I took a trip to Chicago for a week. It is springtime here. The trees are blooming as well as the flowers. Last year we were here a bit later in spring. At home we're well into the growing season. My garden is mostly planted and the mosquitos and ticks have all made their presence known. 
We'll be back again soon I hope., until then, I have some great photos.
It's April and the asparagus is still producing. I love this time of year! I'm planting the things that will provide food this summer. Days seem to slip by quickly so I must keep up with the planting, weeding, and watering. So far I've planted a wisteria, lettuce, spinach, tomatoes (though my plants I have grown from seed are a bit young), 3 blueberry bushes, a rose and some bulbs. I will be planting beans tomorrow. I had ocean started but something ate off all the leaves...Argh! There will be photos of my garden to follow. I love the smell of dirt, grass, and rotting wood. I am in my element. 
Looking out the backyard window I am seeing a lot of Monach butterflies. It’s that time of year again. I should be pulling up the old tomato and cucumber plants…. But it’s hard when they are still blooming. So, I will wait a few more weeks to give the late bloomers a chance to produce. 
Talk about something cool to see...as I was driving home I happened upon this sight. A Cooper's hawk was eating a pigeon. It was amazing! I spent a few minutes taking photos with both my phone and my camera. As I was leaving someone else was pulling up to watch the show. Amazing!
Growing up I loved these animal crackers. Even now just seeing the box brings a smile to my face. Way back when you could cut the box and make the box have wheels. On one side of the box you could cut out the animals. I love the handle on the box as well.
They have changed the cookie in the last 10 years or so... They are now fluffy. I have to say I do not like what they did to the cookies. The taste is basically the same...BUT the rheology is soooooo not what it was. Rheology is a big deal! It is the way the food feels in your mouth when you are biting, chewing, and basically eating a food. By making this cracker(cookie) more fluffy it changes the rheology/ the way you experience the product. I still like the animal cracker packaging, that string that transforms it into a purse like product, and tearing open that wax paper inner wrapping. The crackers themselves, well I could just take 'em or leave them. Would I buy the again...yes...duh.
