Cold Friday 1-13-2023

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It’s 28 degrees F. right now – not really that cold, but the wind is blowing and it FEELS really cold, particularly after the springlike weather we’ve been enjoying. The cold front came through and thankfully the storms didn’t cause any damage here. I’m full of gratitude that we’re good here. My heart goes out to the people suffering from the vagaries of the weather.

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I may actually get up to my art room today. I have some ideas rattling around in my head that I’d like to try. :0)

My husband is a happy camper today. Yesterday he was finally able to delete the program he didn’t want on his computer and replace it with a version (after trying 3 different softwares) that does exactly what he wanted it to do. We are both relieved.

jackandfriends.com

I’m starting to think about plans for the square foot garden in the spring. I’ll get out my diagrams of where things were planted last time and start figuring out what I would like to plant, how many plants, and where to put them. A gardener is always plotting the next planting.

Cesar’s Way

We’re due to meet our friends for Lunch Bunch today. Last week my husband and I were stood up. No one came or called to tell us they weren’t coming. It turned out that all were sick. I’m hoping that everyone is feeling good now and that we’ll see them at lunch today. I’ve tried to call both of them, but neither of them is good about checking their phones…

I hope today is a good one for you.

Wednesday 1-11-2023

Gifak.net – Giphy

In the middle of the afternoon I could give this sweet rodent a run for his money on eating. If I, like he, could stick to carrots, that would be good….

A storm with a cold front are coming through tonight to take away the happy springtime weather we’ve been enjoying and bringing back more normal temperatures for January in Arkansas – so a high of about 72 this afternoon and a high in the low 50s for tomorrow – still warm but noticeably cooler.

This poor old body is making a bid to be thrown on top of the heap in the salvage yard lately. I won’t give you a long list of woes, but the latest was this morning with the help of Amber, our dog. I was sitting here typing, and she came over to say, ‘hi.’ I stopped, to turn to pet her, and she flipped my arm up with her nose, making the top of my arm hit the bottom of the countertop my computer sits on. I took off my watch to rub my arm and there is already a small knot coming up, with probable colorful bruise to follow. Hahahaahahaha. My warranty is definitely expired, though I’m hoping to do some yoga this afternoon.

I wish you a very happy day.

Thoughts on a Saturday 1-7-2023

Giphy

Good morning! It’s cloudy in Arkansas today, but the high is supposed to reach 59 this afternoon, so I won’t complain. I spent about half an hour yesterday lopping a few weed trees, but mostly trying to cut down a huge bunch of briars on vines in one area. I pooped out quickly, and my right arm was complaining yesterday afternoon and evening. I’m more annoyed about it than hurting – that my body isn’t making it easy to do what I would like to do. I took some pain meds and slathered my arm with muscle gel. Hopefully, that will help me do what I would like to do today.

I have some salmon filets marinating in the fridge for dinner tonight. I’ll bake them, serving some steamed veggies with them. I’ll use the leftovers to make salmon salad. My scales are not only smirking, they’re guffawing as I step on them. Hopefully, I will see some progress soon.

Enjoy your Saturday.

Wednesday 11-9-2022

Reader’s Digest

Good morning.

We stayed up watching the election returns, finally giving up and going to bed around midnight. I’m happy about the results in Arkansas, but frustrated that we won’t know the national results for awhile yet, and what they will mean for the country. Another character-building exercise.

We’re experiencing low 80s for a high today and tomorrow followed by low 50s and below, plus FREEZES, starting Friday morning. I’m trying to make sure we’ve disconnected the hoses, put the freeze protection on the faucets, closed house vents, gotten the water to the irrigation system turned off, etc. before the freezes come. Today’s yard work is weed whacking at least in the front yard to neaten up for the winter. When the weed whacking is done around the house, I’ll see if I can plant more iris.

I hope that you have a wonderful, calm fall day.

Happy Friday

Nature Animals

We could definitely get spoiled by the nice weather we’ve been enjoying lately. I regret that I’ve largely wasted it, having to baby my back, and the yard work is still waiting. I AM able to do my yoga practice (DAY 84), so my back is improving some each day. Soon I’ll be my normal ornery self again. :0)

My SIL is enjoying some time at the beach now. She thought she might have to come home, after essentially just arriving, due to an alert about tidal flooding yesterday. This didn’t occur, so she is still able to enjoy herself. I’m hoping for a photo or two, now that she doesn’t have to get back on the road again right away.

Final Fantasy XIV

Today is Lunch Bunch. We’ll leave in about an hour and a half to catch up with whoever is there. Things have been erratic lately, with plans not working out, illness, and whatnot. I’ll be happy to see whoever is able to get there.

I answered a call from a roof and window salesman yesterday. I’m telling you this because we went to a great deal of trouble to get an answering program that screens our calls. It tells the caller to press a button on the phone if they are friend, family, or NOT selling anything. Only then does it ring in our house. This guy had the gall to press the button anyway. He started asking me how many windows we had. I answered by asking if he was a ‘friend.’ He started sputtering. I told him I KNEW he wasn’t family. I asked him if English was his first language. When he said, “yes,” I asked him if he listened to the answering message. He said, “yes.” I then asked him if he really thought he had ANY chance to sell whatever he was selling after having the gall to ignore our message and bother me. There was silence on the other end. I hung up.

Happy Friday and wonderful weekend.

Weed Whacking Wednesday 9-21-2022

BBC

Hi.

I’m drinking some coffee before heading out to weed whack the front and the back yard. My husband is going to mow. So the yard will look like someone cares before it gets too hot to. The temperature for this last day of summer is forecast to be 101 with a heat index this afternoon. Oh, GOOD. I’m SO ready for some cool. My list of things to do outside is longer than my leg now…

DoYou

Today is DAY 68 in my efforts to make daily yoga a habit. I’m starting to think that yoga is essential to my ability to move without pain, stay reasonably flexible, and avoid falling on my head as I age. I still have to consciously make myself do it, but I feel much looser after my practice.

I’m going to get outside now and work before it gets lethal out there.

Have a nice day.

Happy Wet Sunday

topinspired.com

I’m a happy camper this morning. The doors are open. The ceiling fan is on, spreading fresh, cooler air all through the house. It’s only supposed to get to 89 today, with a chance of some good rain. Yea!!!!

Ben Grantham-Getty Images-iStock Photos

Today is Day 16 of my attempt to make daily yoga practice a habit. Yesterday I was running out of time and chose to do yoga practice over spending time in my art room – an amazing decision for me! I ended up making a smaller-than-normal space in the office because my husband was watching a rented movie in the living room where I normally practice. The practice went well and I was happy to add my sparkly star to my desk calendar. :0)

Today is the last day of July. My only ‘accomplishments’ for the month are

• the decision to try to get into a ‘yoga habit’, plus 16 days of yoga practice so far, increasing the time
• I made 8 Christmas presents for my friends
• I changed to the Mediterranean style of eating, deciding to significantly increase veggies and fruit
• My thyroid hormone is under control again (actually took 8 weeks)

Make this a good day!

Busy Tuesday Already

bromebirdcare.com

We just returned from running errands this morning.

We caught raccoon # 7 overnight in our humane trap. He was a really big one. He was docile, though, so we drove out and relocated him several miles away from us. I think this may be a record-breaking year for raccoons for us. The memo has definitely gone out that the Lewises have good sunflower seeds in the feeders. I just wish the raccoons could learn to share and not trash the feeders. We spend a lot of time repairing the feeders, plus we have to leave them empty until we catch the newest culprit in the humane trap.

We left our trash at the bottom of the driveway for pickup, noting that, even with the washed out parts on one edge of the driveway due to the incredible rains we’ve had (12 inches in one week!) the driveway is still in the best shape it’s been in forever. Jeremy Young did a miraculous job spreading the crusher dust for us so we could get down and up our driveway again. We marvel each time we drive on it.

We got our mail, went for a haircut for my husband, a shot for him, and then back home in record time. We’re going to have lunch in a minute and then rest a bit before tackling our afternoon.

Mother Nature is giving us a break today. It’s merely ‘way too hot’ outside, rather than ‘excessive heat warning’ today. I’m planning to mix up some KILLZALL and see what weeds I can murder this afternoon. We’re down to zucchini and red onions in our garden, plus the two planters of tomatoes now. Both are on automatic watering systems, although that seems almost like a joke right now, with all the rain we’ve had. Our plumber is trying to get her this week to arrange line #2 in the well house so we can have automatic watering in the front planters, too.

I got a new book on Yoga in the mail today. It’s called, Big Yoga – A Simple Guide for Bigger Bodies by Meera Patricia Kerr. It provides a gentle program for a healthier body, greater flexibility, and a peaceful mind. Since I’m both older than dirt and have a larger-than-I-would-like body, I’m going to dive into it and see what I want to add to the half hour of “Gentle Yoga” positions I’m doing that I learned from Cat Kabira in her wonderful DVD.

And that’s my morning. Have a wonderful afternoon!

Fun Friday

Slonice Santi-pepadanafelting.blogspot.co.uk

I’m in awe of people who create ‘felted’ animals. SO much patience and talent involved. This elephant melts me into a puddle.

This is a happy Friday.

First, the weather, which has been so challenging lately, is truly beautiful. Our high temperature is supposed to the in the 70’s today with lots of sunshine! We JUST celebrating the last of the ice on our driveway. It’s still in the ditches along the north sides of the road to town, but it’s finally gone otherwise. I happily waved, ‘bye-bye’ to it. :0)

I immediately wanted to go get some plants, but will need to be careful to watch for freezes in the next couple of weeks if I do find plants to put in my square foot garden.

We have Lunch Bunch today. If all goes to plan, all of us except one will be there today for the first time in about 3 weeks or so. It’ll be great to catch up with our friends.

After, maybe we’ll check to see if there are early spring plants available. I’m particularly looking for lettuce, spinach, and broccoli. We’ll see.

I am actually caught up with all the pesky bookkeeping/taxes/filing etc that I truly hate. Yesterday I updated an ‘important’ spreadsheet for our son that lists information he would need in case both my husband and I croak. I was able to send him the link to it via our chat program. AND my desk is still clear!

Have a fun Friday!

Sunshine!

Pinterest

Alamy

My husband laboriously negotiated our ski slope of a driveway to get several days worth of mail yesterday, then again when he received an email that UPS had left a package for us at the bottom of our driveway. Since our driveway is STEEP and 650+ feet, it was quite a bit of exercise. We have sunshine today, and our afternoon temperatures are supposed to be above freezing (33 degrees F. now), so we may finally start getting some melting. I figure it’ll be another day or two before we have our freedom to come and go as desired again.

Twitter

I’m ready to put winter and February behind me. My heart is in the garden, playing in the dirt, envisioning colorful flowers and veggies. Maybe in another 2 or 3 weeks, I can think about finding some early spring plants to get going.

Otherwise, one of my dear friends made me feel really special yesterday, and I’m still glowing from it today. She creates drool-worthy jewelry, mainly from silver. She branches out from time to time into copper, one of MY favorite metals. Yesterday, in the mail my husband retrieved, there was a package from her with SEVERAL pieces of copper jewelry – earrings, a bracelet, and two necklaces! A feast for the eyes, I keep changing which is my favorite. I can’t wait to show them off to my Lunch Bunch friends. :0)

I hope you are safe and well today.

Cold Shoulder

Giphy

No one is negotiating our driveway until Mother Nature quits giving us a cold shoulder. We’re still iced in, though our temperatures are supposed to get above freezing today, and things are supposed to start melting. I’ll believe it when I see it. We have mail waiting, plus deliveries scheduled – but all will have to wait until further notice. It’s 28 and a world of white ice right now.

We had a comfort food dinner of chicken chunks, mushrooms and onions in cream of mushroom/chicken soup over rice last night. I got TWO compliments on it while we were eating and help cleaning up the kitchen afterward, so it was a definite success. :0)

I was really happy to hear our generator come on last Thursday, doing its automatic weekly testing, in the middle of our being stuck up here on top of our hill. Thankfully, we haven’t needed it, but I can’t tell you how grateful I am to know it’s there if needed.

Too Much Comfort!

Giphy

Being iced in and eating comfort food is making my scales smirk at me again. Can you say, ‘Yo-yo?”

It’s 23 now, but it’s supposed to get to 40 this afternoon, with a slow warming trend in the coming days. Our driveway looks like a ski slope, and when we’re stupid enough to try to walk on it, where we walked doesn’t show, as the ice is still much too solid to allow footprints. It’ll be at LEAST another day or two before we venture out – at least I HOPE my husband doesn’t decide to be all macho about it.

When I looked out this morning, my eyes actually hurt, looking at the bright sunshine bouncing off the ice-covered EVERYTHING. It seems as if you can see every branch on every tree. Very pretty, but WAY too cold for me.

My husband requested that I make chicken chunks, onion, mushrooms, and soup over rice for our dinner this evening. I can FEEL the scales smirk. At this rate, a crane will be needed to pull me up out of my chair…

I HAVE been doing my yoga, though, so I’m starting to loosen up, and THAT feels wonderful. I’m doing a session each afternoon.

Since we’re still iced in, no Lunch Bunch today. I called each of my friends, and we visited a bit. Hopefully, NEXT Friday will be a time we can get together again.

Have a wonderful Friday.

Thoughts on a Thursday 2-24-2022

Texas A&M Today – Getty Images

It LOOKS like it snowed outside, but it’s SLEET. We’re lucky about that, since according to what I’ve read, sleet doesn’t accumulate on power lines. Today the forecast is for sleet, freezing rain, and rain. I really didn’t know the difference between ‘sleet’ and ‘freezing rain’, so I looked it up. ‘Freezing rain’ falls as rain and pretty much freezes on contact. ‘Sleet’ falls as already-frozen pellets of differing sizes. I guess the difference between ‘sleet’ and ‘hail’ is the size of the pellets. Not sure what the dividing line is between the two – WHEN ‘sleet’ becomes ‘hail.’ At any rate, it’s all white, all cold, and is a problem when it’s on the ground.

When my husband took Amber out last night, he remarked that he didn’t leave any footprints in the white stuff. It was solid and really slippery. UGH. It’s supposed to start warming up tomorrow.

“Squirrel Squeeze” – dailymail.co.uk – Hiroshi Takeda

We’re lucky we have a warm, dry house, power, food, and water.

123RF

Since I am powerless to do anything about most of what’s happening in the world, I am again basically hiding from it and trying to not drown in despair. I hate that there are power hungry tyrants in the world making innocent people suffer. I hate that so many decisions are based on people trying to get and maintain power and control others. If I had a magic wand, I would sure be waving it right now.

Dr. Axe – Shutterstock

I’ve been happily finding more evidence of more of the talent and creativity in the world. It’s truly wonderful to be able to type in a few words and be taken to more places than I have time to research, finding jaw-dropping things that people have created that I’ve never seen before. I’ve decided that almost ANYTHING can be made into art. Just put something out there. One person with vision will see it differently – will see the potential of it – and will create something breathtaking.

Yesterday I found some wonderful things I’ll be sharing with you during the coming days. I hope you’re able to stay safe, warm, dry, and smiling today.

Thoughts on a Wet Tuesday

iStock

The rains started last night with a lot of thunder and lightning. They continue today. I’m not griping TOO loudly, though, as this is much better than what we’ll have starting tomorrow – ICE. Ugh.

We’ll leave in about half an hour to run errands, keeping appointments and picking up supplies for the coming winter storm.

I’m very happy we have a warm, dry home to ‘weather’ the storm in. I have to admit I’m more than ready for spring to arrive, though. Yesterday we saw veggie plants for sale at the local hardware store. Just too soon to plant, as far as I’m concerned. I don’t want to have to cover the plants every night from now to mid March – though I really felt drawn to the plants…

Stay warm and safe.

AND Flying Hairballs!

BoredPanda.com

Mother Nature is trying to give us a lesson in humility, and not taking her for granted in the next few days.

This morning, while the weather was nice, we went to Ft. Smith to leave our tax stuff with our wonderful CPA. While we were there, we were able to swing by and see my good friend Nora, who is office manager at an insurance agency. I hugged her neck quickly, then again, because we don’t get to see each other often.

Tonight Mother Nature is serving us some possibly severe weather. Tonight-into-tomorrow, heavy rain and thunderstorms, some possibly dangerous. Heavy rain tomorrow, and then ice and snow Wednesday and Thursday. Great week, huh!

We will do errands tomorrow and pick up supplies in case we’re stranded up on our hill again. I rescheduled my massage that would have been Thursday, so that won’t be a worry anymore.

Yesterday I gathered a few more blooming daffodils for us to enjoy inside. They were lying on the ground, but still pretty. My favorite is the one that dares to be different in the center of the pic. I wish I could bring them ALL in. Hopefully, there will be more after the freeze, ice, and snow of Wednesday and Thursday.

Stay safe and warm!

3-Star Day

zuhg Cw

I did my yoga practice to earn one star, then my husband and I took off the fragile tarps and bungee cords from the garden planters and replaced them with new tarps and cords. We also put new tarps on the cement mixer we use to mix our Mel’s Mix for the garden planters and the pile of potting soil bags we keep to replenish the brick planters around the house. With temperatures in the 60s and bright sunshine, it was the perfect day to do it – earning a second star. The third was for the scales smiling a bit at me yesterday.

We have another stellar weather day today before things deteriorate tomorrow and into the coming week. I’ll make sure to get outside and walk around the yard this afternoon to show my appreciation for the day.

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I actually just came in from walking around the yard and taking a few pics to share. I can’t tell you how much I’m looking forward to spring. As we uncovered the planters before covering them up again yesterday, I wished I could start playing in the dirt.

Here are our raised-bed square foot planter boxes. I was pleased to see only a few weeds in the Mel’s Mix of the planters. They’ll be ready to plant when the time comes. I’m having trouble waiting. :0)

These are the trash cans that hold all the ingredients of Mel’s Mix for my garden: peat moss, Vermiculite, and three different kinds of compost. You can also see a tarp over our used cement mixer. I throw all the ingredients as I measure them into the mixer, then mix and pour the contents into containers to haul over to the planter boxes to fill them up. The mixer does a great job and saves a lot of effort and time.

I also took some pics on the way back to the house from the shop and garden –

Some of our “emu” planters waiting for me to fill them up with potting soil and plant some flowers.

I’ll have to clean out this planter, but I’ll plant some colorful flowers around the feet of our ‘peacock.’

This is on one side of the top of our driveway. We have a sign in the tree saying, “Trespassers will be composted.” Our ‘watermelon’ propane tank is in the background toward the top of the picture. You can see colorful pieces of the peacock and one of the emus at the top on the right, plus our ‘crow’ shovel bird on the right, standing on the boulder.

Our “turkey” helps a ‘guard dog’ with a rifle stand guard on the opposite side of the driveway.

shovel bird that doubles as a bird feeder in one of the trio planters that are between our driveway and the front yard.

I love wandering around the yard. I had to stop myself from spending time weeding and getting ready for spring, since I wasn’t wearing a jacket and it was in the 40s out there now. I’m still hoping the weather people have it wrong and we won’t get ice Wednesday and Thursday….

Thoughts on a Wednesday 2-16-2022

Petr Vaclavek – Dubanci.cz

We have some interesting weather here in Arkansas the next couple of days. We have a ‘wind advisory’ today – even warning about being watchful of gusts when driving! THEN we have ‘heavy downpours,’ ‘thunderstorms,’ and possible severe storms late this afternoon and overnight, a cold front moving in tomorrow, with possible FLURRIES (It’ll be in the 60’s today…). It’s ‘hold-onto-your-hat weather!

I MAY finish the infamous ‘Find-My-Desk’ project today. My husband mentioned that he saw there was a piece of furniture under the piles yesterday, but then his intelligence kicked in and he wisely shut his mouth rather than adding to his observations. :0)

Tenor

My simultaneous ‘Shut-My-Mouth-and-do-More-Yoga’ project has a good start now, though the results may not show for quite awhile.

youshouldgrow.com

A third project I’m beginning to think about is my Raised-bed, Square-foot Garden project for the spring. I’m getting out my grid paper and will start to plan what I’ll plant and where I’ll put it in the garden. This is all based on where I put things last year, so I’ll have reasonable crop rotation, and then I want to have a ‘square’ between like plants (like I don’t plant broccoli plants in adjoining squares) so cut down on any disease problems. I use up lots of grid paper as I dream, making notes on when I should start looking for plants in our local stores. I want to be ready to plant broccoli, cauliflower, lettuce, and spinach, for example, as soon as I can get them into the ground. I’ll group them so I can cover them each night with tarps until the weather is more cooperative, making their growing season as long as possible.

As soon as I finish at the computer, I’ll get to work on my desk again. I’ll post pics when this project is done. Have a wonderful Wednesday!

Thoughts on a Wednesday 10-27-2021

SenorGif.com – ICanHasCheezburger.gif

It’s very overcast outside as I type. the forecast is for a possibly severe storm this afternoon, and we’re supposed to get around 3 inches of rain by the end of the day tomorrow. Despite this sweet puppy’s love of romping in the rain, I think it’s a great day to stay inside.

I’ve been busy the last few days adding more stuff to my Etsy site. Getting things out, taking pictures, describing products, etc. makes for really fast-moving days.

I had a nice chat with our son this morning. Some times of the year there is 12 hours difference, and other times 13 hours difference, but we can usually text chat briefly right before he heads to bed and I’ve drinking coffee in the morning. There are few things that make me happier than knowing our son is where he wants to be, living as he wants to live, doing what he wants to do. I’m so grateful we are close – if not geographically – and that we talk several times a week.

I’ve done two impasto paintings so far. They are both awful, but I’m starting to get a better feel for what I’m trying to do. I keep watching more demonstration videos on YouTube and then trying again. I probably look like an idiot, playing my music and grinning like an idiot while I play, but that’s a quality of life thing for me and I love it. :0)

I finished re-reading a Nora Roberts trilogy – The Guardians – yesterday and have begun another, called, The Chesapeake Bay Saga.

Petition

“Crossing the Line” – oatawa – Getty Images – iStock photo

We have been stuck at home due to the weather the whole past week. It’s 9 degrees F. right now, with a biting wind, but nothing is falling from the sky at the moment. With the forecast of snow and more snow starting later today, we’re going to try to gather our mail from our mailbox at the bottom of our driveway (hopefully not ice-covered now, as it is 650+ feet down and STEEP.) We’re also going to try to get supplies before holing in again – probably until the end of NEXT week.

I am starting a petition to do away with February – completely. Just go straight from January to March. If you’re in, please let me know and I’ll add you to the list. (I’m not sure where I will send the petition, or how many we would need to make this change, but we have to start somewhere…

I continue to HOPE things get better regarding the pandemic, our country, and the people living in it. I HOPE that qualities such as love, understanding, compassion, kindness, and courtesy are not becoming things of the past, gathering dust due to disuse. Much like I tell myself on keeping moving and exercising, “If you don’t USE it, you LOSE it.” We never really know what’s happening to the people we care about. Let’s give everyone some extra slack.

I hope that you are able to stay safe and warm today. It’s a wonderful day to have a warm, dry home.

Thoughts on a Sunday 1-3-2021

Twitter.com

Actually, the past week was a mixed bag.

THING ONE: FOOD-DIET-EXERCISE – I raked myself over the coals about stuffing too much food into my face and not exercising enough. My sister-in-law kindly told me to give myself a break and make little changes on a regular basis to get back to my better habits. My husband is determined wait to go back on our diet on the 6th – or maybe 7th – we haven’t completely hashed that out yet. I don’t know why we’re waiting. I guess it’s because we still have some wonderfully delicious bad stuff to eat our way through, though I am determined not to buy any MORE of it for myself. I got the makings of beef stew in the slow cooker this morning. We’ll have a bowl of that with a roll this evening. I will do my yoga stretches this afternoon.

THING TWO: WEATHER – Arkansas ran the gamut on weather this past week. We had sunshine and spring-like weather, as we’re having today, with sunshine and low 50’s. We had sleet and rain and gusty wind. We had drizzles and gloomy gray days. We had a PERFECT snow – with HUGE fluffy flakes coming down while we fixed lunch, making us feel we were in the middle of our own, private snow globe. (This was perfect because that gorgeous snow, though heavy, melted as it hit the ground and caused no trouble. :0) )

THING THREE: PLAYING IN MY ART ROOM – I discovered an art form that is new to me – bleeding tissue paper art. The effect is watercolor. The sky is the limit on what you can do with it. I found it on YouTube and watched some demonstrations, drooling. I found some people who do mouth-watering art with it, giving me some really high goals to try to reach as I practice. My sister-in-law sent me a package of large sheets of the special tissue paper to get me started. I ordered some pre-cut shapes in different sizes today that will be delivered in the coming week so I can concentrate on playing, saving the sheets for larger, more complicated shapes. I’m having a BLAST experimenting. :0)

Another thing for which I am setting up is painting some wooden fridge magnets. I can play with my Unicorn Spit paint for these. I can also see what happens with my alcohol inks, my new bleeding tissue paper, and more. I have the magnets, and my wooden circles should be delivered sometime next week.

THING FOUR: SUNDAY CHORES – I don’t have a lot to do today (translated to mean that I CHOOSE to do), but I WILL spend some time cleaning my aquarium so my fish can start the new year with sparkling clean water and some different decorations, just for giggles. I wish I knew what they THOUGHT about the decorations they have. I really wouldn’t mind it if the two of them held their noses when I started to put something in the aquarium they really don’t care for. They don’t say anything one way or the other. The only thing they DO that shows me they are really interested is both of them get into the corner of the tank, wriggling their bodies and opening and closing their mouths to HINT that they would like to be fed yet again. (Seems like they, too, are on a SPLURGE eating push until the 6th or 7th…. )

Have a happy Sunday!

Thoughts on a Monday 3-16-2020

Photo via Jeff Jett – LinkedIn

We enjoyed watching what could be a relative of this cute little fellow leap from a hanging bird feeder on the deck to the shovel bird feeder, and then around via the railing to the gallon glass bottle and wood feeder we have attached to the grill on the outside of the dining area window. He kept flipping his tail. I’m not sure what that signifies, but he sure was a busy little critter, checking everything out.

We went for a quick shot at the doctor’s office to quick stops at two groceries to replenish supplies and are now home for the day. Even with the schools closed, starting today, there wasn’t much traffic on the road.

A new thing greeted us at the clinic – a nurse was there to take our temperature outside before we were admitted inside. Then, they had rearranged the seating so that there were two chairs together, but they were far apart from another couple of chairs, all around the room, giving people plenty of space. I was glad to see these precautions.

 

 

I am thinking about ordering one of these on the net so that I can quit touching my face. I seem to be obsessive about touching my face, and I never realized it before! I’m constantly, scratching, touching, rubbing my eyes, pulling on my nose….. It’s either a funnel like this or I may start wearing mittens….

We are in the ‘high risk group’ for the virus. My husband continues to deny that he is included in the group, but he still thinks he can do what he did when he was a teenager, paying the price later, with lots of sore muscles. He also denies he is a Type II diabetic, only admitting he has a ‘sugar problem.’  We are trying to limit our exposure as much as seems reasonable, hoping the experts get a handle on the testing soon.

It is certainly getting more spring-like here, with lots and lots of rain this week. We are due to get up to 3 inches by the end of the day Thursday. It’s a really good thing the veggie planting boxes we built have good drainage or the plants would need to learn to swim!

I hope that you are somewhere safe, practicing social distancing, washing your hands, NOT touching your face, and spending your time in a pleasant manner.

 

 

 

 

Hunkering Down

“Storms Come and Go” – Eric Thomas -etinspires.com

We’re about to start a group of storms carrying high, gusty, damaging winds, rain, and probably hair balls. This morning my husband got out before breakfast to finish mowing the lawn. I’ve just come in from

• gathering ripe tomatoes
• weed whacking around our garden and shop, and
• weed whacking the front yard

It was almost non-stop thunder when I finally called it quits. I really would have liked to weed whack in the back, too, but I decided to come in. It’s really DARK outside now and the trees are blowing around as I type. I got all the animals in and closed the garage door, and will hope for the best. We really need the rain, but it would be nicer if it were a gentle, soaking rain….