Wordless Wednesday Instagram Style

 I think Jent over at From My Front Porch said it best, "I might need an insta-vention!"

I have realized that my blog is full of Instagram photos and also that my life is chronicled there now too.

Here are a few random photos from my phone/Instagram that sums up my life over the last couple of weeks!

Church Festival fun

Fishing with Papaw

Grandma and her girls

Cousins

I'm addicted, seriously

Poor gal's version of a Peppermint Mocha

In Full Bloom

I've been updating the status of my Sweet Autumn clematis and I'm happy to report that it's in FULL BLOOM!

Isn't it gorgeous?

I'm so excited for a few upcoming vacation days so I can be at home to enjoy it more.

Floating Down the River

Last week I took a tour of the Ohio River and the McAlpine Locks near Louisville, Ky. for work. Originally we were supposed to float down the river on a barge but at the last minute we switched to the Spirit of Jefferson.

Now, while I have a secret fantasy of floating down the Mississippi on a barge to New Orleans, I wasn't too upset that we made the switch.

It was 90-plus degrees out and the Spirit has air conditioning...and a crew that serves cold soft drinks.

The barge has a canopy and a cooler of pop.

The trip is designed so that participants learn a bit more why the river system is so important to farmers. Quite a bit of our corn and soybeans are shipped on our inland waterways.

It was an enjoyable morning on the water. (I love the river...love being on it or near it NOT in it! Unlike another person on the barge...I do NOT want to reach out and hug the river. I admire it from afar.)

We saw a few barges...

We went under a railroad bridge...

We enjoyed a day on the river...

Linking up to Pinke Post.

Baseball and a Six Year Old

My six-year-old nephew LOVES to take photos with my camera.

My expensive Canon Rebel XS camera...and I usually let him. I've actually featured his photography on here before.

He really does have quite an eye for composing a shot. I taught him how to work the zoom lens and he does.

Last night the family joined me at an Indianapolis Indians game that I was "working" at as part of the Indiana's Family of Farmers. More than 300 people came out as guests of Indiana's Family of Farmers and enjoyed the game and a picnic. Even though it was 90-plus degrees, I think everyone had a great time.

While we were watching the game, my nephew asked if he could take some photos...and, of course, I let him!

All I did to the photos below before posting them was reduce the size - no other Photoshop work done on these. Pretty good for a kid, right?

He captured a couple shots of the game...

Then he turned his attention to the people!

The shot above actually had to be re-taken once his aunt saw the photo and realized that he got a little too close and shot her at a bad angle! Everyone is a critic.

It's Bennie the Bean!

He wasn't satisfied with his game shots so he took a couple more...

He had to re-take Grandma and Papaw's photo after we noticed Papaw's eyes were shut! I think the second effort was pretty good!

Not bad for a six-year-old!

Hooking up to Wordless Wednesday over at Pinke Post and

Family Fish Fry

Last Saturday was a PERFECT night for a gathering at the cabin on the family farm. It was in the 80s with a nice breeze...couldn't ask for better.

So Dad decided to fry up some fish. I don't have any photos of the finished product...it was consumed as quickly as Dad could get it fried!

But I did snap some random shots of the family.

"Cheese!"

"Yum!"

We call this uncle the "baby whisperer."

This aunt can't wait to get a hold of the baby girls...

maybe it's because she has three boys at home!

Not quite old enough for fish, JJ had to settle for puffs.

So sweet.

"So how's it going up there?"

"Just one more chip."

A good night for a walk.

Hopefully we have a few more nights like this one this summer.

Linking up to Pinke Post's Wordless Wednesday.

Fun with Bennie the Bean

 Bennie the Bean in a cornfield

Want to have some fun with your kids this summer?

It's the Year of Soybeans at the Indiana State Fair and to celebrate Indiana soybean farmers are hosting a fun photo contest this summer.

Check out Bennie the Bean on Facebook and download your own "Flat Bennie." Then take him with you to your favorite summer destination, snap a photo with him and upload it on the contest site! The first contest runs until June 27 and then the fun starts! You get your family and friends to vote on your photo to win.

The prize is an iPad and tickets to the fair! There is even a second contest that starts in July!

I took Bennie with me and the nephews when we went to the Indianapolis Zoo recently.

Can you tell by the last photo that someone was a bit grumpy?

To learn more about soybeans, visit the Indiana State Fair's Year of Soybeans page or Indiana Soybean Alliance's website.

Linking up to Pinke Post.

For full disclosure, I work for Indiana soybean farmers and the Year of Soybeans is a project that I'm working to plan so I'm really excited about it and want to share it with everyone I know. That's why I did this post. If you have questions about soybeans and how they are grown in Indiana, let me know and I'll be glad to answer them (or get you an answer from someone who know more than I do).

Feathered Visitor

Last week I had an unexpected guest. I noticed the little guy above hopping around my landscaping one evening. It was very tame and didn't seem to notice the humans trekking up and down the sidewalk with a plastic-covered couch (I got a new couch, finally!). I don't think it could fly, kind of sad to see but the bird seemed to have adapted quite well.

My dad, sister, nephew and two of my brothers-in-law were over and were quite taken with my guest. Luckily, my dad is quite the bird-watcher and carries a "Birds of North America" book in his truck.

He identified it as either a Common Waxwing or the less common Bohemian Waxwing...I think it was the latter but my brothers-in-law weren't convinced.

After noticing my feathered friend, I saw this...

I couldn't figure out why my sidewalk was littered with berries. Then I saw my feathered friend...

I guess it tossed aside the berries deemed not worthy of consumption!

After hanging out with me for a couple of days, I woke up one morning and my feathered visitor was gone. I would like to think it hopped away...that's what I'm telling myself!

Linking up to Pinke Post and...