Sheralyn Gets Married -- Part I -- Day Trip to Richmond

Today I’m rewinding back to last summer

to the little trip we took to Richmond.

(I’m finally getting to this! But better late than never.)

I’ll fill you in in case you don’t know…

There’s this girl named Sheralyn,

and it’s a bit of difficulty to

say just what our relationship is. 

Technically, she’s just my husband Nathan’s little cousin…

 but that’s not who she is to us.

To us she’s a daughter.  (That’s what happens when an eighteen year old girl,

trying to find her footing, moves in with your family for more than three years.)

To me she’s a friend, a sister.

And no matter what you want to call it, we’re a family.

So when a part of your family decides to get married, it’s a big deal.

And that’s what we were doing the beginning of last summer!

I was so very honored when Sheralyn asked me to be in her bridal party,

and since the girls in a bridal party need to do something fun before the big day,

we took a little trip to Richmond. 

(Baby boy, who needs to stay with Mamma, included.)

So here, in pictures, is just some of what we saw.

 Unfortunately, these are all phone pictures, but I wasn’t about

to haul my “real” camera around in addition to my chubly son (wink).

The packet letting Sheralyn know the details.

Sheralyn, has an amazing green thumb (third generation greenhouse grower)

and an appreciation for living plants, so a Botanical Garden was just the the thing.

 This was the first time any of us had been to the 

Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens.

  The variety of plants, habitats and garden styles 

was truly amazing!!!

The orchid house had to be my personal favorite.

My hand for comparison – just look at the size!

We’re looking through the kaleidoscope focused on orchids.

It made a lovely picture.

 

 The misty, and dreadfully hot, butterfly building, full of these beautiful creatures!  

For lunch we ate at a very small quaint place

on the corner of Robinson Street and Park Avenue

 in downtown Richmond.  

Wow, looking at these photos almost makes me forget that it’s cold outside,

 the trees are almost bare, and next month is Christmas!

Proposed  next blog post:  The Bridal Shower for Sheralyn

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, 

whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely,

 whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy

—think about such things.”

Philippians 4:8

Mantis Munchies

Here’s a post for the kids.

Or the kids at heart.

September is a great month for insects! 

Just listen when you go outside and hear all the chirping and buzzing.

 It’s like the creatures are making life count before it gets cold

and the frost puts an end to the summer fun. 

If you’re lucky, you might be able to spot

one of the coolest insects around  -- the Praying Mantis!

This Mantis is cleaning her foot.

It’s famous for being the only known insect that can turn its head and look over its back.

  That might be what makes it look just a little spooky!  

Their eyes are very sharp (this makes them great at catching prey),

 and they watch you as if they are extra smart.

 And maybe they are!

Here is a Praying Mantis on our front porch.

If you do get to spot a Praying Mantis, you may want to give it a little snack.

 It’s very easy, actually.

 (Watching insects eat is a fascinating thing!  Last year I wrote about feeding Ant Lions. 

You can look at those pictures here.)

We caught some crickets in this jar.

 First, you’ve got to do some hunting! 

Your prey is whatever a Mantis likes to eat – pick something that looks really tasty!

  Maybe not a stinkbug?!!  

We’ve found that they really like crickets and small grasshoppers.

 And those insects are usually fairly easy to find,

 just crawling or hopping around in the yard.  

Once you’ve captured a cricket (or something else) pop its head off to kill it.

  Then choose a skinny stick or extra-long stem of grass or weed

and poke the dead insect onto the end like this.

 Slowly crawl the dead insect toward the Praying Mantis, making it look as though it’s alive.

 I bet it will only take an instant before she will turn her quick eyes to watch the new insect. 

She’s hoping this might be supper!!! 

Creep the Mantis dinner very close, and she should pounce on it and start gnawing. 

Now just sit back and watch!!!  

Munch, Munch!

A cricket drumstick.

Cassia is making the cricket "crawl" along the arm of the bench.

 Mantises love to eat insects and are very helpful in the garden for eating pest insects.

Now there’s one thing about the Praying Mantis.

 Please, please, please, be careful with them.

 If you want to hold one, don’t scoop it up.

 Don’t grab it up. 

They can be damaged easily!  

Especially if they have large swollen abdomens.

 These big fat ones are females who are getting ready to lay their eggs

 in a special foam sack that’s like a tiny brown insulated cooler.

 This sack will protect her eggs all through the winter until next spring,

when the little green baby Mantises hatch out. 

So… if you do want to hold a Mantis, carefully put your hand in front of it,

 and gently nudge it forward so that it crawls onto you by itself. 

This way you won’t accidentally bend its legs or squish its soft belly.

If you’d like to see some more cool insects,

you can look at these we found last summer.

 Happy hunting!!!

 “But ask the animals, and they will teach you,

or the birds in the sky, and they will tell you;

or speak to the earth, and it will teach you,

or let the fish in the sea inform you.

Which of all these does not know

that the hand of the Lord has done this?

In his hand is the life of every creature

and the breath of all mankind.”

Job 12:7-10

Brief Sketches From a Very Pregnant Woman

The Very Pregnant Woman is me.

It’s a little under three weeks until my due date,

and I’m certainly ready anytime this baby boy decides he’s ready.

We started school in full force this week and I did some quick sketches

while I was sitting at the kitchen table,

in between helping the girls with their lessons.

I believe all my pregnant friends will identify?

The girls took some quick photos of me this morning 

to remember these days.

“As for me, I am poor and needy,

but the Lord takes thought for me.

You are my help and my deliverer;

do not delay, O my God!”

Psalm 40:17