Naturegirl7's 100 Lenses and Counting

Amphibians 

Amphibians of Louisiana is a new niche that we have started to fill.

Gray Treefrog in Louisiana

Gray Treefrogs are interesting looking little frogs that are often found living near human habitats. There are actually two species of Gray Treefrogs which occur in the Southeastern United States (including Louisiana). The Common Gray Treefrog (Hyla...

Green Treefrog in Louisiana

Green Treefrogs are colorful little frogs that coexist well with humans. They are amphibians of the woodlands in riparian areas. The Green Treefrog is the state amphibian of Louisiana and is another of the beneficial predators that help organic gard...

Bronze Frog in Louisiana

Green Frogs come in shades of green and browns and are found all over the Southeastern United States, but only the subspecies, the Bronze Frog, Rana clamitans clamitans occupies Louisiana. Green and Bronze frogs are one of the most commonly seen spe...

Cricket Frogs of Louisiana

Louisiana hosts two species of Cricket frogs, the Northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) and the Southern cricket frog (Acris gryllus). This colorful little pipsqueak has some amazing qualities. It can leap great distances (for its size) and it has...

Easy to Grow Southern Wildflowers 

Wildflowers are hardy, drought resistant and fit in perfectly with sustainable gardening. Add to that the fact that they are beautiful and useful...what more could you ask of a plant?

Bee Balm Monarda for the South

Monardas are perennial wildflowers and are members of the mint family (note the square stem) so they are considered an herb. All parts of the plant are aromatic. Butterflies, hummingbirds and other pollinators are attracted to the nectar rich flower...

Native Cardinal Flower and Other Lobelias

Cardinal flowers (Lobelia cardinalis) and the other members of the Lobelia family (most of which are some shade of blue) love moisture. These native perennials are at home in ditches and beside waterways and make lovely additions to wet areas in the...

Native Southern Sages

Native Sages (Salvias) are beautiful additions to the garden. Both Salvia coccinea and Salvia lyrata attract hummingbirds and butterflies. Salvia coccinea is a mostly red blooming, tender perennial (in much of the south) and an annual elsewhere. Salv...

Blazing Star Liatris

The long, beautiful purplish-pink spikes of the Blazing Star flower are often used in flower arrangements. Who would dream that this gorgeous, showy flower was a native perennial? There are 22 species of Liatris that grow in the southeastern United...

15 Easy to Grow Southern Wildflowers

Here are 15 easy to grow native flowering perennials that are guaranteed to thrive in the hot, humid areas of the coastal southern United States and in other parts of North America, too. As we move toward sustainability, native plants are becoming mo...

Rudbeckias for the South

The Rudbeckia species contains several striking, easy to grow perennials whose golden yellow flowers attract butterflies and other pollinators and whose seeds are eaten by a variety of small songbirds. Many members of the species are drought resistan...

Wild Asters of Autumn

As the days begin to grow shorter in late August and September, another of our favorite native flowering perennials, the Asters, begin putting on a show. A variety of colorful and hardy Asters are native to Louisiana and the Gulf Coastal region. We g...

Indian Pink, Perennial Wildflower

Indian Pink, Spigelia marilandica is a "must have" for the hummingbird garden. The gorgeous red tubular flowers with yellow star-shaped tips are filled with nectar and the hardy, perennial plants adapt to many shade to part sun conditions. Pinkroot...

Native Louisiana Irises

Native Irises grow over the entire northern hemisphere, and there are a number of especially lovely species that are native to Louisiana and the other coastal southern states. While only 4 (some experts say 5) species make up what is known as "The Lo...

Sustainable Gardening 

Sustainable is the way to go. It's low maintenance and provides food and herbs for the table.

Moon Gardens

In today's busy world, the only time that most of us have to enjoy our garden is at night, so many people are creating Moon Gardens with fragrant white flowers and plants with silvery foliage. The bonus to these types of gardens is that they attract...

Best of Gardening on Twitter

I'm always looking for good references about gardening and I have just found a goldmine of them on Twitter. The good thing about this list is that it is ever changing and it can be updated with the click of a mouse. If you're like me and want to lea...

Tips About Rain Gardens on Twitter

One of the new Green landscaping techniques is to utilize low areas in your yard to build rain gardens which will keep excess storm water on-site. Rain gardens impact the environment in a number of positive ways. There are many tweets about rain gard...

Top 10 Sustainable Gardening Methods

Sustainable gardening has been a big topic lately. Everyone wants safe, organic fruits and vegetables and even eggs, so many of the old "Victorian" practices are making a come back. Here are 10 methods that will make it easy to create your own sustai...

Animals and Sustainability 

Carolina Wren Postcard by naturegirl7

Our Ameraucana Chickens

When I was a child, one of my favorite chores was to collect the eggs from the hen house on our farm. When we retired and moved to the country, some of the first animals that I wanted to get were chickens. I wanted to be able to go out each morning a...

Bluebirds and Their Boxes on Twitter

This Twttrlist is for all the bluebird lovers in the world. I've gathered all the best tweets about bluebird boxes and Eastern bluebirds. These tweets contain many links to videos and photos of beautiful bluebirds, that I know you will enjoy.

Pond Life, One of those Days

There's a new module in town and it's perfect for people like us who love to take pictures. The Caption Contest Module allows users to enter all sorts of funny and clever captions for variety of pictures. So if you like to write funny one-liners or...

Backyard Chickens on Twitter

A current trend is to move away from the sterile exotic lawn landscapes and move back towards useful, food producing yards. With that, the reappearance of chickens in the backyard naturally follows. All over North America, peeps are building coops an...

Other Animals 

In addition to providing habitat for the wildlife of Louisiana we try to help all animals whenever we can.

Dear Tippi Hedren

Why, you might ask, would I want to write a letter to Tippi Hedren, that actress who was in Alfred Hitchcock's, The Birds? Why? Well, I'll tell you why? Tippi Hedren is the founder of the Roar Foundation and the Shambala Preserve. She has been carin...

Nature Lensographies and Directories 

Axis Deer by naturegirl7

We've gathered some of the best lenses about animals and nature and featured them with a few outstanding photographs.

Fresh Wonders Nature Contest

Welcome to the third weekly contest and tutorial lens of the new Fresh Wonders of Ning. This week's contest will feature Animal and Nature lenses. The Fresh Wonders Squid with the winning lens will be rewarded with the Wonder Squid Award, a Spotli...

Senior Squid Animal - Nature Directory 1

As the motto says: Senior Squids may be older, but are no less bolder. When you look at the quality and quanity of the lenses by Squidoo lensmasters who are 50 years of age or older, you find the cream of the crop. This will be the first in a series...

Louisiana Flavor 

We were born and raised in Louisiana and there is no place like it on Earth. Geaux Tigers!

Global Wildlife Center

Nestled among the back roads of the Florida Parishes, near Folsom, Louisiana, is a very unique wildlife preserve. Global Wildlife Center is the largest, totally free roaming preserve in the country. Animals of the grasslands from all over the world,...

Mariner's Restaurant - Natchitoches, LA

Mariner's Seafood and Steakhouse is located on the banks of Sibley Lake in Natchitoches, Louisiana and has been in this location for many years. The Sunday lunch buffet is my Dad's favorite and he goes almost every weekend. Mariner's specialties incl...

Best of Cajun Recipes on Twitter

We love our spicy food down here in south Louisiana and I'm always looking for new recipes, especially ones that are geared toward low fat and cholesterol. I found a bounty of Cajun recipes on Twitter. Recipes for everything from classic Cajun style...

You-Pick Blueberries in South Louisiana

I would like to acknowledge and celebrate the small Blueberry farmers in our area. Growing blueberries is difficult in south Louisiana because of the heat and humidity, but the local Mom and Pop operations seem to weather whatever Mother Nature throw...

About Me and My Family 

I have a rather unique family with roots on both sides of the Atlantic. And also a collection of four footed children that share our life and give us much joy.

9 Lives of a Hip Cat

I have always had an affinity with cats and as I pondered what I was going to write down about myself in this lens, I realized that my life has not been unlike that of the 9 lives of a cat. There have been many ups and downs and even some near death...

To the River and Back Again in Pictures

Each morning, around 9:00 a.m. we (two humans and our two dogs, though sometimes neighbor dogs, Amos and Sadie, join us) make our daily trek down to the Little Tchefuncte River in southeastern Louisiana, filling bird feeders along the way. This is a...

Rio, a Most Exceptional Dog

I really could never choose just one of my furry family over another, but if I was FORCED to, then I would have to choose our precious foundling, mostly Catahoula Leopard dog and Pointer mixed breed, Rio. He has been a joy and a loyal companion sinc...

Artist Mattie E. Clark

My grandmother, Mattie E. Clark was an artist, who had to set aside her art for a number of years to raise five children and, after my grandfather died at an early age, also manage the family farm. My mother always told us about our artistic grandmot...

Herbs 

Herbs are another niche which we are expanding upon. We have grown many culinary and medicinal herbs for years.

Cooking with Herbs

Culinary herbs liven up any dish and the right combination can really make them stand out. Here are some recipes for herb blends, Herbed vinegar, butter and sauces that are sure to please.

Herb Gardening Tips on Twitter

Fresh herbs add so much flavor to foods, but they can be quite expensive in the grocery and there is always the question of what chemicals were used in growing them. The solution to this dilemma is to grow your own. Twitter is a buzz with more infor...

Reading Keeps the Mind Young 

In keeping with my Librarian's Oath of Office, I continue to be a Life Long Learner and I also urge everyone to READ! All who dwell in our abode reads, even Dax. Well... he reads the pictures.

Second Sight (Arcane Society)

Second Sight by Amanda Quick has been sitting on my bedside table for a couple of weeks. I started to read it several times, but something always stopped me. A friend of mine and fellow Squidoo lensmaster, Elizabeth Jean Allen introduced me to the wo...

Harper Hall Trilogy

I fell in love with Anne McCaffrey's Pern and its people and dragons when I was in graduate school in the '70's. Since then, I have read every Anne McCaffrey book that I could get my hands on, and many of them twice. The books that hooked me were th...

Member of WiWon Team and Proud of It! 

If you are thinking about going for Giant Squid or the Giant 100 Club, then come join the WiWon team. Here's just one of the many lenses that have been created to help you in your quest.

Naturegirl's Nymphs of WiWon Team

From the depths of the ocean comes friend to squid and human alike, Naturegirl and the Nereids. Like the Goddesses of old, we ride on the backs of many Giants of the sea, at one with nature, in the never ending battle to achieve greatness in the worl...

Some of the Senior Squids Challenges 

Senior Squids' is a Ning Group for Squid Lensmasters over 50. If you are over 50, then come join us. Click on the Senior Squids badge to see all the fun in store for you.

Wild Turkey Thanksgiving a la Louisiane

Unlike their domestic cousin, the wild turkey is an intelligent and fascinating creature. The domestic turkey does not have the survival instincts nor the hardiness of the wild turkey. When our country was being formed, Benjamin Franklin suggested t...

Annie Oakley - Little Sure Shot

How many of you remember the beautiful, blond heroine of the Old West, Annie Oakley? She shot and rode her way across our television screens and became an instant hit with little girls all over America. She was one of the few female heroes of the old...

Senior Squids Go Buggy

The Senior Squids have been working hard all summer, so they have decided that it's time to have a little fun. They are all getting out their butterfly nets and mayonnaise jars with the holes punched into the top and they're running through the field...

Fun with the Holidays 

We love HOLIDAYS and the Changing Seasons! Whether it be creating crafts, costumes or cooking, we celebrate in style.

Fall Fungi - a Witches Brew

No witches brew is complete without a mushroom or two and down here in south Louisiana, we have plenty. This witch enjoys photographing the colorful fungi that pops up after a good rain. I think that the fall mushrooms are the most colorful and would...

Pumpkin Cake and Other Fall Goodies

Pumpkin pie is one of our family holiday favorites, but there are many other delicious concoctions to which this nutritious and tasty fruit can be added. We enjoy the old favorites, pumpkin cake, muffins, cookies and even soup. Any of these recipes w...

Creative Costumes for Couples and Groups

The people of South Louisiana love to celebrate and have fun. To us, masking is an art form, so every Halloween and of course on Mardi Gras, too, adults and children alike take to the streets and go to parties dressed in some very imaginative costume...

Fall Zazzles in Louisiana

In the coastal southern United States, Autumn is usually a season that hurries by to quickly. High temperatures remain until late September or early October and when the cool weather does finally move in, it only stays for a couple of weeks. Some yea...

Miscellaneous 

Some of the new lenses just don't fit into one of our established niches, so we'll group them here.

Listerine vs Cepacol Mouthwash

It's all over the airwaves, "Listerine kills germs that cause bad breath, plaque and the gum disease Gingivitis. And Cepacol advertises that it "kills germs - freshens breath and is the # 1 brand in hospitals". But which is really the most effective...

10 Fav Rockin' Dance Songs

You better just push that chair away because you'll want to get on your feet and DANCE to some of the best songs in the Land of 1000 Dances. So turn on your speakers, kick off your shoes and get ready to Roll With It because your gonna Feel Like Danc...