I walked around the yard with my camera.  I saw a lot of white among the green.

I'm pretty sure this white mushroom/toadstool is Not edible.

There were little white butterflies everywhere I looked, but most of them were camera shy.  Finally I found one resting on a Queen Ann's lace flower.  In case you can;t see it, it's on the right.

Queen Ann's lace is considered a weed here in Indiana, but the flowers are delicate and pretty.

Later I heard a noise, and saw this yellow plane flying up and down.  The man who came with his son to power wash our house told us that the man who owns the planes has several people flying for him. Sometimes they spray for pests like the emerald ash borer.  Other times they spray for farmers.  They also spray for mosquitoes, which I didn't know.  That's nice to know, because we live in the county and not the city, so our area doesn't get sprayed.  He said it only costs $12. an acre, which isn't too bad.  We probably won't do it unless someone wants to use our yard for a wedding or family reunion or something.

He wasn't spraying our yard, just flying over.  He looked like he was enjoying his job.

"He (God) has made everything beautiful in its time."  Ecclesiastes 3:11

I'm curious........I wonder how many of you come from broken homes?  My parents divorced when I was 10 and my brother was 7.  Both later remarried.  My mom divorced my first step-dad after 13 years of marriage.  He then married one of his college students ()he was a professor.)  My mom married a 3rd time.  That marriage lasted 30 some years until he passed away.  My brother's first marriage didn't last.  Our oldest daughter has been divorced twice.  The youngest one is in process of a divorce now.  One of our grandsons is divorced.  Some Christians feel that divorce is never justified, and some don't believe in remarriage after divorce.  The Bible is not real clear on that, so I think there is room for disagreement.  The Bible does say that God hates divorce (Malachi 2:16.)  I hate it too.  I wonder how my life would have been different if my parents had stayed together?  My daughter who's in the middle of a divorce  also hates it.  It isn't what she wanted, but it became necessary.  Sometimes there are legitimate ( and Biblical) reasons for divorce, but sometimes there are not.   I wonder if people today expect too much from marriage?  I wonder how much fairy tales of "happily ever after" and Disney movies have influenced our kids?                                                         Well, that's enough wondering for tonight.  The cat keeps trying to knead and lick my right arm.  Makes it difficult to type.  That reminds me of "Curiosity killed the cat............satisfaction brought it back."  Must be late, I'm getting silly.  G'night.

The reason I'm taking so many pictures of my little grand-daughters' swimming lessons is because their mom is in the middle of a divorce, and she has to work so cannot be there.

 I got to thinking about swimming lessons.  I think my brother and I took lessons when I was about 10 and he was 7.  We took them at the Colorado Lagoon.  To get there we had to walk to the bus stop at 4th and Walnut, get on the bus, and ride to the end of the line, which was the lagoon.  There was a big building there that housed the skeleton of a whale.  I remember walking through and looking up at it.  I think it's still around there somewhere, but not sure.  I remember reading that it's in a museum now.  Anyway, I don't remember much about the lessons themselves.  I didn't like, and still don't, putting my face in the water.  I know how you're supposed to swim, but I do a modified dog paddle instead.  I don't remember ever being afraid of the water, but I don't like to jump into a pool. 

How and when did you learn to swim?

Swimming lessons continue.  Both girls are doing well.  The younger one Really enjoys being in the water.

The beginner lessons are in the warm water pool.  They also have water walking there at other times.  The water is like warm (not hot) bath-water.  It's lovely.

The teachers do an excellent job.  There are 2 or 3 students for each teacher.

Happy smile!

In other news.  Hubby got home from Texas today.  He went to bed about 8:30 tonight.  He won't admit that driving that much makes him tired.  Whenever TX. daughter visits we do lots of jigsaw puzzles.  This is a 1000 piece puzzle.  Usually 500 or 750 pieces are my limit.  This one is not too bad though, because of the different colors.  Marg. and her friend finished a different one and wanted another.  I keep the puzzles in a closet in the basement.  They didn't want to go downstairs, so they sent her friend's teen-age son.  Naturally this is the one he chose.

I finished it tonight, with the help of another daughter.  It's almost 10:30 and I have to take the girls for another lesson tomorrow morning, so I'll say good night.

When we first moved to the location where our house is now, it was mostly grass.  At one time it had been cornfield, but that was many years ago.  I thought almost 7 acres was a bit too much for hubby to mow, so we had trees planted at the back.  Mostly hardwoods, but some white pine.  Our property is long and narrow.  It also has a pond, and a swamp.  At first I thought "that's cool....my very own swamp."  Then I realized that all sort of creatures live in swamps, including snakes and snapping turtles.  Also, swamps tend to grow, and try to take over the rest of the land.  We've lived here 20 years now, and the swamp is at least a third larger than it was.  Actually, it's really a wetlands, because it has a few cat-tails in it.  We wanted to fill in part of it with the dirt we took out of the pond last year, and couldn't do it because the cat-tails make it a wetlands.  The DNR would not be happy if we did that.  I said our property was long and narrow.....10 houses back up to one side of our land.  All of them were built many years ago on fill dirt, so their neighborhood floods when it rains.  We're on a hill, so ours doesn't flood.  In the front of the picture below you can see our side yard, where the previous owner put in fill dirt, and planted grass.  You can also see some of the neighboring houses in the background.  The swamp used to be burnt every year, but some of the neighbors have put in wooden fences which makes it difficult to burn the swamp without setting something else on fire, so it hasn't been burned for a long time.  

More of the swamp, and neighboring houses.

Swamp on the right, and "orchard" on the left.  Our house is to the left of the orchard just past a narrow driveway, and up a little hill.  (In our part of Indiana all the hills are little.)  I put orchard in quotes because it was an orchard when we moved here.  We just haven't been able to keep it up.  

The trees are being taken over by the weeds.  There are about 5 apple trees, and a pear tree.  The orchard badly needs pruning and weeding.  I talked to a young man about doing the work for us, and he said he would come and do it.  That was several weeks ago and we haven't seen him yet.

The apples aren't very good because we don't spray them.

We also own 2 rental houses that are behind our house and my mom's old house, where my daughter lives now.  One of the rental homes has 5 acres, and some younger apple trees.  Those apples are better, and easier to pick.  I think when we decided we wanted to live in the country, we didn't realize how much work it would be, and of course, we're not as young as we used to be.

When the TX family was here, the rest of the relatives took turns coming to visit with them.  Some of them came for meals.  I spent a lot of time cooking and cleaning up, but I enjoyed it.  The TX grandson and his wife are on the right.  The other family is my middle son and his wife and 2 children.

Here is Aunt Margaret with a tired niece.

Cousins.

I am thankful that most of my children and grandchildren enjoy each other's company most of the time.  I love my family.

Pansies are some of my favorite flowers.  Their little faces are so varied and so pretty.  I don't think they like growing in this pot.  I took this picture a week or so ago.  They don't look so good now.

The pansies are on the little porch in front of our house.  On the other side of the steps is this Shasta daisy.  At least that's what my friend says it is.  She knows all about plants, and I don't.

I think this is a calla lilly?

Tiger lillies (and weeds) in a barrel at our rental house.

I took my grand-daughter along one day while I was doing errands.  We walked to the ice cream store and saw these pretty flowers on the way.  She got a single scoop bubble gum flavor cone.  I forget what flavor I got, but it was good.  It's hard to believe that when I was not much older than she is, we could buy double scoop cones for a nickel.

If Xanga disappears I probably won't take as many pictures.  I enjoy taking pictures to share with everyone.  I'm still getting used to the new camera.  

This morning I took 2 of the grandkids to swimming lessons at the Y.  They both cooperated (most of the time) and did well.  Here are a few pictures.  I'm still learning how to use the new camera, so they're not as clear as I'd like.

4 children, 2 teachers.

Sisters learning together.

Big sister's turn.  The lessons are in the warm water pool.  It's no more than 5 ft. deep.  That's where I go for water walking.  (Not nearly often enough.)

In the afternoon we took the 4 older kids to the fair.  At the entrance we were all given fans.  It was a VERY hot, humid day.

Visiting the horse barn.

It was Kid's Day and rides were $1.00 each.  They were each allowed to go on 3 rides.  They were also allowed to play one game.  This is the one they all chose.  Each one got 5 darts (for $5.00.)  They all managed to hit several balloons, and each won a prize.  Bottom line is.......we paid $5. apiece for a small stuffed animal  (and some fun and memories, which are invaluable.)

Here they are with their"critters".  At least they don't need to be fed or watered, and they don't make messes.

I did not take them by myself.  2 of the Mamas went along.  We ate some junk food, of course.  You absolutely Have to do that at the fair.  While they went on the rides I went in the merchants tent and voted for our grandson at the baby contest in the Right to Life booth.  I signed up to win some free stuff.  Then I spotted a Tupperware booth.  Bought a small pitcher for $3.00 and 2 frig containers for $2.00 each.  No, I did not sign up to host a party.  I tell people that it's against my religion to have parties like that at my house.  I will go to them if I get invited and it's a relative, or I can't think of a good reason not to go.

I'm tired tonight.  I don't plan to go anyplace tomorrow (except the grocery store, because I forgot to buy lettuce, and we're out of milk and flour.  I hope no one wants cereal tomorrow morning.

Latest Xanga news looks hopeful.  Maybe some people who have left will come back.  

Carrying buckets and sprayed with mosquito repellent, some of my family went out to pick berries.  Only one or two of the blueberries are ripe, but lots of raspberries are ripe, and mulberries too.  The blueberry bushes are young and small.  The raspberries grow wild.

Our oldest daughter is in this picture, plus a grand-daughter and a grand daughter-in-law.  The short plants are strawberries, but we ate most of them already. Some unwanted baby mulberry trees are growing in there too.

TX daughter with her bucket.

TX grand-daughter-in-law with hers.  She looks like a kid, but she's grown up.  She and my grandson have been married for 2 years.  

 5 year old grand-daughter.

I made two pies, but didn't take  pictures of them.  They were good!

First, let me say I am glad that Xanga might survive.  I sure hope so!

We have had many people at my house today, since everyone came to see the TX relatives.  I cooked a lot.  I enjoy having the family here.  It makes me happy.

Now for the birth story.  I looked out the window Thurs. and this is what I saw.

Mama Turtle in labor.

I went closer, and actually saw one of the eggs coming out.

Later I looked out again and saw her heading back to our pond.  Mission accomplished.

Baby Turtle Bed.  To be continued in a few months.