Finale of Summer

Recently we've had a little backyard excitement with spotting a racoon in a tree.  It looked young to me and caused us no harm.  I was worried it would eat my baby watermelons... more on that later. 

Then there is a skunk that comes in our backyard almost every night.  I'm not sure what it wants, but it worries me that it will have babies under our deck.  Kansas nature is full of drama!

Gwen and Zeke have been getting increasingly restless these days so we turned to our friendly youtube video art studio that my friend Leah introduced us to.  I recently got some watercolor paper to try out.  We've always just used cardstock for our watercoloring, but I thought it would be interesting to see the difference in using real watercolor paper.  We feel so pampered by using it.  Anyway... so we decided to do a watercolor lily.  We've sketched it and will paint it tomorrow.  Here's the link if you'd like to try it. 

Mine

Gwen's

I have about 5 baby watermelons in the backyard that are growing now.  I am protective of them and watch them periodically through the day to see if they have grown.  Zeke is also watching them and seems very interested in the garden.  Gwen isn't interested at all.  Zeke picks vegetables when they are ready, waters for me, and gives me general updates and if something has grown or a new something is turning up he gets VERY excited.  It excites me that he is excited over gardening.  I can't tell you how enamored I am with these lacy vines and these baby watermelons.  I need help.  

This is a picture that my brother-in-law, Jake, shared with me.  It is of bricks in Africa.  Anywhere where there is construction there is a hut thing made to make their own bricks.  Most Americans couldn't fathom making their own bricks.  This picture reminds me that I (and my kids) can do more than we think we can.

This year we got a zoo pass. I have enjoyed it very much. Looking at animals gives me joy.  Where else would I get the chance to see a gorilla?  I was hoping I'd get to see the new baby gorilla born in late May, but they had it put away.  I did get this picture of the napping silverback though.

We went to a bird show there at the zoo and when the lady asked for volunteers Gwen raised her hand.  She was chosen to stand up and hold two grapes and a bird would fly onto her arm and eat the grape.  I was thinking... a small bird... and we kept waiting and waiting... and then Gwen changed her mind.  Gwen didn't want to do it anymore and sat down.  When I saw the size of bird that supposedly was going to land on Gwen's arm I totally agreed that she wouldn't do it.  It seems that the lady was "joking" and that she wasn't going to have the bird land on her, but rather she throw the grapes at the bird.  (aren't you laughing?? NO) She wouldn't even throw the grapes.  I didn't blame her.  What a horrible thing to tell a kid!  Well, Zeke threw the grapes at it and that was that.  

Yeah, um, this was the bird that was supposedly going to land on my 7 year old's arm. 

A red-tailed hawk.  One of my favorites. 

 A male orangutan.  I love their cheek pads.

Romy and an owl.  They both turned their heads as I took the photo... of course.