Macro photos from the past few days...

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The other evening I found a preying mantis...always thought they were so cool. We kept it over night and then after a few photos turned it loose.

Lydia got spayed and front declawed Monday. She's better today but still hurting. She's lost her bounce for the time being.

Today I went and got some Ameraucana chicks up on the other side of Edna Texas...I saw Ameraucana hens and roosters at the dairy farm in LaGrange this past spring and fell in love...They seem to be pretty docile so I thought I'd give them a try.

I can see quiet a difference in the chicks from the others we've raised and can't wait until these grow some more to find out if we have hens or roosters.
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Tomorrow we are headed to the Lexington, yea! Stay tuned for more photos from our adventure!




Monday August 9 ~ Splashway Water Park

Michael and Ashley both received coupons for Splashway from the VBS they attended at Trinity Lutheran. Helen and I decided it was time to go before school started...


One of many water slides Splashway has...

Weeeeee...

You couldn't keep this girl off the slides, she had a blast!


Michael not to be out done by Ms. Ashley had to show off his waterslide talents...I think holding your nose is a good idea. I know this from experience, lol....


He's swimming fairly well and thinks he's just hot stuff.


Oreo cookie break...


Ray doing the dance on the beach...
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We had a great day and really enjoyed the water!





Sunday August 8 2010 at Dad's ranch

We checked the game camera's but nothing to report. When we came back up to the house I noticed butterflies over by the dogs water bowl. So I sat down and had a photo session...

Skippers


These reminded me of little sunfish sailboats sailing in the breeze.

Sulphur butterfly


I liked the yellow one in flight and the others on the ground.



I love the little blues but always have a hard time getting a decent photo, they're very skittish...This one came up and landed and I snapped away.


Mom's Hibiscus

Mom's pink roses...

Okay so I'm rubbing off on the boys, they started looking for bugs too!
Too funny!


Loved the different textures...


Michael video taping me and me taking a photo of him :o) And actually later I found out he wasn't taking video of me but taking photos, ekk!

Toes in the sand.....