From Tiny to Two

From tiny......

to two.

How can it be two whole years since you were born? You have been so sweet, mellow and happy since the day you were born. There weren't too many babies that were sweeter. Now at 2, I have seen a few stubborn moments, but you are still one of the 8 sweetest grand kids in the world. Oh E we love you!! Happy Birthday little buddie.

Bee Careful

I am not an entomologist in any sense of the word. I know insects are beneficial for the diet of a bird or a contestant on a reality show, but I would rather not see any of them. There are exceptions of course such as lady bugs, butterflies, dragonflies, praying mantis and honey bees.

The problem is, I don't know exactly what a honey bee looks like. I have seen pictures and they look like they might be wearing a fuzzy little vest, but I don't like to get close enough to check. Since they are endangered, I hesitate to kill anything that looks like a bee until they enter their domains and then they are fair game. We have been inundated by wasps, hornets, yellow jackets and bees this year. We knock down a nest and the next week there are two in it's place.

It's hard to sit on the deck and eat dinner without being chased into the house. It's almost impossible to pick the blackberries without wearing a hazmat suit, and it's impossible to hang out a bird house because it is soon inhabited by hornets that chase away the birds. The hummingbirds have to fight off the wasps at their feeder and wasps have even taken up residence near my front door because it's close to my water fountain. When you add giant grasshoppers and flies to the mix, then I just want to stay indoors during certain times of the day.

This is a hornet's nest that we found out by the shed. It is huge...about the size of a cantaloupe.

This is nest #1 under the rail going up the deck steps...

Nests 2 and 3.....

Nests 4 and 5

Nest 6

Nest 7

Nest 8

And now we have 2 wasp nests (say that really fast 5 times) on the front porch .

The yellow jacket trap didn't work for us so we must not have too many of those. The spray works well on the nests but I hate having to use poison so much.

Wayne has been stung once. I haven't been yet, knock on wood....as long as that wood is not the rail going up the steps to the deck.

No, we don't live in Texas where everything is supposedly bigger than normal, but we did our part this year and Texas might have something to envy.

This is one of our blackberries. I put it next to a "C" battery so you can see the size comparison. Our 3-berry jam is much the better because of them.

These are my hibiscus flowers and you wouldn't be able to judge their size if I had just taken a photo, but when placed next to beautiful faces, you can tell that they are bigger than dinner plates. My granddaughter Isabelle and daughter Amy are my models.

Hogle Zoo 2009

click here to see :Utah's Hogle Zoo Home

Once again this may be a post that you will want to click on to enlarge the pictures for better viewing.

Matt and Colett started a tradition about 4 years ago. They take their kids to the zoo the week before school starts. Anyone else who wants to tag along is invited, so Amy, Wes, Emerson and

did the tagging. Some years at the zoo have have been very hot because we go in August and a bottle of water was a must, but this year it was overcast, in the 80's and very nice. It was a good day for a hike up and down the zoo paths. The zoo has a new baby elephant but it's not on view yet as they give the mom and baby time to adjust but there was a new baby giraffe. I am awed by the grace and beauty of the giraffes and their markings are beautiful.

Here is the mama getting a little snack. We were up on the 2nd floor so we could be up close and see her face.


Look at at that eye....beautiful. You can't really see how long the lashes are from this picture, but they are loooong.


Here is the baby born in July. He was outside sunbathing and as we starting taking pictures, he started literally posing as he went from sitting to standing to yoga poses, then to looking forward and then sideways. He was doing his public relations job very well. What a doll. I love him.

He was only about 15 feet from the fence.

This isn't a face that only a mother could love. It's face that anyone can love.

I don't remember all the names of the monkeys so here is just a monkey.

Another new baby at the zoo is a snow leopard who was playing with his Mom's tail and biting it.

I snapped the picture as he looked up.

The orangutan was too social today.

This was a tiny owl that was brought to the zoo because it had lost an eye and couldn't fend for itself any more. It was darling, and only about 12" tall.

This is the common prairie dog but I love them. My brother Jon named them gonky-doos

while we were on a family trip to South Dakota when we were kids so I still call them that. I know they are pests to ranchers, but since I am not one, I will enjoy them as God's little

commune creatures. When I was looking at them, one of them jumped up in the air and barked. After reading the sign, that is normal. One of the little guys is the guardian and when someone gets too close he does that as a warning to the rest of the commune to hide.

Who doesn't love a penguin? These are a warm weather variety, but this ones loves standing in the water by the faucet.

The black bear came out to give us a shot too. They were walking around and finally decided to take a nap. Yes, I would like to hug him, but I know better. During the millenium I will take a shot at it.

Who designed these creatures? Beautiful.

I don't remember what this is but I was looking for the merecat and this was not one.

This camel is a crazy looking animal, especially the ones with the 2 humps. I would have liked to have been around during the design meeting when God was deciding how to build this guy.

I don't get it...just saying.

Heavenly mother must have designed this one with the beauty of the color, the pattern of the feathers, the crown, the strut...all but the voice. We have one that lives next to us and you can hear it for blocks around.

The elephant is another crazy looking animal, but after seeing shows about their intelligence, their sense of family and their work ethic, I think they are one of the most fabulous animals ever born.

Another monkey. His hair reminds me of the styles of the 60's. Groovy man!

Lovely little face. Crazy back.

Not a lovely face, and one of the strangest animals ever. I'm not sure of their purpose or place in the universe, but they are fun to look at.

The other animals at the zoo. Nick picks the nose of the great ape. Normal behavior for a 12 year old.

Here Nick wears his new fedora. He says it's his signature look for the year. Cool dude nick.

Millie is showing me the entrance to her make believe home.

Emerson and Isabelle

Millie, Nick and E

Amy, Wes and E check out the rhino.

Nick and Wes take a break.

The Yarro group

Belle rides on the carousel

I asked Nick to take our picture. We stood together but he waited until we had

started to walk to click the picture. I think his talents lie in another venue.

The Holmes family

Colett is the same height as a full grown female ape but her arms need to grow a little as does her girth.

Emerson really wasn't all that thrilled with the animals. Other little kids around us were screaming with delight as they spotted them, but he LOVED the carousel and the little mini train that chugged around part of the zoo. To each his own.

Millie picked the kangaroo for her carousel ride. I loved the carousel because all the rides were zoo animals or bugs. I wish I had taken more pics of them.

The turtle exhibit. Maybe this will teach Nick how to slow down a little.....nah, it ain't gonna happen.

Isabelle, my pretty girl and buddy.

We had a great day. We missed Wayne, once again as he had to work. What? Doesn't his boss know that family day at the zoo is more important than price negotiations and building specs?

Looking forward to 2010.