Turtle Hunting

Here are Richard III, Evelyn, and Frances returning from a spin around the pond in persuit of turtles. Many hours were spent turtle hunting from the canoe.

Generations of Gardeners

Great Grandmother Frances is showing young Frances how to properly carve out a weed from the garden. They both share a love for gardening.

Eager Helpers

Amelia and Evelyn detected a spider web in Aunt Cynthia's much cherished Cleopatra lamp, so here they are helping her finish the dusting. As much as Cynthia tries to stay on top of her household dusting, she always manages to forget a lamp or two, or three...

Fun with Butterflies

Here are Amelia and Frances Price enjoying a visit with their Great Grandfather on the porch swing.

Beautiful Amelia is pictured here, standing next to the Coreopsis (which by the way is Fran's favorite perennial). It didn't take Amelia very long to notice that the Coreopsis is home to several, very friendly butterflies; which by the way are unaware of our newly arrived visitors.
If you look closely, you can spot two or three butterflies hiding in the blossoms.Evelyn quickly spotted the butterflies, and was very careful as she gently lured one of them onto her finger.

CAUGHT!! GOTCHA!! ...the butterflies can't get can get past these darling girls. What fun we had catching butterflies.

Smell the Roses

We were so thrilled to have the tea roses greet us this lovely Sunday morning, that we just couldn't resist taking some pictures to share with fellow bloggers.

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Happy Fathers' Day

Pictured here is Dick on Fathers' day, wearing his favorite suit and cap.

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A Room With a View

Each morning the colors of spring greet us at our bedroom window. We look forward to the pink tea roses, which should be making their seasonal debut any day now.
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Gorgeous Irises

Glittering Gladiolas

Fragrant Honeysuckle (a favorite among the hummingbirds)

Colossal Turtle

Pond turtles will lay their eggs in a hole carved out by the mother in the middle of the night. So, imagine how thrilled we were when we became aware of this colossal turtle still laying her eggs early Saturday morning.
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Females produce 5-13 eggs per clutch. They deposit eggs either once or twice a year.
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Some hatchings overwinter in the nest, and this phenomenon seems more prevalent in northern areas. Possibly, winter rains may be necessary to loosen the hardpan soul where some nests are deposited. It may be that the nest is the safest place for hatchlings to shelter while they await the return of warm weather. Whether it is hatchlings or eggs that overwinter, young first appear in the spring following the year of egg deposition. Individuals grow slowly in the wild, and age of their first reproduction may be 10 to 12 years in the northern part of the range. Adult turtles may survive more than 30 years in the wild.
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Retrieved from "http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Western_pond_turtle"

The Bucket

What is Cynthia carrying in the blue bucket?

Please vote in the Poll.

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Oasis - Hello!

On the day of the launch, Oasis was navigated into her slip at Winthrop Harbor, Illinois - as shown here in this clip: