Pssst.... I'm a lizzzzzzzzzard

This week, when my 4YO and I were playing in the toilet paper, paper towel fort she and her 6YO sister had made in the family room... we made a little discovery.

A tiny lizard.



4YO: Look Mom! There's a lizard!
QS: Are you kidding me? Where?
4YO: There.
QS: OH MY GOSH THERE'S A LIZARD! DON'T MOVE! DON'T MOVE! (she didn't move, I was trying to make myself not move) Let me try to figure this out.
4YO: Are we going to catch him? Can we keep him for our pet?
QS: WAIT... I need to catch him first.

I did catch him.

After I panicked.

I found a pink, plastic tea cup nearby, and a paper plate. I scooped him up and took him outside. I tried to find the insect container we had in our garage, that was temporarily out in the backyard with all our other garage stuff, but couldn't figure out where my husband had put it. So, I emptied the strawberries and placed him in the strawberry container. We wanted to save him to show big sister when she came home.


Somehow, the smart little, survivor-lizard, escaped. (es-cop-ay - Dory-style)

We're just glad we took some pictures before that daring escapade.

By the way, what are you doing on Friday?

I'll be posting "Friday: A Family Lives Here".

Will you join me?

Here's the button.

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Here's my post from last week. I hope you join in on my weekly carnival. I love visiting and discovering what you're all doing as you gather evidence in your own homes.

Cheers!

Mr. Grasshopper

We have a little resident in my organic basil plant (from Costco...I love Costco). Hello Mr. Grasshopper.

I can't believe how well this basil plant is doing... given most plants come to my house to wither away and die. Also... often I have to wait for the bees to stop gathering nectar before I can gather some basil for dinner. I'd like to say it's because I'm very in-tune with nature...but it's because I'm a big chicken and I don't want to get stung again. (I was stung on a 4th year hike when I was a teen at Girls Camp...IN.MY.EAR. I had to yank that sucker out of my ear...so gross)

Hopper's self-portrait

This is Edward Hopper - when he was a kid he was extremely tall. So he was nicknamed "grasshopper". Hopper is the artist my first grader is learning about this month as part of the parent-volunteer art program for the entire elementary school. I love this program. It's self-funded through fund-raisers. The kids all learn a different track of artists each year. Last year I volunteered in the kindergarten class and felt like I was getting a chance to do the art I never really did as a kid. With each lesson we learn about the artist's life and do a project to reinforce the art from each specific artist. The kids have a blast.




This is Edward Hopper's "The Long Leg". He loved boats. His paintings often evoke solitude. He was a very solitary, lonely, quiet man.

We're nesting...

For the last few weeks my hubby and I have slept with the windows open. I especially love it in the mornings as the birds always seem extremely vocal as I wake up. I enjoy it, until my hubby slams the windows shut so he can get a few more minutes of snoozing.


About a week ago I looked out our family room to find a nest...

...but WAIT!!!! There's more...

a bird and...

we also discovered...
(this is where you press play)

We're having BABIES! THREE OF THEM!!!!
...well, via a surrogate...and other species.

Sometimes I catch the Momma bird on our backyard fence...and then nest completely un-sat on...and I worry. But my hubby tells me that the birds know what they're doing. Sometimes I also worry a wild cat that likes to flit around our backyards and in the open space behind us will figure out how to mount the patio cover... so I am waiting for the safe hatching of the momma bird's eggs with anxious and excited nerves. Not my babies and I'm totally caught up in the natural drama of it all!

One day I saw ...who I'm assuming was the father of the eggs, feed a worm to the momma while she was sitting on the eggs. I was so excited and mesmerized I forgot to call my girls over to see. It was a wriggling worm...and it was awesome.

I can't wait to see what hatches out of those gorgeous bright, blue eggs.

I am highly tempted to go get some bird food and bird houses to hang out there to entice my birds to stay.

*ahhhh... summer* We love our little house guests.

Side note: If you know me, you know I am not a country, camping, red-neck, truck-driving...girl. I'm more of a beach, room-service girl... but one that appreciates nature...

ps. I also recently caught a spider for a pet...aren't you proud of me?!