I think a swallowtail butterfly caterpillar.........

My son found him on a weed in our backyard.......as I was mowing.....After some research online I think it might be a swallowtail butterfly caterpillar!





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a new recipe......Spicy Chicken Tacos......

My son wanted me to make this new recipe from his Rachel Ray cookbook.....I almost forgot to take the macro shot before I ate it all up!

Spicy Chicken Tacos...




and I do admit they were very good although I did change the recipe a bit. Here is the recipe:

1 Tablespoon extra virgin olive oil (once around the pan)
1-1/2 pounds boneless skinless chicken breasts cut into very small cubes
1 small onion chopped
1 clove garlic minced
1 cup tomato puree
2 teaspoons chili powder
1 teaspoon ground cumin (I left this out)
handful of coarsely chopped Spanish olives with pimentos (I did not use so many)
a handful of golden raisins (I also left this out)
coarse salt to taste
8 jumbo corn taco shells or flour tortillas for soft tacos

Toppings:
Shredded cheeses, onions tomatoes, lettuce, avocadoes

Heat a big skillet over medium heat, add olive oil and chicken and cook till chicken is brown. Add onion and garlic and cook till onion is soft. Add tomato puree, and spices and olives. (raisins too if you are adding them). Bring to bubble and reduce heat to keep warm till ready to serve.

Toast/warm taco shells according to package instructions.

Scoop filling into shells or tortillas and top with your favorite toppings.

AS Rachel would say.....YUM-O!!!

flowers in my parents' backyard......

cousins at grandma and grandpa Lincoln's house....

Getting ready to grab branches on the tree after it rained to spray down water on themselves....



Hugging.....



Getting ready to dance on the patio....

my small pumpkin patch.........is blooming!

Earlier this year my son and I sat out 2 pumpkins we had kept in the house all winter from last October. Finally in February the largest one started leaking all over the kitchen floor so I told him we HAD to move them OUTSIDE to allow nature to take its course and allow these to decompose. I told him the seeds might take root and grow into a small pumpkin patch/plants and we might be able to grow some pumpkins of our own! So reluctantly he went along with this plan and we moved the pumpkins outside. Over time they slowly decomposed until they were nothing but seeds in the grass. Those seeds DID take root and We DO have a small pumpkin plant/patch now growing in our backyard! Below are some photos.....




and our wind chime is all smiles......

Sky Watch Friday......my contribution.....

macro flowers........in my parents' backyard........

Macro chocolate cake!

Macro flowers.........

journey to the center of a rose.....the white specks and stuff you see on the petals are actually on the petals and not lint on my lens.....the rose is showing signs of being in a vase for a few days.......




Dandelion....HAHAH..I MEANT TO SAY DAISY.....




Pink Carnation...

a familiar site right about now........

wishing I could catch that bird!

Civil War Section at Woodland Hills Cemetery.......Dayton, Ohio

Thanks for the BIRTHDAY wishes everyone! I am still sick but I do appreciate the visits and well wishes! Let us not forget all those who have given up their lives for our freedom.....and what our freedom today means! AND let us not forget all those who continue to serve our country.....protecting us....keeping us safe......and free...

Woodland Hills Cemetery........