Day 105 - 14th April 2012- Saturday, Birds and Stuff

The temperature is +1.0 this morning. Looks like a sunny day ahead, actually the next few look fine. Today's list of fun things to do include grocery shopping, setting up Mom's Kobo e-reader and Larry has bottles/cans to take to the depot. Guessing that will clean out his tool shed! We are going to try the every two weeks of grocery shopping and will head to Barrington this morning where they have the luxury of two stores to choice from. Rah!Rah! I really don't want to shop every saturday come summer so this may work out nicely. Of course we'll take our cameras with us, never know when a side trip maybe in order. Perhaps Cape Sable Island or Port LaTour or who knows where!Of course side trips depend on how much better Larry is feeling.

Yesterday was a nice day, sun was out mostly but there were a few dark clouds and a little shower. Made some carrot cake cupcakes with cream cheese icing after lunch. Haven't done any baking for a while and got the urge. Larry perked up and actually spend some time outside, walk with Lexi in the morning and then they went fishing after supper [no trout were caught, he started to feel chilly so headed back]. Thank goodness. He still is complaining about a headache but it seems to be sinus related and has a lingering cough, hopefully both of those will disappear in a few days. He's heading back to work Monday.

The Mourning Doves are all over the place, this one flew from the road to the telephone line.









The Mayflowers are abundant
now, all in bloom along the sides
 of the road.










Sitting high in the tree again, if I wait quietly near the feeder perhaps they will come back down.

The Purple Finch arrived at the feeder.

And some friends joined him. However, they didn't seem to be getting along terribly well.

The lake and sky were lovely last night after supper. Now, truthfully where else can you find such beauty and peacefullness.

A pair of ducks even made an appearance for me. Haven't seen them for a few days.

I can see the sun rising softly over the lake through the trees, muted shades of yellows and pink rise through the sky.  Time to get things started.

Enjoy your day!

Day 104, 13th April 2012 - Stormy Skies, Birds and Flowers

The temperature is a bit cooler than yesterday morning at 0.7. Got to love our weather it bounces all over the place. Apparently there was an earthquake Wednesday night about 175km off of Cape Sable Island; some parts of the county had hail yesterday but all we had was some rain showers. I slept in this morning, it was kind of nice not to get up until just before 6am, but now I feel like I'm running behind.

So yesterday I still had the sick husband roaming the house. Oh I truly hope he is back on his feet today. He did feel a bit better last night so fingers crossed. Not sure if we will both survive another day of this. I don't think he has ever been sick with something this many days and that in itself frustrates him [and me] except when he broke his leg and that's a whole different thing. That time he was laid up for months, but didn't whine. I'm hoping for the best that he awakes his old self , no negative thougths! Photography class was fun last night, it's nice to see every one's  photos and how they see things.

Yesterday morning one of the trees in the yard was alive with these little finches. It reminded me of a "charlie brown" Christmas tree decorated in gold ornaments. I counted 25 once. It was hard to get a good photo from the kitchen window but you can see a few of them, look close as some are hidden in the branches.

The antics of the woodpecker. He's back in the power pole again, and I mean in the pole! What do you think is in there?

The purple wood hyacinth is almost in bloom. Opening a little bit more each day.

The white one is a just a little further ahead, but there are some which aren't ready at all.

The sky was dark and ominous in places and bluer in others yesterday, just depended on which way you looked.

I'm out of time this morning, have a teleconference at 9am, and still have reports to read before it starts. I guess that's what happens when I sleep in!

It's Friday once again for all of you working people, the weekend is nearly upon us again!

Enjoy your day!

Day 103 - 12th April 2012 - Memories, Old Houses and more Blooms

Thursday and a very mild morning indeed, temperature is +6.1, that sounds like summer mornings. Better not say that too loud it may snow tomorrow! Just joking. Looks like they are giving some showers for today. I am hoping Larry is on the mend, as I've said before...... a sick man around the house is not a good thing. Not sure why, when women are sick they have to keep moving, but men just whine. Oh well, he really doesn't get sick often, maybe once every year or two, so I'll be sympathetic for another day.

Today would have been my Grandmother R's birthday, she passed away in 2008 shortly after her 90th birthday. It's her journals I sometimes read through. They lived in the country for many years and I was fortunate to spend most of my summer vacations and holidays with them. Being the only girl in our family she spoiled me. That's not a bad thing grandmothers are meant to indulge, but it also means that I have wonderful memories that I cherish of things we did together and things she taught me. She was the one who persevered and taught me the only left handed child in the family how to knit. She loved to play cribbage so I learned that at an early age. Making fudge, dropping a small ball of fudge in a glass of water to test for doneness. Reading her journals for this reason, they bring back the sights, sounds, feelings of childhood and later.

Looking down John Street towards the harbour. There are some beautiful old homes in our town. There are walking brochures available at the Museum that will take you through the historic section of town telling you about many of the original houses dating back to 1783+.

A very calm and quiet morning on the harbour front. Just a little bit of fog hanging from the sky.

What a difference a day and some sunshine makes, the flowers are starting to open. The purple one should be open in another day or so, too.

The Vinca is flowering as well, small but bright among the leaves of last fall.

I am a sucker for reflections in the water. Although in a month or less this will be much prettier once the leaves are out on the trees. The lake is low, you can see rocks and shoreline not usually found this time of year. The ducks have beeen avoiding me lately, I guess they have lots of wide open spaces these days.

The daffodils among my old fashion rose bush are starting to bloom. It's a great combination, adding some color to a bleak area until the the leaves pop out and rose buds start.

Daylight is coming slow this morning, it's overcast and grey looking, hopefully the sun will join us later. I am wondering why I've started sneezing again.......hope I've not caught this cold back. Photography class this evening, so need to pick through some of the shots I've taken this week. Time to get started. Enjoy your day!

Day 102 - 11th April 2012 - Kitchen, Blooms and the Sick

The temperature was +1. this morning, but I see it has dropped a tad since I first got up. Definitely a little chillier than yesterday, but still not bad. They want some rain for the new few days, we can use it so I shouldn't complain. Another wednesday and I am off to town this morning. Next week will be my last week home, then back to work. I hope the weather is nice and I can enjoy some outdoor time.

Yesterday was a beautiful day, +21.5 here in the afternoon. Buzzed around in the morning doing some spring cleaning once I tossed Larry back to bed with drugs and cough syrup. I even took a chance a put away my downfilled winter jacket. Then I headed outside around noon to work on weeding out one of the flower beds. Got most of it done, but have to wait until a few more things come up to decide whether I am pulling weeds or flowers! Sat on the deck for a half hour later on, made my sandwiches for the meeting, supper then headed to town.

The mostly finished product, still have the floor and knobs. A few stools for around the counter would be great. I'm really happy with the job Larry did. I have a pantry too, so many next year we can reno there. Umm.....am already plotting.

And we took the doors/drawers off the cupboards and made new ones. Hoping to replace the countertop where the sink is this summer.

The sky was blue with a few fluffy clouds and the lake was even bluer.

Am thinking it won't be many days now and this will be blooming.

A close up of the lichen on a tree, kind of cool when you look at it like this.

Love these little flowers, even though they are small they pop right out in the yard when I look  from kitchen window.

Hoping Larry feels better when he gets up this morning, having a sick man around the house is not the funnest thing. Sorry, but that's just the way it is. I thought he was feeling better late yesterday afternoon but last evening he was suffering again from chills, which was probably brought on by going out. Packed him off to bed when we got home with some cough syrup and cold tablets and didn't hear from him all night, or I slept through it. Just poured another coffee, so time to get moving.

Enjoy your day!

Day 101 - 10th April 2012 - Tile, Woodpeckers and Buoys

Another mild morning, temperature is +3.1, spring must be here now. I need to kick myself in gear today and finish up some odds and ends of projects, cleaning etc. Hopefully Larry will feel up to being outside part of the day and I can work inside. He coughed most of the night so I'm guessing he is now getting what ever joyful [not] virus is going around. I had a bit of cough last week with the headcold but it didn't last long thank goodness. The other option will be to pop him back in bed out of my way, but we'll see how things are. Having the house on my own for  a few hours means I can whiz through and get a ton of stuff done quickly.  I have a meeting in town tonight, so need to make sandwiches to take.

We got the tile work all grouted yesterday morning, love the look of it. It was a messy job, like make mud pies as a child! Before supper Larry got the moulding around the edge all painted. The kitchen reno is clearly getting done. I need knobs for the doors/drawers, floor painted, a few new stools and sometime this summer we will get new counter top for the old part of the cupboards. Overall it's not been a really expensive project, a lot cheaper then it could have been if I had purchased all new cupboards. In that case I would still be waiting - budget restrictions!

Just a sneak peak, will try to get some better pics today.

The path through the woods was alive with birds yesterday. In fact a chickadee almost landed on me, which probably would have given me a heart attack. As much as I enjoy taking photos of birds I am really scared silly of them. It's that flapping wing motion that does me in. I wasn't really expecting such activity and felt a little like I was wearing cement shoes as I didn't move fast enough to get them all.

The funny little nuthatch, always seems to be upside down or sideways, and moves very fast.

One of my favourites, the woodpecker. He's such a great bird to take photos of, so easy; he just ignores you most of the time and lets you adjust camera settings. Maybe he's just a little vain.

I think this is so cool, I caught him as he was taking off.  I love the whirling effect, you can see the bars of white through his wings.

You don't often see the woodpecker roaming around on the forest floor, usually they are up in trees, so was happy with this shot.

Something a little brighter in front of the lake, which was otherwise rather dull yesterday.

Well, have had my jolt of coffee, guess it's time to get things started. Enjoy your day!

Day 100 - 9th April 2012 - Gardening, Birdhouses and Ornaments

Good Morning! I can't believe I've made it to day 100. Seems like I just started last week. Just goes to show how time flies by. The temperature is  +3.6, that's certainly a little warmer than it has been the last week, but the weather forecast is for showers this morning. Maybe it will clear this afternoon. I'm hoping this morning will have grouting on the list of fun things to do. Tile is on, moulding is up on the sides so time for the final step. Maybe in the next day or two there will be photos of the finished product. We still have the floor to paint yet, but no point in doing that until the rest is finished up. Hopefully he can do that some evening and it will dry over night, or we may have to do it in sections. I'm going to leave that up to Larry!

Had a great meal yesterday at Mom and Dad's. Nice to have part of the family together, even if all of them couldn't make it. Of course I went home and put on something containing elastic in the waistband. Dessert is my favourite meal of the day and when there is Khalua Cheesecake and a trifle, yes I had both. Really who can make a decision!  Don't get me wrong the ham, veggies, etc were fantastic but dessert is definitely the highlight of my day!

It's also the time of year to get ready for gardening. Larry has started some of our seeds in the house. A little later than usual, but most years he starts too early and we end up with having to move things into pots rather than cell packs because it's not time to put them out and they are too big for the house. In that case we put them out during the day on the deck, back in at night. So far his "cheddar" cauliflower has sprouted. Rarely can we grown vegetables of regular colors they have to be a bit exotic looking - purple carrots, cheddar cauliflower, purple brocolli, burgundy beans - you get the idea. My father is of the old school of gardening and just rolls his eyes.

There are some new spring like garden ornaments cropping up around the neighbourhood.  Ah yes, I've been roaming around yards again!

These will soon be in bloom, they are growing and getting bigger everyday, providing the white stuff that came from the sky yesterday doesn't make them crawl back into the ground.

Not much going on with the lake - greyness and cold, a ripple or two from the wind. The water is low this spring, lower than I think I've seen it in a long time this early in the year.

We should soon see a new family moving in to this house. It's about that time of year. They will be scouring the neighbourhood for bits and pieces to decorate their new home for the season.

Some of you will be having an extra day off today, although I think the stores, banks are open, but schools and government offices are closed.

Enjoy your day!

Day 99 - 8th April, 2012 - Good Food, Friends and Sunsets

Awoke this morning to a temperature of 0.0 and a dusting of snow, like icing sugar sprinkled over the deck and yard. Feeling a lot better as well.  We are off to Mom and Dads this afternoon for Easter Dinner.  Easter seems to become very commercialized almost like Christmas. The simple things of enjoying family and friends aren't as evident anymore, but perhaps I am wrong. When we were children, there was always an Easter egg hunt, some chocolate Easter bunnies and eggs, a new outfit for Sunday School and often a kite or skipping rope. I'm not sure you can even buy kites anymore but they were lots of fun. It was also fun to decorate eggs before Easter,  you could buy the kits and dye them or put designs on them. Mom would hard boil eggs for us to do.

Well some of you will know about my little  rate I had yesterday at our local grocery store - Sobeys, as you were there when people began clapping.  It's difficult when there is no competition and a giant has a monopoly on something like groceries. I like to go through the grocery flyers that come every week and work on my list from that. This week it started on Saturday because of yesterday's holiday. But at 9:15 am they either were out of some things or never had them to start with. Then there is the meat issue, no ground pork, turkey or chicken - Larry put the buns back we aren't having burgers tonight for supper! I don't eat beef so ........... there is no alternative. Besides the others are so much leaner and better tasting. Try it if you can ever find any. And when Barb asked me if I knew where the jelly beans were, I proceeded to have a little rant! And several people started to clap! I don't blame most of the staff, in many cases head office sends them what they send them. And is the a reason that something can't stay in one place more than 2 weeks in a row. Are you people bored?? Do you need to move everything around constantly? So enough of that. I'm going to start doing one week of bread and milk, next week to Barrington where they have 2 grocery stores - options, choices! Will I be able to handle that!

On a better note we ended the day with a wonderful supper at Barb & Daryl's with Irene & Billy. Nice to see old friends and laugh the evening away.

There are more mayflowers in bloom now.

So small and delicate they are lovely and often one of the first wild flowers of spring.

The pussy willows are pretty well finishing up for the season. They are so soft, just as their name implies.

Daffodils are in bloom close to the sunny side of the house where they are more protected from the elements.

A winding country driveway.

The sun is beginning to set.

Almost black and white with just a hint of color in the reflection on the water.

An old house stands alone on the hill as the sun disappears behind. It looks lonely and unused.

And so it was time to go back to the house and enjoy friendship and good food.

Take a moment to remember the true meaning of Easter Sunday. Enjoy your day!