It's a Mermaid Tale ummm I mean Tail!!

I was so surprised yesterday when I received a phone call from Joseph at the Art gallery. He said that a woman had come in and specifically wanted one of my jewelry pieces. So happy that he couldn't see me because I was dancing all around, waving my arm (couldn't wave armS because I had to still hold the phone..hehe) Then he said "Nooo, she acutally wants three"...seems SHE was standing there listening to him and I began dancing all over again. I asked which piece were we talking about and Joseph said my mermaid tail charms. I told him that I was so excited and to tell the sweet, AWESOME customer thank you and that I would start on them right away. He giggled (Hmmmm...could he see me?) and said to make it six instead of three.

I worked all afternoon and into the night and then some this morning. Isn't my mermaid tail tree purty? Ohh yes it is...if I must say so myself. ^_^  BUT, I don't have to say it myself because YOU think so too...don't you?  I used my fine MICA powders after I sculpted each one and before baking. I love MICA powders...gives anything that magical, mystical appearance. Of course, we all know that mermaids are real...ri iight?? Shhhhhh....never give their location if you are blessed enough to see one..we need to keep their secret.

I attached them to an ocean themed tag. It's printed on card stock paper, tied with a pretty aqua silk ribbon and if they remove the charm carefully then they will have a pretty bookmarker.

On the back of each tag is one of my business cards. I don't want the person that purchases one to forget who the artist is....now do I?  Here are the other 5 tails...

Weather permitting, the Chazman and I are going to walk to the gallery this afternoon and hand deliver these little beauties AND since it's just across the street we are going to go to Stacey's Pharmacy. They have an original old tyme soda fountain and some of the best hand scooped milk shakes around. We might even make it a lunch date...they have wonderful chicken salad too. Yummmmm!!!!

Until next time...........Hugs,
Regi

Lions and Tigers and Bearded Dragons???

What a great weekend!! I hope that YOU and yours had an awesome one as well. I know for most it was a much needed long one...one to have that extra day to have fun or rest or both. ^_^  and to celebrate Memorial Day. (Thank you to all of the men and women that put their lives in harms way to protect us....I do know that FREEDOM isn't free. Our thanks goes to all that have served, are serving and will serve in the future)

Our weekend started out with a much anticipated trip to our "Little Zoo that could". We promised the Chazman if he made A's and B's for the year overall then we would go and visit all the amazing creatures that live there. I do believe we have found a place to visit at least once a month from now on. I haven't been since it first opened in 1989. Yes...I can still remember back that far..HAHA!! It has definitively been through some changes since then. It's a wonderful place to visit....again and again. Please watch the video with the link below to see just why our Zoo became "The Little Zoo that could" and see just where it is headed in the near future.

http://vimeo.com/user6820298/amazing-green-zoo

Most of the animals at the Zoo are rescues or have been donated but I can assure you that each one is very loved and well cared for. Patti Hall is the director and she has done amazing things for the zoo...she had a dream and is making it come to life. If you watched the video then you know that there is a new and amazing  new zoo coming in 2013 and the Chazman is so excited about it. He said that he will always love the little zoo that could and wants to keep visiting until their big move....and we will!!!

Oops...I forgot I didn't have makeup on....

Oh well...it was to hot...it would have melted off.

The Chazman is going to be a tall one....he is only 9 and look at where he comes on me. I'm not short either...by any means. (5'8") Just look at that adorable face...my Li'l angel for sure.

Now those of you that come to visit under the old Southern Ooaks know how much we love our turtles and fish and ok ok all God's creatures. ^_^   These little guys swam right up to the edge of their pond to get some treats. Unfortunately, there were also some VERY greedy little fish that were much faster than the sweet turtles and they gobbled it up. Bad fish...BAD!!!

This handsome fella was just sitting in the shade (very SMART handsome fella) and seemed to be enjoying looking at all the folks walking by. Ever wonder just what the animals are thinking as they watch us watch them? If only they could talk or perhaps it's best they don't..hehe!! This guy did pop his big old bill for us as we were walking away. Chaz turned around and waved at him and I swear this guy nodded his head at him.

You know...it seems that these amazing creatures are much smarter than we are....they were all laying in the shade as we were "melting". It was worth the heat though....isn't this guy a true beauty? 

This lovely beauty was laying down and then slowly got up and walked to her water. Looks like she is looking into it and admiring her reflection....and she should. Big cats just fascinate the Chazman and me. 

OMGOSH...watch out..this is a very dangerous creature...NOT!!!! He was the cutest little bunny and he hopped right over to Chaz and sat looking at him. Chaz wanted to pick him up so badly but he respects all the signs hanging about that all the animals might bite. Might....that is the key word but he figured that might was close enough to may or will. Smart boy!!

I so need to get a video camera...hummmm...I think mine is a video camera...LOL!! I will try it out next time we go. These were the goofiest and most comical characters. They waddled up to the fence and saw that Chaz had a treat cup. Ohhh yess..they knew exactly what it was and what it contained. They started chattering at him and he gave them each one. They wanted another...and another and another. Chaz got tickled at them chattering and moved over a bit and they moved over a bit. He moved back to the other side and they moved back to the other side. They were copying him and so the dance began. I laughed til I cried.

The shadow knows!!! It does look like just a shadow, doesn't it? I so wish I could have gotten a better shot of this awesome creature. This was the only shady spot and he/she was NOT going to move. 

While we were walking around, we heard a siren far off in the distance. So did these lovely creatures. Wolves...I love them...always have!! They started singing with the sirens and what a lovely song it was. The Chazman and I just shut our eyes and listened until they stopped. 

Of course we have the comical little monkeys. This one was pacing all around and as soon as one of the keepers came by he immediately stopped pacing, sat and kept an eye on him. He even started reaching through the bars at him. You can tell that the folks that work at the zoo love these animals because you can see the affection the animals have for their humans in their actions.

The Chazman got a bit upset when we walked over to take a closer look at these two. He thought that the bird was pecking at this little furbaby. Come to find out that the bird was pecking at the flies that were hovering a bit to close to it. Can we say Mother Hen?  LOL

They have an area where at certain times of the day they will bring out some of the animals and tell you a bit about them. This guy is one that the Chazman has been saying that he wants. A bearded dragon. They say they make good family members so I "gulp" told the Chazman once he gets a little bit older and more responsible then we will check into getting him one. Maybe he will forget...ri iight??

I could show you so many more photos of our Little Zoo that Could (I took 96 of them) but I will end for now. We had a blast and the Chazman is ready to go back. I hope that if you are ever in our area that you will visit. I promise that it will be a day filled with owwww's, ahhhh's, giggles and smiles. 

Until next time.............Hugs,

Regi

Whatcha doing??? ^_^

I can NOT believe that another school year is only hours away from being over....gone... kaput!!! The Chazman and I are so soo sooo excited. We love spending time together outdoors and discovering new adventures. Now don't get me wrong...he loves school...he really does but he loves me more..hehe WHEW!!

I think while I am waiting for the clock to tick by until it's time for my li'l man to come home (so soo soo excited..did I tell you that already?) I'm going to work on some of my booklet COA (Certificate of Authenticity) on some of my older pieces that I have sold. A collector of several of my pieces has requested one for each of her 4 that she has. OMGOSH...I have a collector...I have 2 collectors actually and I love them both. OK....calming down now....ahhhhummmm!!! ^_^  The rest of my day will be drawing the front covers for these booklets so the time should pass quickly until my Chazman is home for the summer.

SO whatcha doing today? Until next time.......Hugs, Regi

Shan the Kitchen Faerie is Complete

Faeries love sweets...I mean really, REALLY, love sweets. So what's better than one being an assistant pastry chef. Shan loves to help in the kitchen and baking anything sweet is her expertise. She has been collecting recipes for well over one hundred years now. Her little recipe box is overflowing with delicious sweetness. Today she has assisted in baking some jumbo Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes and she herself can just taste how delicious it's going to be. She just needs to add a bit more shugar and it will be ready to be enjoyed.  Shugar is a faerie word...it means sugar and honey...ohhhh so sweet. Like I said...faeries love their sweets!!!

Shan is one of my fully sculpted ooaks with a very strong wire armature underneath. She stands at 5 1/2 inches if you don't include her hand sewn Chef hat. Her outfit is made from clay but her apron is cloth with a tiny pocket that holds her spatula, whisk and wooden spoon. (those three items were made from clay and then hand painted using acrylic paints.) Her eyes are some of my hand drawn and her hair is wool. She has been painted using acrylic paints as well. Her wings are made from vellum paper. Her Shugar shaker was made from clay with a paper label wrapped around it. She has one of my tiny hemp bracelets around her left wrist.

The base of this piece is a small glass votive holder. It holds one of my felted cupcakes along with a tiny recipe box made from cardstock. It actually holds tiny little recipe cards and spacers. It has a spiral wire holder to keep your recipe card on so you can see it as you are baking.

I have fallen in love with using vellum paper. It makes faerie wings look magical without doing anything to them.

Shan is ready to go to her new home (she was a commission piece....I did the eyes green and the hair dark to match her new keeper) I hope she behaves herself...LOL!! She has asked that I give all of you her recipe for her delicious Peanut Butter Chocolate cupcakes. Enjoy!!

Peanut Butter Chocolate Cupcakes

Filling:
1 package (3 oz.) cream cheese, softened
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon 2% milk

Batter:
2 cups sugar
1 3/4 cups all purpose flour
1/2 cup baking cocoa
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
2 eggs
1 cup water
1 cup 2% milk
1/2 cup canola oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Frosting:
1/3 cup butter, softened
2 cups confectioner's sugar
6 tablespoons baking cocoa
3-4 tablespoons 2% milk

To Prepare:

In a small bowl, beat cream cheese, peanut butter, sugar and milk until smooth, Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine sugar, flour, cocoa, baking powder, salt and baking soda. In another bowl whisk eggs, water, milk, oil and vanilla extract. Stir into dry ingredients. Batter will be thin.

Fill paper lined jumbo muffin cups half full with batter. Drop scant tablespoon of peanut butter mixture into center of each cup, cover with remaining batter.

Bake at 350 for 25-30 minutes or until toothpick comes out of center clean. Cool 10 minutes. Remove from pan onto wire rack and let cool completely. While cupcakes are cooling mix frosting ingredients together and then frost cupcakes,        Yield 1 dozen.

Until next time.............Hugs,
Regi

Kitchen Faerie is coming along nicely

Wow...where in the world has this week gone to? I so can't believe that it is Friday already. Not complaining, mind you...not at all. I just don't know where Tuesday through Thursday disappeared to...hehe!! I have been working on the Kitchen Faerie and she is coming along so nicely. I normally do the heads first but for some reason my muse wanted me to do the body first. Actually, I have jumped all over the place doing this one.  I found these cute miniatures over at PrintMini and made an adorable recipe box with tiny recipe cards. If you need anything mini and I do mean ANYTHING go and check out this awesome site.

Here are some WIP photos of the "BODY" so far. Shame I can't re-sculpt mine...LOL!! OK....well....actually I am working on re-sculpting myself but it's going to take a good while BUT like my great grandmama use to say "We don't put it on overnight so we aren't going to take it off overnight". Wise woman!!!

After looking at these photos I need to shorten the fingers on the hand that is tapping the bottom of the sugar shaker. The other hand has it's fingers curled under the shaker handle so they are good. I have this really colorful string that I'm going to put around the open space in her middle to be part of her shirt. She will also have a chef's hat and an apron. I'm planning on using colorful dragonfly wings on her as well.

I'm hoping to work on her some tomorrow afternoon as I'm not cleaning this weekend. Perhaps I can even get her finished...that is if I can focus...hehe!!

Now it's time to head to Heritage Park where it's movie in the park night....YEA!!! The movie tonight is "The Zookeeper". The Chazman and I are stoked....the hubbikins will probably start snoring but that's alright. At least he will be with us...mostly!!

Until next time..........Hugs,
Regi

Kitchen Faerie WIP

My muse has FINALLY started singing about something other than mermaids. Don't get me wrong,  ya'll know that I LOVE mermaids but I love other creatures too....like faeries. A friend has commissioned me to make her a kitchen faerie. I'm so excited, for two reasons, (#1) that I get to design a kitchen faerie and (#2) that I'm going to be pulling in two types of my art that I love to do....felt creations and clay creations.

Now this friend is a fabulous baker....OMGOSH...her cupcakes are to die for...or at least so good that they might make ya want to slap your momma. (I so wouldn't advise that...and I so don't condone that type of behavior. It's just one of our quirky Southern sayings that means it's "OHHH SO GOOD") The Chazman loves when she has orders to fill and makes a few extras because she brings some to us. Well...I really shouldn't say US as the Chazman seems to be the only one who gets to enjoy them. Not that we wouldn't love one but it seems when we decide to eat one...there...aren't.....any....left. Imagine that!!

With her love of baking and cupcakes being her specialty, well, it didn't take to much whispering from my muse to tell me what I needed to do with this ooaks. My plan is to make one of my felted cupcake pin cushions...but this time it won't be a pin cushion. It will be the base to a recipe card holder. The Li'l faerie will be the assistant pastry chef. She will have her little apron and chef hat along with a few baking instruments. Hopefully, she will be holding a tiny can of sprinkles and shaking it over the cupcake.

Here is what I have so far and keep in mind that I just started working on this.....it's still in the early WIP stage.

I have her wire armature completed and she is all wrapped up. I like using the florist tape to bulk out my pieces so as not to use to much clay to weigh them down. I mean...she has to be able to fly ya know!! ~_^

Here are some of her cooking utensils....a tiny wooden spoon....the sprinkles shaker.....a whisk and a spatula. I'm thinking of putting some vines on the handles but then I might not as they are going to be in her apron pocket. Decisions....decisions!!

Time to get back to work.....until next time...............HUGS,
Regi

A Tin can is all she's a gettin

Thursday Teacher Appreciation Theme=Supplies, pencils, post it notes, copy paper

Giving supplies during this week sounds like a good thing to do. I know that most teachers during the year have to keep replenishing supplies and it comes out of their own pocket.We took advantage of giving the school a check the first of the year that covers all of the Chazman's supplies for the year or at least it is suppose to. I want to thank Mrs. R for replenishing and hopefully it's never very expensive when she does have to do it. 

However, with our bumps in the road here lately, I can't go and buy any supplies to give Mrs. R so she is just going to have to be happy with a tin can!!   Ahhhhhh....you know I wouldn't give her just a tin can....well...it is actually a tin can but I did fancy it up a bit and add a few small supplies just for her. 

Aren't the little note cards above cute? I found these over at Mother Wife and Artist, Shalae Tippetts is the artist behind these cute cards and she has them as one of her freebies. Just remember that since this is a borrowed item that we are to use them for personal use only. Thank you Shalae. I added some small black tags and painted my words on with white paint...to make them look like chalkboards. 

How about these cute cupcake toppers? Nooo...I didn't make a cupcake tin can..hehe!!! I did use these for pencil toppers and one of the apples for the bottom of the can though. I found these over at Jamie Cooks It Up.  I'm definitely one of her new friends and plan on going back to wandered through more of her post. Some good things going on over at Jamie's!! Thank you Jamie for letting us "borrow" these cute items.

Here is the bottom of the can. I wanted a way to add the Chazman's name and the date to it......I don't want her to forget him. Then again...who could ever forget my little Chazman. (I'll show you the pencils at the end..I mean who hasn't seen a pencil with a topper on it....geez)

I love to find things and put them away until I can use them. While doing this project I remember that I had some alphabet writing prints on vellum paper. (yes yes I'm really into using vellum papers here lately..hehe) So I used some of it to put inside the can and then to made a rose out of and added one of my vellum black butterflies. 

I think the rose turned out so pretty and adds a bit of elegance to the project. OK OK as much elegance as you can give a tin can. Hrumphhhh!!!  ^_^

I thought about trying to find a school print paper to wrap the can up in but decided that I wanted to use fabric instead. I think it will last longer that way. Since the cute cupcake tags had the dark red/crimson on them I found a nice piece of dark crimson fabric to use. Ready to see the can?  

Turned out gooood!!! Well at least I think it did. On the end piece of the fabric there was one strip with the white running through it. I cut that and frayed down both sides and then sewed it to the bigger piece of fabric. Used one of my big vintage buttons to finish it off. No more plain tin can. Put it all together and you

have this.....................

I made curly wire for the pencils so the toppers would stay and added a tiny pack of crayons to finish it off. I know that Mrs. R won't use those but she has an adorable little one at home that I'm sure will. Chaz is very excited to take this to her and I got a BIG super duper BEAR hug for making it. A good way to start the day.

Until next time...............Hugs,

Regi

Sew Sweet

Wednesday Teacher Appreciation Theme=Bake them cookies, brownies, ECT, any sweet treat.

I am really enjoying making all the goodies for Teacher Appreciation week. The Chazman is also enjoying all the oowww's and ahhhh's he is getting when he gives them to Mrs. R.  I think I make them just as much for him as I do for the teacher. I'm sure he won't be asking me to do this in a couple of more years....soooo....I'll just enjoy it while I can. 

I love to bake and was going to make some of my yummy spiced oatmeal cookies for Mrs. R but ohhh NOOO, my muse had a completely different approach to Sweet tooth day. I had to agree with her that there would probably be an over abundance of cookies, brownies, ECT, any sweet treats brought in today. Yes, yes I'm sure those that know me and my muse have already figured out that there had to be a twist put on the theme for today and you are so right. Instead of my spiced oatmeal cookies... I whipped up a zero calorie, delicious, German chocolate, butter cream icing FELTED cupcake pincushion.

Doesn't that look just so so SOOOO delicious? HeHe  Of course, you can't eat it but now I have you wanting a cupcake, don't I?  My thoughts were that Mrs. R might like a SEW SWEET TREAT that she could take home and have a keepsake of the 2012 TA week. (TA for Teacher appreciation week..thought I might need to add that since after reading it...it didn't sound just right ^_^) It's also a pin cushion...I love to make unique and different pincushions. Remember the cute little Fabric covered box I made with a tut included. You do remember it...ri iiight? Well click above and go look then sillies!!

After I made my sweet treat I thought it needed something else....something to make it look even more like a delicious cupcake. Then it hit me....I needed a cupcake wrapper. I remembered when the Chazman was younger and we had to always remind him to take the paper OFF the cupcake BEFORE eating it...LOL!!   I just love being able to google things and it still amazes me at what you can find. Ohh yes my darlins, I found cupcake wrappers...pretty pretty cupcake wrappers. I found a new friend too, Tami, over at Food Art Party and she had the cutest ones by far. So many to choose from...it was a hard decision but as soon as I saw the butterfly one and she was offering it to use for free (for private use only...not for resale...have to always be courteous when we "borrow") I knew I had found MY wrapper. Thank you Tami!!!!

I printed off the template and the little tag and went to work. Ya'll know that I ADORE butterflies and that they are an important part of my life so when I can share them in any form with others...well...that's a good thing...a very good thing.  I used one of my butterfly prints that I have on vellum paper to add some dimension to the tag. I also added the pretty felted pink rosette and pink sprinkles (tiny pink pearls really)

The Chazman proudly carried Mrs. R's cupcake to school this morning. I can't wait for him to get home so I can hear just how much she loved it. I mean..who wouldn't love a zero calorie cupcake??

Until Next time................Hugs,

Regi

Teacher Appreciation Week

This week is Teacher appreciation week. It is a very important week and one that should be recognized. I do believe that we should tell them all year long how much they mean. Helping our children to open up their minds and absorb all the knowledge that is made available to them in the classroom as well as keeping those minds open to learn outside the classroom. It takes a dedicated, caring and nurturing person with an over abundance of patience. I salute all those that have chosen the path of teaching....keep up the awesome work!!

The Chazman brought home a letter Friday with some suggestions of what we could do to show his teacher  just how much we do appreciate what she does. Chaz has a very good teacher that has really made learning a fun experience for him this year. Here are the suggestions:

Monday=flowers Tuesday=card Wednesday=sweet treat Thursday=Supplies Friday=Donate Book/movie                                      

All of them are good ones and of course they are just suggestions...we can do any of them...all of them...or come up with something completely different. I like the suggestions and I'm using them...with a tiny twist.

This was her gift for yesterday. I followed the Monday suggest of flowers....just not live ones. I wanted to give her something that would last for a long time. Something that when she looked at it, she would think of my Chazman. 

I made her one of my chap stick secret compartment pins. I took the photo before I was actually finished with it though and then forgot to take one after...silly me!! I love making gifts and just get so excited. Yes yes, I'm easily entertained. It's that.....or.......I really am getting very forgetful. Now....what were we talking about?  HAHA  Just teasing.  I added a cute button that I've had for some time, a tiny blue watering can. I attached it to the tiny middle mauve flower. Chaz said that she L O V E D  it and took it around to several classrooms so the other teachers could see it. That made his day and mine!!

Today is card day...so the Chazman and I sat down yesterday afternoon and talked about what he wanted to do. We went through some of my digital photos and he picked out an old Alphabet quilt pattern. The letter R. He said what better for a teacher than a letter for her last name. He has really enjoyed reading this year with her so he wanted me to add one of my bookmarks to the card. Here's what her gift will be when he gets to school.

Inside we put a small appreciation saying just for her.......

Chazman made me feel so good wanting me to make one of my paper corner bookmarks for Mrs. R. They are so easy to make and can be embellished in so many ways. 

I hope she loves her gift today as much as yesterday...LOL!!! While the Chazman is at school I'm going to be working on her gift for tomorrow. It's sweet day so I think perhaps a zero calorie sweet. Like a felt cupcake pin cushion. I have to go check and see if I have all the ingredients ummm I mean supplies.

Until next time.............Hugs,

Regi

Who knew we had swamp near us!!!!!

Now....those of my sweet, darlin friends that come to visit with me here know that on the weekends we try and give our Chazman an adventure or two. (If you are visiting for the first time, WELCOME, and it's so nice to have a new friend here under the old Southern Ooaks trees) Chaz is an easy child to please and so loves living here were adventures abound. We like living here too and all the awesome things you can do for FREE!! Free is a good thing.....a  VERY good thing. I only had to clean one unit this weekend and that was on Saturday so that gave us all Sunday afternoon to go and explore.

Our first adventure took us only about 6 blocks away from our home. WHO KNEW WE HAD SWAMP NEAR US?? Well obviously several folks..HAHA...we had no clue but now we do and so do you. It's a nature trail called Melvin Roberts Parks or better know to the locals as Cedar Street Park. When we first drove in we saw a baseball field, tennis courts and some basketball courts. What caught our eye was the covered picnic area and the swings. What really caught my eye was a sign that said nature trail...a rock laid path around beautiful cypress trees and a gazebo sitting in the middle of a tiny portion of swamp. I still can not believe that there is swamp so close.

There is my little man (who is growing wayyy to fast these days..LOL) with a pack of crackers in his hand. I have to admit that we didn't just happen upon the park, neighbors told us about it BUT they said there was a tiny pond where you could feed the fish. They kinda left out the part that it was a freakin swamp!!! OK deep breath....ahhhh...there I'm calm now. I LOVE nature and love to explore nature. I just like to have a little bit of warning before I head off to a swamp.

Swamps really are beautiful areas. So much flora and fauna to be found. I have always liked cypress trees especially the little stumps that grow around them. Talk about inspiration....I saw Santa's and wizard's just staring out at me. If it wasn't a state park I would have loved to have cut a few and painted them so you could see what my muse was showing me. Of course, I'm a good nature lover and I totally and completely respect the law...so I didn't cut any.

Do you see that orange right in the middle of the photo? That's a KOI fish and believe me it was one of the biggest I think I have ever seen. It must have weighed at least 30 lbs. It stayed right in the middle of the swamp...happily and lazily swimming around.

There were several KOI fish swimming around. These two were among the grass and both stayed right next to one another. One orange with black spots and one white with black spots....both fairly good size too. Aren't they pretty? This is why I want a new camera....one with a zoom lens. Perhaps I need to drop a few hints to the old hubbikins!!

The Chazman threw some of the crackers to the KOI but they didn't want to come in close enough to get them but we soon discovered why. The swamp is filled with painted turtles and two HUGE snapping turtles.

Look close and you can see one of the painted turtles in the upper left hand corner. The one you can really see was one of the snapping turtles.

Here is a better pic of him. I leaned WAYYYY over to get this shot...thank goodness the gazebo was built strong. See him poking his head out....patiently waiting for another cracker or two. That or he was smiling for the picture. ^_^ Among the turtles...there were little black fish trying their best to join the buffet and they did get a nibble or two. Those turtles were greedy little things. They didn't want to share with any others until this little guy came out of hiding....

Ahhh yep....that's exactly what you think it is...a baby alligator. He was about 48 inches long and surprised the dickens out of us when he decided to come out and see just what was going on. The Chazman saw him first and started tapping my arm and kept saying in a whisper "Ahhh mom...mom...mom" until I turned to him. We were so amazed that, there, right in front of us was a cute little gator. He was even eating the crackers. Needless to say, he got first dibs on the rest that were thrown out in the water. He didn't care for the camera much though....he would stay close to the gazebo until I held it up and then he would swim around behind a tree and peek out at us.

We were ohhhing and a ahhhing at him and then noticed that we might be fixing to see a stand off between cute baby gator and one of the big old snapping turtles. I don't know if you can see it but the turtle is looking up at the gator (on the side away from the tree) and the gator was watching the turtle and it got really tense there for a bit. I threw a cracker in the water behind the turtle and of course being the greedy thing he was he turned to get the cracker. Little baby gator just floated by the tree for a bit. I began thinking that the mean old snapper could really hurt that baby and then I begin thinking "HOLD UP....WAIT A SECOND" where there is a baby there has to be a "GULP" momma!! We started looking around but we never did see her, although I'm fairly sure that she was quietly watching us.

It really was so quiet and peaceful sitting under the gazebo and watching. After all the crackers were gone and the turtles retreated under the gazebo and baby gator slowly swam back off into the grass we started walking back towards the swings. I caught a beautiful dragonfly on a leaf.....

Have you ever heard dragonflies called snake doctors? That's what my great grandmother would call them. She also told me that where ever there were snake doctors then of course there had to be snakes. I so didn't even think of snakes while we were sitting in the gazebo but once I saw the dragonfly then I started looking around. We didn't see any  until we started walking on the rock trail to go to the swings and I think we actually scared him more than he did us. Well....ok not us but me...the Chazman wanted to touch it. NOOOO, I yelled and I got "OHHH MOM" back as a reply. Needless to say that he and I had a long (very long) discussion about snakes and that they should be left alone and in their natural habitat. Ohhh, you want to see the snake.......

Now....I don't discriminate against snakes. I don't care if it's 3 inches long or 30 feet long...they all scare the hibbie jibbies out of me. They are pretty and some have beautiful colors but they are one of God's creatures that should be seen (from far far away) and not touched. Just my thoughts......

After Chaz and Daddy had some fun swinging, we left our neighborhood swamp lands and went to the grocery store and then to the beach. It was a very good day for adventures.

Until next time.............HUGS,
Regi