Bucket List Update

Time to update again!!






 learn Portuguese (no progress)
Train Bochica to be less afraid (more or less) (I've decided to let him just be a horse and he is becoming less afraid)
Pass on my love of the land to my grandchildren (in progress)
Become proficient in using  Photoshop Elements (Not much progress)
Write a book (I may have to delete this one)
Learn more about web design (deleting this one--interests have changed))
Vacation in  Charleston, S.C. (Still hopeful)
Visit the redwood forest (Still hopeful)
Make a good friend that I can talk to about anything (This one is making rapid progress)
Sew a hand pieced quilt for my granddaughter (soon to be begun) (Definitely this year)
Teach my youngest grandchildren how to fish (maybe next summer) The special man in my life taught them this summer--they each caught some!!
Learn to do pen and ink drawings(No progress)
Learn all about cows (any ideas how I can do this???)(No progress)
Finally learn to meditate (know of any classes, anyone?) (No progress, but good intentions)
Organize my house! (in process) (fear this is a lost cause)
Visit Lost Maples State Park in the autumn (plan to do so)
Learn to do watercolor(No progress)
Learn about dragonflies(Maybe this summer)
Learn to use my new camera(Slow progress)
Enlarge my garden in the Spring. Most of my crops did not do well, but managed to win blue ribbons at the county fair for my spinach-see next post!
Find my talent (Wish me luck--maybe my talent is appreciating others' talents).
Cook more dishes "from scratch" - good intentions but not much progress!
Learn about butterflies - did learn some things this year
Make two books-trees of Salsipuedes, Flowers of Salsipuedes - Decided to just enjoy them.
Learn enough French to read a menu. Maybe this winter
Build a meditation wheel - Need to find rocks
Take a drive through Oklahoma when the leaves turn - planning the day
Start exercising - Waiting for Dr. okay

Have you noticed that I continue to add things!! I'll never be bored!

And still that mystery one!!

Stay tuned!

Our County Fair

My First Blue Ribbons!!

I'm finally finding time to post again. Soon I'll update you on my summer. It was all too short!

Fall is definitely in the air. I can always feel the slight shift in the sun's rays--I can't wait for the leaves to turn!

Meanwhile, I'll share one of my favorite things--our county fair. Ours is one of the few counties in Texas that hosts a free fair. This year I decided to enter some things in the produce division. Most of my crops were long gone, but I did have an excellent crop of Malabar Spinach. I entered it, as well as my Italian Flat Leaf Parsley (which was past its prime). Can you believe it--I won two blue ribbons for my spinach--one in the flower category for its blooms and the other in the greens category. Wow!! Now I'm really enthused for next year. Think I'll get busy on a quilt!!!

Malabar spinach blooms

This is the first time in many years that I've been to the fair at night.  The special man in my life made it a lot of fun!! We toured the exhibits,visited with people, had burgers and fries, and listened to music. Memories of my childhood came floating back--I felt like a kid again. Thanks!!!

We watched goats being shown and toured the animal area.

I want a goat!

I'm glad to know that 4-H is going strong in Red River County. I don't know much about this organization, but am intrigued--another project--to find out exactly how it works.

These rabbits look like toys!

Aren't they cute?

I also entered a cucumber from our children's garden at the library. We won 2nd place. Hurrah!! I can't wait to tell the kiddos.

Wow!

The night lights brought back childhood memories.

Lights from the carnival

I can't wait until next year--guess I'd better get busy on my entries. 

Bucket List Revisited

It's time again to review my bucket list.










To learn Portuguese (no progress)
Train Bochica to be less afraid (more or less) (I've decided to let him just be a horse)
Pass on my love of the land to my grandchildren (in progress) 
Become proficient in using  Photoshop Elements (Not much progress)
Write a book (I may have to delete this one)
Learn more about web design (No progress)
Vacation in  Charleston, S.C. (Still hopeful)
Visit the redwood forest (Still hopeful)
Make a good friend that I can talk to about anything (This one is making rapid progress)
Sew a hand pieced quilt for my granddaughter (soon to be begun) (Maybe this year)
Teach my youngest grandchildren how to fish (maybe next summer)(Hopefully in June)
Learn to do pen and ink drawings(No progress)
Learn all about cows (any ideas how I can do this???)(No progress)
Finally learn to meditate (know of any classes, anyone?) (No progress, but good intentions)
Organize my house! (in process) (fear this is a lost cause)
Visit Lost Maples State Park in the autumn (plan to do so)
Learn to do watercolor(No progress)
Learn about dragonflies(Maybe this summer)
Learn to use my new camera(Slow progress)

Enlarge my garden in the Spring (Success-but still a learning process)

Find my talent (Wish me luck)(Maybe my talent is appreciating others' talents)

Cook more dishes "from scratch" (Saving recipes)

New Items:

Learn about butterflies (in progress)

Make two books--Trees of Salsipuedes, Flowers of Salsipuedes (Taking photographs)

Learn enough French to read a menu

Build a meditation wheel

And still that mystery one!!

Stay tuned!

Bochica and the Bird

Even though I normally dislike brown headed cowbirds, today was the exception. I was sitting in the rocking chair on my front porch, taking a break, when I noticed a little brown headed cowbird just behind Bochica's front foot.

Any bugs for me?

Then I noted that the little bird went around just to the front of his nose.

Hurry up and scare up some bugs!

Then it went even closer, right up to his nose!

Hi There!

Just as it touched his nose, Bochica ever so gently pushed him back a little.

Too close, huh?

The little bird came right back. I sat there a good 15 minutes, just watching the two of them. My sweet little horse!  Just one example of the joys of living in the country!

Butterflies, Butterflies, Butterflies

Wow--this year the butterflies are abundant! I literally have had hundreds flying around. These are just a few photos of these beauties:

I wonder if this one is laying eggs--she (or he) has been resting in the petunia for three days. Moves just a little each day.

Viceroy

This little beauty landed on my golf cart to say hello.

Question Mark

Can you spot this tiny one?

Haven't identified yet

This is my favorite.

Red Admiral

But the best is to come:  I looked up at the barn, and to my surprise, there was a line of butterflies hatching! Wow! This is just one of the twenty+. One of the children in my nature group, Library Learning Patch-Children Discovering Nature,  gave a report in which he educated us about butterflies. Apparently, they hang on like this until their wings dry. 

This one was just sitting quietly, shortly after hatching.

Resting for a while

Then, later, one spread his wings for me.

Mourning Cloak

There is still one I haven't been able to photograph--a tiny yellow one.

I can't end the post without showing you my favorite moth:

Luna Moth

Stay tuned--maybe I'll capture the yellow one yet--on film of course. :)

A Visit to a Texas State Park

A couple of weeks ago a friend took me to Daingerfield State Park. I didn't even know it existed--but what a nice place to spend the day. There is a swimming beach, paddle boats and canoes for rent, camping areas, and easy walking trails. We opted to walk one of the trails. Nice! I saw my first shortleaf pine--believe it or not, I recognized it right away--the bark was different!

Different bark than my loblolly pines

It was a beautiful day--perfect shirtsleeve weather. I snapped a few photos along the way: This anole lizard was easy to spot.

This little fellow posed for me.

The butterflies just would not be still and pose! At times there was a large group of them. I wonder what the correct term is for a group of butterflies. Anyone know?

I wonder what they are doing.

Pretty lily pads

          This little park is a jewel. I would love to go back and stay for a couple of days. Now I want to check out other Texas State Parks!

Stay tuned!                                       

Spring Flowers

This first day of Spring I thought it would be nice to post a few photos of my few flowers. Each year I have different ones from the year before. This year I seem to have less, maybe because of the drought last summer. I get excited when I see a new variety!

The little bluets are one of my favorites. 

Little Bluet

The bluets are scattered among  the Spring Beauties blanketing  the area near the pond. I'm waiting to mow until they seed. (Even though I am nervous about the Snakes.) For those of you who don't know me, I have a phobia of snakes. I'm constantly on the lookout for them out here in the country. So far I've only seen a few and none this year, except for one dead one on the road.

Spring Beauty

One of my other favorites is the tiny field violet.

Field Violet

There are a couple of new ones that I have not identified yet.  This one is either Crow Poison or Poison Onion I believe. I'm waiting for a friend and expert to let me know. Either way, I will try to transplant them and get them out of my horse pasture. (Whoops--wrong again. I've been told they are rain lilies.)

I'm sure this little orange beauty is considered a weed. I noticed it just in time when I was trimming around the house. (It's been identified as a cut-leaf evening primrose.)

I also have a tiny white flower--as soon as it dries up from our 5-6 inches of rain, I'll try to get a photo of them and post it.  Also I'll get some of the several varieties of clover--I seem to have an abundance this year.

Stay tuned for more beauties!

P.S. Even those this post is about flowers, I just have to include this handsome fellow!