GRAND Social link party No. 104 plus a humming snow bird

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A humming snow bird

One of the nature centers in my city hosts an annual hummingbird festival the first weekend or two of May, the time when hummingbirds begin arriving to the area. The 21st Hummingbird Festival was held Saturday, and though I was in Boston until Saturday night, I understand the weather was fabulous for the festival and hummingbirds were appropriately honored.

hummingbird at feeder

Sunday morning it quickly...

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Nature-nurturing books for young readers

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Though Earth Day 2014 has come and gone, every day is a great day for sharing with children books on nature and the environment. Especially picture books the kids will not only enjoy but possibly — no, probably — learn a little from.

E-I-E-I-O

Last week I received four fantastic picture books...

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Hey there, hi there, hoya there: Celebrating GRAND Social No. ONE HUNDRED!

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Hooray, hooray! Today is GRAND Social No. 100. That's ONE HUNDRED link parties just for grandparent bloggers, hosted right here on Grandma's Briefs.

Last week I mentioned I'd find a special way to commemorate the milestone. I believe I've found something befitting the occasion — as well as my affection for alliteration. I'm calling it...

One hoya for one hundred!

hoya collage 2014

See, my lovely heirloom hoya recently...

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GRAND Social No. 95 plus a sneak peek of spring

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SPRING SNEAK PEEK:

The weather at my place was incredible this past weekend. Despite snow — lots of it! — on Friday, temperatures teased the 70-degree mark on Saturday and Sunday.

It was a sneak peak of spring that made me long for the sights to come, such as this...

hummingbird swing

And this...

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More than just a zoo

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I have a love/hate relationship with zoos. I hate that animals are caged and domesticated to a degree simply so we humans can ooh, aah and ogle the once wild — and sometimes rare — creatures.

That's the hate part of it. The love part is the amazement in the eyes of children when they see the creatures up close, as well as my love for photographing such moments. And I love, too, photographing the animals. It's hard to resist the lure of a good zoo.

boys at aquarium

When Jim and I spent some time with Bubby and Mac a couple weeks ago, we visited one zoo that's far more than a zoo...

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