2nd Grade Field Trip to the U.S.S. Lexington

These two volunteers way laid me as I was waiting for the bus to arrive. They were really nice and I enjoyed talking with them. One is retired from NASA and the other is the only Army man amongst the volunteers and he gets a lot of ribbing for it too.

~

I was asked if I was the class photographer...

Nope I just wanted to get some interesting photos today!
~

While the children were being given the drill I wandered off and saw this Kayaker out in the waves, ekk. The winds were awful and I'm pretty sure there was a red flag warning out. The water was rough and I wouldn't have even tried what he was doing, sheesh!
~

We have a membership to the Lexington but seldom do I get to stop and actually read the informative signs. The Swimmer vehicle is pictured below. I love the last sentence. (you can click on the above photo to read the sign)

~

The volunteers worked with the children regarding Energy and Kinetics.

I thought we were going to tour the ship but found out later that was not the type of tour that was booked. So sad as most of these Children had never been to the Lexington and they never got to see or hear about the History of the Lady Lex.

~

~

Michael said he enjoyed learning about what was taught but then he's been on the Lexington quiet a few times and had seen the ship from top to bottom. So this was a different experience for him and I'm glad he enjoyed it.
~

Once again I wandered off...I found this and thought it was pretty neat, Knots!

The History of knots, it was pretty interesting.

(click on the photo if you'd like to read it)
~

Back to the Children and their work out :o)
The volunteers did a great job of doing hands on with the kids.
~

~

~

Waiting for the movie...

I had to laugh...The movie started and after 10 minutes most of the children lost interest. I thought it was an interesting movie. It was regarding the design and building of a modern aircraft from the beginning to end but not a movie that most 2nd graders would be interested in...Later when I asked Michael what he thought about the movie he said he liked it and he did watch most of it too while most of the other children goofed off and wiggled. Michael sure does like his airplanes and I'm glad he enjoyed the movie.
~

One of the teachers with her class.
~

Lunch on the beach!

To me the best part of the whole trip!
~

One of the parents started feeding the seagulls, sigh!

The kids loved it, me not so much! But I did get some cool photos!
~

I had brought Michael's sandals so he headed straight for the water, ugh!

And before you know it the other children had their shoes off and were playing in the waves, uh oh! I told them to stay out of the water but not one of them listened, lol...

I don't think the teachers were too happy with me but hey maybe they should have been over there watching the kids. I did make sure that none of them went out into the water and I wasn't going to leave them un-watched to go tell, they were having fun!

To me Field trips are suppose to be fun and at least they had a little bit :o)

Michael stayed with me while the other Children got back on the bus and headed back to school.

More photos to follow as we stayed at the Beach for a bit and then headed too Indian Point Park.

A Giant Sulphur Butterfly...

After I watered the yard at Mom and Dad's I noticed a Giant Sulphur butterfly in the grass. I attempted to sneak up on it but it fluttered off. So I stood still hoping he'd come back, they are very shy. He came back all right and landed right next to my foot, sigh!

Not the greatest spot to land for a photo session. I so didn't want to move as I knew he'd fly off.

~

I moved and of course he fluttered off but then he landed a few feet away, a little better but he needs to turn my way just a wee bit...For years I've tried for a decent photo of these gorgeous yellow giants...Could you possibly open your wings and show us the pretty orange colors inside?
~

He didn't cooperate and open his wings for me but I did manage one shot with the sun backlighting him.
It's really hard getting a butterfly to pose for the camera :o)

Today is the day...

45 Years ago on April 25th I kept my Mother awake into the wee hours of the morning, lol...

Michael bought this for me this past weekend...

I'm not sure if he bought it for me or him because he's eaten most of it with help from his Dad!

I love my life and I love my boys!!
They helped me celebrate all weekend!
Thanks Fred and Michael for a wonderful fun filled weekend!

Part of our day in photos...

Part of Fred's family celebrated Easter in Houston/Kemah Texas and we didn't feel like making the 3 hr trip up there and then turn around and make another 3 hr trip home. It's rough when you have animals and can't travel but we honestly had a nice quiet Easter and loved it. Michael was able to enjoy what the Easter bunny brought him without being rushed and he loves staying home to boot. We went over to Mom and Dad's ranch for a little bit, mowing, watering plants, feeding the animals and checking on the cows...

I was interrupted by Michael while I was mowing...he had found a hurt butterfly and wanted to know if I could fix it...When I told him that it was not fixable and to let nature take it's course he asked for photos. As he was holding it the butterfly fluttered down to his shoe and hung on, Michael thought it was pretty cool...who knows a new fad possibly? Walking around with a butterfly on your shoe?

~

When I was filling up the bird baths I noticed this moth, pretty pattern.

~

We went to check on the cows. Why we waited for them to come up I noticed part of the field was covered in thistle...and it was absolutely covered in butterflies and hummingbirds. Of course today I decided to bring the 28-105mm lens. Not my lens of choice for this type of photography but I made do, it also didn't help having an impatient husband and son who wanted to go, ugh! Just no fair!
I'm hoping I can go back over there sometime this week. The cows finally came up but one was missing, the white cow this time. We were hoping they'd bring the new calves out by this time but no go...we did go look but didn't find them, sigh!
~

Giant Sulphur butterfly.

They are Huge and Yellow and you can't miss them. They are also very skittish and I had a hard time getting a photo. I normally like to just find a spot, stand still and wait for the butterflies to come to me but Fred and Michael were hollering at me...so I had to hurry and snap, snap, snap...

~

Can you say Purple, violet, lavender, whatever you want to call it, it was gorgeous!

~

Pipevine swallowtail...

~

This is an old Mansion by my In-laws ranch. I've taken lots of photos of it but love the one I got today. I'm hoping a friend maybe know someone who can give me some information on it.

It's got personality and I want to know more, yep call me nosey!

~

Crescentspot butterfly

I had the sprinkler running after I mowed and the butterflies were coming to drink.

~

Fred yelled! I guess him and Michael saw a snake while they were driving the Kubota out to check the little piggies. By the time I got there the snake had gone into some tall grass and I was not chasing it. Fred said it was big and black. I told him it was probably a Rat snake and he said No it was a water moccasin, sigh! Any snake Fred sees is a water moccasin, sheesh! I walked back and found part of a snake skin, cool! It's getting dry and they're looking for the critters that come for the water. If Mom has anything to say about it it will be a dead snake if her or Dad see it, gulp!

~

The trail towards the River...

I did not walk it today, I had enough walking with the push mower, lol.

~

Blue curl with a hair streak butterfly.

They're tiny butterflies but I love their color and the itty bitty tail. They have an eye spot on their tail to confuse predators...wish I had had my Macro lens too, sigh!

~

Hoover fly on a some blue curl blooms

~

Checkered Skipper

~

I saw this hummingbird zipping around the Aloe bloom and I took a second look. It was a Berylline hummer but it had a yellow head...Hmmm then it dawned on me that must be pollen covering it's head. I wasn't able to get a very good photo but I had to show you the yellow headed Berylline hummer, silly bird!

~

My Adventurous boy!!

I was laughing at this photo. As a kid I used to sit on the ground and study things. Down here sitting on the ground is a No No and you pretty much learn to balance on the balls or heels of your feet...No one likes fire ants that bite or caterpillars that burn your skin up their shorts, Ouch!

~

Tickle Tickle Tickle

~

I think they love each other...I know I love them!

~
We had a great day and I hope you did too!

A beautiful South Texas Sunset...

A great ending to a wonderful day.

~

If you can't dazzle them with brilliance, baffle them with bull - W.C. Fields
~

A family photo...

Happy Easter from our Family to yours!

(I love self-timers on cameras too bad I don't use mine more often)