Honey Bees

 We took a walk around the pond to look for birds. No Luck. We did find lots of bees enjoying the goldenrods.

Today I'm thankful for cooler temperatures and nature's beauty.

Linking to Thankful Thursday

Wordless Wednesday - Pond

 

Linking to Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Treasures - Hummingbirds

Someone recently asked me to name my favorite bird. Since I love birds of all kinds and colors, I thought this would be a difficult choice, then I remembered all the hours Gus and I spent on the back porch watching the hummingbirds guard the feeders. Turned out to be easy. Below are two of my most treasured photos of my favorite birds. Believe me, I have a lot more pictures.

Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Monday Musings - Autumn

As I sit with my coffee on this warm September morning, I understand autumn has officially begun, even though summer seems to be holding on a bit longer. Still, the promise of crisp autumn temps is just around the corner, ready to sweep in with its refreshing chill. The leaves are showing hints of yellow and crimson, even if the air doesn't feel like a proper fall day. I took a walk through the park yesterday, and while the sun felt warm, the occasional crunch of early fallen leaves underfoot whispered of cooler days to come. 

Autumn’s arrival brings with it a sense of anticipation. I’m already thinking of those soon-to-come crisp mornings, perfect for cozy sweaters, pumpkin-spiced treats, and hearty soups simmering on the stove. It's almost chili season! And the holidays will be here before we know it. It's time to choose which pie to bake for the Thanksgiving pie contest. I lost last year, so I need to up my game. 

Even though there are many things to look forward to, for me, autumn always brings a little sadness, knowing winter will rear its ugly head. Alright, I do think snowy mornings are pretty. At least the first snow. After that, not so much.

Happy fall, ya'll.

Nature Notes - Butterfly

Went for a walk yesterday and found these beauties.  After updating my iPhone, per my son's advice, I found it now identifies birds, butterflies, trees, and flowers. It identified these beauties as Cabbage White Butterflies. 

Linking to Nature Notes

Saturday Critters - Summer Tanager

 Summer Tanager. He watched from high up in a tree.                            

But curiosity got the best of him, so he landed on the porch railing.

But he didn't stay long.

Linking to  Saturday Critters

Weekend Roundup - L

This week's assignment: Starts with L, Favorite, and Lake.

Starts with L: LADYBUG starts with L. Not sure if this is a real one or an Asian LADY Beetle. The red LADYBUG is likely the true native LADYBUG, while the orange ones are Asian LADY Beetles, an invasive species which releases a stinky, yellowish LIQUID when threatened. While both are beneficial to gardens, the native LADYBUGS are not associated with home infestations. 

Favorite: I absolutely LOVE birds, so when I looked out the sliding glass door one early morning and saw the rare LEAF hummingbird at the feeder, I snapped a pic. In my defense, I was still half asleep and I didn't have my glasses on. :)

On to other LEAVES. They are starting to change into their fall colors. I do love the fall temperatures, but it always makes me a little sad knowing winter isn't far behind.

Lake: Brock LAKE. 

He sits on the bank, summer sun warms his face. The water sparkles, catching his wide eyes, as it stretches toward the far bank. He doesn't have a fishing pole, only a stick found nearby. He pokes at the dirt, thinking about big things—like why the sky's so blue or what fish dream about. He wishes he could toss in a line and pull up something amazing, maybe a shiny fish to show his mom. He tosses the stick into the water, stands, and walks toward home. Maybe tomorrow.

Linking to Weekend Roundup

Skywatch Friday

I've probably posted this picture before, but recently saw it in one of my folders. I've taken a lot of pictures of Devil's Tower, but this is my all time favorite because of the clouds and the way the sun peeks through to highlight a patch of green.

Happy Friday!

Linking to Skywatch

Thankful Thursday - Hubs

While thinking of what I'm thankful for today, Hubs suggested I choose him. Sounded like a good idea to me. These are a few of his many faces. 

Here he is enjoying a warm day on the deck ... 

                     

... and responding to my prompt for him to smile ... 

... and finally, in quiet contemplation.

I am truly thankful he's I'm my life. He's a keeper.

Linking to Thankful Thursday

Wordless Wednesday - Turtles

Linking to Wordless Wednesday

 

Tuesday Treasure - Quilt & Cocoa

While looking through pictures, found this nice memory.

This is Granddaughter's drawing of a quilt she wanted to make, and she says I will help her. I would love to, but after college, she moved away. I sure miss her.

I recently saw a few colorful leaves, which reminded me winter will be here before we know it. So printed off this Hot Cocoa recipe from back in the 1970s. Daughter typed it and has it in her recipe folder. It fills a large container and lasted most of the cold days. Nothing better than hot cocoa on a cold winter night. Think I'll make a batch this year.

 Linking to Tuesday Treasures

Monday Musings - Hats

Note: I had this post ready yesterday, but forgot to publish it. :)

Today is National Felt Hat Day. So while researching hats, I discovered that the phrase "mad as a hatter" comes from the use of mercury nitrate in haberdasheries in the late 18th and early 19th centuries. Over time, daily exposure to this metal caused these tradesmen to develop dementia, tics, and other symptoms. These unusual side effects caused people to believe their hatters had gone mad. Thus the phrase.

I lived most of my life in Texas, Tennessee, and Oklahoma. There, I saw lots of men wearing hats. Now that I've moved to Illinois, I miss seeing them. So here are some of the hats from over the years.

First, this is a picture of my dad acting silly at my aunt and uncle's house back in 1969. They were huge Gunsmoke and Paladin fans. Every Saturday night they were in front of the television.

Hubs always wears a hat or a cap. He lived in ranch country Texas and then in Oklahoma, among other places, and was a horse owner. This is a felt hat his friend in Noble, Oklahoma made for him. The color is called silver belly. This picture was taken at The Bumpin Buffalo in Hill City, SD. Can you tell it was raining that day. 

This is another hat Fred made. This picture was taken on our way to Devel's Tower.

Hubs had Fred make a hat for me, too. They have our names inside.

One very hot day while vacationing in Buffalo, Wyoming, I bought this hat to keep the sun off my face. Since these are worn in the summer, it isn't felt, it is straw. When we got home, I added a colorful hat band. It looks plain without one.

This is Hubs riding Bonnie. 

This is granddaughter wearing a straw hat. It looks like she might toss it up in the air.

Then, there is the old reliable stocking cap. This is my prized photo of Toby Keith at Remington Park. He had a horse in the race that night. Note he's holding a red solo cup. 

Now that we live in Illinois, I never get to see cowboy hats. Plus, I never wear mine. People stare. There are a lot of things I miss about Texas and Oklahoma, but most of all it's seeing cowboys in hats. Guess I'll trade my felt hat for a stocking cap. They're warmer anyway.

Sunday Best - Buffalo

When I first saw this guy, I thought I must have traveled out west. Not sure what this buffalo was doing outside of The Shoppes of Grand Prairie in Illinois, but I happily took his picture. 

Linking to Sunday Best

The Barn Collective

Happy to see this barn in the process of being repainted. I'm always excited to see them taken care of instead of allowed to collapse. No traffic, so I managed to stop in the middle of a normally busy road to get this pic. Lucky me it wasn't rush hour.

Linking to The Barn Collective

Saturday Critters - Cows and Deer

Resting in the cool grass.

In the shadows.

Behind you!

 Linking to Saturday Critters

Weekend Roundup - K

 This week's assignment: Starts with K, Favorite, and Kind.

Starts with K: This is Sonny Boy's KITCHEN. The lighting changes colors, but this is my favorite.

Favorite: This picture has two of my favorites, Grandson #4 and a stray KITTEN he wanted to take home. Of course, it wasn't really a stray, it belonged to a neighbor.

                      

Kind: And this is Grandson #4 again, being KIND to Findley who wanted to play. Then Grandson #1 was KIND enough to volunteer to pick Grandma's peaches high up in the tree.

It was only a sunny smile,

and little it cost 

in the giving,

but like morning light

it scattered the night

and made the day

worth living.

~ F. Scott Fitzgerald

Linking to Weekend Roundup

Skywatch Friday

Over the Illinois River

Linking to Skywatch

Wordless Wednesday - Wildflowers

 

Linking to Wordless Wednesday

Tuesday Treasures - Benches

 The older I get the more I appreciate a nice place to rest. Here are a few I've taken advantage of in the past. Not only do they provide a nice place to catch your breath, but they're also great places to watch for critters. Since I no long have a back porch in ranch country, these are my happy places. :)

Overlooking Old Hickory Lake

Overlooking the Mackinaw River

Overlooking the Illinois River

On a bench by the river's edge,

Waves and wind whisper secrets.

Fish splash, birds take flight,

Bunnies hop, squirrels scold.

Nature's rhythm hums in my ears, 

Bringing peace to a chaotic day.

 

Linking to Tuesday Treasures and Happy Tuesday

Monday Musings - Ampersand

 I checked the National Day Calendar to help me decide what to muse about and discovered today is National Ampersand Day. You know that cute little character that stands for "and" in most things I/we write to save time. So, I researched its beginnings, and this is what I found.

        

Did you know the ampersand used to be the last letter of the alphabet? Me either! According to the description on the National Day Calendar, it is a ligature of the letters E & T, and the word "et"  in Latin, means "and."  Got that? 

It's more than a fancy way to say "and." Its roots go back to Ancient Rome, where the scribes mashed the letters E and T from the Latin word et to save space. This ligature evolved over the centuries, taking on the curvy, stylized form we see today. 

The ampersand is everywhere, hiding in plain sight. We are so used to seeing it, we rarely pay attention. It will show up on a coffee shop sign, a book cover, or even the keyboard I'm typing on. 

So here's to the small, mighty, and endlessly useful ampersand!

Sunday Best - Clydesdales

 For my best/favorite shot of the week, I must choose one of the Clydesdales from our visit to the park Friday.

Linking to Sunday Best

The Barn Collective

 It's Barn Day and I'm running out of barn pics. Guess it's time for a backroad ramble. 

Beyond the foxtails.

Through the Canadian smoke.

Linking to The Barn Collective

Saturday Critters - Clydesdales

Friday evening in the park. First there were trucks.

Then a wagon.

 One horse ...                 

Then two horses.

They were all decked out in their Sunday best.

Which included their tales.

Then there were eight horses all ready to go.

So the pup and the drivers climbed aboard.

And off they go ... 

Linking to Saturday Critters and Nature Notes