Gusty Winds - and a few creatures I've captured

We've had a few days of really gusty Santa Ana winds recently. On Monday when I came home from work, I went over to the sliding glass door and thought, "Where is our patio furniture?" Well, smart us, we didn't crank down the umbrella on our patio table, so the wind basically picked it up and tossed it across the yard. Chairs were knocked over, our table was flipped upside down and the umbrella was on the other side of the yard.

We had been prepared enough to at least bring our little herbs in to sit on the kitchen table. On Tuesday I was checking out my little Basil plant. I had been wondering what was eating all of the leaves...and then I saw it! A little green caterpillar! He was sitting there just munching away on my beautiful Basil! So I captured him. I felt like a little kid all over again. I put him in a little Tupperware jar and covered it with plastic wrap. Then I poked holes in the plastic wrap with a toothpick. I decided I might as well give him the rest of the half eaten leaves since I wouldn't use them after he slobbered all over them! Now he's my pet. haha

Cuong had planted a green bell pepper plant out in our little "garden". Recently that's been getting eaten up pretty badly. I went out there after work yesterday to check it out. More munching had occurred! I was about to walk away when I saw the biggest caterpillar I had ever seen! I ran inside to get another Tupperware cup. He wouldn't let me just scrap him off the branch...so I ran back inside and grabbed a chopstick. I figured I would just flip him into the cup. That didn't work either! That sucker was STRONG! My only option was to cut his little branch off and then put the whole thing in my cup.

I watched him periodically while watching the debate. He munched away on the little branch. You could actually hear him eating by just sitting there!

This morning I took this picture and he had practically eaten everything I had already given him! Little pig!

Ahhhh, nature!

Not quite Everyday!

I at least made an attempt to do Ali Edward’s daily photos….but I just wasn’t as committed to it as I wished I was.
I basically only took pictures on my way to work, at work, on my way home and right before work.

I'm headed South...to work! I'm at this signal at about 6:40am every morning.

It can get pretty backed up as everyone is trying to get on the freeway. Luckily there are 3 entrance lanes!

This is what I usually grab in the morning. My granola bar, my Trader Joe's chocolate soy milk and a bottle of water...then I'm off!

At work...that's my phone. I tried to take pictures while no one was looking. People would probably think I was crazy...or a spy.

Heading home! I'm on the 55 North. My exit is only 2 exits after the 22 Freeway splits off!

There's my exit! I'm almost home!

Fixing one of Cuong's new favorite dinners: Chicken Chilaquiles w/ Chipotle chiles. See that little box of frozen cilantro?! It's from Trader Joe's. There are little frozen cubes of cilantro. That way you don't have to worry about having fresh cilantro on hand when you need it!

Another dinner. Crispy Ginger-Lime chicken with cous cous and salad.

A super easy dessert! Crispy sugared wonton skins layered with whipped cream and strawberries. Yum!

Last Bonfire of the Year

Back on September 27th, we met up at the beach (Huntington) with some of Cuong’s friends and Connie’s family. We got there right as the sun was going down.
Since it’s the beginning of fall, the air was a little crisp and the winds picked up more.
The nieces were excited to go down to the water to play for a little while as the sun was going down.

As it got darker, it was colder and colder. Luckily the bonfire was there to keep us warm. The only thing about bonfires though is your clothes and hair are just steeped in that fire smell! Ick!

Isn’t he so reflective?

Man, my hair was all over the place! Darn wind!