Urban Savannah





Right here in Pleasantville we have our very own Savannah! There is also a baby giraffe & a trumpeting elephant!

Check out all the other fabulous sky pictures by clicking on the SkyWatch Friday icon above.

Engine No. 3


It's Almost Thursday!!




Who isn't distracted by shiny things?

Another pic from our trip to Chicago last weekend. We were walking down to Navy Pier when we had to halt because three firetrucks and a rescue unit were pulling out of the fire house.

For some of our other Chicago adventures, visit Life Makes Me Laugh for stories about some of our adventures.

I've got lots of shiny stuff coming up for a couple of weeks based on this trip.

Please join in the fun and show us all your shiny stuff. All I ask is this:

1. Post on Thursdays - Mr. Linky is available now - so jump right in.
2. Choose your favorite, because only one picture is allowed each week.
3. Use the button code below in your post (putting it in your side bar is optional, but much appreciated).
4. Visit all the other distracted photographers out there.





Please sign up with Mr. Linky and leave a comment (I LOVE comments). Can't wait to see your shiny stuff!

If you haven't played before, take a gander through your archives - I bet you've got something shiny in there :)

Chicago Skyline North



I got this view from a top the HUGE ferris wheel at Navy Pier (see my Wordless Wednesday post).

The tallest building is NOT the Willis (Sears) Tower. It is the Handcock Observatory. To see the Willis Tower, visit my account of that at my other blog,Life Makes Me Laugh (another great SkyWatch image, if I do say).

Check out all the other fabulous sky pictures by clicking on the SkyWatch Friday icon above.

Navy Pier


It's Almost Thursday!!




Who isn't distracted by shiny things?

This week is all about our trip to Chicago this past weekend. Visit Life Makes Me Laugh for stories about some of our adventures.

We drove up on Friday and headed down to Navy Pier right after checking into the hotel.

I've got lots of shiny stuff coming up for a couple of weeks based on this trip.

Please join in the fun and show us all your shiny stuff. All I ask is this:

1. Post on Thursdays - Mr. Linky is available now - so jump right in.
2. Choose your favorite, because only one picture is allowed each week.
3. Use the button code below in your post (putting it in your side bar is optional, but much appreciated).
4. Visit all the other distracted photographers out there.





Please sign up with Mr. Linky and leave a comment (I LOVE comments). Can't wait to see your shiny stuff!

Zip It


It's Thursday!!




Who isn't distracted by shiny things?

I've been so distracted by this new school thing (Cupie started kindergarten yesterday) that I completely forgot about getting distracted by shiny things! Since I've been on the school theme all week with my blogs, I thought I might as well stay with that. My Cupie's lunchbox zipper pull fits right in!

Please join in the fun and show us all your shiny stuff. All I ask is this:

1. Post on Thursdays - Mr. Linky is available now - so jump right in.
2. Choose your favorite, because only one picture is allowed each week.
3. Use the button code below in your post (putting it in your side bar is optional, but much appreciated).
4. Visit all the other distracted photographers out there.





Please sign up with Mr. Linky and leave a comment (I LOVE comments). Can't wait to see your shiny stuff!

Slipping Through My Fingers







To see the story behind this picture, click here.

To see other Wordless-ness, click here.

A Wheel Bug



A Wheel Bug (not a mis-pronunciation of "Real Bug") is easily identified by the spiny "wheel" on his back. Being 1 1/4 inches long and unusual in appearance, it can be quite intimidating. However it will make every attempt to avoid human contact. If handled, it may emanate a foul odor (it is in the same family as the stink bug) and try to bite.

The bite is more of a sting because it has a syringe-like beak (that reddish thing folded down under his face) that the bug inserts into its victims. It injects a venom which dissolves its prey's insides. In humans, this venom causes a burning sensation (similar to a bee or wasp sting) that lasts several minutes and leaves a wound that can take several weeks to months to heal.

Don't be too quick to shoo them out of the garden though. They are very beneficial because they eat soft bodied pests like caterpillars, aphids, moths, etc. I even read that they may eat Japanese Beetles!! Since we had an issue with Japanese Beetles this year, these bugs are more than welcome. In fact, my husband wants to look into how to encourage more.

They are a slow moving insect and generally won't land on you just to bite you. If one happens to land on you, gently brush it off. Once you know they have taken up residence, make sure you watch out for them when working in your garden.

Now that you've been educated on this nifty bug, check out all the other macro shoots here.

Juno


At the center of the Kresko Victorian Garden, Juno stands proudly to survey the elaborate tapestries of flowers, foliage & succulents indicative of the early 1800's landscape design.

Sorry, there's just a little bit of sky and a single whisp of a cloud in this one.

To see more beautiful skies, take a hop over to SkyWatch Friday.

Road Hazard


It's Thursday!!




Who isn't distracted by shiny things?

I couldn't help but be distracted at my lights shining into this fantastic chrome bumper. Yes, I was the one driving - not a proud moment, but sometimes you just can't help it.

Please join in the fun and show us all your shiny stuff. All I ask is this:

1. Post on Thursdays - Mr. Linky is available now - so jump right in.
2. Choose your favorite, because only one picture is allowed each week.
3. Use the button code below in your post (putting it in your side bar is optional, but much appreciated).
4. Visit all the other distracted photographers out there.





Please sign up with Mr. Linky and leave a comment (I LOVE comments). Can't wait to see your shiny stuff!

Thirst Quenching


How do you like to keep cool? That's the question posed in Brenda's Photo Challenge hosted by Judy (Squirrel Queen) at The Road to Here.


I rarely post pictures of my children, but this one fit so well, I had to use it. We were at the park last weekend and my three year old discovered the drinking fountain. If she stood with both feet on the pedal, and on her tip toes, she could do it all by herself.


She went back to it again and again. Ah, to be three, where a drinking fountain like this is the greatest thing since sliced bread.


To see everyone else's view on keeping cool, click here.


Thanks Judy for hosting!