Downy Emerald Dragonfly – Cordulia aenea

On August 31, I captured this Downy Emerald Dragonfly – Cordulia aenea with my iPhone

Click in center to view this short video.

No idea what it was consuming...?

Did spot it on top of the copper hummingbird feeder 

Beautiful creature—so elegant!

Ruby Throated Hummingbirds at Feeder

 On March 22, Pieter purchased this new copper hummingbird feeder and hung it.

Female hummingbird on August 6, during a tropical storm—they sure are WET! 

Male Ruby Throated Hummingbird showing its long tongue at the very end! 
Related link:Severe Weather with Bridge Destruction | last photo shows this copper hummingbird feeder that Pieter got for them

Severe Weather with Bridge Destruction

 Just like to show you some images from early spring, or almost spring.

Sunday March 17, back from singing in the chancel choir.

Wearing my silk clover leaf Escada shirt with jacket.

Pieter wearing his cotton Irish cloverleaf sweater that we found in Dublin, Ireland. I've one as well.

My 94–year old caretaker is frail as he lost quite some weight by doing it all!

On February 12, my Mom's heavenly Birthday, we had severe weather and Pieter had to run both wet vacs to suck the water off the tiles in our Rose Suite.

The builder left tree trunks under the foundation and in 30+ year the wood has deteriorated and water manages to seep in...

Those wet vacs we have for sucking up the water are rather heavy when full. Pieter had to carry those full buckets out the door for letting it run downhill—away from the home.

It was so exhausting for my frail Pieter and I of course was not in the position to help him...

On March 9, we again had severe weather and while I was lay reader at Church, Pieter had to stay home for running the two wet vacs again.

We also found our bridge totally whacked out.

So much hard work by Pieter, destroyed by nature—the force of water is incredible!

The pussy willow got crushed by it, so we lost that too. 

{Pussy Willow from Cuttings} ←click link

Another view and the pussy willow is seen knocked down

So sad seeing all the hours of hard work being destroyed...

On March 22, Pieter hung this new copper hummingbird feeder next to our kitchen bay window where we enjoy watching them drink.

Caring for all of our garden critters, furry ones and feathered ones...

Related link:
Our Bridges a Constant Battle with Mother Nature | previous post by me

Our Golden Mist Home and Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold

 It is the BEST time of the year for our Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold...

Saturday morning April 15 with full sunshine! 

Benjamin Moore Golden Mist paint for our home with the Interlock Metal Roofing in aged copper slate and Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold to the right of our home.

Yep, the golden oak had a lot to do with the paint color... 😉

Lots of pot plants on our patio.

Here you can see the entire Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold

Sure it will even be more golden in the next week or so, see links below for the 'perfect' view.

Yes, our Eastern Phoebe is residing once again on the very same nest (we left it there as I'd read they return to their previous nest!) and has babies.

Last year's nest and you can see their beaks up—ready for Mom or Dad to bring them food.

They love their romantic surroundings by Vintage Woodworks...

This morning I captured the babies and we are not quite sure if there are 3 or 4 in the nest...

Pieter did purchase this beauty for becoming a potplant for our patio.

White Dipladenia it is called.

Dipladenia is in the Mandevilla family but it is a bushier plant whose stems grow down and hang.

This photo I made this morning to give a view of the bay window area and even you see the gazebo on the left.

There are lots of leaves blown off the Southern Magnolia tree...

Yes, on Friday, around 1:00 PM we had torrential rain + wind!

With our Benjamin Moore Golden Mist paint color, we of course had to have yellow pansies...

The same planter on the left is filling in as those got planted somewhat later.

A detail with some rain drops from yesterday...

Related links:

{Our Home with Aluminum Interlock Roofing and Benjamin Moore Golden Mist Exterior} | previous post by me

Our Home Freshly Painted | previous post by me

{# 1111 - Our Golden Live Oak 'Quercus Virginiana Grand View Gold' changing color} | previous post by me

Eastern Phoebe Reside in Front Porch with Babies | previous post by me

Spring in our Garden

 This was a lovely week with sunshine!

Spring is unfolding beautifully!

February 9, I walked over onto the neighbor's property to capture our blooming Japanese magnolia from there.

Just showing the bay window area from our home and the blind wall where the dining room is, no windows on that side.

Now from our side towards our home...

LOVE those perfect flower buds and there were already some petals on the ground.

Wanted to capture them because it would rain in the later afternoon and night.

A pine warbler is enjoying lunch on the tray from our previous Sharp microwave, set on the oak stump.

Happy daffodils near the Japanese Magnolia as you can see by its petals on the ground...

Our Fiberglass Window Boxes are filled with yellow pansies.

Tiggy–Tiger girl is head butting one of the planters...

That's the one where that poor friend cat often lies in for looking at us.

Our Renewal by Andersen bay windows look nice from outside!

A closer look at the yellow pansies.

Also the Vintage Woodworks parts on veranda door and under gable.

Pieter bought the pansies early at our local Home Depot just to make sure we had enough for all window boxes.

On the veranda side they got planted mid January but the bay windows after the Andersen windows were place on January 17.

I've hung the crocheted curtains back after Pieter drilled tiny holes into the fibrex of the new windows.

That worked perfect and after laundering the curtains and then stretching them out while still wet, we hung them on their 925 sterling rings (thin ones!). See post below this one...

Yesterday's photo—dark due to a dreary and rainy day...

The hand crocheted curtains hang perfectly on the new windows.

Detail of screws that Pieter pre–drilled into the fibrex material from Renewal by Andersen windows.

And my 925 silver rings.

Our 2nd Japanese Magnolia is near the flowering Camellia Sinensis Tea Plant.

Now I'm standing on the wood trail for capturing some flowers from our 2nd Japanese Magnolia.

They look perfect against our veranda.

Tiggy Tiger girl came to smell our Narcissus...

She's a tiny but cute kitty!

Senior—just like her Mami...

On Tuesday it was 21°C or 69.8°F...

So we both rolled our bikes...

On Tuesday it was 24°C or 75.2°F

Followed by rain again...

Related link:

Kitchen Bay Window New Crocheted ROSE Curtains & IKEA Roller Blind | previous post with the 925 sterling rings

Our Kitchen Bay Window Before and After Renewal by Andersen | previous post by me

AMAZING recovery of Japanese Magnolia—after getting LIGHT and FOOD! | previous post by me

And Another Birthday with Pearls

 On Monday, January 9, I would make my rounds to Atlanta and to Marietta also for having my Rado watch's battery replaced.

BUT on Sunday evening when brushing my hair and removing the Chanel barrette I noticed that its spring got half broken away...

So, we made another stop at Neiman Marcus at their Chanel Boutique for having it repaired.

Will be so happy when it will be ready with a new spring.

It was right there at the store on the counter, that I noticed some earrings, longer model and with a pearl...

SO... Pieter bought those for me as an early Birthday gift—and I did NOT object 😉

They got nicely gift wrapped with the famous white Chanel Camélia...

Our white hyacinths from Trader Joe's were blooming nicely in our bay window area.

Lovely white Camélia and ribbon...

A card with embossed white camélia and gift box...

Inside the gift box...

Tada...! 

Nice Strass Crystals and the CC logo with pearls.

Photo taken outside in bright sunlight on Sunday, February 5.

Metal & Strass

Gold, Pink & Iridescent Crystals and Pearl

I'm very happy with those earrings as a gift from my Pieter—even though they're not of gold...

Chanel manages to make very elegant costume jewelry as well!

Wearing my Escada silk and cashmere twinset and when looking back, this is what I wore to Mom & Dad's 55th Wedding Anniversary 19 years ago...

Now you also can see my Escada jeans and our Japanese magnolias that are almost open.

Pieter's shade as the sun was really strong with a temperature of 19°C or 66°F.

Both of us are grateful that the –2°C or 28°F last week did not make them turn brown!

Usually these would bloom on Mom's Birthday—February 12, but now she's in heaven, they seem to bloom earlier on my Birthday. 

You can see the white vinyl picket fence in the background...

And the green tree on the left is the Southern Magnolia.

Here I wear the very same Escada twinset on February 15, 2004 when I am happy to see and greet my 2nd brother Piet at the restaurant where we all met for Mom & Dad's 55th Wedding Anniversary.

Wearing also the same Escada jeans...

Piet's kids and wife in the background.

Of course having phone calls on my Birthday and then late breakfast while observing our birds from our bay window.

Here the Eastern Phoebe on the bird bath.

Pieter just added meal worms inside the feeder for them and the Carolina wrens to snack on...

Temperature in the SUN!

40°C or 104°F...

We got this 6" Conant Custom Brass Thermometer from Monticello but now Amazon still has it.

You can see our vinyl picket fence in the back with the blooming magnolias.

Nothing more enjoyable than having breakfast in the sun!

We selected our lot for having our kitchen facing east—for that purpose.

Ending this post with some REAL white camellias that Pieter brought me for breakfast...

Using one of my creamware cachepot, as a vase for them.

Related links:

Meaning of my name — Pearl and Desired Child | previous post by me

Eastern Phoebe Reside in Front Porch with Babies | previous post by me

Those who feel Happy with the HAPPINESS of OTHERS | previous post by me showing creamware cachepot

Feedback on Kwekkie's Feet

 Just like to show you how Kwekkie's webbing has healed and partly grown back!

Just love the perfect orange of her feet!

You clearly see that part of the webbing on her left foot has grown back.

So happy to see this.

Kwekkie's nostril visible upper left as he/she started to preen.

Well, with Snapping turtles in the creek there is always a danger lurking...

Related link:

A HUGE Snapping Turtle | previous post by me

Pieter's NEW Love—While I was in Limburg | previous post showing Kwekkie's feet

A HUGE Snapping Turtle

 With our five kitties having just made our usual cat—walk after breakfast, over the bridges and wood trail, we spotted a MONSTER.

Looking from the bridge down into the creek that is.

No wonder they are also called mud dragon!

It was quite a monster!

Guess our kitties do know instinctively that they better avoid such a monster!

They were just over 13 months old here and they followed us like doggies.

Now they don't do this anymore and of course they have become senior kitties.

~

BUT remember our Kwekkie with a wounded foot?

Before that, we had other ducks with the same wounds.

Guess those snapping turtles try to pull them down as prey when they're hungry.

Related link:

Pieter's NEW Love—While I was in Limburg | Kwekkie with her wounded foot

10 Biting Facts About Snapping Turtles | Interesting info with videos

Bandido (Dido) and Sacha caught a Crayfish Cambaridae

 Living with kitties is never boring!

They exposed us to wildlife we both never knew we had on our property!

Our 10 month old Dido brought this into our garage.

At first we thought it was a little crab...

Dido did run and was not letting us see it.

One of its shears was off and it also held its tail under its belly...

Dido's catch looked more like a Procambarus talpoides or Mole Crayfish.

Our almost one year old (on March 30) Sacha (Bandido's sister) brought one inside our bedroom at 10:00 PM.

This one was complete and now we clearly could see that this was a Crayfish or Cambaridae.

Crayfish are the food for bullfrogs, snapping turtles, raccoons.

Guess our kitties found them interesting living toys...

Quite interesting those 5 naughty kitty siblings!

How often I've had to 'rescue' some critters—and yes, I used to make that trip in the night across the lawn towards the creek. 

Have you ever seen a Crayfish?

Related link:

{R.I.P. SACHA GIRL} | previous post by me 

Part X - Cape Town, South Africa | previous post by me where we ate the best crayfish ever!

Bandido (Dido) found himself a Cicada

 Dido has always been a rather feisty kitty bandit; hence his name Bandido.

We rescued his Mamita from Acapulco and also his Daddy no doubt was Mexican.

So, on September 2 at 10:00 PM our 5 months old kitty Bandido did bring this into the living room.

At that time I had no clue what it was... a locust, a beetle?

He did not want to bring it outside, though once he brought it downstairs...

We always wonder how they manage to come through two cat–doors, then up the stairs!

Related links:

{CICADA} | previous post by me

Bandido (Dido) did bring us this just Morphed Cicada | previous post by me

Mums as Happy Pot Plants

Even though when I came here I did not like Mums—due to the fact that in The Netherlands they were typical Cemetery flowers...

Now we both LOVE them!

 

Detail from photo taken on September 8.

Already Happy inside their new pot atop the stump of our Dogwood tree.

On September 19, they had really opened up beautifully!

On September 20, they were joined by some new Mums in a larger pot... more in the ochre color.

Those are in a larger pot, placed on a big paver.

No doubt those will open up fully and look even more stunning!

These are the ones from the first picture, fully opened by now on September 20.

We view them from our breakfast area in the morning sunshine.

View from above—those Mums are really GIVERS!

The ochre Mums on September 29 on a dark and dreary day when hurricane Ian was affecting our weather...

With sadness I made this picture this morning on October 6... 

Just as blogger friend Helen from Poetry Matters ←(click it) wrote that the deer ate all blooms at her neighbors!

Related link:

Our Garden Critters Visiting before Sunset | previous post by me showing deer standing in the very spot...