The Joy Of Raising Butterflies

If you smile when you see a Butterfly...

you have happiness in your soul.

2 more Butterflies emerged on Saturday, both boys.

17 in total made it through the winter and emerged this spring.

Wise Words On Sunday

And somehow, after everything

she still bloomed in the way she was meant to!

Saturday Critters #602

This is only my second visit with the Osprey since they returned to their nest.

The Osprey return to this same nest every year in mid March, 

and they stay until they migrate late August/early September until the following March when they return.

Locals believe it is the same 2 birds that occupy it each year.

Osprey are generally monogamous and often mate for life.

It is written that Osprey can live up to 20 years, and always return to the same nest as in previous years.

This nest was well built and has survived all of our storms and hurricanes.

The female generally lays 2 - 3 eggs, but clutches of 1 - 4 eggs are possible.

So if all of that fairy tale stuff is true, and I believe it is, 

I have been watching and photographing these two "cadoodling" for about 10 years.

Last year they had 2 eggs and both hatched.

They are here for the summer and I hope to get pictures of the little ones to share.

I must say that the clouds during this session were beautiful.

- gone fishing -

Sharing today's images with Eileen at 

Viewing Nature With Eileen 

for Saturdays Critters

The House...

We have not been out too much, like everyone, we are waiting for the heat wave to pass.

On one of our recent outings, I saw this house and fell in love.

There is not much of a story I can tell without lying, I pass this house often when we are out for drives,

but did not have the pleasure of meeting the owners or walking the property.

One odd thing, the property looks like a farm, 

the house is a regular house, with the front and back yard being used to grow vegetables.

What a great use of the land they are on...everything was growing abundantly.

You would not expect to see this.

It looked out of place but in the best way possible.

The house was on a fairly busy highway, not in a development.

There is a hand painted cow back there.

Scarecrow here...

and here...they must be clever, artsy people.

I noticed a few scattered flowers growing...but it seems like it is primarily a vegetable garden.

Every square inch of this property is working hard and producing well.

I go by this house a lot, I hope they have a little farm stand in front soon to sell their produce.

I will be the first person in line.

Bucket Lists

 I am a list maker...

I love making lists, writing down reminders,

 and the best part, crossing things off. 

Bucket lists are my favorites!

I found this Bucket List Calendar on Instagram 

and I just had to have it.

I only use it to document the "fun" things I do, 

not the necessary things I am required to do.

- May -

The Bucket List Calendar by Brooklyn Swenson

size when open 9 x 24 ~ size when closed 9x12. 

The paper is uncoated cardstock so it is easy to write on,

it has a double spiral with the hole punch,

and is made in the USA

It comes with suggestions of fun things to do during each month 

and stickers to place on the calendar,

once you have completed the "fun" thing.

I have also used my own stickers that I have in my scrapbooking stash. 

The calendar is 50% off right now if you wanted to get it 

and use it for the second half of the year.

June so far...

This is "my" Bucket List, the one I make every season.

This hangs on the refrigerator and is a combination spring - summer list.

I could not find this exact one I used here, but if you are interested in starting one,

 this page has blank ones you can print out and fill in,

some are already filled in with suggestions for summer activities.

I always pick an empty one so I can add things we generally look forward to doing during the season.

Like everywhere else, summer has arrived and it is hot, hot, hot.

We had a really pretty sunset recently...it looked like a watercolor painting.

It was not like other beautiful sunsets...the entire sky turned one color...

such a pretty blend of pink and purple!

These are the colors of summer!

The Lakes We Like To Visit

 We have not been out too much this week, like many others, we are waiting for the heat wave to pass. 

There are several lakes close by that we can, stay in the car, 

drive around to see and enjoy the wildlife, ducks and birds, right from the car. 

- great blue Heron -

- lake heron -

- this is the same heron, he hangs out on the island in the center of the lake -

- he spotted me -

- lake heron -

- this is a smaller lake, we don't visit here as often, it is a little further from home -

Next up- Lake Of the Lilies

- Lake of the Lilies had beautiful wildflowers this year -

- smooth oxeye -

     - wild iris -                              

                                       

- smooth oxeye -

- wild iris -

- smooth oxeye -

- giant blue iris -

Two really hot days, two wonderful rides in the car to both of these beautiful Lakes.

Lake of the Lilies is in Ocean County - Lake Heron is in Monmouth County

Celebrating Fathers Day

 Fathers Day has come and gone.

Both of our boys live quite a distance from us, so neither were able to come home.

We still celebrated the amazing father the hubs has always been,

he is the best man and father I know.

He received cards, phone calls and text messages and he had a nice conversation with his Dad.

He lives in Florida.

We had a fun day and a very special dinner at our favorite restaurant...

Moonstruck

- the bar -

- they have live music on the weekends -

- dinner -

- strip steak with herbed butter and mashed potatoes, my meal  -

- the hubs had filet mignon, mashed potatoes and mixed vegetables -

- the hubs had oreo cheese cake -

 

- I had warm black and white creme brulee -

I am so lucky to have such a great man in my life.

Growing Goslings

 I was never able to determine how many goslings there were when they hatched.

The first time I saw them on May 26th, there were only 3.

The internet says the range for a typical clutch (family) is 2 - 12 eggs, average is 5 - 7 eggs per nest.

I myself have seen as many as 10 goslings in a clutch.

 Mom will lay 1 egg per day, 

the eggs incubate for approximately 28 days and all eggs hatch on the same day.

Here they are on May 26th...

They only stay in the nest for 1 day, then they venture out staying close to mom and dad.

I saw them again on June 4th...there were still 3.

Baby geese can walk hours after hatching and the parents will try to lead them away from the nest area.

Both the mother (goose) and the father (gander) will care for them until they are old enough to fly.

They are so sweet and they look so fluffy!