May 20, 2013 Birds & Flowers



JB & the dogs with MAX



Western Tanager drinking from
the dogs water dish


Friday, 5/17.  The skies were dismal but I sure wasn't.  This was my birthday!  And speaking of attitude, wouldn't it be great if I could live every day with the attitude I had today.  Enjoy every day as I did today.  Well, it would also be cool if I could get presents every day, but I guess then they wouldn't be so special. . .  or maybe they would.  Whatever, it only goes to prove that attitude is everything.

And speaking of presents, including the lilac, everything I received, I wanted.  I hadn't told anyone about them, but JB's Mom gave me a pair of earings and a small purse that I had been drooling over in catalogs.  Then my Aunt Nene gave me a pillow that looks like a log that I had seen and wanted.  Sandy gave me earings, a Starbucks card and a Betty White DVD from the '50's that is hilarious. And my Mother's best friend remembered me with chocolate.  JB gave me a book that I wanted.  Just the Universe telling me, "See, not only will I provide what you need, but the things you want also!"

It started raining a little before noon, with several claps of thunder following closely thereafter.  Our first of the year.  Would be nice if we could get all the thunderstorms over by the end of June.  The rain is welcome though and it rained off and on through the evening.

Had a great time reading the book JB gave to me, but I can't mention any more about it as I am going to give it to Sandy for her birthday June 7.  I would love to buy it for all my dog-loving friends and family.

I did actually do some work - finished re-arranging the loft.  Had my favorite birthday dinner, pork chops cooked in apple juice and orance marmalade with rice and broccoli.  Watched some of the Betty White DVD, then "The Closer."

Saturday, 5/18.  The day started out partly cloudy and 36, but we ended up with a high of 53 with sun in the late afternoon.

I tried on the few Down There outfits that I have left and figured that if I ate nothing from now until we flew out of Seattle, they would fit perfectly.  Realistically speaking, they'll just be really snug and I may look a bit lumpy.

JB mowed a few areas around the house.  We are trying to find a new blade for our 25-year old John Deere mower.  Will try harder when we get back from Maryland.  We leave from Seattle on 5/30, so will drop the dogs off at the kennel on our way out of town.  Will arrive back in Seattle at noon on 6/4 and will hopefully be able to get back to Wenatchee in time to pick up the dogs before the kennel closes.

We watched "Argo" and were quite impressed.  Wasn't too sure I would enjoy it, but I did and bit off most of my fingernails while watching.

Sunday, 5/19.  Now that we are retired, I love to start my mornings slowly.  Just easing into the day.  And there is no better way to do that than sitting on the porch with my coffee.  Watching the hummingbirds.  Being serenaded by the wrens.  Gazing at the flowers.  It just doesn't get any better than this.

It was clear and 48 with a cool breeze.  My chair was in the shade so I needed a light blanket, but it was too warm in the sun.  I chose the blanket.  The ravens were flying about and talking to us, and our ravenous woodpecker was hard at work.

The dwarf waterleaf has gone to seed and the western spring beauties have disappeared, but the sweet peas and lupine are now blooming everywhere, mixed in with the balsam root and arnica.  The Douglas triteleia is popping up in great numbers in most of the sunny spots.  I have seen some paint brush, and the brilliant while flox is blooming in its normal places out by the garden.  The trillium are gone.  I think it was not wet enough this spring for them to flourish.  Mother Nature's garden is magnificent and ever changing.

For their morning walk, JB drove MAX down to the game cam to get the card.  No photos of wildlife other than us and then Larry and Elsie coming up to visit.  After lunch he did some more mowing around the tipi and the outhouse.  I collected two loads of small branch wood and stacked them.  I rode with JB in MAX down to put the card back for the dogs afternoon walk.  We also drove up to Erno's property to the east of us.  Halfway up the road the balsam root starts to take over and by the time we got to the top, the landscape was solid yellow!  Just blew me away.  And of course I took LOTS of pictures, in addition to several I had taken in the morning.  By the time I downloaded them this evening, I had 93! 

A few months ago I bought a subscription to the Guideposts magazine.  My Mother always received it and I did also for many years, but not for quite a while now.  They now have a new publication called "Mysterious Ways" that I also subscribed to and received my first copes a few weeks ago. Fascinating!  It has re-united me with a bible that my paternal Grandmother gave to my parents and me.  Inside she had written: "Christmas 1955  Dear Ruth, Bob and Rose - You may receive other gifts that cost more but none that is worth so much.  The more you use it the more valuable it will be."  I have several bibles, but this ones means the most to me.

While the dogs were inside eating their dinner, JB called my attention to a western tanager drinking water from the dogs dish outside.  I slowly grabbed my camera and was able to get a few shots (see above).  This is the first one we have seen this year.

Monday, 5/20.  This morning was clear and 38 when JB got up at 6:30, but it had alread warmed up to the high 40's by the time I got out of bed an hour later.  There are thunder storms and lots of rain in the forecast beginning on Wednesday, so we are going Down There tomorrow for some last minute shopping for our trip.

Thought for the day:  The sky seems to be a pure, a cooler blue, the trees a deeper green.  The whole world is charged with the glory of God and I feel fire and music under my feet.  Thomas Merton