I’m just sharing 4 quick photos today. We’ve had rain pretty much every day this week (and again this morning!). Haven’t had a whole lot of bird watching (photo taking) luck lately. Hopefully, that changes if the sun ever returns.
Meanwhile, I hope you enjoy the following 4 snaps.
It’s A Bird!
Caught a house finch in flight toward the feeder.
It’s A Cat!
Took a photo of the cat through the window during just a cloudy part of the day. Doesn’t she kind of look like a ghost cat? However, I assure you, especially after her very loud meow in my ear at 4a.m. this morning, she’s very real.
It’s A Catbird!
Saved the best for last. A catbird stopped by to visit for a bit on Tuesday morning. He spent a lot of time hopping around the lower fence and ground. So the photo below is through the deck railing (and out the backdoor window).
Finally, he hopped up on the fence so I could get one semi-decent shot.
Other Birds Spotted In The Rain This Week (No Photos)
The grackles are taking over my feeders. Getting almost as annoying as the squirrels. Our hummingbird is back. Briefly saw the tufted titmouse one day. And the chickadees and woodpeckers (downy and red-bellied) continue to hang out. As do the house sparrows, cardinals, and doves. An occasional blue jay stops by. I’ve also heard crows and geese flying over once in a while. Hopefully, next week the sun returns along with the chance for a few more photos.
What birds have you spotted this week? And before I end this post, could you please send some sunshine this way? Soon, please!
It’s another rainy day here. And an unexpected day off for me.
I can’t remember the exact weather forecast when I shared it on Monday. However, this morning they showed 3 days in a row with 100% chances of rain. Does not do much for my outdoor gardening plans. They also had to cancel/reschedule yesterday’s preschool graduation because of the weather (it’s an outdoor thing).
We’re just hanging out indoors watching it rain today. Well, just the two of us. The cat is the only one home with me. A bit of rainy day bliss to be home alone for a change.
Lit a candle, a beach scented one I picked up at Aldi. My plans for this rainy day now that I’m free for the afternoon?
Nothing too exciting. I’ve been working on slowing down. It comes naturally to many of you (and many preschool kids, especially when time is of the essence, ha!). However, it doesn’t come naturally to me. Lots of reminding myself there is enough time in the day to get the things done that need doing. Just stumbled across this article, seems to sum up where I’d like to be on the slowdown journey.
I blame my late mother! Not really. Well, maybe. I think I inherited her “city” blood. For me, there is something about the pulse of being around an urban environment, the energy of the pedestrians going about their business. However, I don’t like large crowds.
Then, there’s the love of flowers and attempting to garden. I know that comes from my late father who grew up on a farm. So basically, all I need is a house with a huge yard in the middle of a walkable city. Tall order. Suburbs for the win, I suppose.
Are you a country or city person at heart?
Wait, I was talking about my plans for today.
Today’s Rainy Day Plans
Make dough for tonight’s pizza roll dinner (done)
Clean up the house a bit (a lot, in progress)
Finish up the laundry (in progress)
Maybe pay a few bills
Relax and simply enjoy the day
How are you spending your Wednesday? And if you have any spare sunshine, could you please send a little this way?
Our week got off to a rainy start. All day yesterday, it rained. The sky is still cloudy and gloomy this morning with a few more rain chances.
The weekend around here reflected the weather. Didn’t do much. Even putting off a few “have-to” items until today. Finally, made it to the grocery store this morning. Laundry is in progress (could’ve done that yesterday but didn’t). And now, it’s time to join in with Sandra and the other wonderful bloggers who link up with her over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom.
The Weather
Cloudy and rainy. Basement has water trickling inside (more than that but not a flood, thank goodness!). Looking forward to lots more flowers blooming when the sun reappears. Temperature is fine, mid to upper 70’s.
On My Reading Pile
This is odd for me but the answer is nothing. Well, not any books at the moment. Plan to give my magazines a glance through this week. Sometimes I find interesting book suggestions in those. And I do have a couple e-books, I’ve been putting off reading because I want to read them during true summer weather.
On My TV
The series finale of Prodigal Son on Tuesday. I am DONE with shows on the Fox network. Second time (3rd if count Fringe but I started watching it too late to complain) I’ve become very interested in one of their shows and then, they cancel it. I don’t know why they think their entire audience wants to watch even more animated tv shows. UGH. (Fit over). Also, Masked Singer on Wednesday. And yes, I know it’s also on Fox.
Watched a couple movies over the weekend, Tenet and Inception. (Husband insisted we’d seen Inception before but I couldn’t remember it so watched it again). Both were odd but enjoyable movies. Also, caught up on a few episodes of Fear the Walking Dead. Probably watch a few more while folding laundry later.
On The Menu
Rainy weather equals baking weather, also. I used up some things that were about to expire/go bad and made peanut butter banana bread on Saturday. Then, yesterday, I made sour cream softie cookies as well as 3 ingredient peanut butter cookies. Lunchbox items covered for a bit.
A few carryover items from last week on here.
MONDAY: Salsa Verde Chicken in the crock pot
TUESDAY: ham steak, asparagus, black-eyed peas, and cornbread *I work 10-4*
WEDNESDAY: Pizza rolls (homemade, rolls…not the store things), salad, maybe minestrone
THURSDAY: either pork chops or chicken strips, French fries
FRIDAY: OUT for G’s birthday (He requested Chinese)
On My To Do List (For the Week)
Laundry
Clean up the house
Clean out upstairs freezer
Call the trash company for the THIRD time, it’s getting comical the level of incompetence
Pay some bills (thankfully, the trash company phone call is not bill related!)
Make sure I have some graduation cards/deliver one/mail the other
Get G a birthday present! And find out what kind of cake he wants
Still need to switch out clothes for fall/winter/spring/summer
Verify When I’m Working This Summer
Clean out my purse (car, too if the weather improves)
What I Am Sewing, Knitting, or Creating
Still dreaming about my garden areas and working on those. And attempting to make a garden journal. Go back and forth on how I want to put it together.
Looking Around The House
Pretend house looks great!
Real one where we actually live, not so much.
Clean up house is number 2 on my to do list for good reason.
From The Camera
For some reason, I woke up super early on Saturday. However, it was worth it because I got to witness the most amazing cloudy sunrise.
Something Fun To Share
When I worked on Friday, the kids had their last share day. At my school, it revolves around letter sounds. And of course, Z was our last letter sound. One sweet kid brought in Zinnias for the school to plant. And another, Zebra Cakes (the little Debbie treats) to share with the entire class including the teachers. We also, of course, saw lots of zoo items, zippers, and stuffed zebras.
On My Prayer List
Next door neighbor who was taken to hospital by ambulance on Saturday with breathing issues (she was sitting up and talking at least), preschool student (and his mom, a fellow teacher) who had a severe asthma attack last week, a couple of blogging friends having health issues either themselves or within their families. All the graduates out there. Friends, family, and strangers.
Quote For The Week
“This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (Psalm 118:24)
Another lazy posting of mostly photos from me. Still, I wanted to get back into the habit of sharing my backyard birds. Our weather’s been so weird (I had the heat on one week!) that I kind of got out of my bird watching and photo taking habits a bit.
We were excited to see an American goldfinch hanging out around the feeders this week! And sad to have only briefly spotted a rose breasted grosbeak one morning when I’d yet to restock things. Maybe they’ll try again next week and I’ll get a decent photo.
The robin still likes to ham it up for my camera at least.
As well as our regular house finches.
We’ve spotted the hummingbird just a few times in the very early mornings, too early for pictures. However, we did have some new visitors to the backyard. Finally, some pine siskins!
The little yellow patch on the wing and the different beak helps to tell them apart from the female house finches.
Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to see the fun little pine siskins again this week. And maybe the goldfinches and hummingbird as well. I doubt we’ll be lucky enough to get a second chance from the grosbeaks as last year was the first time I’d ever seen one in the yard. However, you never know.
I also spotted our regular woodpeckers, bluejays, pretty sure a yellow warbler, some type of vireo, and a regular house wren (!! haven’t seen one of those forever!) in the backyard. Along with some mean grackles and the annoying squirrels.
I had a whole post written and then *poof* it disappeared. I don’t have time to re-write it but I still want to share my work on the front porch and flowers with you.
Front porch is still a mess but I’m making progress. (We need to power wash, husband cleaned the gutters, but it’s supposed to storm all weekend)
Before:
After:
My *new* hanging basket of blue lobelia. I took out the violas and gave them a new home so I could make myself a blue lobelia basket. Can’t find them in hanging baskets.
New home for the violas.
Did you know they’re perennials?
Still waiting on a few blooms from growing flowers.
However, I did get impatient and add a few snap dragons to the side of the porch flower garden. (I ended up putting the white lobelia in a pot)
I played outside in the dirt all day except when I took a break to work on the disappearing post. Now, it’s time to go cook dinner. Have you played in the dirt this week?
Happy Monday! Hope you all had a wonderful Mother’s Day yesterday. It is May, right? Wonder why I’m asking? I’m asking because I generally don’t get up thinking about bumping on the heat during the second week of May!
It was a cold 41 degrees this morning! Supposed to stay chilly until the weekend. Wait, I’m getting ahead of myself. Let’s save the weather talk for its category.
Joining in with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom where she hosts these wonderful weekly link ups. And she changed up the categories just a bit as well. However, the weather always stays at the top.
So, on to the categories starting with…
The Weather
Yesterday was gray and gloomy and also, chilly. I talked about this morning above but at least the sun is shining again! Most of our week is in the low to mid 60’s, about 10 degrees below normal. We’re, thankfully, back in the 70’s for the weekend. And because it’s spring, there’s also a chance of more thunderstorms over the weekend as well.
On My Reading Pile
Currently, nothing. A bit unusual. I did read Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark last week. Always enjoy her novels though the subject matter of this one rang a little heavy at times (deals with the death of a child).
On My TV
Usual, Masked Singer and Prodigal Son. Phinneas and Ferb with J, a bit. And I watched the entire season of Dad Stop Embarrassing Me on Netflix over the weekend (only 8 episodes). A bit of an edgier comedy, probably not for everyone but I found it a bit like the comedies from the 70’s, 80’s, & maybe 90’s so I enjoyed the reminiscent feel of the show while it dealt with current issues.
On The Menu
Chocolate chip banana bars, change up from banana bread
My husband and kids took me out to eat yesterday and we had a lovely in restaurant meal. Probably the first time we’ve all eaten out together in a restaurant in over a year! It was a catfish restaurant and so lots of delicious fried food, led to some rather tender stomachs last night and this morning.
Luckily, dinner for tonight is already prepped.
MONDAY: BBQ roast sandwiches (my husband cooked one on the smoker), leftovers from the restaurant (okra, fries, coleslaw, and beans)
TUESDAY: taco salads
WEDNESDAY: ham steaks, baked potatoes, asparagus
THURSDAY: Spaghetti or I might try these zucchini boats (zucchini was on sale at the store!), salad *I work 8:30-1:30*
FRIDAY: OUT! *J has an appt at 4* *I work 8:30-1:30*
SATURDAY: (not sure I’ll do this but I had a thought that Saturday would be a great crock pot meal day) Chicken Verde
On My To Do List (This Week)
Put entire pantry back together. I know it IS May despite the weather because we had ants visiting the pantry yesterday morning. UGH.
Still need to sort winter/spring/summer clothes. Except it can’t seem to pick a season around here!
Find a new book to read
Go outside and dump all the standing water I can find (rained over the weekend so now I’m on mosquito patrol today)
Call the trash company (AGAIN) to get a second recycling bin delivered (it was supposed to come last Tuesday)
Figure out what to do for G’s birthday and to celebrate him getting his Associate’s Degree (He’s transferring to a 4 year college now)
Work in the yard, get some plants in the ground
Clean the house
Look for a new pair of tennis shoes
Pick up the camera every day
What I Am Sewing, Knitting, or Creating
Working on getting the outside front porch and yard ready for the summer. I’m also back to working on my Animal Crossing New Horizons Island just for fun.
Looking Around The House
Well, the kitchen table is completely full at the moment, covered in pantry items. The rest of it is okay but needs a good clearing and cleaning.
From The Camera
The purple iris fell over but it still bloomed!
Something Fun To Share
I got nothing. Although I’m excited there are only 9 school days left for J! It’s been a rough year but he’s almost done.
On My Prayer List
Friends, family, strangers.
Quote For The Week
Giving thanks always for all things unto God and the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ (Ephesians 5:20)
For fun, I thought I would share what’s growing in our vegetable garden areas.
First, I want to talk about the weather today. It was 39 degrees when I woke up this morning. Thirty-nine degrees! That is too cold for May. Luckily, we didn’t have a frost here. Funny because J was just asking what if it snowed in May. And my husband was answering we’d have wasted a lot of money on plants. So, while not unheard of for here, thankfully, no snow, just a bit chillier than usual this week.
I’d have been sad if I lost this little tomato baby. So excited for how well my from seed tomato plants are faring so far…
My baby tomato plant needs a bath!
Side of House Vegetable Garden Areas
Here’s a blurry glance at the vegetable garden area where we planted all our tomatoes. I can’t seem to get a decent shot of the whole area.
Well, to the left there I had him build me a small flower bed as well. More on what’s in there another time. Then, oddly enough, he decided to add the rest of the wood to a burn pile. Too many project ideas from me, I guess.
The blue tub in front is my first attempt at a raised bed. I bought a $7 tub cooler (maybe?) from Target, drilled holes in the bottom, added liner, rocks, and dirt. It contains corn, green beans, and zucchini. All started from seed, trying something called the 3 sisters method of planting.
And we decided to try just all tomatoes in the other raised bed. It contains both my plants started from seed as well as some starter plants purchased at a local nursery. And of course, marigolds. I always add marigolds to my gardens. Do you? I’m a bit obsessed with the flowers this year. Even found a type supposed to repel mosquitoes for the deck table. Need to get more. Bonus of marigolds, they’re fairly cheap.
Regular Vegetable Garden Area
Let’s move on and talk about our regular vegetable garden area. The place we just stick the seeds and plants in the ground and hope for the best. Our strawberry plant holds lots of promise this year:
We’ll see if the human creatures here get to enjoy any red berries before all the other wildlife finds them.
Here’s a glimpse of our garden for this year:
I really do need to quit being lazy and take the zoom lens off for some of these photos. This year, we’re attempting: green beans (from seed), cucumbers, zucchini (yes, more), onions, and some hot peppers. I also bought a small compact eggplant, designed for containers but I planted it. High hopes for fresh from the garden vegetables later this summer.
Flowers in the Onion Family
Because I’m a bit more obsessed with my flower garden areas than the vegetable gardens (it’s a patience thing), I want to end by showing you my allium flowers. I recently learned some kinds of these flowers are edible as they’re related to onions. Mine, I think, are not. However, I still love these purple globe flowers. Even when they don’t behave and grow between my herb garden containers like I planned, choosing instead to stand tall and show off right in front of them.
Happy May! I’m excited to start a new month and move toward summer. At the same time, I’m acknowledging that I’m tired. The first part of this year (or maybe last year entirely) wore me down. Hoping that things continue to edge even more toward normal as spring continues and summer begins.
Before I begin this week, I want to say I’m very sorry I didn’t get a chance to visit everyone last week. Hopefully, I’ll get by and visit and comment with all of you this week. Now, let’s move on to the present week.
Linking up as always with Sandra over at Diary Of A Stay At Home Mom. Be sure and visit for some homemaking inspiration!
The Weather
It’s spring and again, Happy May! Welcome to the unpredictable weather season (more than normal). This morning, chilly and looked like rain. Now, the sun is starting to stream through this basement window. It’s supposed to be in the 70’s today and then, a cold front with rain and low 60’s for temps moves through. Will that happen? Who knows. I just enjoy the warm sunny days as they arrive.
How I’m Feeling This Morning
I’m in the mood to just spend all my time (and money, ha!) outside working in the garden areas. Trying not to feel too guilty about turning down a last minute request to go into work. Already had my day sort of planned out though. Working very hard on telling myself that even if I have plans to just be with myself, those plans also count. Also, need to do some things with J today as he’s home from school again.
On The Breakfast Plate
A bit different today, scrambled eggs with sausage, toast, coffee, and vitamins. Hopping back on the carb cycling bike, I think. Was very sad about missing my toast until I remembered I could have a few carbs with breakfast. Need to re-read the book. We’ll see how it goes.
On My Reading Pile
Last week, I finished Girl A by Abigail Dean. It was one of my holds at the library. Really, I’d hoped for more. It just wasn’t my thing. I’m also on and off reading but I’ve started picking it up more lately, When Less Becomes More by Emily Ley. It’s a “real” book and I tend to do more reading on my phone lately. Though I do love the feel of “real” books. Finally, I’ve just started Reluctantly Home by Imogen Clark. Since I’ve enjoyed all her books very much, I have high hopes for it.
On My TV
With the exception of Prodigal Son because of it’s dark humor, I’m finding I need lighter viewing. Watched Moana on Saturday afternoon. And J and I started re-watching Phineas and Ferb, one of our favorites. Probably going to watch The Masked Singer on Wednesday night.
On The Menu
Trying to keep things simple as the weather warms up (well, maybe) and to make it easy with my unpredictable schedule.
MONDAY: Stuffed Peppers, salad
TUESDAY: *Cinco de Mayo* Steak and Chicken Fajitas, peppers *I work 7:45-4:15*
WEDNESDAY: Waffles, bacon, sausage, fruit
THURSDAY: Copycat Chik-Fil-A, French Fries
FRIDAY: Some type of pizza (homemade, frozen, or OUT)
Looking Around The House
Well, it’s starting to look pretty outside of it. Getting closer to getting the porch flowers done.
SIGH. I need to straighten and clean quite a bit inside the house.
To Relax This Week, I Will
I moved my columbine to the west side of the house and it gave me an encore blooming. Think it approved of the move!
You’ll probably find me outside working on the flower garden areas. Or dreaming of landscaping projects. Reading some magazines or my books. Practicing with the camera (I can tell from the amount of blurry photos I’m taking that I’ve not picked it up enough recently).
Something I Want To Share
As much as I love working in my garden areas, I’m still not very good at identifying the returning perennial flowers from weeds. And I’d been trying to use the Plant Snap app without much success. Even I know that I’m not growing a Japanese banana tree in the front yard, come on! However, I found another free app that I think is going to work well. It’s called iNaturalist and I’m very happy with it so far based on my limited use of it without signing up for anything fancy.
From The Camera
I’ll get back to my bird watching posts eventually. Right now, I’m trying to think about how to structure when I post (keeping Mondays, of course) and whether I want to be on-line at all on the weekends. Meanwhile, here’s my accidental dove photo.
Quote For The Week
I came across this verse more than once last week so perhaps I should share it.
Psalm 119:105: Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.
Thought I’d share a brief update on some of my various garden spots around the yard. The progress photos as well as future plans for each spot.
First, I want to share my unexpected iris blooms with you. I moved these 2 years ago and they finally decided to forgive me and bloom. A yellow one and a purple one, almost ready.
And of course, now, I think I may move them again. Another future project churning in my mind. My thought is to move these over and around the maple tree in the front yard. They’ll get plenty of sun there and not be so crowded out by my cheerful daffodils.
On One Side of the House
There’s only the small clump of irises, had hoped for more before I went a little daffodil crazy. The daffodils have faded. I’m in that impatient phase now where I have to let the daffodils naturally fade away and not mow the leftover greenery out of the way. However, I did sneak over yesterday and plant some sunflower starts behind the daffodil greenery. I can just imagine one of my new flower garden spots being a wall of sunflowers. (We determined the shed wall where I first wanted to go with the sunflowers didn’t get quite enough sunlight for them.)
Really, I’m trying to hold off on doing too much to the front yard areas until Mother’s Day weekend when I expect good sales on outdoor flowers. Plus, this mess is a bit much. Some day I’ll be better at knowing what’s a returning perennial and what’s a plucky weed. Maybe.
However, I did cave and buy my favorite little blue flowers one day last week.
They’re still in the pot. And when I was out getting the marigolds, I also picked up a pot of lemon grass to put next to the stinky boxwoods.
Oh, and the alliums I planted to give color to the herb garden are just about ready to bloom…
That’s all I have to report on the front yard areas for now. Not as much as we walk around to the back yard.
Back Yard Areas
I have more flower garden spots and ideas than I have time and budget. Anyone else with that problem? So, I’ll just share about my wildflower area.
I had two tiny wildflower blooms! Not the best pictures (excuse the blurriness, I went out to take another but the flowers are bent over and almost spent now)
Here’s what the area looks like from a little further out. I’m waiting (impatiently) on my late summer wildflower blooms. I have some fencing around it this time (some of you may remember when my well-intentioned neighbor decided to “help” by weed eating my first attempt at this. Then, last year just didn’t go real great. Third time is the charm I hope!
Next time, I’ll fill you in on the vegetable garden areas. Not as exciting or fun to me but we still give it a try every year.
Are you gardening this year? How’s it going so far?
Something *finally* woke up spring or perhaps summer decided to take a trial run. Dare I say it was a little hot yesterday? Hot and windy, really windy. Today is also going to be warm, predicted high of 82, but maybe not so windy. Good chances of rain tonight into tomorrow. Then, it looks like a decent weekend with highs in the upper 70s. Sold, I’ll take it!
How I Am Feeling This Morning
Still trying to shake off yesterday’s mood. Been in such a funk lately. Work was okay, I was mostly in the preprimary class but it was the outdoor picnic day (postponed Earth day celebration) so it wasn’t bad. However, home was just frustrating. I’ll just leave it at that. Bit frazzled over all the things I should do today and all the things I want to do today. A bit of overlap on some of them.
On The Breakfast Plate
Lemon meringue pie yogurt, coffee, and vitamins.
On My Reading Pile
I just started in on Confessions on the 7:45 by Lisa Unger and it’s very good so far. Read a couple of David Bell books last week, not bad just not my favorites. Characters aren’t very likeable in his books. Good for low concentration reading. Books were The Request and Since She Went Away. If you have a choice between a book by Lisa Unger and David Bell, go with Lisa Unger, so much better.
On My TV
I’ll watch Prodigal Son tonight. Might see if we have a streaming service where I can watch Debris from the beginning. Always catch glimpses of it and think it looks interesting. Movies I watched over the weekend: Souls (very good, I’d watch it again!), Green Lantern (with my husband, I’d seen it before and slept through the end, it’s probably one of the worst super hero movies out there), and King Arthur: Legend of the Sword (Really enjoyed this one! Charlie Hunnam plays King Arthur and Jude Law plays King Vortigern, longer movie but worth watching, definitely not the Disney version of things, it’s on HBO Max).
On The Menu
Being in a funk equates to not having a great menu plan.
MONDAY: I was ticked off at the family and left them to their own devices, personally I ate chips and salsa plus a balanced break thing with nuts and pepper jack cheese cubes *I worked 8:15-3:30*
TUESDAY: Grilled Chicken Legs (probably going to just marinate them in some Italian dressing), salad
WEDNESDAY: Pork Chops (I’m going to grill them tonight), baked potatoes, salad *MNO!!*
THURSDAY: Stuffed peppers or spaghetti depending on mood/weather
FRIDAY: OUT or leftovers *J has an appointment at 4*
Looking Around The House
I’d rather be outside. It needs a good straighten and cleaning especially the kitchen (going to have a discussion about this with the teenagers)
To Relax This Week I Will
Work in the garden areas planting flowers. Maybe set up some fairy gardens. Go for a walk. Try to clean and clear out the house, want to redecorate a bit.
Something I’d Like To Share
How about something a little positive? My husband made me a raised garden bed using an old box springs we removed from J’s room.
Needs one more layer of soil. Not sure what we’re going to plant yet, maybe tomatoes here and something else over in the garden.
From The Camera
Quote For The Week
“Nothing is worth more than this day. You cannot relive yesterday. Tomorrow is still beyond your reach.”
