Where does a Bumblebee Sleep?

Have you ever wondered? Inquiring minds want to know! And I have the answer at the bottom of this post!

We have Mexican Petunias planted in our courtyard and they bloom like crazy all summer long.

We’ve counted over 100 blooms at one time. And they drop their blooms in the late afternoon and the next day there are 100 more flowers! Amazing!

They attract hummingbirds, butterflies and bumblebees galore!

One evening my sweet hubby was in the front and saw a bumblebee in a rose.

Not moving.

He put his finger on it and it fluttered it’s wings just a little and went right on sleeping.

In the center of a rose!

So that’s where they sleep! In the rose garden of course!

Because the fairies sleep in the Petunias!

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays.

“Scenery”

When I drive to Halpata Tastanaki Preserve, I’m always intent on seeing birds or wildlife.

But of course that doesn’t stop me from taking dozens of ‘scenery pics’!

It has been the most beautiful summer here in North Central Florida.

Our temps have not been too extreme and we’ve had enough rain to keep everything nice and green.

So let’s enjoy the scenery!

Oh, wait!

Is that a Swallowtail Kite high in the sky?

Well, it’s a good thing I have plenty of film in my camera. (just kidding)

I need to take just a few more pics before I go.

We expect it to be HOT here in Florida during the summer months, but it hasn’t been bad. How’s the weather in your neck of the woods?

I’m joining Mosaic Monday HERE.

Florida Critters

We have a lot of beautiful critters here in Florida!

This Anhinga was flying high in the sky over Blue Run Park in Dunnellon when we hiked there recently.

But the ‘star of the day’ was an alligator.

I know many of you are not ‘great fans’ but we don’t see one very often, only when we visit a preserve or a swamp.

And this was no ordinary alligator! It was the biggest one we’ve every seen! He was probably 9 to 10 feet LONG! Unbelievable! He was WIDE too!

And while we’re looking at creepy critters…

this looked like a ghost bird!

(we think it’s a Little Blue Heron and the color was being washed out by the bright sun)

And then there was the very large Pileated Woodpecker.

He was beautiful!

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.

Starting something ‘New’! Counted Cross Stitch

I’ve been wanting to start a new craft project and decided to try cross stitch again!

(a cute project in the magazine I bought)

I loved it years ago but then got interested in other sewing projects and ‘paper’ projects. I’m still making around 6 cards a week to give to the Hospice patients I meet but I wanted to try something different.

I’ve been encouraged by several of my blog friends. Arlene from Nanaland sent me an Early American cross stitch chart awhile back.

And Sandi from I Majored in Home Economics sent me these charts.

I need to start small and these Christmas patterns will be fun to make.

Thanks to both of these sweet blog friends. They have done posts on how to get started and share the projects they are working on. Sam at Farm Girl Sam shows what she’s working on too and always has an encouraging word!

Fall colors are my favorites. I found this old 1998 Cross Stitch magazine at the thrift store for 5 cents.

I bought some 14 count Aida cloth and picked out some pretty DMC thread in the colors of Autumn!

So that’s what I’ve started.

A small Fall project! And so far, I’m loving it!

This ISN’T what I’ve stitched! I’m not THAT good already!

I just chose a portion of this chart to start!

(photo from magazine, leaves from my driveway)

What are you working on this week?

I’m joining Thankful Thursdays.

Can you do me a favor?

I messed up the post I worked so hard on that includes the book list I compiled with our favorite books. And now for some reason it is not coming up in the sidebar! Would you jump down to the post below this one please? It took me forever to create the book list so I don’t want anyone to miss it. Oh, and I have healthy living ideas too!

(photo taken at Halpata Tastanaki Preserve yesterday)

Enjoy your day and

THANK YOU!!!

Healthy choices and Book List!

I mentioned that I had gained 5 pounds over the past few months without realizing it. I quit ‘weighing in’.

I’m happy to report that I’ve lost 7 pounds. (it took about a month to lose it)

And I’m back to weighing every day to keep my weight under control and in the range I’m happy with.  Oh….and where it needs to be to wear ALL my clothes! I love clothes and have a big wardrobe and I would rather keep my weight under control and have my clothes fit well.

So what did I change? I quit eating so many nuts for starters. I can’t eat sugar so nuts are like candy to me.  And I was snacking way too much. I also cut out chips altogether. And worked on lowering my carbs.

(extra grilled chicken for lunches)

(avocado, tomato and a half slice of Havarti cheese added)

I need protein to feel good….to be strong and have lots of energy and I did not cut back on protein. And I ate lots of fresh veggies at lunch and dinner.

(LOTS of fresh lettuce, a mixture!)

The salad photos are an example of one of my favorite lunches.

And my favorite dressing now is a tablespoon of Mayo, thinned with lemon juice with just a sprinkle of Truvia to boost the flavor.

So my biggest change was cutting back on snacks.

I eat cottage cheese with fruit and a tablespoon of yogurt to make it creamier or a cheese stick in the afternoons.

I’ve never been overweight. I was always a skinny minnie! lol But the older you get, the harder it is to maintain your weight. I exercise regularly and drink lots of water and that helps me feel better.

Do you have any healthy choices for SNACKS that you would like to share with me?

(waiting in the fridge until snack time!)

I still eat a few nuts every day!

I have to eat….and I have to eat well to feel good!

“Food is Fuel”

quote by Stephanie Plum in the book One for the Money by Janet Evanovich

Here’s our ‘End of Summer’ Reading list compiled from last week’s comments.

Books that bloggers enjoyed:

Thirteen Moons by Charles Frazier

Remarkable Creatures by Tracy Chevalier

Artemis by Weir

Crazy Rich Asians by Kevin Kwan

Cold Mountain by Charles Frazier

The Forgotten Garden by Kate Morton

The Lake House by Kate Morton

The Oregon Trail : A New American Journey by Rinker Buck

Missing, Presumed by Susie Steiner

Nightingale by Kristen Hanna

Summer Harvest by Madge Swindells

Dreams of Falling by Karen White

The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society

Series I LOVE:

Rhys Bowen, Molly Murphy AND Royal Spyness

Amy Stewart, Kopp Sisters

David Rosenfelt, Andy Carpenter

Thomas Perry, Jane Whitefield

Laurie King, Mary Russell

Charles Finch, Charles Lenox

Authors we all like:

Louise Penny

Charles Frazier

Kate Morton

James Patterson

Mary Kay Andrews

Lee Childs

Michael Connelly

Susie Steiner

Kent Haruf

Jane Austen

Karen Witemeyer

R. Mac Wheeler…our favorite Florida blogger

I’m joining Mosaic Monday HERE 

and Cooking and Crafting with J & J.

And please share any healthy snacks in the comments this week!

I’ll make another list! heehee!

Hiking Halpata Tastanaki Preserve at Dusk!

I’ve always wanted to go to HTP and hike at sundown….just to see what we might see.

Over the years we’ve seen deer, wild hogs, raccoons, armadillos, wild turkeys, heard coyotes and owls and seen bob cat tracks….just to name a few ‘critters’.

And I thought maybe they all came out night.

OK…let’s hit the trail!

Well, of course it’s harder to get good photos in the dusky twilight.

But surprisingly, we didn’t see nearly as much as our day time hikes.

A sweet little Downy Woodpecker.

Great Blue Heron high overhead.

And many birds we saw but didn’t even get a chance to photograph.

I thought if I hiked on stilts the horse flies couldn’t get me. But we didn’t have any trouble with bugs. (I sprayed as a precaution though)

And then as we turned around to leave…

we saw a sun dog!

That was worth the trip!

The colors were amazing!

Then the sun got lower in the sky.

And we hiked out.

It was only around 80 but the humidity was HIGH and there was NO breeze! So we were drenched with sweat when we finished at a little after 8 PM. But it’s pretty amazing to get any kind of hike in during the month of August in Florida!

How’s your weather this week?

I’m joining Saturday’s critters HERE

and I’d Rather B Birdin’.