Claudia — Page 1385

A Favorite Thing #39

May 31, 2013 at 8:00 pm by Claudia

Hello everyone and welcome to A Favorite Thing #39. It’s been a crazy week weather-wise: one day cool and rainy, the next in the nineties and humid. Some of you are dealing with tornados. And it’s only May!

I just have to note that tomorrow is my parents’ 67th Wedding Anniversary. Happy Anniversary, Mom and Dad!

Let’s look at some highlights from last week:

Karen, from My Little Home and Garden spotlighted May’s flower, the lovely Lily of the Valley. It’s always been a favorite of mine, as well; such a delicate, pretty flower. And Karen, I remember that perfume! It was a favorite of many of my mom’s friends.

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Julie, of Julie’s Little House, shared her favorite thing – her new kitten, Eilish. Oh goodness. Look at that adorable little ball of fur! I would find it very hard to resist that face. Congratulations, Julie!

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Lynda of The Auld Grey Mare, shared this recipe for Almond Flour Coconut Waffles. My mouth is watering as I type this and gaze upon her photo. They sound delicious. Thanks, Lynda.

This week my favorite thing is an essential. It helps to make this blog possible. It is never far from my side. It has enlarged my world and the way I view it. It’s my camera.

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When I started this blog, I had a tiny Canon point-and-shoot. Then, a few years later, I graduated to a Canon Bridge Camera – sort of the top of the line in that category – and I loved it. I wasn’t ready at the time for a camera that would take different lenses. I still have that camera. But as the blog grew, my photography skills grew and I found myself wanting one of the Canon Rebel line of cameras, DSLRs that are very user-friendly.

Finally, after a few years of dreaming and hoping, we managed to get enough money together to buy one for my Christmas present. I still have a lot to learn, but boy, do I love it! Now I want a telescopic lens. And a macro lens. But for now, I’m content with the two lenses I have and the joy of using my Canon Rebel T3i. It is, along with my laptop, one of the tools that I consider an absolute essential.

Now, it’s your turn!

You can link up anytime from this evening through Sunday. Make sure you enter the URL of your post. If you’re unsure how to do that, just click on your post title after you’ve published it and copy the information in your browser address window. Come back here, paste the URL into your link entry and there you go! If you have any problems, drop me an email and I’ll help you out. Please link back to this blog on your post. That way, those that read your post and are interested in reading more can do so.

One of my concerns about link parties is that the very reason for them has somewhat gone by the wayside. They’ve become so big and there are so many of them that many bloggers don’t take the time to visit any of the other participants. Link parties are a way to meet new bloggers and share with each other and the only way to do that is to visit each other. So, please, take some time to visit everyone over the next few days. No rush. Stop by, introduce yourself, and leave a comment. It’s the neighborly thing to do. It’s also nice if you leave a comment here, as well.

Have fun!

I’ve Gone Cicada-Crazy

May 31, 2013 at 8:32 am by Claudia

I had the most extraordinary experience yesterday morning. It had rained the night before and I decided to go outside with my camera to photograph some water drops on my plants. But what awaited me was far more interesting. There were hundreds of 17 year cicadas (magicicada) in my garden. Some had just emerged from their exoskeletons, others were in the midst of emerging. Everywhere my eyes rested, there they were. As I looked even more closely, I could see exoskeletons attached the underside of leaves. Finding them was rather like playing a game of Where’s the Cicada?

Amazing.

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They emerge from the exoskeleton and slowly move around, while the wings inflate with fluid and their new skin hardens. It takes a while until they finally use their wings.

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You can see three exoskeletons in this photo and two cicadas, one is to the right of the poppy.

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This one was still in his exoskeleton. I mistakenly removed him from a plant and when I saw him walking, I realized he was still in there! So I grabbed a stick and he attached himself to it and then I transferred him back to one of the plants.

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They were everywhere – even on my newly opened poppies.

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I was so lucky to see this. It’s all in the timing. And in the camera.

I observed them for quite a while, then I went back in the house. Within a couple of hours, they were gone, leaving the exoskeletons behind. I gently removed them from the plants (that’s when I mistakenly removed the one that was still in his exoskeleton) and it was as if they were never there.

When the nymphs, having lived underground for 17 years, emerge, they construct an exit tunnel. I saw a distinct hole in my garden soil that I’m pretty sure was the tunnel. I’ll be careful not to disturb it. Now, they will mate and plant their eggs in a tree limb and die.

Nature is extraordinary. Little miracles happen every day.

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My favorite flower is about ready to bloom. Glorious peonies, I can’t wait to see you. But then again, I can. Because once you bloom, you won’t be around for very long.

I was recently interviewed by Linda Huffman, who publishes an online magazine for women called Women Encouraged or “We” Magazine. If you want to read the interview, click here and then click on the Market Place page (in the column on the left.) Linda, thanks so much for the opportunity and for such great questions!

Happy Friday.

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Cluck, Cluck

May 30, 2013 at 8:23 am by Claudia

I spent most of the day yesterday being a slug. It was still a little rainy, the skies were gray, I couldn’t get motivated. By mid-afternoon, Don felt we needed to get out of the house, so the three of us got in the car and went for a ride. We stopped at a charming family-owned nursery that’s about 10 miles down the road from us. I’m trying to find something other than impatiens to plant in the barrels by the funky patio. Couldn’t make up my mind. Any ideas?

As we toodled around the nursery we met up with these guys:

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Dueling iPhones

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The minute they heard our voices, more and more chickens appeared.

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That’s a peacock in the background. There was another gorgeous male peacock in the pen but it was too dark in there to get a good photo. I’m well aware that every blogger out there seems to be raising chickens, so if you’re suffering from an overabundance of all things chicken, forgive me. And don’t ask. No. I’m not going to be raising chickens. I would get too attached and there are too many predators around here. I’d never forgive myself if something happened to one of them. And, in typical me fashion, if everyone is doing it, I tend not to.

We returned home and then, as if someone zapped us with a burst of energy, we mowed, weeded, planted seeds and, seeing that we are due for 90 degree temperatures for the next few days, put in three window air conditioners.

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By the way, the day I came home from Hartford, Don and I checked to see if the quilt top will fit in the place I had in mind for it – the stairway wall. Hurrah! It fits perfectly.

Don loves this design so much that he wanted to hang it right away. I explained that it isn’t a quilt yet, that I have to add batting and a quilt back.

Then I have to quilt it.

His disappointed reply: “How long will that take?”

Happy Thursday.

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A Favorite Thing #39

I’ve Gone Cicada-Crazy

Cluck, Cluck

Lambs Like to Party

A Note

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