Hummingbird!

We have a new resident hummingbird!  We saw it out the window this morning, during the visit with my friend, Miss D; it was sniffing around our big green bushes (not sure what they are--evergreen something.)  And I just saw it again flitting around the honeysuckle bush by our mailbox.  I'll see if I can get a photograph, but they are very fast.  Pretty little things.  We were just a few feet away and could see its colorful plummage and sharp beak.  So small.  Hope we see it again and again.

Full-Moon Soup

A month or so ago we just happened to have soup on the night of a very visible full moon.  Bud suggested we always have soup for full moons because, well, bowls are round.

We did it again this week, having beef noodle soup before going outside to marvel at the rising moon.  We also saw Venus glowing bright, a few satellites in their orbits, the belt of Orion, and other stars.  The kids' favorite part?  Using the Google SkyMap app on Mama's smartphone to identify the different celestial bodies, including pointing it to the ground and "seeing" Mars on the other side of the Earth!

Their excitement reminded me of how infrequently they are outside at night.  We'll have to spend more weekend and summer evenings outside.

And eat soup on March 8.

-=-=-=-=-=-=

Full-Moon Beef Noodle Soup


1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, chopped
2-3 stalks celery, chopped
2-3 carrots, chopped
2-3 garlic cloves, minced
leftover beef roast or other cut, cubed
6 cups leftover drippings, plus stock to supplement
3/4 cup frozen corn
1/3-1/2 lb. rotini pasta

Saute onion, celery and carrot in olive oil in a pot until soft, adding garlic at the end.  Add beef and drippings/stock.  Simmer, adding pasta and increasing temperature about 15 minutes before you are ready to eat.  Add corn and flavor to taste.

Mommy Hungry

Driveway by Haring

Sis as a Silly Soccer Player Holding Trophy (ball and goal not shown here)

A Penguin for Bud

Bud as an Underwear-Clad Gorilla with a Banana

Hogwarts by Bud

A Bunny by Sis