This and That

 

It's May 1st but it feels like March 1st!  It's cold outside, raining and breezy.  The rain is to be with us throughout the day although when the first of the month picture of The Puddle Pond was taken earlier this morning, it was not raining.  There appears to be an attempt to make up for the rainfall deficit over this past week and it sounds as if it will continue into next week and maybe beyond.  The rain is welcome for the garden but gives one cabin fever since outside time is very limited. 

First I want to wish sister, K, and brother, K, our twins, a Happy Birthday today!  It's not a "milestone" but best wishes to them for a good birthday. 

Mr P took a walk down to The Puddle yesterday and came back excitedly to collect me along with the camera.  Guess who was there?  Our bufflehead duck with eleven little ones trailing behind!!!!!  He saw her/him come out from a large clump of cat o nine tails followed by the babes.  The parental unit softly squeeked and took the little ones who also made little noises for a few turns around the puddle.  We left them in peace after snapping a few pictures.  I think they probably have a nest in the reeds and she had been sitting on the nest which is why we didn't see her after our initial week long spottings.  I went down a little later to snap a picture on my phone to send to OnlyDaughter but they must have been back in their nesting spot since they weren't anywhere on the water.  I'll let OnlyDaughter know the pics are here for the viewing.

I've been snapping off asparagus in the garden since mid April and lettuce can probably be cut this week.  Two more raised beds were erected recently by Mr P and the upper one has been planted so far with some leeks and a few herbs.  There are bedding plants of cukes, yellow squash, zuchinni, eggplant, peppers and tomatoes to be planted and green bean seeds to be sowed in the longer bed.  I purchased flowers to plant in my big terra cotta pots too.  Mr P borrowed the neighbors front end loader for an hour last week and did some cleanup work to push large logs/trees/brush/soil away from the edges of the yard and into the woods. 

I mentioned before that there have been tasks that were previously placed on the back burner that we are working to get to.  I have been working to weed as time and energy permits and next up will be cutting a nice sharp edge around the beds with a flat spade, installing new edging, and finally putting down a thick layer of mulch.  There's always something to do around here.

I hope that you are having better weather than we are right now but I know this can't last forever.  Until next time....

The Aviary

Bufflehead Duck

Bufflehead Duck

Chickadee

Sparrow

Yellow Finch

Female Woodpecker

Wren

Male Bluebird

Male Bluebird

Male Cardinal

Canadian Geese

Yellow Finch

Tufted Titmouse

Blue Heron

With the arrival of warmer weather (today is cool and drizzly, yuck), the Puddle Pond and our backyard are visited often by a variety of birds.  The pictures show just some of those that visit on a regular basis.  Soon, the hummingbird feeders will be set up in anticipation of their arrival for this season.  The little bufflehead duck spent about a week at the Puddle Pond and was not seen out of the water.  This led Mr P to voice concern that the cute little duck might not be able to fly because every time he would go down to the pond, the little duck would paddle to the other side of the pond but not fly away.  Surprise, about a week after the duck arrived, it departed whether by flying or on webbed feet is unknown.   Guessing it could fly after all since we didn't see any signs of "fowl" play.  The Canadian geese weren't there long either which was good.  We tend to discourage them setting up housekeeping since they leave a lot of poop all around which means dodging the piles if you want to walk around the pond.

One of my favorite things to do since my retirement is to take a cup of hot tea or hot coffee outside at daybreak and sit on the deck listening to the birds singing.  It's a lovely calming way to prepare emotionally for the day ahead. 

There are some birds that visit our yard that I haven't yet captured with the camera. Turkeys are often heard and seen in the field behind our house, noisy crows have a nest high in a jack pine out front, red winged blackbirds might have a nest in the cat-o-nine reeds at the puddle, and red tail hawks have a nest in the woods next to the house and are often seen being chased by a crow which is hilarious - you're bigger so just turn around and nail that crow!  There are others I know I haven't mentioned but suffice to say that even though this is very quiet rural area, the cacophony raised by the birds in the morning could stand in for an alarm clock. 

I'll try to get back soon with an update on the gardening progress.  The weather forecast is for more cool drizzly weather the remainder of this week but you know you can never trust the weatherman.  Until next time....

Grandparents Day 2015-16

 

 

 

Every year Grandparents and Special Friends Day is observed at the school Grandsons #1 and #2 attend and we are invited to join the boys for the day at school.  When the boys were together at the beginning of their school years, they both attended the Junior School.  Then once Grandson #1 moved to the middle school, the boys have been in two different schools (junior/middle and middle/senior).  For a few years now instead of dividing our time between both boys during the same school day when they were both in Junior School, we are both now able to spend a full day with each boy. 

The senior school observed Grandparents Day on Wednesday and we got to "shadow" Grandson #1 during his day.  Both boys attend a private academy with buildings that always put me in mind of what Hogwarts in the Harry Potter novels would look like.  Our day began slowly enough with some free time in the library where I could sit for hours with all those books.  History, English and Chinese followed and one can't forget probably all the kids favorite period - lunch.  We had a great day and Grandson #1 even allowed me to hug him when we arrived and when we left.

The middle school held their celebration on Thursday and Grandson #2 had a much busier day by comparison with his brother's day.  We were taken to his first period science class where Mr P sat and watched fascinated by an eel in the class fish tank.  From there we walked up and down many steps and up and down many halls as we were taken to English, Band, Spanish, Math and Social Studies.  After second period we were seated in the cafeteria which had been turned into an auditorium for a concert.  Grandson #2 played his trumpet in the band and since I don't read music well nor do I play an instrument, I'm always thrilled that both boys have followed in their parents footsteps and are able to read music and play an instrument.  We had lunch with Grandson #2 too and he told me that this was his favorite "class" that day.  Mine was Spanish class and both boys' teachers seem like they would make learning fun and interesting.  

It's always a joy to join the boys for these days and we have five more years to enjoy this time before the youngest will be out of school.  Such handsome boys in their suits and such nice, thoughtful grandsons they are.  Love you boys and thank you for allowing us to spend the day with you!

Grandson #1 has participated in crew for two years now and Grandson #2 has been learning the same sport recently.  After school on Thursday, OnlyDaughter picked us up at the Middle School and took us to see the progress on a new home they are having built nearby.  After checking out all the changes at the new house, we went back to the Middle School to pick up Grandson #2 and take him to the rowing club.  I managed to snap a picture of kids moving the "launch" boats to the water before we left for home.  These boats with motors on them follow the sculls as they move down the river in case assistance is needed.  

Grandson #1 left early this morning to travel to Chicago with his school's band so the early wake up time was even earlier.  Our trip home was uneventful and because of the early hour that we left, most of the day was left once we got home.  I'll be back soon with a report on the garden.  Until next time...

April

April is here!  Where did March go????

No pranks played on me on April 1st which was a lovely day.  Our March weather was milder than usual and the month was filled with this and that and was gone in a flash.

I purchased a slipcover for the living room sofa almost a year ago that was not a true fit but based on the price was a bargain.  While I was working, I thought about making the necessary adjustments to make it fit but just never took the time to do it.  While away from home during February, I made a promise to myself that once home, adjusting the slipcover would be at the top of my "to do" list.  I started tailoring on a Thursday and completely finished on Monday.  It's funny but once I got going the project was not as daunting as I anticipated.

Some other things that happened during the month of March:

• Enjoyed watching the final episode of Downton Abbey
• Dog sat the grand dogs while OnlyDaughter and her family traveled out of state for a wedding
• FaceTimed with Grandson #2 to sing to him on his 13th birthday
• Mr P made two (so far) beautiful raised beds in the garden
• Started snap peas, red onions, lettuce mix, kholrabi and kale in those beds
• Started seeds indoors for cherry tomatoes, eggplant, squash, cukes, watermelon and neck pumpkin
• Mr P played golf at a nearby golf course for the first time this season

My Mom, sister K and her husband D visited on Easter Sunday and shared dinner with us.  We enjoyed a traditional ham dinner and Mom had a good time sitting at the table working on a jig saw puzzle.

We woke up to light rain this morning which was nice for the new seeds in the garden.  The sun keeps peeping in and out and the temperature is mild but that's to change later today when some cold weather arrives.  Oh well, there's some firewood on the porch for later tonight, the bird feeders are full and anything that needs done outside can be put aside for a day or so.

Hoping you had a nice Easter holiday and the weather is good wherever you are.  Until next time....

Final Days...

                           

Some final pictures from our month long stay at Myrtle Beach, SC which were taken at Brookgreen Gardens, a Coastal Carolina University baseball game and the SkyWheel located at the Boardwalk at south Myrtle.  http://myrtlebeachskywheel.com/

Sister J and I wanted to take a ride on the SkyWheel when we were visiting with them last October but we never found the time.  This visit with 3 extra weeks to fit things into, we were able to squeak a ride in at the end of February.  The SkyWheel is 187 foot-tall Ferris Wheel and we both enjoyed the ride so much we wished it could have gone round and round.  Alas, after 4 times around it stopped and we were escorted off.

Mr P and I left in the early morning on the 29th of February for the return trip home.  We got a motor escort to Route 74 thanks to brotherinlaw B and sister J who were nervous that we would get lost and end up in Florida!

We've been home almost 3 weeks and I was so disappointed to see a big pile of snow still here in the yard when we got here.  All the snow is now gone; however, the weather forecast for Sunday is wet snow.  Yuck! I'm anxious for spring to get here.  We've placed and received a seed order and have been trying to do some cleanup outside for spring.

I took the March 1st picture of The Puddle Pond which I will post soon.  Until next time...