Welcoming Autumn

Dear Friends,

Happy Autumn to you! We've been enjoying cooler weather lately, although we're supposed to be still in the 80s for the next week or so. We'll gladly take the extra time of warm temperatures that will keep our garden going!


"Our" Monarch butterflies have been hanging about our yard, sipping from the flowers and roosting in the trees at night. They should be leaving any day now, for we have seen several others flying south around town (and we always hold our breath when they cross busy streets!).

The bees are busily gathering nectar for winter, and several honey bees have even come in the house after our honey.

 This bumble bee is perfectly innocent, however~

We finally figured out what kind of squash is taking over our front flower bed: Zucchino Rampicante. Two seeds have produced plants stretching 20 feet or more in all directions! This one seems to have gone to Tasha's head.

The Jerusalem artichokes are looking beautiful with their golden blooms. When the first frost comes, we will be able to start harvesting their tasty tubers.

Our toads keep growing and growing, especially our big female we named Princess. She is big enough to tackle nightcrawlers that would be like our eating a python!

To add to our indoor zoo, we bought a very UN tame parakeet named Pete. Hopefully he will come to trust and love us soon. 


May this season bring you much joy as you experience the wonders of each day. May we all take time to cherish the little things that add up to wonderful memories many years hence.

Love,

Marqueta

Visiting the "Big Muddy"

Dear Friends,

(These photos are from a couple of weeks ago, but I'm just getting around the putting them up~  Sitting down and typing can be a challenge when you have a watermelon-sized belly!) :)

We've been living near the Missouri River for almost three years, and finally made a trip especially to see it. There is a park with river access not far away, and we were happy to discover a nice sandy bank, and very warm water! So different from the Snake River we left behind us.

Some of us were not so sure the water was a safe place to be, especially when a passing barge made some impressive waves!

We found a tiny cricket frog, as well as a blue-tailed skink with an electric blue tail (neither were being very photogenic)~

And we discovered a few sand burs, which is something we'd forgotten about, with the clay soil we've gotten used to!

Back at home, the Monarch butterflies whom we raised from eggs emerged from their beautiful chrysalides.We hope they will make it to Mexico and raise the next generation in the spring.

Raising butterflies has been so much fun this year, and made seeing them enjoying life in the wild that much more precious.

Thank you for your friendship and kind comments. We are so grateful for all of you who stop by here, and for the kinship we feel with you!

Love,

Marqueta

The Annual Small Doll Fair

 Dear Friends,

We have just had our Dollton Fair for the year (truthfully, my children did all the work), and it was a wonderful one!

(Even the queen approved!)

There was an animal show,

 Flower display,

 (Here is the proud winner of the best bouquet, as well as of several other ribbons)

Clothing and aprons for sale,

 As well as beautiful quilts, too~

 Treats were available for everyone, both sweet and savory~

Last but not least, there was a horse race of great excitement!

 Some of the entertainment that was not on the official roster was chasing of giant chickens off
of the fair grounds!

 

 All in all, a great time was had by all, and although everyone who participated is perhaps a little tired, they are looking forward already to next year's fair!

Love,

Marqueta