Be cool, baby!

Gizzy is a big Clifford fan (the Big Red Dog/PBS Kids) and he's wearing his Clifford sunglasses whilst wishing you all a wonderfully COOL SATURDAY, Yeah...Baby!

If you look closely, you can see the Clifford image in Gizzy's sunglasses.

Bet you didn't know that about my boy, did you? Well, that's ok, that's what blogs are for :-)

Awww, shocks mom, what will you have me do next?

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Don't forget to enter Mommy's Independence Day Giveaway!

Last day to enter is Wednesday, June 23, 2010

Fun and Fascinating Bumble Bee Facts

At the risk of sounding repetitious and boring, I really want to talk about Bumble Bees one more time. I walk past this Crepe Myrtle tree every morning and it's just loaded with those big bumblers. I  enjoy watching them so much. I could sit there all morning taking photos.

If you're interested in reading my Honey Bee post, just click below to read these:
Amazing Honey Bee Facts




















Anyhow, I have found a website called Bumblebee.org where I found some interesting information that I never knew before. I want to share it with you in case you ever get called to play Jeopardy or Pictionary.

Are you ready?

Well, here we go:

Bumblebees are large, hairy social insects with a lazy buzz and clumsy, bumbling flight.























Bumblebees are important pollinators of both crops and wildflowers.

Bumblebees make honey, but only a small amount - just enough to feed their young.

Bumblebees are in danger in many developed countries due to habitat destruction and collateral pesticide damage.

The average worker's adult life lasts about four weeks or less.

Bumblebees are vegetarian at all stages of their life.

It is often thought that humming birds have the highest metabolic rate of all animals, however the metabolic rate of Bumblebees is 75% higher than a humming bird's.

 














Bumblebees form colonies, usually much less extensive than those of honey bees. They live in nests that often hold fewer than 50 individuals. Bumblebee nests may be found within tunnels in the ground made by other animals, or in Tussock grass.

It is said that bumblebees don't like human breath, so if you want to observe one closely then don't breathe on it.

Bumblebees seem reluctant to sting, and appear to do so only if they are mishandled or their nest is threatened.

A Bumblebee's stinger is NOT BARBED, meaning she can sting more than once (unlike the honey bee that stings only once before losing her life.)

Always treat bumblebees with respect as there are some people who have an allergy to bee venom that can lead to death even after just a single sting if not treated promptly.

Human engineers with big brains said it was impossible for Bumblebees to fly. But Bumblebees with small brains didn't know this so continued to fly on in blissful ignorance... sometimes I wish I were a Bumblebee!

The apocryphal story about bees not being able to fly arose because the roughness and flexibility of their wings was neglected in a quick calculation. The wings of a bumblebee bend to create vortices that provide lift on both the upward and downward strokes, and a full analysis of the bee's flight involves many factors*click here to read more!

Hope you enjoyed your little lesson of Bumblebee 101

Buzzzzzing off now....

Thank You, Everyone!

Just a quick note to let you know, that I read everyone's Happy Birthday wishes and that I appreciate each and every one of them. I feel very fortunate to have a computer because my blogging buddies are an extended part of my family. You are in my life on a daily basis and that means so much to me, especially since my own family is so far away. All I can say is: Thank God for modern technology!

Betty made that pretty little flower arrangement for me and the card is from my mother in Germany. I received a phone call from my dad in Germany, my daughter in California and a friend (and ex-roommate) in California and of course all your wishes on my blog and on facebook. I feel very blessed. I visited my friends, the sisters, and Bank's Lake...fed the duckies and made myself a rootbeer float. It was a very good day!

I have fallen behind with commenting on your blogs and just wanted to let you know that I'm going to catch up this weekend. I have been running errands and handling some personal business and am not quite finished with that. I will visit everyone this weekend.

Thanks again and have a wonderful day!

Flight of the Bumble Bees

Flight of the Bumblebee

(click to listen to the song)

Every time I walk past this certain Crepe Myrtle bush in my neighborhood, I see hundreds of bumble bees...no other kind of bees or insects, only big ole bumbling* bumblebees!

*to bumble: to bungle or blunder awkwardly; muddle; to stumble or stagger; to speak in a low, stuttering, halting manner; mumble; to do (something) clumsily; botch.

While I was photographing them, I had to duck a few times, because I stood rather closely to the bush...it was so much fun watching them work away busily with their full pollen baskets, floating from blossom to white blossom.

Bumble bees do not produce enough honey for commercial use, just a few grams at a time to feed their young. The males do not sting; however, the queens and females (workers) have stingers that are NOT barbed, unlike the honey bee's. You can learn more about bumblebees by clicking on these Bumblebee FAQs.

It appears to be a good year for bees and dragonflies. I see a lot more dragonflies around here and that makes me very happy, since they help keep the mosquito population down.

Looks like there will be plenty of pears in the fall because both pear trees down the road (that did not produce last year) are loaded with little green pears. Nobody really cares for them, but after I peel and core them, quarter and stew them with some brown sugar and cinnamon, they make for a most delectable compote.

  

The blackberries at the edge of the woods behind my apartment complex are ripening and I'm sure the birds are having a feast. I don't dare drapse around in that underbrush as I'm too afraid of possible snakes in there...plus getting scratched up from the brambling bushes.

  

There are a couple of blueberry bushes growing at the edge of Lake Irma and every time I walk by, I check to see how they're coming along. As you can see, they're not quite ready yet.

I have more to show you, but it'll have to wait till tomorrow, because I've been gone most of the day taking my neighbor (and friend) to the doctor's and then do a little grocery shopping with her since she's still uncomfortable driving as her back is still hurting, but the doc said she's healing well. It just takes a long time to recouperate from back surgery.

Tomorrow morning I'm taking Betty's 88-year old mom to an extensive eye appointment, so I'll be sure and bring my crocheting along. She's the sweetest little old lady, but I pray she doesn't want to go window shopping, because after one of those sessions, my back hurts for two days...and I simply can't say no to her.

So, if I don't get a chance to visit you in the next couple of days, please be patient with me. On Wednesday is my Birthday! I wonder what Gizzy has planned for me?

Don't forget to enter my Independence Day Giveaway!

Meet Forrest Gump

I named this duck (the brown one in the front) "Forrest Gump" because no matter where he/she's going she is R-U-N-N-I-N-G!!!!

When they see me coming, they get out of the water, cross the road (if necessary) and start running towards me...well, the white one waddles as a duck should, but the brown one is always running really, really fast. She stretches her body tall and long and sometimes she quaaaaaks while she runs...what a funny duck!

"Where's the bread?" they would say if they could talk...

Here it is...hold your duckies (ahem, horses!)

After they had their breakfast they went back into the water, quite satisfied and proud of themselves for scoring yet another meal from the humans. (Gizzy barked the whole time - obviously, he's not into sharing!)

I set my alarm clock for 6 am every morning to go down to the lake before the sun comes up and to be home by 9 or 9:30 am. If I don't start doing that, summer will become unbearable and I will go stir crazy being inside all the time. (God only knows what will become of Gizzy - he's already sleeping his life away.)

There are several of these pink flowers whose name I don't know. To me they look like some sort of Lily maybe? Actually, if you look at the single stem and those multiple blossoms, don't they look like an Amaryllis? (...and they are in the Lily family)

I saw a little cotton tail bunny hopping across the lawn. It stayed just for a moment before quickly disappearing inside the big Azalea bush.

I always enjoy looking at the Sago palm and the ornamental grass with the stripes that's growing beside it.

I saw this bright, green vine climbing up that tree and I though it looked pretty in the early morning light.






















I don't know what these flowers are, but to me they look like some sort of orange Iris...they're almost as tall as a person.

Looky here, Gizzy, who's that? Why, it's our friend, Sandy, walking her two little dogs around the lake too. We stopped only to talk for a little while before moving on, as it was getting hotter very quickly...

Standing on the bridge I watched swarms of little Swallows and dragonflies frantically darting through the air - it must be a good spot for breakfast, right below the bridge. It was interesting to watch these little swallows darting back and forth, bomb diving and shooting straight up - what a marvelous display of aereal feeding! I had to smile when I noticed one of the dragonflies sitting on the electrical wire like the swallows did. I wish I could have captured that on camera.

We stopped only for a few minutes at our customary bench, but had to press on in order to beat the sun...as it is, Gizzy didn't want to walk anymore and I ended up pushing him home. Tomorrow morning we're leaving even earlier.

Isn't that right, Gizzy? - Yeah! Good boy!

Remember to enter my Independence Day Giveaway!

Oh, yeah, today is June 16th:

Happy Birthday to ME; Happy Birthday to ME; Happy Birthday to Meeeee; Happy Birthday to ME - and many Mooooooore!

I'm celebrating the anniversary of my 58th year on this earth and am spending it counting my blessings - that includes having the good fortune of meeting nice folks like you via the Internet...Thank you, friends! You have enriched my life!

Independence Day Giveaway!

I'm having my Independence Day Giveaway early so that the winner can have the coasters in time for his/her 4th of July table.

I crocheted a set of four patriotic star coasters and anyone interested in winning these can leave me a comment here, but be sure and state that you want to be included so that nobody gets missed. My dear followers automatically get two entries, but still need to comment so I'll know to include them.

ALSO:  If you want to post about this or place a link-back to this on your blog's side bar, just notify me after it's done and I'll give you an additional entry!

These 4 1/2" to 5" coasters are crocheted from 100% cotton and are also for sale in my Etsy shop.

Deadline to enter is June 23, 2010!

Gizzy and I will draw a name and announce the winner on the following day, June 24th.

Also, let's remember to touch the water and pray for the gulf today!

Something we can do to help the Gulf

We can all pray for the Gulf Disaster!

1. Tomorrow, on Saturday, June 12th, we are all asked to touch the water and pray. My friend, Akasa, is talking about this movement on her blog HeartSongs....

It's easy, just touch the water - any water, and pray with all your heart!



2. We can also help this way:  Craft Hope's Project 8 is asking us to sew, crochet or knit hand towels, wash cloths, rags, etc. to help clean up the oil spill on the gulf coast. They don't have to be fancy because they're just being used a couple of times and then discarded, but since it's a carfting site, they need to be handmade. A simple solution for the people with sewing machines would be just to cut up old T-shirts and such and sew them into rags. There's more detailed information on the website.

Due date for this project is July 3rd, 2010, but please be sure and consult Craft Hope for more details.

Thank you and God bless you!