jlwe's Blog

Well what I thought was a flu bug ended up being a kidney infection followed by kidney stones. So been a couch potato since Christmas Night. Never had a kidnet infection or kidney stones before and never want it again. I am still down a bit but being able to move around now a little at a time.

So I am back now just not as much until I get back to my normal self. I want to wish everyone a belated Merry Christmas and a belated Happy New year.  And hope that 2011 is better than 2010.

Even tho I am not a great lover of the cold winter months I still find beauty in the snow and ice and cold. Nothing like the first snow fall that covers the bare tree limbs with snow crystals that glimmer in the sun. The small glimmers that look like diamonds on the ground.

Seeing little bunny tracks and bird tracks left in the snow lets you know your furry friends are still around wanting to be fed. Looking close at the birds and seeing they seem to have put on their winter fur coats to protect them from the harsh winter chill.

Watching the Blue Jays fly from pine tree to pine tree and once in a while the Starlings stop by for a gathering to steal food. Hearing the Hawk alert go out when one decides to fly through the yard on his way to the back pasture to seek food. And every once in awhile stopping to make it's presence known and to show it beauty.

The Beauty of Winter! Everyone have a great weekend!

Cooper's Hawk

Woke up this morning to falling snow :(  now it's not that I hate snow I think it is great for one day...it makes for beautiful photo's at times. When I used to have the time I loved to do snow scene oil paintings. But it just seems the older I get the less I like the snow and cold.

Mom loves the snow...so every year when we get our first snow fall she will call me does not matter what time it is and says "It's Snowing He-He!"  and my reply is always yes Mother I know glad your happy. My Brother likes the snow because his grandkids love to go sledding at the park. my sister loves the snow she acts a lot like my Mother. My Husband likes the snow because he thinks 4 wheel drive means you can get through anything.

One good thing is since I moved the business home I no longer have to watch the forecast to decide if I should shut the shop down early so the girls can make it home safe. I no longer have to worry if my can can plow through the drifts that always seem to find their place in my driveway and on my road.

When I was younger I loved to build snowmen and snow forts...loved snowball fights and tried my luck with ice skating I'll stick to roller skating I do much better with 4 wheels. The one thing I do miss the most is when I was growing up we had 2 traditions we would always do. On Christmas Eve Mom and Dad would takes us kids out for a very long ride looking at all the Christmas lights I now know they did this to ware us out so we would sleep better.

Then the Christmas Day French Chewy (Taffy) pull. Every year after presents Mom would make French Chewy...she would butter us kids up from finger tip to elbow and send us out side to pull the chewy. We would pull and pull, then we would wrap the pieces up and makes small gift boxes and hand them out throughout the neighborhood.

I love old memories!

Well Thanksgiving Day is over dumplings and pies made and gone...many laughs and games...trip to the tree farm done....Moms Christmas tree cut and up now today is the day of rest. Sitting and relaxing watching the birds and finally seeing the sunshine... have not seen sun for 2 days.

 Getting all the decorations out of the attic sometime today...tomorrow or Sunday can't decide yet. Bring the tree in from the garage sometime this weekend as soon as Hubby cuts it just a bit more. Pole light went out last night so Hubby gets to climb the tower to replace the bulb I stay in the house when he does that...makes me nervous :)

Had to chip ice out of the bird bathes again this morning...a little hot water did not work this time just to cold froze right over.  The sunshine has seemed to bring the birds out in a fury so have to make sure they have what they need. It's not even Christmas yet and here I am wishing it was Spring!

Thought I would share a pic of one of the Downy's that seemed to be pretty hungry this morning. Everyone have a great day!!

Well been awhile since I have felt good enough to sit at the computer longer than a few seconds. Nasty flu bug knocked me out for over a week. Yesterday was the first day I have felt myself for over a week. Of course I had to get this bug on the nicest week we have for a bit. Temps were in the 70's and there I lay on the couch wishing I could be outside. When laying around doing nothing so many memories come to mind.

Got to get my Chicken and Dumplings ready to be made for Thanksgiving at Mom's. Think I will just go in early and make them at her house so I don't have to carry them. That way she can watch me make them and might learn how LOL! Trust me she tried once and the dog would not even eat them. My Mom is a wonderful cook but she can not make homemade noodles or dumplings and she can not make pie crust.

Which is hard to believe because her Mother made these and they would melt in your mouth. When I was old enough to want to learn to make them Grandma said come out to the house you have to watch them being made. So I headed to Grandma's and slowly watched as she worked the dough with her hands teaching me the way the dough is suppose to feel...not look. Watched as she rolled the dough to the exact perfect thickness so that the dumplings would no be heavy and chewy...but light and fluffy.

Then on to the pie crust and again by hand. She said always mix your lard into your flour mixture by hand so you can feel the way the mixture feels...where you learn just what the crumble is suppose to feel like before adding the water. Then rolling it out to the perfect thickness to create a light flaky crust.

Grandma is gone now but her Chicken and Dumpling and her pie crust still lives through me! One memory I can not forget is every Sunday going to Grandma's house for Chicken and Dumplings and I would say " hey Grandma what's for dinner?" and she would always say...."horse poop and hominy" :) I don't know why she would say that but it also lives on because every time I walked into Mom's house with my pot the nieces and nephews say "Aunt Nanni is here with her horse poop and hominy!

Well this morning was a sure sign in the changing seasons. Harley my little fly and spider catcher (he is the black cat) had something eyed this morning by the back patio door. So I get up just in case it was a spider and got down on my hands and knees and was looking in every crack and corner when all of the sudden out runs a mouse...after I screamed the chase was on. 

I am not afraid of mice but when they run right at me unexpected I do scream a bit. We chased that mouse from the dining room to the living room...back to the dining room...back to the living room. Behind the couch then, behind the chair.  Then over to the computer deck...back to the chair. I was laughing so hard I was not much help.  Broom in my right hand and the cat on the left side of me it was a treat.

He runs back under the computer stand and I am thinking AH-HA bad mistake mister mouse. I am one one side and Harley is waiting on the other side. I take the broom poke at it and off it runs right towards Harley...and right between his legs and into the furnace room. LOL Mister Mouse won that round. But Harley sat at that door for 2 hours before giving up and going to take a nap.

Round one goes to the mouse....but round two I have a feeling Harley will win!

If the trap does not get it first!

We had our first hard freeze the other night. So sadly I decided it was time to trim and cover the roses. I did not really want to do this since I still had blooms and buds which is odd for November. I cut the blooms and brought them in the house...cut each plant down enough to get them inside the covers. Job done!

As I was out there trimming away I noticed some color across the garden so I went to check it out. Yep my Sedum was blooming. Of all things I had cut that back weeks ago and it looked to be done for the season. I just love surprises. My Butterfly bushes are still blooming here and there and looking real good.

My Black Bat Orchid is still looking good been inside for awhile and I have not killed it yet so I guess that is a good sign. Don't see any signs of flower yet but I can hope!

With all my outside work done it is time to sit back and see what Winter will bring.

Not much left blooming around the house except my roses and my butterfly bushes. The fall colors are not what they have been in the past falls a lot of brown and yellow that's about it. I am still seeing a very small amount of butterflies even saw a Monarch flutter by the other day.

One of the new birds I got this year was a Junco.

 And the bumble bees are doubling up on the butterfly bushes. :)

And the other day while sitting on the deck this young hawk decided to makes it's self shown in the yard.

It seemed to get a bit annoyed at the clicking noise from the camera so decided to  move down into the lilac bush to try and hide.

Did not work I still found him :) Everyone have a great Wednesday! Jana

Spent most of the day relaxing and watching the birds. Seems like, as the weather turns a bit cooler more new birds show up. I have so many Golden Finches right now that 3 finch socks do not seem like enough. Seems the more I put out the more show up.

I am seeing Sparrows, Juncos, Robins, Woodpeckers and Chickadees. Along with Nuthatches, Flickers and Hawks. I laughed so hard at one little red-breasted nuthatch today that went through this whole routine just to get one seed and fly off. It was like watching it do an aerobics workout.

Now there is thunder and lightening and the sun is gone and so are all the birds. Getting so much needed rain. But wanted to share some of the birds with my GG friends!

Of all the things I never thought I would see a butterfly emerge in October. I been watching the last 3 but figured they would not emerge until next spring. Took a walk around the yard on October 11th coming up on the house I spotted a Common Buckeye that had just emerged. I have seen many right after they emerge this year...but never thought I would see one this late in the year. There are still 2 left wonder if I should still keep a close eye on them.

Was taking my morning coffee break on the back deck this morning...wrapped up in warm sweats and a heavy sweatshirt LOL just not ready to give up! I heard my neighbor's pointer dogs  going crazy a normal morning and evening event. Heard the neighbor cut up through the field and head back to the woods across the road. 

These are his woods and he trains his dogs back there.

I do not mind that but I do not allow hunting on my property or do I allow his dogs to run through my property. Anyway as I am sitting enjoying my coffee here comes my little friend. I guess you can say I am it's safe house. Whenever the neighbor is out training his dogs my little friend shows up and hides in my shed.

When the coast is clear I will see it head out of the shed and back into the woods! One smart Quail. :)

Finally I got my first White Lined Sphinx Hummingbird Moth! I was so excited I almost fell out of my deck chair. I was so afraid it would be gone by the time I ran into the house and got my camera. But it stayed for a long time.

Enjoy!!!

This year is the first year I have really had the time to sit back and enjoy nature and all it brings. Moving my business back home was the best thing I ever did! I now have time to enjoy the small things I used to take for granted.

Before I would tend the flowers but did not get to enjoy the small things that nature brings to the flowers.

Before I would see a butterfly flutter by but just did not have the time to enjoy the beauty that they bring.

Before I would see spiders, bees and other insects and walk the other way. Now I stop and take a look.

Before I would see the birds at the feeders...now I take the time to watch them a bit closer and I am amazed at the things I missed.

Now I stop and take the time to see the beauty in all God's creatures... some would say it's just a dragonfly... but I say it's so much more!

This weekend I had to go to a Birthday Party and decided to take the scenic route into town. As I was approaching a small piece of land I have seen many times I saw something that made me chuckle.  Over the years I have seen someone take very good care of this piece of land each year it has a small veggie garden...a old water pump...and a single white chair placed in the shade. That's it nothing else. 

Now I know someone takes great pride in this piece of land it is mowed at all times. Never a limb or even a twig on the ground.  I have never actually seen anyone there before but you can just tell by looking that hard work and pride is attached to this piece of land.

After seeing what made me chuckle I began to wonder if the buckle out by the old pump was used for something else all these years :)

The roses seem to like this cooler weather for right now. Yesterday after I settled down from my little bee episode I went out front to deadhead the Roses and check on the Asters only 2 things left blooming in the front garden. And boy are the roses going crazy I have buds and blooms and they are going strong.

But have one that tops them all my hot pink bush has 3 in bloom and 2 buds but one of the roses is the size of a small saucer. I have never had one this large before almost made me want to cut it and bring it inside...but I left it for all to enjoy that drives by.

Sad to think that before long I will have to cut them down a bit and cover them up for the winter. So going to try and enjoy them as long as I can before the temps drop below 40.