Something new

Garry has recently built a woodworking shop so he’d have some place to keep all of his tools together. Or perhaps it’s so he’d have a place to work on wood projects. Anyway, he has been enjoying having a place to work on different projects. Building the shop was a major project as he tore down an old house for the lumber to build his shop. He was able to use the siding from the old house, so it looks like an old building ‘grew’ in our yard. It’s a fairly tall building as he built a storage loft on the top. Seems we never have enough storage. Although, at times I think we just have too much stuff. Both of us come from packrat backgrounds, so it must be genetic.

This is a picture taken while he was working on it. Since then he has added a porch onto it. Gives him some outside space to work on some things. Plus I think it gives a more finished look to the building. I’ll have to take a picture one of these days and share.

The something new I wanted to share is a kitchen island that was brought into the house today. Garry used bead board on the ends and the doors, then the top is butcher block type using leftover pieces from our hardwood floors. I’m very happy with how it turned out. Now I have to make the tough decision of what to store inside. But don’t worry I’m up to the task. I couldn’t seem to quite get the right angle for the picture…probably because I wanted to show the sides and the top. I’m sure it gives you an idea of what it’s like. There are doors on both sides which is really nice.

Just realized that also gives you a glimpse of the hardwood floor in the kitchen. Our oldest son, Mark, put it down diagonally for me. I really like hardwood floors. This one being diagonal gives it a different flavor from the other rooms.

Now I’m thinking we need a table in the living room to fit under the window. Wonder if I can find someone to build it for me. Just might be a possibility.

Thank you all for your comments last time. I really appreciate them. Soon as I have time I’ll do what my daughter, Anna, suggested and use Photoshop to put the title onto my header. That should work better. I did that for one of Garry’s blogs, but since I’ve slept a time or two since then I had forgotten about doing it that way. Might even select a couple other pictures and have them ready for whenever I want to change things around.

That’s all for now. It’s bedtime here.

Just a quick note

 

This is just to let you know I’m still around. I had planned on writing tonight. Then started trying to change the set up on here. It was just taking more time than I liked, especially since I’m a bit of a computer illiterate. Finally decided to let the picture stay as it is even though I’m not happy with it. I don’t want it behind the title, yet if I select any other setting the title disappears. So for now it is what it is. I took the picture a couple days ago. We have been seeing these Tiger Swallowtails around quite a lot.

Things have sure changed around here the past couple weeks. The Redbuds are nearly through blooming. The dogwoods still look beautiful, but appear to be fading somewhat. Trees are leafing out. Our maple is putting out lots of bloom, so I’ll be sweeping the deck regularly for a while. All of the green is such a welcome sight. It has also been warmer…a few days even felt like summer. This week is cooler. Today it rained most of the day. Right now we’re in a break between storms. The second one is forecast as being stronger, so we’ll see. We’re beginning to hear thunder from the distance.

We’ve seen these beauties the past 3 days…Rose-breasted Grosbeak. They show up as they migrate through our area. Haven’t seen a female yet.

  Caught this guy in the Chestnut Oak. Not real clear, but I kinda liked it anyway. And, yes, it’s raining. That didn’t stop the birds.

Also wanted to share my gorgeous May Night Salvia that’s beginning to bloom. That’s Garry’s workshop to the right. Our house to the left.

That’s enough as I’m still hearing thunder. Not real close yet, but… We like to unplug things when ever there’s lightening and thunder close. Losing one computer on the farm (our sons) was enough for us to learn.

Bye for now.

Just Monday

Today has been a chilly and rainy day. I don’t think the temperature got above the mid 40’s. And with the dampness it just felt cold. Even my grandchildren who tend to go barefooted and in short sleeves whenever it’s above freezing told me it was cold today. We kept a fire going in the stove all day.  It felt good to stand close to the stove and just soak up that warmth. Here’s a photo of the stove I enjoy cooking on. That’s a pot of chili sitting on it cooking…was a few weeks ago.

Today I cooked a pot of beans on it. Then made cornbread muffins baked in the wood stove oven. Made for a yummy supper.

Anne and I are planning on going treasure hunting on Wednesday. We’ve been trying to go once a month. This Wednesday is to be a beautiful day weather wise…sunny and 65 degrees.

It is sure looking a lot like spring around here. The daffodils have been blooming. Didn’t realize I had so many until they started blooming. I need to thin some of them and plant in other spots. The yellow of the daffodils is so cheery after a cold, gray winter. The lilacs are leafing out. Noticed growth started on the roses. The phlox are growing, also the blue flax, dianthus, cat mint, mums, salvia, irises, and a number of others whose names won’t come to me. When we have a sunny day and I’m home, I need to take some pictures.

Rain and Video

Today is a rainy day. Thankfully it’s not storming or even windy. It’s just raining.

Garry and I just watched a video that I’m sure some of you would enjoy. It’s about Hummingbirds showing things about them I never knew. Here’s a little bit about the actual film…this lasts around 9 minutes. For some reason I had difficulty locating the video on their site, so here’s the link to save you the same frustration. It takes a bit to load. At first I thought it wasn’t going to unless I agreed to donate, so be patient. AND enjoy seeing those amazing little creature up close. It runs approximately 50 minutes.

Here’s a photo of my Hummingbird vine, also know as Cardinal Climber from last summer. Figured since I was on the subject of hummers it’d fit.

CSN Store Giveaway

Just thought I’d give you all a link to my daughter’s blog where she is ‘hosting’ a one-time-use $70 gift certificate to use at CSN Stores. I was just looking at all the things they have to offer. One of her requests was to leave a comment with what you’d use the gift certificate for (although you can always change your mind). There are just so many things that it’s really difficult deciding upon any one thing. I looked at a lot of things, still don’t know what I would buy if I win. So go decide what you could use that $70 gift certificate for, then visit Anna’s blog and tell her. You might even consider following her on Twitter and tweeting the giveaway link…I have to figure out how to do that. Mentioning it in your blog is worth 5 entries. It would sure be neat if one of you won.

Today has been a rainy day. It started raining about 4 this morning, then continued a good part of the day. Right now we’re in a break then another deluge is coming. Our area sure needs the rain as we are several inches behind normal. The last Garry heard it was still 4 inches behind, so this rain may catch us up to at least our normal amounts. Whether it brings the water table back up to normal, I don’t know.

The girls, Snickers and Precious have been being quite the nuisance at night lately. It is so funny how they both get up from wherever they’re sleeping when I start getting ready for bed. They’ll follow me from room to room, or sit in the hallway watching. THEN as soon as the light is out and I’m in bed they start running up and down the hallway, jumping onto the furniture (hear the chairs rock) and wrestling. Thankfully they don’t continue too long. Then along about 4:30 to 5:00 in the morning they’re apt to start up again. If I walk into the room where they are, both will hide from me. Silly girls!!

Snickers on the left and Precious on the right.

 

Okay, it’s time for you to mosey on over to Anna’s and enter for the CSN Stores giveaway.

Monday all day

Today has been one of those dreary gray days except for a few moments when the sun peeked out. The sun showed just enough to tantalize us into thinking we were going to have sunshine. The temperature was in the low 60’s. It was quite windy. I did laundry, but decided to hang it inside because of the wind. I’ve had clothes ‘torn’ off the line on a windy day. And it just didn’t appeal to me to have to rewash OR mend anything.

Saw a picture of a wringer washer that reminded me of when I used to use one. It was quite an adjustment going from an automatic to a wringer. Water, or lack thereof, was the main reason. I did finally manage to acquire a front loading washer which used considerable less water than a top loader. Was I ever thankful for it. At one house we lived there was no water on the property. There was a large cistern that held around 2000 gallons. We had a 500 gallon tank, so hauled water from town to fill the cistern. The winter was the hardest as we couldn’t always get the tank up our driveway and close to the cistern for dumping. Needless to say, we learned to conserve water.

Someone posted a video on Facebook this morning. I thought some of you, especially the cat lovers would enjoy it. I think it’s adorable.

Patty cake

Bird Feeder

 

This video should explain why my bird feeders are emptied so quickly. This is a continual thing. Especially when there’s snow on the ground or it’s below freezing. Right now we have snow and below freezing temps. I’ve given them extra feed today, as I just feel so badly when they run out.

 

Pronouncing Wisconsin City Names

 

This video made me think of Toodie, so had to share. There were some I could pronounce, but only because my daughter and son-in-law live close to them. Plus my son-in-law works in Waukesha. 

 

Award from JennyD

 

Jenny, I finally went and ‘grabbed’ it. Just copied and pasted onto here. You took a lot of effort to pass this around and help us all learn to know one another better, so I couldn’t let you down. Now I’m sure no one can tell that I’ve been putting off doing this.

Seven things about me:

I’m the oldest of 5 children…have 3 sisters and 1 brother.

I grew up near a border town (Ohio/Indiana). Was born in Indiana (hospital on Indiana side of state line). Lived in Ohio, and had an Indiana address because the Post Office was on the IN side of the state line. I’m happy to say they’ve now fixed the address thing…if you’re on the OH side you have an OH address. I always thought it was kinda neat to live in one state and receive mail addressed to another.

My High School class is having it’s 50th reunion this spring. Okay, so now I’ve aged myself.

I love to go barefooted in the summer. Even walk on the rocks…albeit, very carefully.

I have 2 cats and 1 little dog. Have to admit I’m more of a cat person than dog person. Probably will never get another dog…on purpose.

I thoroughly enjoy cooking on a wood stove. Often wonder what my grandmothers, or even mom would think of that. It seems they were quite happy to quit using a wood stove for cooking. I enjoy it so much we bought a 2nd smaller wood cook stove to put on the porch for me to use during the summer.

While growing up my one goal was to someday be married and have children. I did achieve that goal. Have been married for 46, nearly 47, years. Have 4 children, 11 grandchildren. AND the first great grandchild is due in May.

Well, I didn’t number them, but I believe that’s 7 items. Amazing, made a list and didn’t even mention that my favorite color is blue. Or that I enjoy dishes that are blue. Fact is, that usually is what I’m looking for when Anne and I go treasure hunting…blue dishes.

For everyone who reads this. Just clipboard/paste the award, put it onto your blog and list 7 things about yourself. The deal is to pass it on to 15 more people. Don’t think I know 15 beyond the ones who have already done this. So this is on the honor system…

I’ve enjoyed reading the things you all have posted about yourselves. Some things I knew, others if you mentioned them I never picked up on it.

That’s all for now.

Wash day…

Laundry is all washed and hanging up to dry. It will be ready to fold in the morning. Don’t ask me why I do laundry on Monday, because I can’t tell you. It’s just become a habit that I rarely vary. A little over a year ago I started hanging things on racks to dry in the house. Just out of curiosity to see how much electricity it would save. It cut our bill by 25%, so I felt it was something worth continuing. Of course, in the summer I hang things outside. For winter I have 2 drying racks plus 2 lines up in the multi purpose room, known as the 2nd bedroom without a bed. It’s a sewing room, play room, storage room, TV room, guest room (futon), and drying room. Now whether it’s a guest room or not depends on who is staying. If it’s the kids or the grandkids that’s the room they use. If it’s someone who has a hard time with using an air mattress, then Garry and I sleep in there and let them have our room.

Today has been somewhat rainy. With the temperature in the 40F degree range. We don’t mind not having more snow.

The birds finished ‘off’ their feeder today. I have one filled and ready to put out in the morning. They are 5# feeders. Which means 10 days to go through 50# of sunflower seeds. At $25 per bag that’s $75 per month. Better than the $150 per month, but still a bit pricy. I’m thinking maybe I’ll acquire one of those tube feeders with perches for 6 birds and see what happens…haven’t decided for sure.

The four grandchildren spent some time here today. I was repotting some house plants, so the 3 younger ones entertained themselves by cutting and gluing paper. Made envelopes and just cut and glued for the fun of doing so. After I finished the plants we put puzzles together. I have several 25 piece puzzles that the 4 year old enjoys doing. The 9 year old and I worked on one a bit more challenging…100 pieces. It’s small enough to be finished and put away before they go home. The 7 year old helped, too. The nearly (10 days) 14 year old likes to read, so she did that. Anyway, it was rather nice to have them for a while.

Tomorrow I need to bake some bread. We are nearly out. I usually make 4 loaves and put 3 into the freezer. I’m thinking that tomorrow I’ll make 3 loaves and use the rest of the dough for pizza. Pizza just sounds pretty good.

Okay, I’m quitting for this time. Have a good whatever time of day it is for you! 

Technorati Tags: birds,bread,laundry

Yikes…

…who would have thought bird feed would go up so much?!? I enjoy feeding the birds, well, to put it more accurately…I enjoy watching the birds. Before we ever left Illinois, I had started putting food out for the birds, so it was just a natural continuation when we moved here to Kentucky. Last Friday, Garry went into town to buy chicken feed. I sent $20 (expecting change) with him to buy a 50# bag of sunflower seed. When he returned home, he told me the decision I’d been wrestling with about feeding the birds had probably been made for me. The price had gone up $7. At the rate the birds have been eating it would take a 50# bag every 5 days. They feed a lot heavier when it’s so cold and with snow on the ground. I just haven’t felt I could continue at the same rate, but was concerned about cutting them down when they were depending upon it. THEN, I read a Q&A in a bird magazine that was addressing the issue of being gone and not filling the feeder…would the birds starve. The answer was no. They only eat approximately 20% of their diet at a feeder. And they will move on when an area no longer has the food to support them. I was glad to read this as it meant I wasn’t consigning them to starvation by cutting back on what I put out. Although I might have been consigning us to starvation by continuing to feed them. Well, not really, but….

So we decided that we would keep the suet cakes out and fill one feeder each morning. Yesterday the feeder was empty by 3pm. Today there was still nearly half by the end of the day. So maybe it’ll work. If we have snow cover I’ll probably put more out, as it is, the snow is nearly gone thanks to a couple days in the high 30’s, low 40’s.

We have a lot of birds around here. At times there had to have been 12 – 15 (they won’t hold still and let me count) on each feeder (have 2), more on the deck rail, and probably 30 or more (I’m leaning toward the more) sitting in the tree waiting their turn. Even had a few extra visitors: had some brown-headed cowbirds (late migrators) spend a few days; and common grackles, most often called black birds. Discovered we also have White Crowned sparrows and Fox sparrows…both are ground feeders, so they were making sure nothing went to waste along with the Juncos.

I have some pictures that might give you an idea of the number of birds. Some goldfinches, purple finches, and female cardinal at the feeder. That’s the greenhouse skeleton in the background.  

This is showing the railing, as well as feeder.

Here are some sitting in the tree waiting for their turn. More are to the right and higher up as well.

At the other end of the deck is another feeder with a similar story. Needless to say we have lots of birds around here. I’ll still be feeding them, just not as much so they’ll hunt for more on their own.

Well, I truly hadn’t intended to be quite so wordy about the birds. Since it’s bedtime and I’m quite tired, think I’ll call it quits for this time. I do have more to write about, so will try in between doing laundry and other things around here tomorrow.

Sleep well!

Now we know…

 

This is from one of my husband’s favorite cartoons--- Pickles.