Nature always wears the colors of the spirit.

~Ralph Waldo Emerson~

Entomology Lesson for the week

From what I can tell this little beaut is called a casebearing moth. He's been on a plant on our porch for quiet sometime. To find out exactly what these little insects are click here.

The case is constructed by the the earliest larval stage (1st instar) before it hatches, and is enlarged by each successive instar. In constructing the case, the larva secretes silk to build an arch attached at both ends to the substrate. Very small particles of sand, soil, iron rust, insect droppings, arthropod remains, hairs and other fibers are added on the outside. The inside of the arch is lined exclusively by silk, and is gradually extended to form a tunnel, while the larva stays inside. The tunnel is closed beneath by the larva to form a tube free from the substrate, and open at both ends. After the first case is completed, the larva starts moving around, pulling its case behind. With each molt, the larva enlarges its case. Later cases are flattened and widest in the middle, allowing the larva to turn around inside. A fully developed larva has a case 8 to 14 mm long and 3 to 5 mm wide.

I've always been fascinated by these insects due to the hodge-podge of material on it's back...

Experiencing the solitude that nature provides is a form of

meditation that calms the soul and purges the stress from your life.

~ Sheri McConnell~

Happy Birthday Fred!!

This weekend I had planned a special surprise for my husband...

A birthday party and he didn't have a clue!!

I was so tickled that we pulled it off!

The birthday boy with his cake...(thank you Helen for making it)

Fred with his parents.

Michael, Ashley, Zeke, Carolina and little one.

There are more birthday party photos on my flickr site.

Goliad Christmas Parade 2008

I started a tradition with my son when he was about 2 yrs old and we go to the Goliad Christmas Parade every year. It is a small town parade but they do a wonderful job. This year it was a bit chilly and we had to dress up warm but it made it even better!



Helen and Ashley came with us this year and they both really enjoyed it. Aunt Diana and Zeke joined us too and brought hot cocoa to share...as you can see above Ashley was enjoying it!

Michael has to have his sausage on a stick...it just wouldn't be a celebration without it!

The Courthouse clock says 7:00 PM time for the Parade to begin.

I loved the way I captured the John Deere Tractor above...

I didn't notice this horse and rider were decked out in a Dallas Cowboy Theme until I got home and looked at the photos, cool.

I was playing with the camera and loved how the lights came out on this float.

And of course lets not forget Santa Claus...


We had a really Great time and if you would like to see all the photos you can go to my flickr site.

O' Christmas Tree

Michael and I worked for 3 hours to put the tree up tonight....

2 beers ( I drank those), 1 cup of spilled orange juice (yes on the tree), 1 broken glass oranament (Vacuum the floor for the 2nd time), and a container of spilled orange juice in the kitchen (had to mop the floor)...The Christmas tree is officially up!!

I just snapped a few photos as I am whipped...I'll play later with the camera and tree...and hopefully get some photos of Michael and Jake in front of it!

The tree is a 7 footer and really to big for our house so I had a hard time getting the whole tree in the photo...here are the photos!!

This is the first time I have ever put multi-colored lights on a tree...Fred requested them!! And since I love my husband I thought I'd try it this year.

Sorry I just love the blurred light look!!

A bit of a close up!

If you click on the photos you can see the photos a bit better...

But it's up and I am off to bed...Yea!!

Merry Christmas!

Working Hard & Hardly Working

This Big Guy is "Working Hard"...

This little guy is "Hardly working"...
He's running around looking busy...

He's has a very serious look on his face...and he really thinks he is working hard!

He does a fine job of making it look good doesn't he?

But digging holes, (oh excuse me they are not holes they are traps), to supposedly capture dragons and hogs doesn't count as "Working Hard"...His father and I think he is "Hardly Working"...but we won't tell him!! What he doesn't know won't hurt him and at least he is leaving us alone and having fun!