Wednesday, September 26, 2007

FIND JOY

I was always taught to try to find some joy in every task I had to do. Sometimes it was not easy. Yesterday, I cut the grass. My birdbath is on ground level because it is sometimes the only water some of the critters who live in my little corner can find. So, it needs to be accessible. Unfortunately, it means I need to change the water and clean it out whenever I cut the grass, even if I just cleaned it out the day before. A yucky job for me, but a good thing, really, since I might get lazy about keeping it clean. I got real busy yesterday and kept pushing long after my body was sending me signals to STOP! So when I finally did call it quits, the birdbath was filled with grass cuttings. I remembered it around 2 in the morning, and put it on my mental list of first things to do this morning. I no sooner refilled it than a pretty yellow leaf floated down and landed right in the middle of things. A big old bumble bee hurried in to get a bit of nectar and I stopped to get a look at the beautiful colors surrounding St Francis. And I thought I would share that with you!

Sunday, September 23, 2007

THIS MORNING'S GIFT

When I went out for my morning stroll, I noticed a bit of color on a piece of driftwood. I just had to share it with you!
May you notice all of nature's treasures and know that you walk with beauty all around you.

Tuesday, September 18, 2007

MY NEW HAIR STYLIST

HAIR WASHING TIME.........

While trying to answer some email this morning, Ratty, whose real name is Rascal, decided to grab my head, pull it back, and wash my hair. Even when I tried to pull away, he pulled my head back and kept washing.

Sunday, September 16, 2007

THE NUTHATCHES

I have had a pair of nuthatches visiting this week. My, but they are fast! Add to it that many if not most digital cameras are really slow by the old SLR standards... anyway, the shots are not good but again, they are thru the front window, and this camera does not like telephoto adjustments... in order to keep the flash from going off, I have to use some setting that I don't understand. Oh, well... one of the shots is of the local wren, the rest are of the nuthatch - one goes to the "cage" feeder, the other to the longest feeder, but I was never able to get them both at the same time. See camera too slow comment above...
The other pics are of the nuthatches, but you really have to know what they look like in order to tell. The pic above (#1) is the only one where the markings are clearly identifiable. The wren is clearly brown (#2)
Looks like somebody has been bird watching instead of doing their work, doesn't it? OK, shame on me.
And to all my fellow bloggers, I have been reading - I just have not had time to do any comments... this computer has gotten so slow, it is not funny... and I have been so busy - ditto!

Friday, September 14, 2007

ONE OF MY EXCUSES

Last Sunday, my neighbor dumped a ton of wood chips, I can't exactly say mulch, out at the end of my turn-around. He just got a chipper, and these were his practice pieces. They are too coarse to use as mulch, but are great for filling in some places back on the trail where the tree roots have started presenting a problem for the mower or people walking thru there. I spent several hours scooping chips into a wheel barrow (my big one has a flat tire) and got the pile down a ways. I also hurt my back - duh - but I am resigned to the fact that I will never learn because I will always think I can... I think I can, I think I can... which beats whining because I can't. Doesn't it??? So, on Wednesday, I gave myself a birthday present, a few days early, but what the heck... I bought a cart to go with my new Deere. On Friday, I did serious damage to the pile of mulch! Ah, yes, that is a snow shovel. Since we seldom have snow, I have found lots of uses for the snow shovel. Scooping mulch or wood chips is just one of them. Lots faster and lighter weight than a regular shovel!

Ahhhh, almost done. But then, so is my back. The little pile left can wait or I won't be able to walk. Gotta keep movin'! At least most of it is some place else and the big pile is gone before it rains tonight. Inshallah! I hope Rachael gets some rain, too. They say this will be the remnants of Humberto. Well, I don't care if it is Humberto, Pedro or Cheech and Chong, just as long as it is rain. Amen.

I do hope to get back on and answer your blogs... I have been reading them... kind of hit and miss... just haven't had any real uninterrupted time to answer. Thanks, ya'all for your patience. Now I gotta run to the store, bank and vet's and PO. I think we are going to have to eat out tonight... sure is lookin that way!

Tuesday, September 11, 2007

I-O, I-O, I KNOW, I KNOW

My friends....
I know I owe a lot of you answers to emails, etc.......... I really am not ignoring you, tho it does seem that way - I have been and am VERY BUSY right now. Kind of almost over-whelmed with STUFF - responsibilities at home, class work, papers to write, tests to take, family health issues keeping me up all hours, and the list goes on. I won't even mention grass that is not cut, weeds that have become permanent residents, and other things too numerous to mention. So, this is my apology......... I promise I will do better as soon as I can.
It is 8:30 AM - so far I have dinner in the crock pot (BBQ chicken), the gardens have been watered (Gabrielle stood us up), been to the ga$ $tation to get ga$ for the van and mower (wishful thinking), cleaned out 2 birdfeeders and refilled them - we got to Sam's (65 miles north) on Sunday and I got 2 boxes of the birds favorite seed - if you have never tried it - DO IT! Your birds will love you forever (and we won't even mention the squirrels), the animals have had their meds, clean water, food, birdbath scraped and refilled (Spook prefers this water to his bowl, yuck! so I try to keep the algae level down), van cleaned out, extra bird seed put away, trash out by the curb, kitty boxes cleaned out, dishes done, bed made, storm windows back down - today will be in the 90s... the A/C was already running when I got up at 4:30... I need to run the vac before I take my godson grocery shopping at 9:30... lets see, what did I forget? Well, I guess that is not too bad for an old lady. I will be 64 next week... where did the time go? But, as long as my wheelchair stays out in the barn, I am happy.
Just so I have time to get a shower before I go to church at noon.......
So, be patient with me. I have not forgotten you - I just do not have any time to read your blogs or answer you all right now. My apologies. Thanks!!!!

Friday, September 07, 2007

PUNKIN & PUMPKIN

AND HONEYSUCKLE.........

I picked a Pumpkin for one of my little ones... his plants have not produced any pumpkins, just flowers. He, "Bob," is almost 4 years old and I gave him a few pumpkin plants earlier this year but so far, he has not gotten any pumpkins. So, I thought I should share. Punkin thought it was a great idea. But he still prefers the honeysuckle. Oh well.