Look what I found on a daylilly bud! I think I'm liking this telephoto lens. 

The butterflies are out! There were all kinds of teensy tiny butterflies everywhere! This is a small flower, maybe 1 inch across. I wish I could have captured the hummingbird in our neighbors flowers! I was taking out the garbage and saw all sorts of life happening, so I brought out my camera and the hummingbird was gone. 

Birthday Weekend at the Grandparents!

This is what happens after TOO MUCH ice cream cake!

The First Big Performance

 

While driving back from the big football game the other night, this is one of the magnificent scenes I took in from my window. It reminds me of that "African sun" I enjoyed over 20 years ago as I was leaving Johannesburg. 

The other night while I was taking a picture of the deep red sunset on one side of the road, look what my little photographer was taking on the other! I just uploaded cards from the other camera and was surprised by a couple of the sky shots! 

This little "Tigette" is gearing up for her first big performance! 

The big-hat mushrooms are BACK! 

Today's project? Preparing some of my Alabama photos for submission to the State of Alabama Department of Convervation and Natural Resources. These are in the running for a state calendar and a feature in Outdoor Alabama magazine! I'll let you know how that goes! 

While I'm at it (working on photos for REAL projects and blogging the kid pics from last night) ... I just have to include this. Why? I just like it. It's part of the little goodies I find in the sky while I'm at outdoor events like football games.

Monday night, he was on the field with the team. Last night he was in the stands with the band. The boy is making the rounds! We've already heard from one classmate about how he is such an amazing player and she aspires to play like him (yes ... SHE ... we have been teasing him about that). But back to the game. The band really did a good job. They played a handful of songs ... some over and over and over ... but well done! The Tigers won AGAIN, by the way! 

Last night she was VERY happy watching the cheerleaders. She didn't even sit in the bleachers, just glued herself to her post and studied the girls. Every once in a while she would run back with a hug for me and the often-heard expression, "I'm going to be a CHEERLEADER!" 

The fish weren't biting, but the ducks were! One nibbled on her line while waddling along the shore. 

My boy is getting a piece of the action while his coach looks on. GO TIGERS! 

While big brother practices football, this is a common site. Little sister is looking in from her favorite perch ... my sunroof! I was going to put a picture of the kids actually working today (no school - WOOHOO - wait, strike the WOOHOO. If all the chores get done, I'll reclaim that WOOHOO later!) ... but when I aimed the camera at my son fixing the vacuum cleaner, he said "MOM! NO PICTURES!" His reason was that his hair was "messed up." I seem to hear that a lot now that he's a teen ... not just about hair, but everything. If he doesn't like something or it seems unfair (to him, of course) he says, "That's MESSED UP!" Maybe I am getting old ... I only remember that being said about my room! 

This is part of an amazing activity this afternoon ... preparing to mow. Remember that GIGANTIC mushroom from last month? Well, this time, nature hasn't done the "HUGE" effect. It has done the "MULTIPLY" effect! THIRTY-FOUR MUSHROOMS IN A WEEK (we counted as we removed them before mowing) ... AND NOT ITSY BITSY ONES, EITHER! I just have to say wow. 

My son says I'm weird. But these things are way too interesting to ignore!

OK ... so maybe it's embarrassing to have your mom and little sister hanging around when you're being a cool football player. I think this is the "MOM - You can put that camera AWAY look!" 

We girls found a little bowlegged Yorkie to play with while the long line of guys did DRUG TESTING for sports. Can you believe that? Every kid from 7th grade on up! 

I tried my hand at sports photography tonight. Amidst the buff guys with HUGE cameras, there am I. How do I get roped into these things? Oh, wait. I know. I'm about to marry a JOCK! 

OK ... so I came very close to being run over at this point! 

Little blondie looks on as her bus approaches for the first time. This year? A little nervous, but more excitement than fear ... and she did AWESOME! Maybe I'll get to know some parents this way. It seems to be a morning ritual for some. I don't know names yet, but Nice Neighbor Mom lives close to me. Coffee Cup Mom lives on the other side, and after day one she stayed there! Happy Smiley Mom lives on the opposite corner and seems fun ... coffee cup stays in smiley's yard. This is my new little morning world.