AUTUMN THEME TODAY

I saw these at one of the supermarkets.

I am fascinated by the 'bumpy' pumpkins that look like there are peanut shells growing all over them.  They are actually called Peanut Pumpkins and have been in France since 1883.  They were introduced to the United States commercially in 2010.  The bumpy-looking skin appears on the surface of a seemingly regular pumpkin when sugar extrudes through the skin.  It begins to crackle and form the peanut shell-like shapes even after the pumpkin has been harvested.

So, no Monday Recipe Post today but here is a video on how to use one of these Peanut Pumpkins.  If you can't open the video you can look at it here.



I am supporting the following memes as they become available, with many thanks to all our hosts.

Maggie at Mosaic Monday

Jesh at Seasons

Tom at Tuesday's Treasures

N.C. Sue at Wordless (on Tuesday) at Image-in-ing

Betty at Wednesday Around the World

MOSAIC MONDAY

I had a few botanicals left from our holiday, and played around with them on my iPAD, using the cartoon app.  The same mosaic with differences.

The original I put together using the actual photos.

and the following with a little tweaking.

I am sharing with Mosaic Monday, with my thanks to Judith for creating this fun meme.  If you click on the name below you can visit other participants.

 Mosaic Monday

MOSAIC MONDAY - MEADOWLARK GARDENS

There is a fish tank inside the visitor center at Meadowlark Gardens.  It is the first place I stop before going into the garden.  When they grow large enough I'm assuming they will be transferred into one of the three lakes down the hill.   Their larger relatives are just as interesting to watch. 

There are two lovely stained glass windows near the fireplace, and a very comfortable sitting area.  One of them I used in my collages.  The darker area on the left of the glass is actually the chimney outside.  You can just make out the brickwork at the bottom.

I had fun making these mosaics and added some fish and a star to this design above, but left it plain below.

I am sharing with Mosaic Monday, with my thanks to Judith for creating this fun meme.  If you click on the name below you can visit other participants.

 Mosaic Monday

A FEW MORE FEATHERED FRIENDS

These are birds I saw on my recent vacation.  I included the rooster because chickens ran wild all over the two islands we visited, with more it seemed on Kauai.  I got the biggest kick out of them. They were very comical, very entertaining.  Like all vacations it is hard to believe we were ever on holiday now, but thank goodness for photographs.

I am posting a day early but I will be linking with Judith's Mosaic Monday.  You can click on the button below if you would like to visit other participants.

TODAY'S FLOWERS #384 - January 29th, 2016

Today's Flowers opens up on Friday at 12.00 a.m., and closes the following Thursday at 11.00 p.m.  More information about this meme can be found here.

My flowers today were taken at various gardens on vacation in December 2015 and January 2016.

I am linking with the following memes as they become available, with my thanks to our hosts.  Please click on their names to visit other participants.

Hetty at Tuinverhalen (Garden Stories) 
Frauke at Floral Friday Fotos
Aquariann at Flower Friday
Laura at IHeartMacro
Judith at Mosaic Monday

Birds and things.....

My photos aren't the sharpest and they are too far away really, but I enjoyed seeing these birds while on holiday.

The Common Myna Bird

The Common Waxbill

The Red-vented Bulbul



You can see other participants by visiting their links.

Anni at Bird D'Pot
Michelle at Nature Notes
Stewart at Wild Bird Wednesday

Thank you to all our hosts.

Both Gregg and I took these photos as we were walking and driving around Oahu a few weeks' ago.

I am linking with 
Judith at Mosaic Monday 
and
N.C. Sue at (Wordless on Tuesday) at Image-in-ing.

Thank you for hosting Judith and Sue.