My Sunday

Slept in 'til 10 am.
While I was sleeping,  hubby took pictures of a Blue Heron frolicking in creek behind our house.
Rushed through breakfast and rushed to get ready for church!
New skirt and shirt for church...will talk about the skirt thing in a later post..if I forget..remind me.
Church service 10:45 til 12 noon...good sermon!
Took my new, awesome Bible to church today...so excited to use it...I just love it!
Washed dishes like a good girl...cause I always let them set until I have a mountain!!
Hubby and youngest child left to go to a scavenger hunt for Cub Scouts at a local park.
Oldest son worked on adding something to his computer....I don't know what it is.
For lunch, I ate 2 slices of heavenly leftover pizza...spinach, garlic and chicken.
Watched some of {hockey} Pittsburgh Penguins VS. Philadelphia Flyers...umm, we lost..not phased!
Little bit of computer time for me...Facebook, blogging, Pinterest...whatever.
Wondering if we will get any of the 4 inches of snow predicted for tomorrow.
For dinner I quartered and roasted red potatoes and also some sugar snap peas..seasoned with olive oil, salt and pepper...the red potatoes were also seasoned with sage from my garden...the peas were also seasoned with thyme from my garden.
Made fruit salad with mangoes, kiwi and apples...so delicious and fresh.
2 pieces leftover talapia fish.
After dinner, evening church service at 6:35 pm...just me, rest of family stayed home...good service!
Oh! I forgot! after church I made peanut butter chocolate swirl bars...TOTALLY DELICIOUS!
10:00 pm nightly news...weather report...snow won't start til 5 am...2 to 4 inches tomorrow...we'll see!
Midnight blogging right now...working on this post...time for beddy-bye...need to get some sleep.
My usual late night snack of peanut butter on whole wheat bread with butter and a sprinkling of powdered sugar..and a cup of milk...comfort food!
So thankful for today.
Thank you God, you are always so good to me!
Blessed beyond measure!
Good night!
Can't wait for tomorrow!
No special reason....but who knows what tomorrow will bring!

Locust or Cicada?

Why do I love finding these ugly, little, lifeless, fragile skins of a bug?

I guess it's because it's reminds me of childhood when I thought they were the coolest thing ever!

I grew up calling them locust shells...but in doing some research, I've found that they actually belong to that of the cicada!

It is true that people often refer to cicadas as locusts. I've heard people say "Aren't they the same thing?"

Locusts are actually a member of the grasshopper family, and look very much like a grasshopper. They are quite destructive, swarming and eating their way through crops, sometimes causing such devastation that leads to famine and starvation.

On the other hand, cicadas aren't really destructive like locusts. Here's a little information about cicadas. They have a stout body, broad head and beautifully clear membrane wings. Their distinct large, shiny eyes bulge from the sides of their head.


I love the sound that cicadas make! The males vibrate their abdomen producing a buzzing, clicking sound. To me, it's a rather soothing, hypnotizing sound to fall asleep to on a hot summer night.

Here's an amazing fact...there are over 2,500 species of cicadas!! Holy cow!

I'm sure all of you have heard of the "17 year cicadas", living in their nymph stage, in the earth and then emerging in force. These are known as "periodical" cicadas, but they aren't destructive like locusts. Although, it is true that locusts can cause some damage to crops, shrubs or trees...but only by way of "scarring" left on tree branches while females lay their eggs deep in the branches.

The most common cicada that most of us are familiar with is the "dog day cicada" that reappears every year, mid-summer. They are what's known as "annual" cicadas. To me, it just wouldn't be summer without these little critters singing their songs in the trees. That sound is a key essential to summertime!

Do you find empty, shed cicada skins in your neck of the woods??

Wildlife Thanksgiving

Squirrels and chipmunks feasting on dried sunflower heads on my back porch.