"Kiddie Pool" Pumpkin Patch

Good Wednesday morning!

As promised, the Gallery Pics are from Mike and the boys at the Indy Grand Prix Sunday afternoon. They had such a good time, and while Roxie and I are almost 100 percent positive it isn't something we would enjoy, we're always willing to "bite the bullet" and let them have a day (or month) to themselves.

RANDOMNESS #1 - Fun fact for ya! (Think Paul Blart, Mall Cop.) When I was a kid, I wanted to be a marine biologist when I became an adult. Of course, that career path changed immediately upon the release of the movie Jaws, but for a few years there, I was really into marine life trivia. To this day, I love aquariums ALMOST as much as I love a good zoo. So imagine my utter delight (no exaggeration) when I began planning a little trip to Amelia Island for the family this summer and discovered manatees LIVE in the river separating Amelia Island and Cumberland Island.

Okay. Stay with me now. There's more. There is a two hour river cruise you can book for the morning hours, and the captain assured me I would see various species of cranes, wild hogs, manatees and (GET THIS!) feral horses on Cumberland Island. (I'm not sure what feral means, but I do know these are wild horses which run free on the Island and along the beach.)

But wait! There's more! There's a chance we'll see sea turtles swimming in the river, too. I am going to be in marine biologist/zoologist heaven!

I know it is going to be awhile before our little getaway, but I discovered this information a couple of days ago and wanted to share. I know you're glad I did.

Semi-Funny Manatee Story - I know what you're thinking. Everyone has a semi-funny manatee story, but I'm going to throw mine into the mix.

Several years ago, Mikie had a business conference in Tampa. We had never had a desire to go to Tampa for vacation purposes, but we tagged along and had one of the best vacations ever. Tampa has so much to offer. And one of the best things we did while on this trip was go to Lowry Park Zoo (voted in 2002 as the Family Fun Best Zoo in the Southeast).

It is a fantastic zoo. We spent over six hours there and still didn't see everything. They had a "Pet the Ray" exhibit where we touched stingrays as they swam past us. The kids rode camels. There was a sky lift which took you from one side of the zoo to the other. It was a very interactive zoo.

But the best exhibit in the Lowry Park Zoo was by far the "Manatee Feeding" exhibit. The kids went to the bottom level and Mikie and I stood at the top while a trained marine biologist fed two manatees and told the kids and adults all about this animal.

Now, if you grew up wanting to be a marine biologist, there are a few things you already know about the manatee. Their nickname is "sea cow." The scars and cuts along their backs come from the huge air boats and other sea craft which travel too quickly through their natural habitat cutting them with the propellers. They have no natural enemies except man... and I guess boat propellers.

One more thing, and this is important. They are not swift animals. They don't have to be quick because of the "no natural enemy" thing.

So imagine my delight when the marine biologist told us the two manatees in the tank were going to do a little trick. They were going to swim in circles, gather up speed and jump over a log she was standing on and grab the head of lettuce she was holding in her hand before diving back into the water.

The crowd of over 100 people just stood there. Except for me. I had gotten so excited about these obviously exceptional manatees that I clapped my hands and shouted, "Woo-hoo!" I felt Mikie leave my side trying to blend in with the crowd behind me. I saw Roxie turn around to glare at me... and I saw Austin's hand turn her head to look back toward the exhibit. Josh and Austin never acknowledged I was their mother.

The marine biologist never missed a beat. "Of course, manatees are not like dolphins and do not swim swiftly enough to leap over logs... but wouldn't it be fun if they did?" I again clapped my hands, softly this time, and muttered, "Yes, it most definitely would."

As the show ended, I left alone. I caught up with my family at the aviary... and thankfully, they let me walk with them during the rest of our visit. "I just thought maybe they had found two 'special' manatees," I tried to explain.

"We really don't want to talk about it... ever," was the reply. And except for today, we haven't.

And that, my friends, is my one and only manatee story. Hopefully, this summer I'll have a new and exciting manatee story to share from our River Cruise adventure. We can only hope!

RANDOMNESS #2 - Well, it's official. I must make a rhubarb dessert. I was sitting in the dentist office yesterday (for Roxie... not me), and while flipping through a magazine I saw a recipe for a Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie. Rhubarb is calling out to me, and I will be baking the cake in the very near future.

Wednesday Wisdom - Last Saturday, Dixie Carter from Designing Women fame passed away at the age of 70. I was a huge Designing Women fan, and I loved all of the characters on that show. I'm going to share some favorite "Julia Sugarbaker" quotes with you today. There are many, many more, but if you ever watched the show, you'll probably remember some of these.

(Boarding a plane)
Suzanne: Where are our seats?
Julia: I don't know. If history teaches us anything, mine will be next to a baby who smokes.

Julia: Have you all just COMPLETELY lost your minds? (This was a line Julia said repeatedly on the show. This is a line I adopted soon after all of my kids became teenagers. It seemed appropriate.)

(As Mary Jo nervously prepares for her first date since her divorce.)
Julia: Here is a quarter for the payphone, Mary Jo. Mother always used to give Suzanne and me a dime to call home in case somebody got too fresh. I don't think Suzanne ever used hers. She eventually used the money to go to Europe.

Julia: I keep a list of people who touch my behind without permission. Some of them have died unnatural and untimely deaths.

(Talking to Charlene after being trapped in the hotel room with her all night.)
Julia: I think this illness has affected your brain. Or, I've just never before noticed the extent of your unequalled ability to be fascinated at absolutely nothing.
Charlene: Y'know, Julia, I used to think that if I were a man I'd be interested in you, but not anymore!!

"Kiddie Pool" Pumpkin Patch

Want to have your own home-grown pumpkins this fall? Well, here's a way to grow a small, yet manageable, pumpkin patch.

1. Purchase a small kiddie pool. Make holes in the bottom for draining purposes.

2. Place the pool at the back corner of the driveway, a cement patio or in a natural area of your yard. If you leave it on the grass, you'll have a dead spot in the yard by the time you harvest your pumpkins.

3. Buy several large bags of potting soil and a bag or two of pumpkin seeds.

4. Fill the pool with the potting soil and plant the seeds according to the instructions on the seed packet.

5. The pumpkin patch should be kept in a sunny spot.

6. Plant your patch between June 1 and June 15... and watch them grow!

This would be a great activity for the kids because it is a tradition which keeps on giving. Grow your own pumpkins and in the fall you can bake your own pies, decorate for Halloween and share with your neighbors. (This is "multi-purpose" tradition!)

Have a great Wednesday. Thursday I will have a fun date or two and some Blog Linkage I hope you will find inspiring. Enter the Contest if you get a chance today... and if you have any questions, don't forget to leave them via e-mail, Comment Section or Facebook for the May 3 Q & A on A Simple Life.

Take care, and I'll talk to you tomorrow.

Sincerely,

The Enchanting Belinda