Susan Gets Native

I had loose plans today...maybe do a little birding, get stuff for Easter baskets.
Then I got a call from our RAPTOR weekend dispatch about an injured owl. So off I went.

It was found on the ground this morning, then it made it up to a tree, then was back down on the ground. I honestly can't predict how this great horned owl will do. When I picked it up, it was laying on its belly with both eyes swollen shut. It wasn't heavy and it didn't put up a fight at all. We will see.

Then I went out and had a blast getting a whole lot of candy for the girls' baskets.

M & M's, Milky Ways shaped like eggs, a big assortment pack of Smarties, SweetTarts, bubble gum...





They can have everything but the Cadbury Creme Eggs. Those are for me.


Instead of weirdly-hued plastic grass, I got pretty pastel paper shreds. And when we are done with it, we can compost it.



I also included gardening gloves for the both of them, because by Gawd, they are going to help me this year.
And I didn't notice until I got home, that the bunny I got for Lorelei matches her gloves.
I rock.

Isabelle is all about bugs, so she will get a big fluffy ladybug.

Nellie: "Is this one for me? No?"


"Fine. I will just sit here then. And imagine the chocolate in my mind."


"Umm....chocolate...."


Geoff had this bright idea for the girls to dye eggs. He was rather insistent, but I would like to interject that he didn't help in the artistic process at all. He was just the cheerleader.
It was fun, but I got a glimmer of what their preschool teachers have to go through every day.
At least you don't have to use vinegar anymore. One kit I got uses vegetable oil to make swirls on the eggs.


I'm proud of this tri-colored egg.

Isabelle really has a knack for combining colors...

...I told her that this one looked like a Monet, and she said, "Yeah! I learned about him in school! This egg looks like one of his paintings!"
I love her.

I had to do it.

If you will allow me to brag about Isabelle a bit more...
The other day, we were looking through one of my many bird books, (Isabelle can name most of the birds in them, I might add) and when we got to the cardinal, she said quick as a flash,
"You know, Mommy? Cardinals look just like grosbeaks. Their beaks are big like a grosbeak's."
Non-birders: Cardinals ARE grosbeaks.
I did not teach her this connection. Her big beautiful brain figured it out by itself.