A Round Up Of Things

 I am back to the dreaded cleaning phase of quarantine.

More organizing...

but when it is done I feel so happy.

I am almost ready to start loaning myself out!

I purchased this on Etsy for my front door and I really love it.

I like "hello" better than "welcome".

This is the pumpkin I picked at the farm on Sunday.

I like that it has speckled green on the bottom,

and that it is not quite perfect, just like me.

Isn't my mum looking beautiful!

I ordered this lock on Amazon and I am in love with it.

I was going to hang it on the fence in Point Pleasant at the inlet...

but it is so pretty, I may save it for Niagara Falls.

There is a fence there, 

it faces the falls and they encourage the placing of locks.

I have yet to decide!

The skies and clouds have been so interesting.

I don't think I ever go outside when I am not in awe of the clouds,

and the ever changing skies!

I have done a lot of knitting on the Trellis Shawl,

I have really enjoyed working on it.

I finished my Needle Punch Snowman Ornament

it just needs to be mounted on a like shaped piece of wood.

Our Coronavirus numbers here in New Jersey are starting to tick upward...

I think this is what everyone was expecting.

I made this really delicious Home Chef meal on Monday night.

Sweet Onion Demi-Glaze Chicken with 

Roasted Asparagus with Crisp Onions and Cheddar Bacon Corn Muffins, 

I added the rice which we did not need.

This was a belly buster.

I often show only one plate of food, but each Home Chef meal feeds two people,

two times what is pictured above.

Another few days in the books, the hubs has been very busy with the buildings...

and I with all of the paperwork that goes along with it.

Sunday Fun~Day

Sunday was so super fun starting with the first stop...

Arrow Acres Farm 

Leanne had yarn for me and since the hubs was home, I wanted to go pick it up.

It is for my current project, the Trellis Shawl.

Well....much to my surprise, well I should not have been surprised because this family is awesome,

everyone saw me and welcomed me with open arms.

And that meant, letting me spend time with the Alpaca and the two newest babies.

I was so thrilled, I could have wet my pants...poor Chase thought I did!

Introducing Mom Vauneese, with her baby Venus

Mom LE, with her baby Tito

These babies were born last weekend, they are only one week old.

Both are doing very well.

Liz just sent me a text and said the babies names could change,

 depending on how their personalities develop,

 isn't that adorable!

These people always make me feel so special.

They sent me home with the feeling of love in my heart,

and the pumpkin of my choice...

I picked a big one, of course!

I am always so happy when I leave the farm.

I was able to see almost everyone,

Dee, Don, Leanne and Liz, Andee was not there.

I also got to see Leanne's youngest son Chase,

there is something about that kid that I just adore!

Wise Words On Sunday

 

Saturday Critters ~ 354 ~

 I have more Great Egret pictures to share from last weekend.

I saw so many Egrets...more than I have ever seen in one day in this area.

The Great Egret is a stately, pure white, heron like bird.

A mainly silent bird, large and conspicuous, long legs and a dagger like bill used for fishing.

My other two Egret posts from last weekend can be found here and here.

I felt those pictures were better than these.

Fishing...

nice catch!

"oh yes, I am happy too"

As I was photographing the Egret I heard a horn honking.

I knew it was unusual and the hubs said,

"look at this car"

it was probably the only thing that could get me away from the lake.

We took off, followed it and lucky for us, he stopped to talk to a neighbor.

I asked him if I could take a picture of the car and he said "sure"!

He seemed delighted!

Then he said, "I can do you one better, would you like to sit inside"?

ummmmm, YES!!!

What a thrill for me, I don't think I have ever been inside one of these.

A 1930 Model T-Ford

Thanks Mike, you made my day...I will always remember this special moment!!

Sharing today's images with Eileen at 

Viewing Nature With Eileen 
for Saturday Critters

Keeping Busy

 Keeping busy during a pandemic...

I have not struggled with that, keeping myself busy with a variety of things.

My butterflies have received a lot of my attention...

cleaning the cages and keeping them fed took it's fair share of time.

Knitting...my second love, off and on I have knitted a lot.

I am so happy I have that hobby and all of the others that have been keeping me busy.

Of course I have work.

Tending to all of the behind the scenes things that keep our business running smoothly.

With the fire on August 4th and the fact that we are putting up one last 10,000 S.F. building,

things in the office are unusually busy, it is a little better now.

Still, I always have stacks of bills and paperwork to my left, and my computer to the right saying...

"play here, work on your blog, visit your blogging friends, that is so much more fun"!

ahhhhh, the temptation! 

I have cleaned and purged and cleaned some more.

The hubs is never home (during the daytime) during the week, 

I don't go anywhere because of COVID 19...

he usually takes one day off on the weekend, but not always, 

on those days we go for car rides to my favorite nature spots, lakes or the ocean.

Cooking is a favorite pass time also, I do all of my prep work in the morning,

so preparing the meal in the evening is easier.

BBQ Crusted Chicken with Hot Honey,

honey mustard Brussels Sprouts and I added Rice

Burger with Lettuce and Sweet Onion, homemade French Fries and Coleslaw

Steak and Garlic Thyme Butter

with Balsamic Brussels Sprouts and Parmesan Twists

I added Onion Rings

All of these meals are Home Chef meals...this post is not sponsored but I wish it was.

It is not how much we have, but how much we enjoy, that sparks joy!

Yarn Along

I am still working on my Trellis Shawl...and I have knitted a lot this week. 

If I were not a slow knitter, this would be done. 

In this picture, I tried to illustrate how long it is...it's really long.

I started watching the Marie Kondo show Tiding Up on Netflix. 

Marie is a Japanese Tiding Consultant with tips and ways to "Tidy Your Home". 

She has written a book and has a unique style of approaching how to tidy your home. 

Most things I already do, 

but I found her folding method interesting, helpful, and easy to complete.

If you are looking for helpful guidance and inspiration, watch her show.

The Egret Explosion

 Saturday, was the explosion of Egrets...everywhere we went, we saw Egrets. 

A total of three at this lake, in Spring Lake, this one was really interested in posing for pictures!

I was surprised to see this Egret up on the grass. They are usually found in the water fishing. Crossing over a bridge on the way home, I counted seven Egrets in the water below us. There was no shoulder or safe area to pull over, so no pictures of them...but don't think for one minute, I wasn't thinking about a safe way to pull it off.

The hubs said, "it's not happening".

Pictured here is a Great White Egret, seen in New Jersey only during the summer.

It is a stately, pure white, heron like bird that uses its dagger like bill to capture prey.