Saturday Critters ~ 224 ~

Lake of the Lilies, 
one of my favorite places to go "duck hunting".

Soon, most of the "winter ducks" will be gone and a few more swans will call this lake home.
The first six pictures are pictures I have already shared here on my blog.
It gives you an idea of all the amazing ducks that are here over Winter.


Hooded Mergansers 


 Redhead


The American Coot


The Greater Scaup


The Mute Swan


Killdeer

These next images are new to the blog...the not so great captures of the
The Northern Shovelers

Sharing today with

Eileen at Viewing Nature With Eileen
and Anni at
 I'd Rather B Birding

Home Chef

I continue to receive 

Home Chef 

meals, three per week.

Each meal is $ 10.00 per person...the total cost is $ 20.00 per night, 

they do not charge for shipping.

The meals are excellent.

The ingredients for each meal are stored in it's own separate sack.

All ingredients are pre-measured, 

and each meal includes a detailed recipe card, with step by step instructions.

Each week they offer about twelve meals to choose from,

so I have not had any trouble finding three meals that I know we will enjoy.

Here are some of the recent meals we have enjoyed...

Sunday Supper Pot Roast Steak

with Mashed Potatoes & Roasted Carrots and Peas

Tomato Cream Rigatoni with Grilled Cheese Croutons

Buttermilk-Ranch Chicken with Brown Sugar Carrots and Green Beans

Goat Cheese-Crusted Chicken with Crispy Potatoes & Carrots

Dublin Coddle with Sausage & Ciabatta Garlic Bread

Sicilian Chicken with Green Beans & Tomatoes Pizzaiola

Each meal requires some prep work and are usually ready in about 30 - 40 minutes.

The meats are outstanding, I have never tasted chicken that tasted so good.

The suggested cooking times are always perfect, they take all the guess work out.

This is a wonderful food plan if you are interested.

And once again I want to add that I am not receiving any compensation for these reviews.

I reviewed many of these plans before choosing Home Chef,

I am sure I choose right!

The Orchids

The Big Beautiful Blooms...

These pictures were taken at both Barlow Flower Farm and Longwood Gardens

Yarn Along

Seeing Double...

You may think that, 

but if you know my knitting habits, you know that when I learn a pattern,

I tend to "remake" it more than a few times.


Once I finished the blanket for the baby we are waiting for -


I started another, with the same yarn because I had so much left over.

This is such a fun and easy knit, I am going to make several,

in these colors and a few in a different color scheme.

Knitting a few extra blankets, putting them away for when I need them,

sounds like a wonderful idea.

Also, I have a great niece who is 8 months old, I never knitted anything for her,

and I think she could still use a blanket like this,

in pretty shades of pink of course.

The Fairy Garden

When we visited 
Barlow Flower Farm located in Sea Girt, New Jersey 

they had for sale all the sweet little makings for a fairy garden...

and one on display as well.

Now this is something I could really get in to...

They also have a small aviary of birds in the 

Childrens Garden

My other post about this gorgeous garden center can be found here.

Longwood Gardens

We have Yearlong Passes for 

Longwood Gardens

and go each season to enjoy the changing displays.

We went on Saturday one of the last days of the Orchid display 

and I am so glad we did not miss it.

This beautiful archway at the entrance of the conservatory is made completely from orchids.

Forsythia

Orchids,

hanging from the ceiling shaped into balls.

An Orchid curtain.

Greenery - mixed with Orchids.

Hydrangeas

Pansies

Columbine

Daisies

The ever rare Blue Poppies.

Tiger Lily

Nectarine Bloom

Lupine

Anemone

The floor in this area is water...the Orchid curtain is off in the distance.

Tiger Lily

Hibiscus

Hibiscus

Tiger Lily

The hubs

Me

and one of us together.
When it is crowded in the gardens, they do not allow tripods,  
so I try to find people who look bored or friendly people
to snap one of us together.
Then I offer to take a picture for them, it usually works out pretty well!

March 24th, 2018