Wildflowers along the driveway...

As I was leaving for a quick photo shoot down the driveway I caught Lydia eye-balling the chickens and the chickens running by her, even though there was a fence between them. Yes Ms. Lydia chases the chickens, bad cat!!

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I used the Canon 28-105 mm lens...

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Busy day....

We need a new front door but can't afford to put one in right now. So my intentions have been to sand it and paint it for the time being and after months of having the paint I finally accomplished it today!

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Michael wanted to help but I was trying to do a good job and he's a bit sloppy when it comes to painting. Took me a minute but then I got an idea. I gave him a small cup of paint and told him to go paint the chicken coop. He didn't get much done but he did what he could do and he had fun...and it kept him out of my hair and away from the door :o)

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Fred called me the other day and said he found some laying boxes. He said they were Mexican laying boxes and pottery. He wasn't giving me a good description. I told him just bring me one home and then if I like them he can get more...Hmmm well you can see it above. It's a terra cotta pot that you turn on it's side and it's a wee bit small. I kind of chuckled! But just to humor Fred I put it in the pen. I'm interested to see if the hens will try it out or if they can even fit in it. Guess Mexican chickens are small, perhaps Bantams? It honestly looks like something a snake would like, ekk!

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And here's the front door!

I'll do the door jam next week and in the morning hours. I wanted to start this project this morning but it didn't happen and it got a wee bit warm out before I finished. I love it but I'm also wondering how long it will stay white?

Oh My Goodness...

For the past two years Michael has been bugging me for something...I kept telling him NO NO NO!! Well today I surprised him!

(I honestly don't know what I was thinking, or perhaps I wasn't thinking...)

See that smile...I love it and he loved what he was looking at!

"Oh Mom your the best I've wanted one for years and years"

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Meet Peg...

Yep he named her peg and loves her.

He has her wrapped in a towel at the moment and sitting on his lap while he watches Tv.

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He just isn't sure what to do but in time he'll learn. I wanted to wait until he was old enough to take care of a bunny. He's been helping do chores and take care of all the animals around here for the past 6 months and so I thought it was time. Daddy has been warned he is building a rabbit hutch this weekend :o) of course with Michael's help!

Morning photo shoot...

I had a few moments this morning after taking Michael to school and the sun had just risen so I grabbed the camera and headed outside...

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The bougainvillea on the front porch is looking good.

Hmm on my computer this photo is sharp and clear, gotta love Blogger and what it does to photos!

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I was thinking as I watched Lydia sitting on Michael's water tub that maybe this isn't a Zoo but a 3 ring circus. She's definitely the Queen around this place!

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Jake making sure she's doing it right. We are his herd what more can I say...

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I have a feeling she's telling Jake I don't need a Momma, now back off!

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Should I stay or should I move a little closer to those hummingbirds? Decisions, Decisions, Decisions...Sheesh Life is tough!

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Not sure if you remember but I said I hadn't seen the Berryline Hummingbird. The next day I saw him come buzzing into the feeder. This morning I happen to get a photo of the fast mover...I think I could watch Hummingbirds all day, they are so fast. I have quiet a few more Hummers and several male Ruby throats fighting over the feeders. The air is alive with buzzes and chirps, Michael calls them little dive bombers...Zooooooom.....

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Cupcake

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A friend made this for her daughters birthday, aren't they adorable. I was lucky enough to receive one and it tasted as good as it looks. It was so pretty I had a hard time cutting into it though!

Have you ever...

Looked a Texas Toad in the eye?

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The Hummers are here...

A wee bit late too. I had one buzz me around the first of March and I put the feeders up and then I didn't see any until this past week. I went back to photos from years previous and I know we've had them around the first of March migrate through but I couldn't find the photos. I remember one year we had one stay the winter and I kept the feeder up all winter for him. He sure looked miserable when we had cold wet days and would roost on the porch all hunkered down and fluffed up.

I've been seeing a male and female come to the feeder regularly. The female is a ruby-throat as for the male I'm not sure if he is a ruby-throat or a black chinned, those two species look alike to me until you see their iridescent throat feathers. This guy was not showing them to me tonight. He's probably a ruby throat. In fact both of them were a little shy and I had a rough time getting a photo. Hopefully more will come in and they'll get used to me and the camera. I really miss our berryline hummer. He was a regular for the past two years but I haven't seen him this year.

Not sure if it's me or maybe there is enough wildflowers to feed them but I'm not seeing the number of hummingbirds I used to see this time of year, I wonder what happened to them?

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Good Morning Mr. Sunshine...

Where did Mr. Rain go? We miss him!

Todays Nature walk...

I walked along the river bottom (San Antonio) this morning but the grass was tall I stayed on the paths that Dad had mowed. Need to wear my snake boots next time. It was gorgeous and I enjoyed the walk.

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Evening Star Rain Lilly.

It was growing in Mom and Dads yard. Since it normally comes out after a rain and we haven't had any rain, I think perhaps Dad was watering their yard, lol.

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Silver leaf nightshade

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One of the Sondara's (sp.) that cuts through the property.

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I love this part of the property, big Huge Old Oak trees

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Buckeye Butterfly. It had an injured wing and wasn't flying to well.

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Night shade family

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The trail, un-mowed and I love the tall green green grass.

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Spider with it's breakfast

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It was dark in the trees so I had to use my flash and it kind of washed things out.

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This is different from the previous tubed white flower photo and I was unable to find it in my books. I get so frustrated when I look and look and can't find a bloom.

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A closer look...

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A drive by...Michael driving and Daddy supervising!

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I had to play where's waldo with this butterfly, the leaves hid it really well.

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Spider carrying her egg sac

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Just beyond that break in the grass way over there is the San Antonio river...

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Another spider

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Looking back

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Corn Field. The neighbors normally plant corn in this field but if it is corn the rows are a bit far apart and it's not very tall. I've seen some corn fields lately near the coast that were knee high.

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Possibly Basket flower? The photos in the books are not very clear. I noticed them after I called Fred and asked him to come pick me up. Yep I had walked far enough and was so glad Fred was able to come save me, lol.

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Then as we were heading back to the ranch house Fred stopped and said look...He noticed this swallowtail butterfly on the Basket flower...Good eye babe, Good eye! I had a few seconds before the butterfly fluttered off to snap a photo but I was more proud of my husband taking an interest in my photography and pointing out a picture perfect moment. Made my day!

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Hope y'all had a good weekend. I'm back to work this week so photos and posts may be far and few between so bare with me. I have a photo subject that just arrived, they're a bit late this spring but I hope to get photos of them this week.