KITTY CAT IN A BAG & MONARCH CHRYSALISES READY TO OPEN

KITTY CAT IN A BAG & MONARCH CHRYSALISES READY TO OPEN

Brrrrrr it's cold!!

The two owls hoo-hooing in my trees have left for a few days because of the cold.  They always come back when the really cold weather passes.

Last week I found a huge owl nest in my tall montezuma cypress tree.  

I HOPE, HOPE, HOPE they are going to nest there.

Yes, this is a kitty cat in a plastic garbage bag.

My outside cats have very warm beds in the garage and garden shed, but they like to stay curled up by the front door.  A couple of days ago it was very windy and cold and the bag idea came to me.  I put a very fluffy beach towel in each bag and curled the yellow tie string around a metal table to hold it open a little bit.  Immediately this little neighbor cat (who lives over here) climbed in.  Every time I walk out the front door, she meows and comes out of her cozy bag.  She loves it!

There are 6-9 monarch chrysalises now.  I'm worried about them because the next two days are going to be very cold.  The weather lady said sleet  and ice.  I hope they don't freeze to death. 

For some of them, tomorrow will be 14 days since they first started their chrysalis. 

Like any fertile egg, as the embryo grows the egg will darken.  

Three of the chrysalises are dark now because the monarch wings have formed.  I'm not sure if they will come out in the cold or if they know to wait for better weather.  

I'll be watching closely.

The picture on the left is a caterpillar a few days ago getting ready to start spinning.  You can tell because they attach themselves to something and form a perfect J.

The monarch chrysalis has very shiny metallic gold on it.  A gold band and little metallic gold specks here and there.  They're really beautiful, especially in the sun.

 In the beginning, they are very light green, but this chrysalis is dark now because the wings have formed.

LUKE THE LION ENJOYING SNOW AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO

LUKE THE LION ENJOYING SNOW AT THE SMITHSONIAN NATIONAL ZOO

"LUKE"

"A real lion in winter. In this photo Luke looks up at snowflakes gently falling around him. Lions can tolerate cold temperatures—the African savannah can be a very cold place at night—but our lions always have the option to spend time in heated dens or inside on very cold days."

SOPHIA BAKING COOKIES FOR SANTA & FRIENDS

SOPHIA BAKING COOKIES FOR SANTA & FRIENDS

My beautiful little friend Sophia was baking cookies for Santa and baked extra for her friends.  I was on that list!  She has flour on her nose.

Isn't she adorable!!

MONARCH CATERPILLAR CHRYSALIS IN DECEMBER

MONARCH CATERPILLAR CHRYSALIS IN DECEMBER

I'm amazed!!  

This monarch caterpillar finished spinning her chrysalis in less than twenty four hours.
I think she will leave her chrysalis in about 14 days.
So, I'll let you know when she has her wings.

It really touches my heart. 

To me, it truly is a wonder of nature.

Several of the other caterpillars still have not moved since yesterday.  I think they need the sun and we might not see the sun for another couple of days.  

I'll be watching closely.

One time, there was a monarch chrysalis in my garden in direct sunlight and I saw a metallic gold ring around it.  I don't see that gold ring on this one, yet.

I just googled the difference between a cocoon and a chrysalis and this is what it said:

"Butterflies hatch from a chrysalis, a life stage made of a hardened protein. A cocoon is spun from silk and surrounds the pupa of many moths."

MONARCH CATERPILLAR SPINNING HER CHRYSALIS

MONARCH CATERPILLAR SPINNING HER CHRYSALIS

One of the monarch caterpillars is ready to start her new life.

She attached herself to the bottom of this birdhouse by my rock walk, so I'll get to see it all the time.  Right now, she's slowly moving and I'm guessing she's spinning her chrysalis.  I'll be eager to look in the morning to see if she's all covered up.

Several of the other caterpillars are still on the butterfly weed and on my window frames.  Today, they're very still and I'm thinking it's because it's been a cool day.  I'm worried about them because by the time they come out of their chrysalises, it might be really cold.

Their mission is survival of the species and I really hope they make it.  

The monarch butterflies who laid these eggs were here kind of late and I was thinking some of them actually hatched in my garden.

Good luck to these little ones! 

 I'll keep you posted.

"NATURE IS GOD'S FIRST MISSIONARY" MAX LUCADO

"NATURE IS GOD'S FIRST MISSIONARY" MAX LUCADO

"Where there is no Bible, there are sparkling stars.

Where there are no preachers, there are springtimes.

If a person has nothing but nature, then nature is enough to reveal something about God".

Max Lucado

LOOK!! IT'S DECEMBER 13, AND I JUST FOUND MONARCH CATERPILLARS ON MY BUTTERFLY WEED

LOOK!!  IT'S DECEMBER 13, AND I JUST FOUND MONARCH CATERPILLARS ON MY BUTTERFLY WEED

LOOK what I just found!!

Monarch caterpillars.  

I counted nine of them, but there are probably several more that I didn't see.

I saw some droppings on my window sill and thought it was seeds until I looked closer.

Then, I saw the caterpillars.

Just a few weeks ago, a few monarchs were still here and I kept thinking they'd better move on or they would get caught in the cold.  They finally left for good when a really cold front came through.  But, they left behind some eggs.

These caterpillars are probably at least two weeks old and just big enough that they had better hurry and start their cocoons.  It's going to take about two weeks for them to become a butterfly and it might be really cold by then.  

They need to get on down to Mexico!

When it started getting really cold, I put all of these butterfly weed plants close to my studio windows.  I was hoping it would keep them warm and they wouldn't freeze.  

I guess the caterpillars have been warm, too.

Thank goodness they had something to eat.

KITTY CAT BEDS FROM FALLING LEAVES

KITTY CAT BEDS FROM FALLING LEAVES

The cats love when the leaves start falling.

These are crepe myrtle leaves and they're so soft.  I keep big flower pots around and don't put flowers in most of them.  The cats love to curl up and sleep in them.  So, when the leaves start falling, I keep piling newly fallen leaves in the flower pot beds.  

Right here you can see how much Elijah loves his soft leaf bed.

He's kind of fragile, so I love how the little angel is always watching over him.

I rake the soft crepe myrtle leaves up close to the house.

This is the neighbor cat who is here most of the time.  (Next door is not a good home for our animal friends.)  If you look closely, there's another cat nest next to the kitty cat.

I have a huge montezuma cypress tree and when those fronds finally start falling, the cats think they're in heaven!  They are so soft and I pile them really high.

It has been in the 30's a couple of times, but  not cold enough to freeze anything in my garden.  That is a pink trumpet vine that I have growing on a 6' chicken wire fence.  It loves the cooler weather and has the most beautiful pink blooms until it freezes.

HAWKS ATTACKING BIRDS IN MY BACKYARD

HAWKS ATTACKING BIRDS IN MY BACKYARD

Thy Bun

is 

THY WILDLIFE PHOTOGRAPHY

I follow him on Facebook and he shares the most beautiful pictures of birds and raptors.

He just posted this picture and not that this one is so beautiful (to me), but it reminds me of hawks in my backyard.

For many years I've fed the birds close enough to my house that I can observe their habits.

One time there were lots of birds on the feeders and lots on the ground eating dropped seeds.  

Suddenly, I saw EVERYONE of them suddenly fly down to the ground.  Usually, when a bird is startled, they will fly upward, but this time they flew to the ground.  I had seen them do this two or three times and thought it was unusual.

This time though, I saw a hawk suddenly swoop down and land on a dove and the hawk rocked back and forth a few times.  I'm guessing he was digging his claws in the bird so it couldn't get away.  Then, he flew up with the dove.

That wasn't fun to watch, but then I understood why the birds flew down to the ground.  I think they were making it harder for the hawk to see and attack them.

I just thought it was really interesting.

NEW LATTICE FOR MY HEART GATE & BEST FRIENDS CHARLIE & PUNKIN

Gus is my "go to guy".  

He's worked with me for many years.

He's been really sick for almost a year, but he's feeling better and wanted to come by and help me do a few little things around my yard.  While he was sick, I tried to find someone, but couldn't find anyone who could do everything like he does.

He's attaching that lattice over my heart gate and it looks so nice. 

 I built that gate.  Many years ago, I found one like it in Victoria magazine and knew I had to have one.  I cut out the shape of a heart, skipping every other board.  But, the empty space of one board is just big enough for possums, raccoons, skunks, everything to climb through.  To keep Charlie safe, I stuffed lots of chicken wire in those holes.  It looks so much better with the lattice, now.

Charlie and Punkin are best friends.  They love to be nearby while I'm working in the yard.  And they love Gus, so they kept moving around the yard to be close to wherever he was working.

There is an easement between my heart gate and my neighbor's fence.  It's my property, but it is a utility easement and I have to take care of it.  While Gus was working on the gate, I saw this fake/decorative apple.  When I picked it up, I saw that someone had tried to take a bite out of it.  I guess it must have made them mad because they threw it over the fence.

Gus said they were probably drinking and didn't realize it was a fake apple.  

Funny, huh!

LITTLE YELLOW BUTTERFLIES FLUTTERING AROUND MY YARD & A CUTE BABY ELEPHANT (NOT IN MY YARD :)

LITTLE YELLOW BUTTERFLIES FLUTTERING AROUND MY YARD & A CUTE BABY ELEPHANT (NOT IN MY YARD :)

It was really cold for several days.  Now, it's been in the 60's and very comfortable.
  A friend in Wisconsin sent me a picture of their first snowfall.  I can't imagine living in that kind of weather for months at a time.
Because of our warmer weather, we have lots of little yellow butterflies.  Two different shades of yellow are fluttering all around my yard.  I'm glad I still have lots of flowers that haven't frozen back, yet.
Yesterday, I got some pansies for my flower pots.  I always put them around my front door because they're so fragrant.  And, the butterflies love them, too.

Isn't this the cutest little elephant, climbing all over it's sibling!!

LOVE the baby elephant!

PUNKIN ON A BOX & BIRDS ROOSTING IN MY GARDEN

PUNKIN ON A BOX & BIRDS ROOSTING IN MY GARDEN

We have been in the middle of some kind of weather situation where a cold front or something was coming down from the north and something was coming up from the Gulf.  The last several days have been cloudy and drizzly and raining and I absolutely LOVED it.  I was working on some furniture at home, so I didn't have to get out and drive on the slippery roads.

Today, it's a cool beautiful sunny day.

I found this "Fresh Flowers" box at Sprouts and asked if I could bring it home for my cats to sleep in.

Looks like Punkin perfers sleeping on top of it.

For several days I watched for Ms. Woodpecker to come to her roosting place in the tall green birdhouse and didn't see her.  I learned that I was looking for her too late in the day.  A couple of nights ago, I was at the kitchen window just after 5 o'clock and saw her fly to the tall green birdhouse and check and check and check to make sure nothing was in the house, then entered for the night.  

POST FOR TALL GREEN BIRDHOUSE FOR MS. WOODPECKER

  When the wrens are getting ready to roost, they start watching from afar to make sure it's safe to enter their sleeping quarters for the night.  Then, at the right time they enter quickly so they won't be seen.  This is what I've always observed in my garden.  Just at dusk, you can hear the little wrens calling and if you had to time to watch for several minutes, you would see their special place for the night.  The woodpeckers start calling before they enter, too.  They do this across the yard from where they're planning to roost.  

Hoping you have a wonderful week! 

LOOK AT MY SMALL LIGHTWEIGHT FOLDING DOLLY

 LOOK AT MY SMALL LIGHTWEIGHT FOLDING DOLLY

 Found it at Lowe's.

It was 25.99 and holds 150 lbs.

When it's folded I can store it anywhere, even in my car.

It will certainly come in handy in my work.

See how it folds?

I have two other dollies, but they don't fold like this one.

Great find for me!

MY BLACK EYED SUSAN VINE & MS. WOODPECKER IS ROOSTING IN MY GARDEN AGAIN

MY BLACK EYED SUSAN VINE & MS. WOODPECKER ROOSTING IN MY GARDEN AGAIN

Oh, my black eyed susan vine!  

The seeds that dropped last fall came up everywhere.  All spring and summer I always keep breaking it back so it doesn't completely cover all of the other plants in my garden.  Then, around July I let it start weaving it's way anywhere it wants to go.  Because in October when all of the other plants are looking tired and worn this little vine with it's beautiful bright yellow flowers will be all over my yard and blooming up a storm.  It will bloom now until it freezes back, drop more seeds and come up everywhere in the spring, again.

Finally, a really chilly cold front came through a couple of days ago.  At this time of year, I notice the birds looking for their winter roosting place.  

The top portal of this green birdhouse was chewed wider by a squirrel a few years ago.  About four years ago, I planned to repair it.  Then, about dusk one evening I noticed a woodpecker checking, checking, checking inside of it and then climbed in, turned around and went in backwards.  I kept watching and it never came out.  Many winter evenings, I would watch for it and it did come around dusk and check it out, then climb in, turn around and go in backwards because the house is very narrow.

So, as I was watching for it one evening, it came and started checking the inside before it went in.  Then, it started pecking and pecking at something.  I thought it might be a snake curled up in there.  After several peckings, another woodpecker climbed out and flew away.  I was amazed!!

You never know when it's the last winter for each bird.  So, the last few days I've been watching and about four days ago, here she came.  She inspected several of the other birdhouses and then she climbed in the green one.  

See her climbing in at the top of the birdhouse.

She turned around and hung her head out, checking out the surroundings.  I haven't seen her at dusk yet, but I'm sure this is her winter roost again.  See her leaning out of the portal at the top of the birdhouse?

This is the nesting house I built for the woodpeckers a few years ago.  I've only seen them in it once and they raised two babies.  I always watch for them in the spring.  Maybe next spring they'll use it again.  I COULD NOT keep the squirrels out of it, so I put 6" metal flashing around the bottom.  That made it hard for them to reach from the post and climb up.  The flashing is slippery and 6" wide.

Anyway, I was glad to see Ms. Woodpecker choosing my yard as her roosting place again.

These are the things that make me happy.

MONARCH & BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLIES ON MY PENTAS AND WHAT ARE THESE INSECT EGGS?

MONARCH & BLACK SWALLOWTAIL BUTTERFLIES ON MY PENTAS & WHAT ARE THESE INSECT EGGS?

Sunday, I had lots of monarch butterflies again.  Most of them were kind of medium size, but this one was huge.  Also, they always hover around my butterfly weed and eupatorium, but this one was on my pentas all day.
I wonder about it, why this one is different.

There have been lots of black swallowtail butterflies in my yard, especially since the weather has cooled off a bit.

This one was on the same pentas with the beautiful large monarch.

While I was watching the butterflies, I noticed these tiny white insect eggs on the stem right in the middle of this picture.  They look like a musical score.  I've seen them before and have wondered if they were butterfly eggs, moth eggs or spider eggs.  I searched on Google and couldn't find anything like this.  

Interesting, huh?

See these little paper lanterns?  They are the seeds of my queen's crown vine that I shared with you earlier.  They will turn light brown and drop EVERYWHERE!  So, baby queen's crowns will be coming up all around this area in the spring.

I really love sharing nature in my garden with you.

Have a wonderful rest of the week!

STARTING YOUR SEEDLINGS IN EGGSHELLS

STARTING YOUR SEEDLINGS IN EGGSHELLS

Look at this.  

What a good idea!

Eggshells give your seedlings an extra boost of calcium.

I'm certainly going to do this next spring. 

20 INSANELY CLEVER GARDENING TIPS & IDEAS
(click on this link for more great gardening ideas)

 

LOTS OF BUTTERFLIES IN MY GARDEN TODAY

LOTS OF BUTTERFLIES IN MY GARDEN TODAY

Today, there were so many butterflies in my yard.  Most of the monarchs have moved on and I have 6 or 7 left.  I always have black swallowtail butterflies until winter.  Lately, some of them have a beautiful vibrant purple next to the blue on their wings.  Lowe's is a few blocks away and I wonder if they came in with their shipment of pansies and other winter flowers.  When I was feeding the fish, I also noticed a small white butterfly, a medium butter yellow one and a medium butter colored one with black along the tips of it's wings.  I really think it's possible that these could have come in with Lowe's shipment if they didn't spray insecticide all over the flowers.

Anyway, I'm loving all the colorful fluttering wings in my flower beds.

Oh!  I always say the migrating birds come in front of the cold fronts and it just occured to me, maybe the butterflies do, too. 

 Didn't think about that!

BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE THIS MORNING

BEAUTIFUL SUNRISE THIS MORNING

Beautiful sunrise this morning.  

It looks more like s sunset.

I wonder if this colorful sky is because of the eclipse happening later today.

BABY SQUIRREL, QUEEN'S CROWN & MIGRATING ROBIN VISITED MY GARDEN

BABY SQUIRREL, QUEEN'S CROWN & MIGRATING ROBIN VISITING MY GARDEN

This baby squirrel came to visit today.
A couple of weeks ago, a mama squirrel with swollen milk bumps on her tummy came to the bird feeder.  I figured she might have babies and there was lots of ceyenne pepper on the sunflower seeds.  I was hoping she wouldn't take it back to her babies and I think she realized the same thing because she didn't come back.  This baby didn't go to the feeder, it just kept playing with the tree.

Then, Pepper showed up on the roof about 4' from it and it didn't even know Pepper was dangererous.  I hit the window and it ran away.  Thank goodness Pepper isn't aggressive.

Isn't it beautiful how this queen's crown grows on my fence.  The honey bees just love it and were swarming all over it.  I love vines!

And, this afternoon there was a robin in my yard.  I didn't get a good picture of her.  I think it's a she because she wasn't terribly bright red.  But, no mistaking the white rings around her eyes.  She was foraging in one of my flower beds where there are LOTS of earthworms.  

These were the best pictures I could get today.  I'll try again tomorrow.

Earlier today I saw a little yellow migrating bird at the bird bath, too.  I've seen several of them for a couple of weeks. 

 I always think these migrating birds come in and move on with cold fronts.  I'll watch the weather and see if one is on the way.

I love seeing the migrating birds and so glad they stop by my garden for a spell.

MY FIRST DIY E-BOOK PAINTING WITH A GEL STAIN

MY FIRST DIY E-BOOK PAINTING WITH A GEL STAIN

Recently, I completed my first instructional e-book.  It was hard working with Word and pictures for the first time, but finally figured it out.

A client got a new front door and it had a white primer on it.  She wanted a dark stained wooden front door but the one she wanted was really expensive.  A friend told her that it was easy to stain the white one with a gel stain and make it look similar to the one she liked.

Since she's not really a painter, it was a challenge for her and didn't turn out the way she thought it would and gave up! So, she brought it to me.

I work with gel stains a lot and decided to compose an e-book to show how I work with gel stains because they're a little tricky to work with.  This 13 page e-book shows you step by step how I use my brush strokes to simulate wood grain.

If you are wanting to change any door, cabinet or piece of furniture and would like to see my technique, here is a link to purchase my very first e-book in PDF form.

PAINT A WHITE DOOR TO LOOK LIKE A STAINED WOOD DOOR USING GEL STAIN

If you're interested in my e-book, but would rather have a

"PRINT COPY"

that is available for purchase, also.

It takes time, but I really loved creating this e-book and want to do lots more.  I have a third blog called

THE PAINTED COTTAGE

and I'm thinking I will use it for e-books and tutorials.  Soon, I'll try to figure out how to create drop down menus.  But, that's ANOTHER challenge!!

I will be working on it though because I love showing my friends the different techniques I've used in the beautiful homes where I've had the privilege to work.

Thank you!

Thank you for your interest!

INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES.

INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES

There are lots of monarch butterflies visiting my garden right now.  I grow butterfly weed and eupatorium just for this time of year, when they will be passing through on their journey to Mexico.  Most butterflies live a couple of weeks or a couple of months, but the fourth generation of the spring/summer season monarch butterflies live 9 months and their story is incredible!  The monarchs are everywhere in town right now.  I'm hoping that no one will delay their journey by putting them in a jar or in a cage.  They are on a mission of survival.  Most of them will be moving on south with the winds of the next cold front.

ENJOY THEIR BEAUTY!!

INCREDIBLE JOURNEY OF MONARCH BUTTERFLIES

(youtube.com)

TUES: SidewalkShoes WED:SavvySouthernStyle,FloralFridayFotos

A BOUQUET OF FLOWERS FOR YOU ~ CLEANING MY STUDIO WINDOWS & CATS ON MY LADDERS

A BOUQUET OF FRESH FLOWERS FOR MY FRIENDS
CLEANING MY STUDIO WINDOWS & CATS ON MY LADDERS

Today, I want to share a beautiful bouquet of fresh flowers with my friends.

Don't you just love these colors together?

Purple is eupatorium ~ Monarchs and other butterflies love these~

Blue plumbago ~ One of my very favorites.  

Pink/coral is queen's crown or coral vine or antigonon

~Queen's crown is a wonderful vine and you see it especially in the older parts of town (here) growing up telephone poles and almost wild.  It grows like that in my garden, too.  The honey bees love it~

Yesterday, I was washing my studio windows and I turned around and Punkin was on my ladder.  Get down, please!  Finally, she got down to play with Charlie.

Cats love my ladders.

I was painting an "antique silver" special finish on this wall in my client's bedroom and Nikki got on my ladder.  He wouldn't come down and I had to ask his mom to come get him for me. 

He was very friendly.

Right now the queen's crown is amazing with big clusters of flowers all over.  I think they bloom mostly in the fall, but the one I chose to plant 25 years ago blooms from early spring until it freezes.

I wanted to sneak this in.

Recently, I was working for a client who is in the medical field and we were talking about medical care.  She said it's so hard to get payment from the government and showed me this check.  They ACTUALLY sent her office a check for $0.02.  See, under "amount".  I could not believe it!!

BOOM!!! 

 There goes another tree falling for paper wasters.

I just went out to feed the birds and put fresh water in the bird baths and there were about 10 monarch butterflies fluttering around my butterfly weed and eupatorium.  They're both in the same bed.  I guess the monarchs stopped on their way down to Mexico for the winter.  If you haven't read about their journey, google or you-tube it.  It's fascinating.

Have a great rest of the week!

THE GARDEN SHED FLOOR & PREPPING FOR WINTER

THE GARDEN SHED FLOOR & PREPPING FOR WINTER

Yesterday was "pet prep for winter" day.
I washed all of the winter bedding for the outside cats.
There is a kitty door in my garage where it's safe on rainy days.  Also, I feel it's a little warmer than outside on really cold days.  There are several fluffy warm beds in there.

See the kitty door?  

That's a portrait of Mr. Smith, a sweet ole cat that came to me one day with little sores all over his face and body from some kind of buckshot or pellet gun.

He lived with me for a long time.

 I'm a painter and nearly always have wet furniture and paint cans stacked high in my studio.

I realized a long time ago, that cats jumping up on things and paint just DO NOT mix.  The cats that have lived here have always come to me as strays or unwanted.  The first thing I do is have them spayed or neutered and I take very good care of them.

But, they do have to live outside.  

There's a kitty door in the garden shed, too.  I moved things out and cleaned the floor really well.  As I moved things, I found all of these drawings in concrete that Kevy and Elizabeth drew when the foundation was first laid.  

They're past and present sweet pet family members.

Punkin cat likes to sleep in here.  When she was a tiny baby, her mommy hid her in here and it's always been a safe place for her.  She has clean and fluffy bedding in a warm corner.  She sleeps in the garage with the other cats, too.  Punkin and Elijah are my two cats and two of the neighbor cats spend most of their time over here.  I have a picket fence around my front yard and I think it makes them feel safe from cars and neighbor dogs that might be running around.

Link to:  MY GARDEN SHED

And, guess who got a bath today!

His eyes look a little scary, but it is almost Halloween :)

(My camera flash, of course)

It was fun and a little bit sad seeing all of this artwork.

There were some foot prints and hand prints, too.

~ TIME MOVES ON ~

WED: ASouthernDaydreamer,FRI:FloralFridayFotos

MAMA LION & BABY LION ~ MOTHER LOVE

MAMA LION & BABY LION

MOTHER LOVE

Isn't this the cutest!!

(The Rainforest Site)

DOROTHY THE CHIMPANZEE~DO ANIMALS GRIEVE?

DOROTHY THE CHIMPANZEE~DO ANIMALS GRIEVE?

Dorothy The Chimpanzee

"Chimp funeral.  The group was silent and embraced one another.  This is not "normal" behavior for an animal."

For 25 years, Dorothy was chained to the ground to entertain amusement park guests.

In May of 2000 she was rescued.

DOROTHY THE CHIMPANZEE

(youtube.com)




"When this female named Dorothy died of heart failure, all the chimpanzee family came out of the forest to say good bye..... the most stunning reaction was a recurring, almost tangible silence, reported staff at Cameroon’s Sanaga-Yong Chimpanzee Rescue Centre. If you know chimpanzees, then you know that they are not usually silent beings. I think it’s beautiful how many of the chimps are touching each others’ shoulders." — with
 Alioune Ngom.

SEVEN WEEK OLD BABY HEARS FOR THE FIRST TIME

The sweetest thing, ever!!

SEVEN WEEK OLD BABY HEARS FOR THE FIRST TIME

(youtube.com)

DO YOU LIKE BRUSSEL SPROUTS, TOO?

Do you like brussel sprouts, too?

I love brussel sprouts!!

The first thing I do is soak them in water and pull off the loose leaves.  I save the clean leaves that I pull off and will cook them later.  The reason I pull off the loose leaves is to make sure there's no dirt on them.  Another reason is, once at a cafeteria I was eating broccoli and there was a very large bug in it.  Then, one time I was cleaning broccoli to cook and found a very large bug and it was still alive. 

I figured they came in from the farm. 

Soooo, any leaves that are loose or any other hiding places, I wash and check very carefully.

To cook the brussel sprouts, I cut the ends off and cut each one in half.  I add chopped onions and grated carrots and my favorite spice.  Then, I pour olive oil all over everything and mix it up really well, making sure everything is covered with the olive oil.  I lay the brussel sprouts cut side down.  Last, I grate a little bit of cheese over all.

I cook at 350 degrees for about 45 minutes to an hour, til they're soft.  

I eat a lot while it's still hot.  Then, after it's cool, I put it all in little freezer bags and into the freezer it goes.  Cooking the brussel sprouts this way, it's still really good after it's been frozen.  I can have brussel sprouts often and my very favorite thing is to eat this with my breakfast.

You could add other vegetables, if you want, but this is my favorite way to cook brussel sprouts.  And, I think it's a very nutritious way to cook them, too.

I guess you can tell that I really, really love brussel sprouts!!

Oh, and my little Charlie loves them, too.