Gunpowder and What?

This past month we celebrated Richmond, TX.  We also celebrated the county in which Richmond resides, Fort Bend.  (And yes, to my Louisiana friends, county is a strange word better replaced by parish.)

So what have we learned from our celebratory experiences?  Well, let me tell you...through a series of pictures and captions.

Festival celebrating Richmond's 175th year of incorporation:

Richmond Texans love America...and Texas.

Poodles and cowboys clearly go together.

These were some of the possible clothing styles worn between the years 1837 and 2012.

This old timey firetruck is pretty cool.

American flags make any parade better.

Not everything in Richmond is old or historic.  There is a Zumba class.

Did you know there are cowboys here?

Miss Daisy is here, too.

It's totally cool for kids to ride these things.

Jail isn't really a joking matter.

This wagon is one (or two) steps away from having a bicycle pull it...Troy Becker.

There is an old timey barbershop in town and it's totally fine for the manliest men to go there.

American flags really do make any parade better.

That was fun.  All 20 minutes of it.  Even though I jest, I really do like the people here.  I also like the history.    It's like trading in Cajuns for cowboys.

Now onto the 76th Annual Fort Bend County Fair:

You can get a gallon of milk from one cow in one milking...!

Baby ducks are about the cutest, most cuddly thing!

I spoke too soon.  This pig is pretty darn cute.

And big.

The FFA and 4-H are alive and well here.

Auctioneers talk fast, even ceiling fans are bigger in Texas, and did I mention that there are cowboys here? 

What a fun time.  I think we'll all need a pair of cowboy boots before we can really feel at home.  I don't know that we'll be raising any animals anytime soon (do bees count?!).  And another thing, I'm not sure that any amount of time spent here, no matter how long, could convince me that girls are made of gunpowder and lead.   I don't know that I will ever get into country music.                                     

So there you have it.  A small taste of our small country life.

How Our Garden Grows

I'll start out with a simple request.  Please pray for my hen and chicks.

In case you aren't familiar with succulents, these are hen and chicks.  Named so because the big plant (the hen) shoots off smaller versions of itself (the chicks).  And they snuggle in a pot.  So cute.  But my little hen...not so cute.  She started to rot due to her soil being the wrong mix and staying too wet.  So we tried our best to help her out.  We removed some of the chicks in the off chance that she doesn't make it and we mixed her damp soil with more sand and rocks.  I do not have a green thumb, so she may very well need a miracle to make it.

Isaac's chick

Annie's chick

Transplanted chicks

With our little plot of land, we've been enjoying some gardening.  We are currently sprouting our fall/winter garden in our sunroom.  Where that will go, I'm not sure.  But we're getting ready for some lettuce and chard.  Yum.  We have also spent a little time cultivating a butterfly garden.  Here are some photos:

Mystic Blue Spire Salvia

Turk's cap

Who can identify this butterfly?

Hibiscus, zinnias, and other types of salvia are also growing in our garden. We've also installed a couple of old dry logs that serve the purpose of giving the butterflies a place to sun themselves.  When we have overripe fruit (juicy fruits are the best) we cut it open and leave it out there and watch the butterflies land on the fruit to drink the juice.  Yellowjackets also like overripe fruit.  As do lizards...who knew?   Some of the most notable visitors to our little garden have been Cloudless Sulphurs and various Swallowtails (the hummingbirds actually chase these bigger butterflies away).  The butterfly in the photo is quite common here, as is the Hackberry.  Here's a list of Houston butterflies and moths.  Want to check out butterflies in your area?  Here you go.

We are still enjoying the hummingbirds, which have grown in number now that migration is happening.  The cooler weather also brought another deer family to the backyard.  The most we've seen at one time is five (two does and three fawns).  And we've got bees in our future!  Buzz, buzz.  

So, what have you got growing in your garden?  Or your flower beds?  Or your indoor pots?

Back in Session

*Allow me to start out by saying that this blog has been written for some weeks now.  I am just now getting around to putting pictures with it.  I am too lazy to try and rewrite it, so I will post it as is.  Pretend as though we are living in the moment.*

School's been going strong for a week now.  And there's not too much that I can say about it.  Strange, huh?

Since Troy is one of the assistant principals at the school, he has been taking care of all the "details".  He met the teacher, he has seen the students, he took care of the paper work.  I just pack the lunches and wash the uniforms.  But I shouldn't sell myself too short.  I do make sure the homework is done.  All one page of homework that he brings home daily...

But he's having a good time.  When asked what his favorite part of the day is, he happily replies, "Recess!".   Duh.  And there are cute girls, but we'll have to see what their conduct is like.

I asked him to be honest and tell me who was a better teacher, Mommy or Ms. Serath.  Ms. Serath won, but I'm not surprised.

At the end of the first week there was a picnic at the school.  It was a gathering with the intention of having parents meet parents and parents meet teachers and students meet parents, teachers, and other students.  I will add in here that I was impressed with what I saw.  There is a diverse mix of students and lots of parental involvement.  Also, since the school is K-9 there are children of all ages (up to about 15) there.  It was really heartwarming to see the older kids including the younger kids and watching out for them.  An older boy attempted to teach Orry how to properly throw a basketball.  Poor child, has his mom's sense of coordination.

*Now I'll update you with more recent tidbits.*

Orry tested out of the first grade, but we have decided to keep him in his class.  Instead of moving him up a grade, we will opt to do GT and harder assignments from his teacher.

This past week was a short one since school was out on Friday due to staff development.  We decided to make a day of it and head over to the zoo and take a ride on the train around Hermann Park.

All in all he is growing up to be a fine young boy.  Eager to help out and aware that he doesn't know everything.  He's imaginative and well behaved (when not around his mother).  He's considerate of others and willing to share.  He also eats like a horse!  

Here's to a great year of first grade, Orry!  Go get 'em!