They Grow Up So Fast

I’ve been posting all along about our Scissor tail family as we watched them built their nest and lay their eggs and tend to the new hatchlings.  Friday we got see the first fledging leave the nest.
Here mama is keeping a close eye on her baby.

Are you guys ready to leave yet?

Another fledging ventures out!

Eventually they all left.  We even watched one baby fly to a nearby roof.  I was holding my breath, fearing he wouldn’t make it!
Friday we invited Carol, one of the naturalists from over at Bentsen State Park, and her husband Daniel, over for dinner so they were lucky enough to see the babies first flight also!
After dinner we walked around looking for birds and other things and were lucky enough to see this beautiful sunset.

I so enjoy cooking for people.  It is one of my favorite things.
Friday for dinner we had grilled chicken and southern style string beans, which means bacon and sugar is added, deviled eggs, sweet onion casserole, and ladylocks for desert.  Carol had lived in Pennsylvania, so she was familiar with ladylocks, a crème filled pastry.

They are time consuming to make but well worth it, believe me.
1 package Pepperidge Farm Frozen Puff Pastry
1 egg and 1 TBSP water, mixed together
Thaw pastry.  Cut into length wise strips using a pastry wheel.
Wrap each strip of dough around a well greased cream horn mold.
Place the molds on a parchment lined baking sheet about three inches apart.  Brush dough with egg and water mixture.  Bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes, or until brown.
Filling
You can fill these with anything --  chocolate cream, whipped cream, etc. -- but we prefer the traditional filling.
2 cups Crisco
1 stick of butter
2 tsp vanilla
6 cups powdered sugar
Beat Crisco, butter and vanilla until smooth, then add powdered sugar
Pipe into horns
Dust with powdered sugar
I had to order the molds from online
Cream Horn Molds
I also cat sat this week for Rocky and Sheri.  They had gone on a mission trip to Mexico, where they were feeding and giving shoes to children in the childrens’ home.
I took care of Destiny/Kitty while they were gone.  She was not happy that I was there instead of her mama!

There was a lot going on at the park this week.
The Hooded Orioles are feeding their babies
The Ani fledglings are hopping from branch to branch exploring outside of their nests.
I went on another butterfly walk.
This is a Giant White

Hooded Orioles
 
More Butterflies
 
Anis

I won three books this week!
The Night Gardener by George Pelecanos

One Deadly Sin

by Annie Solomon

And

Santa Olivia

by Jacqueline Carey

Movies this week:
                        Push Starring Dakota Fanning and Chris Evans
From IMBD: Two young Americans with special abilities must race to find a girl in Hong Kong before a shadowy government organization called Division does. This was a fun movie. Cool special effects and pure escapism. No deep thought required.
                            Knowing Starring Nicolas Cage
From IMBD: A teacher opens a time capsule that has been dug up at his son's elementary school; in it are some chilling predictions -- some that have already occurred and others that are about to -- that lead him to believe his family plays a role in the events that are about to unfold. This movie really surprised me. It had a religious element, referencing the Old Testament, but unless you are familiar with Ezekiel and his vision of a wheel or the tree in the Garden,you won’t even know it’s referencing the bible.
                            Shutter Starring Joshua Jackson and Rachael  Taylor
From IMDB: A young photographer and his girlfriend discover mysterious shadows in their photographs after a tragic accident. They soon learn that you can not escape your past. This is a typical Japanese horror film along the lines of The Ring. Not as graphic and very low key.