The "I should really post some photos" Post

Mom wants pictures. She doesn't use Facebook. So here is a visual recap of some of our activities.

Chase made a costume to wear at the Renaissance Faire when he went with his friends. He pounded out the chestplate himself.

Before she went back to University, Marina and I set up a fall display at the library. She only had time to make three squirrels a bird and some books, so I put the rest together. I plan to add pumpkins soon to take it through Thanksgiving.

 

 We had many animal visitors to the yard this summer and early autumn. The toad above was under the hydrangea bush by the door.  Below, an oddly marked grackle came visiting a few times. I named it Spot.












After several blurs and missed opportunities, I got a photo of our backyard hummingbird. She hangs around the yard during the summer, and even buzzed my ear when I invaded her territory one morning to fill our small birdbath/fountain.

We finally had a Monarch butterfly in our yard. It's worrying how few butterflies and bees we've seen this year. Please, if you garden, try to avoid pesticides and herbicides. They are really hurting the beneficial insect population and their food plants.

 We visited an orchard recently, on our way to drop off supplies to Marina. She asked us to take some reference photos for her (It's an artist thing. We are always supplying her with reference photos), so Sierra brought her camera and while I picked out apples (no time to pick them ourselves), she snapped some photos of the orchard residents.

That's all for now. I have to say, I really miss my old camera. I can't take as good shots of insects and moons with my daughters' cameras. My supermoon photos were shiny blurs on black. I think Sierra misses the camera too. She could do a lot with it that her small camera can't.