I continue to look for butterflies whenever I’m outside. They seem to be flitting about our farm a lot. When we were driving the cart toward the woods today, one almost hit me in the face. Lucky for both of us it missed.
Lately, butterflies have not posed for my camera, so I have not been able to take photos of them. Even though I see them, the butterflies are always flying and I am not fast enough to catch them on the wing.
As a child, I chased butterflies and fireflies. I caught the fireflies but never a lively butterfly.
Today’s photos are out of my archive. Enjoy.
From the butterfly migration last fall.
I hope to see migrating butterflies again this fall. It was a special gift when they stopped here on the farm in 2018.
Bob and I haven’t had a lot of luck wildlife viewing lately. Once in a while, we’ve seen a couple of sandhill cranes and a few turkeys, but no whitetail deer.
Tonight was different. As soon as we stopped on our viewing knoll, we saw a buck in the neighbor’s cornfield. He stared at us for a little while and we stared back.
Bob then pointed out two other bucks who were hidden from me behind a tree.
When all three started moving away, a fourth showed up. At the last minute, two more came out from behind tall grass.
For a time we had a total of six to watch, but soon they all disappeared into the woods heading north.
“Who are you looking at?”
About ten minutes later, three deer ran out of the woods heading south.
Neighborhood whitetail
Some of the first? Maybe, but I added them into our notebook just the same.
Most of my adult life I’ve battled my weight. I’ve tried all kinds of diets. Some worked a little, but I couldn’t stick to any. Now I found something that works for me. It’s called intermittent fasting or the 5/2 diet.
Here’s what I do (other people may do it a little different). Two days a week, usually Monday and Thursday, I only eat 500 calories. The other five days I eat a normal diet.
Today I’m fasting. I had a cup of tea and 1/2 a serving of oatmeal for breakfast with a couple of raspberries. At lunch, I made an egg with some green pepper. Supper will be a can of tuna with lettuce–no special sauce. Tomorrow I’ll have toast for breakfast and who knows the rest of the day. I won’t be fasting then.
The Fast Diet book by Dr. Michael Mosley
Yes, fasting can be a pain, but I always figure I can get through one day. It’s like fasting before a medical test. Survivable.
I don’t fuss with my meals when fasting. Why bother for 500 calories. Bob eats leftovers those days, so I just microwave his food and he’s fine.
One great thing about the 5/2 diet is that if I have lunch out with friends, I can always switch my fasting day. Like instead of Thursday, I do Friday.
Yes, I have failed. When my husband was sick and didn’t feel like eating, we tempted him with all kinds of goodies. I did not stick to fasting then. Now I’m trying to lose the pounds I gained over those winter months.
Right now I’m going to go to the kitchen for some ice water. There’s no limit on calorie-free drinks when fasting. Of course, that means more trips to the bathroom.
Sometimes it’s a struggle to sit at the computer and write, especially when it’s a beautiful day. My writer friends think I should be working at my writing, no matter the weather. My gardening friends see it differently. They think a day working inside is a waste.
I try to do both sometimes. When that happens there are too many weeds in my flower garden and not enough words on the page.
Current blooming lilies
It’s a good thing some flowers bloom, with or without my help. Writing is different. If I don’t put words down and say what I want, no one else can do it for me–at least not exactly.
