Record Breaking Rainfall

At this moment, when the temperatures outside are gaining into the 3-digit regions, it is hard to imagine that just a few weeks ago, we were all sloshing about in record breaking rains.

It filled up a bunch of the region's lakes quite significantly, and we drove out the Lake Fort Phantom the other day to GAWK at how the levels had risen.

We couldn't believe how high the water was ( relatively speaking, for you nitpickers out there ), 

and it wasn't long before more and more people started arriving and parking their vehicles to just LOOK at the lake in disbelief and wonderment, as we have had to deal with drought and extremely low lake levels for years now.

I mean, just look at all the foliage that is now underwater, that had had the opportunity to grow in the last few years.

Bugginess

I never had a chance to "grow" a butterfly when I was a child, and I have been doing it vicariously through Jaxon's "Life Cycle" lessons.

PLUS, living out here in the country with plenty of butterfly-attracting foliage makes it easier to spot them caterpillars when the time comes around.

This time, we had several attempts at rearing these little creatures.

First, we caught Hummingbird Moth larva on our lawn.  I have no idea why I don't have any photos of the larva, seeing how I am quite trigger happy with a camera, being Asian and all, you know.....

ANYWAY, after a little bit of research, we discovered that these larvae burrow into the soil to pupate. So, we put the little one into a jar with soil and waited.

After oh, I don't know, a couple of weeks, out emerged THIS impressive fellow...

whom we released after oohing and aahing for a bit and taking some obligatory photos.

A few days later, I came across some "Question Mark Butterfly" caterpillars on one of our trees out here, and it was "ooooooh!" all over again.. eheheh.

All four of them formed chrysalises, but one of the chrysalises had some sort of spasmodic epileptic episode one night and turned black the next day.

You can't really tell from the photos, but there were shiny metallic spots on the outside of the chrysalis.

The other 3 turned out really nicely, and hatched uneventfully., so we got to release one just about every other day.

It was surprising to see the red blood-like liquid that dripped off of it. ( Update : I have since learned that it is actually metabolic wastes/meconium from while it was going through its metamorphosis )

Also, do you see its namesake question mark on the underside of its wing?

The empty shell that was left was still pretty much intact.

Here's the question mark from another angle.

Apparently the trick to gently getting a butterfly to stay on your hands/fingers is to release them while their wings were still not fully dry so they wouldn't be so quick to fly off.

It was quite ticklish, but thrilling as well.

We then laid them gently on a plant in one of the flower beds so that they could finish drying their wings.

Quite magnificent, aren't they?

The little boy very much wanted to have it on his hand, but got so absolutely ticklish that he was quite content to just watch after a while.

Now that I am a homeschooling mom/marm,

the first thing that ran through my mind when I found this on our lawn one morning was, "I can show Jaxon a molted snake skin! Woohoo, Jackpot!"

of course, it was NOTHING compared to the epic snakeskin of '05

Not a Rom Com

Just finished watching About Time ( 2013 )

Ah. The. Feels.

Yes, there is some language and whatnot, but what a lovely soundtrack as well...

I can't very well merge the two....

Seeing how I am a stay at home/homeschooling mom at the moment, a great deal of my day is spent with the little one.

Therefore, it is no surprise that a lot more things would get posted over on the other blog as opposed to this one.

But never fear, you were my first-born blog, and will be periodically updated as well!

So, be kind and be brave and onward and upward, Hi Ho Silver AWAY!

4th of July 2015

We actually went to 2 fireworks displays this year - on on the eve and one on the night of.

Bright and early Saturday morning, we headed to Hillcrest for the 4th of July Neighborhood Parade.

People were already parked and ready for the festivities to begin :)

Of course, as with years past, the little boy had his own little agenda in mind.

Of course, it was good that he paused long enough to realise that the Parade had started. :)

Of course, with Daddy's help, the little boy managed to get some loot ( which he promptly forgot all about once we got home ) :)

There were plenty of characters out that day... :)

as well as a whole bunch of precious and adorable ones...

And who could have a neighborhood parade without Classic Cars?

The hubs spotted one that was what his mother used to drive...

After the parade, it was off to the Multi Purpose Room for Homemade Ice Cream!

The little boy's favorite was Key Lime flavored ice cream.

And then of course, such bubblicious energy cannot be contained - especially when it is sugar-enhanced.... and so we went over to the play room and built forts and stacked some dominoes..

Then we stayed up late and parked along with what seemed like half of Abilene to watch the fireworks.

It was QUITE the show. We saw displays that we had never seen before, which was super cool.

Till next year, then :)

I have a little shadow that goes in and out with me....

We were by the ACU library the other day to scan some documents and the little boy decided that he would sit UNDER the table just so he could be by me. :)