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| Easter Eggs!! |
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| Trillium is blooming too. |
Wednesday 4/16. My Aunt Nene emailed me a couple weeks ago about coming to visit and bringing a couple friends. They plan to be here around mid-June for a day. I was so excited and talked about it so much to JB that I completely forgot to write about it! Can't wait!
Rain is in the forecast for the end of this week, but with a dry weekend. If the road is sufficiently dried out, I would like to make a garbage run early next week. We will have to take two loads down this Spring. With both trips last year, we had too much for one load and now that extra has grown into another full load. Not kitchen garbage, but everything else.
About mid-day, before lunch, I decided to walk down the driveway in search of trillium. I know where they usually bloom each year among the trees. Just as I was about to give up, I spotted the one in the photo above. Then I saw several other smaller ones nearby. They are so pretty.
Coming back up the drive, I heard the deep-throated mating call of the blue grouse. I finally located him and was able to get a few pictures, until Dinga got too close. He spread his wings and his tail feathers, then glided from the ridge into a tree.
When I came inside for lunch, I realized that I still needed to wash the dishes and do the laundry. That never would have happened if JB were at home. They would have both been done by 10:30 am! I am simply not on the same schedule that he is. . .
After lunch I split some pitch wood into fire starter size. When I brought the basket of it into the house its wonderful scent was almost overwhelming. Certainly better than any man-made air freshener.
Later in the afternoon I was sitting on the porch and got buzzed by our first hummingbird of the year. Guess it's time to stock up on even more sugar. Then I saw Dinga acting a little strange and realized she had caught a mouse. It wasn't quite dead, so I had to do the deed. I really hate that. It still almost brings me to tears.
Forgot to mention that when JB's grandnephew was visiting, I showed him the dozen eggs that Elsie had given us. His face lit up and he exclaimed, "Easter eggs!" Not quite, but they certainly look like it. The photo above just didn't capture the blue and teal hues, especially the second one from the top on the right.
When JB called this evening, he said that they just won't be done with the work until Tuesday. So he will be coming home on Wednesday instead of this Saturday. I said that was okay but I was going to need a chocolate bribe, it being Easter and all. Preferably hand made from a specialty shop.
Thursday 4/17. It was 40 and overcast when I got up at 7:30 am. NOAA is predicting a 100% chance of rain in the form of a thunder storm. Upon hearing that, I grabbed a garbage bag and dashed outside to gather some needles for fire starter, as I only have one bag left. I could smell rain, as I did yesterday on our afternoon walk. And, speaking of that walk, it looked as if there were three times as many balsam root plants blooming on the south slope as there had been the day before.
And the swallows are back on the south slope. They nest in the trees there, where there is more sun. Each year some of them check out the eaves on our house, but obviously find them wanting. However, they always find room for nests under Larry and Elsie's eaves.
Dinga's mountain snow cone has completely disappeared. Yesterday there were still a few dots of snow left in some very shaded areas, but I don't see any today. She is going to be very disappointed.
On our morning walk, the air was heavy with moisture. It almost smelled as if it had already rained. And, no wonder, as according to our weather station, the humidity was 78%. Rain finally moved in slowly about 1:30 pm, a light and gentle rain. It fell until about 4:00 pm, but there was no thunder. In anticipation of the "storm", I had swept out our little drainage "canals". They tend to fill up with loose dirt, needles, fir cones and sticks that all form little dams. It began raining again at about 7:00 pm, but by 9:00 pm the wind had kicked up and the stars were out.
I spent most of the day doing little things and by dinner time I had actually accomplished a lot that one could actually see. Even fine-tuned the loft.
And, speaking of Downton Abby, I have found myself being a snob at times throughout my life. I am sure I got that from my Mother, which will be very surprising to anyone who reads this and knew her. No one who did know her would ever suspect it, but she was always very gently with her snobbery, much more so than I was. But then I am sure she learned it from her Mother who was born into a wealthy family, married a very well-off man and lived in London from 1925 until 1942. I am glad to report that I have left my snobbish ways behind many years ago.
It could have been a dreary day, but it wasn't. I kept a small fire in the stove and it was quite cozy, and the rain smelled so good. But by 4:00 pm, it was a little too cozy and I had to open a couple windows. Our high for the day was 48 outside, and 75 inside. When I spend the day mostly inside, I never have to worry about getting enough exercise. Just letting the dogs in and out gives me plenty.
Saw a video on Facebook of the showdown in Nevada. Wish I could have been there!
I re-watched two episodes of Downton Abby, series four after dinner. Tomorrow I will finish watching it and be very sad about that, but JB was able to find three different series that we want at very good prices. So when he returns, we can watch those.
Friday 4/18. It is a very nippy and windy 32 this morning. The wind is tearing off little pieces of clouds that are over the mountains and sending them our way, otherwise the sky is clear. I will definitely stay inside today if this wind keeps up. The wind meter shows the gusts to be in the low twenties, but it sure seems stronger. Actually, the outside part of the station is in a place where the house may block some of the wind, so perhaps it is a little stronger.
Thought for the day: The welfare of humanity is always the alibi of tyrants. Albert Camus
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