Its been a busy two weeks. For a few days I babysat the youngest grandsons. Asher is 4yo and Maxwell is 1yo. I looked up from reading to see this--
Laura Beth said "we're going to have to screw the shelves to the wall". Maxwell is a climber. He pulls his little riding scooter to the window and climbs up to look out. He stands on the cooler and wants to jump up and down. No fear of heights.
There is a small garden behind the Visitor Center with native to the area plants. The Sawtooth Sunflowers are huge--
They must be 9 foot high.
That's a milkweed beetle on the sunflower. And here is Ironweed--
Hard to see but they are covered with purple flowers. Most plants were started with seeds, a few transplanted by Karla when she found them. They are all quite hardy and mostly "grow like weeds" and need to be hacked back or pulled up as they want to spread into another plant's space. This garden is not about beautiful landscaping but for visitors to be able to identify different plants that might be where they live.
Last weekend was Riverboat Days. Nick, Laura Beth and the boys all were camping. The weather was perfect, you needed a jacket in the evenings. Grandpa and Grandma babysat while the parents packed up their camper--
A whole weekend outside and Grandma took this pic! Remember the red wagon I bought? It was used at Riverboat Days--
Two little boys sat in the wagon to avoid chiggers in the grass. Ken, Laura Beth and Maxwell sat on chairs--the chigger eat them alive!! Nick and I sat on the blanket--they seldom bite us. We waited an eternity for the fireworks (1.5 hours) Hey--when you're a little boy, its an eternity!
Lorri2Rs came to visit one day bearing gifts!
Magazines and books and the lime green and yellow fabric. 2Rs--I love you!!
And a "tool mug". Perfect for quilters--it was stocked with chocolate kisses. The lime green fabric is for the boy quilt I'm making. Thank you 2Rs!!
The windows are open and I'm watching the finches, cardinals, orioles. turkeys and humming birds. Remember about 4 years ago I made a bluebird house from PVC pipe? This year I had BLUEBIRDS in it!
Its probably 20 foot from my door. The hole had to be exactly the right size to discourage bigger species etc from nesting it it. Its a great design, I hung it from a plant hook about 4 foot off the ground. Raccoons and other predators can't reach it, and can't destroy it. Snakes cannot climb the metal pole. It has a roof, vent/drain holes and I glued wooden clothespins inside for "steps" so the babies could climb out.
Summer is winding down, I cannot believe how fast it has gone.
~LORI~
