Hosta leaves make great life boats.
July 22, 2013
June 30, 2007
Question: What IS that? Answer: Gopher
Golden Gate Park, as we found out a few days ago, is a place of beautiful flowers,
shimmering waterfalls,
and this: 
Isn't he adorable?
We watched our gopher creep slowly out of his hole and pop right back in as soon as he caught sight of us. He did this about twelve more times, and oddly enough, he seemed to be taking dirt in with him. Slowly, he turned his hole into this:
In a matter of seconds, he was gone, and left only a mound of upturned earth in his place. Oh, if only the Great Pate had done the same--I honestly would have prefered to eat my lunch by a pile of dirt. Oh well.
--Theresa (11)
May 06, 2007
In the May Woods
Some of you may remember "Sowing a Seed" and our Christmas Creche in the Woods, the setting for a round of impromptu outdoor caroling. Today was First Saturday, and, in accordance with our custom of the past few months, the girls and I went to Confession before making a happy memory together with our monthly outing. This month's destination: Barnes & Noble Bookstore followed by Ben's Restaurant and ice cream!
Returning home, I had a surprise in store for them. As darkness dashed the last lingering light from the western sky, we left the house bearing a fat candle. The children had no idea what to expect, but could see a few faint rays round a corner from a distance.
Hastening toward it and rounding the bend, their eyes met a brilliantly lighted image of Our Lady, now known in our family as "The Madonna of the Woods." Four years ago, we used to keep this large and lovely medallion on the wall of the glass porch in our old house, and none of them have seen it since. The younger ones did not even remember it and gazed wide-eyed in wonder and admiration.
Standing outside, under a cloak of blackness spangled with stars, we sang our favorite Marian Hymns: Ave Maria, Hail Holy Queen Enthroned Above, Salve Regina, O Most Holy One--another small seed planted in fertile spring soil.
That's the beauty of the Liturgical Year. Delight lies around every corner.
November 25, 2006
Lurking beneath the blossoms
Not long ago in the carefree springtime, a family of yellow warblers favored us by fashioning a nest in the Dogwood outside our large front window. Never have you seen anything so picturesque as those golden sparks of birds shooting back and forth from out the snowy blossoms, occasionally alighting for a moment, offering our eager eyes the rare glimpse of their gilded forms.
The pretty tree has always been a favorite of the children, especially the little ones who love to climb its low welcoming branches. Needless to say, with warblers in residence, all dogwood climbing was strictly forbidden this year, and the children were only too happy to make an accommodation for these welcome guests. The tiny nest was so well hidden that I never did see it, although I was sure of its location and made a mental note to search for it in the baring Autumn.
This afternoon, it finally occurred to me to take a look at the Korean Dogwood, now but a skeleton of its former glory. Gazing up to the higher branches, I readily perceived the outline of two separate nests.
The tiny one on the right was the expected warbler's nest, exactly where we saw those dear little birds flitting an impossibly short time ago. But what could have inhabited that large one on the left?
One look and it is not to difficult to see that the former inhabitants of the nest below were far less charming than warblers!
Thank goodness the children took care to avoid that tree--it appears their hospitality toward our feathered friends was amply repaid!
November 08, 2006
Little Green Alien
My goodness, the mantis is an odd looking creature! With those leafy wings and serrated front legs, I can see why he is a camouflage and hunting expert!
The other day, there was an errant wasp buzzing and slamming into our bedroom window. The girls released the mantis on the pane of glass, and, within moments, lunch was served.
[Please click on the thumbnail within this post to get the full effect.]
*******
Postscript: Patrick just walked past the computer, noticed the photo, and blurted, "Mantises look like green aliens!" I guess there are no other words to describe it.
It's back!
Our temporary pond! And already the squirrels and chipmunks and birds have been treating themselves to deep draughts from it. It is so funny to watch the squirrels hanging off the sides, their tails in the air like fluffy flags. 
One of the two tall oaks retains a grasp on its last few leaves.
And, some days, it's still warm enough to play Little House without a coat!
November 03, 2006
A Bird's Nest
Look what Margaret and her friends found on the ground underneath our massive "Christmas" tree--a darling little bird's nest! We thought this might be the nest of a pair of Kinglets we enjoyed watching all summer. Later, we read that Kinglets make their cup nests of moss, lichens, grasses and shredded bark. This one is all grass, so we remain uncertain. 
The girls thought it would be fun to put the nest in a bush:
And add a craft store bird!:
Our trees are still as golden as he is:
There are always so many beautiful discoveries to be made out in the garden!
October 26, 2006
Longleg Von Beethoven
Imagine my suprise to find this fugitive!
Apparently, our friend Beethoven fails to see the humor in this.
[It really is worth taking a moment to click on the image within this post to see it up close!]
October 18, 2006
Get a Dannon Body, an Eight-legged Dannon Body
We had an unexpected guest for dinner.
This adorable little spider (a crab spider, according to my girls) climbed upon the table and started (apparently) partaking in the strawberry-banana yogurt liberally spilled there by Patrick. We noticed him as we were cleaning up and watched in disbelief as he scraped his two front legs through the yogurt and then put it into his mouth. He remained quite some time delighting in the treat and repeating the process over and over. Agnes and Theresa theorized that he was getting moisture out of the yogurt to drink.
My guess is that he's just on a health kick.
