Come and Get It!

This feeding station on the outside of our kitchen window brings hours and hours of enjoyment. There is Always some little woodland creature perched there having a feast. Squirrels, chipmunks and birds of every variety find their way to our buffet made just for them.The birds are a little more camera shy but the squirrels and chippies seem almost tame. This week they have feasted greatly--I've been shelling pecans and they have gotten all the leftovers. It's amazing how quickly they can get every little bit and leave the hulls clean as a whistle! I just sighted our first Goldfinch of the season--still in it's olive drab winter clothing but not for long. The bright gold that makes them such a thrill to see will be coming soon. These are the pleasures of Winter.

Preparing a Soft Down-Filled Nest!

 Mr. Squirrel is on a mission! Mrs. Squirrel has told him under no uncertain terms that she wants a warm, comfy, insulated nest and he had better take care of it! So as a result my old down pillow is being torn apart and he is following orders! Do I care? Well, I did love those old pillows [yes, there were more but they are already in other various nests in the trees. I never know if there's a bird dropping a feather on my head or if it's part of my old cushions.] And a picture is worth a thousand words. I dare say I will enjoy these pictures much more than the pillows. There was never time to use them for resting. And it was time for new ones anyway. [Although since these did have such extremely nice stuffing I would have probably leaned toward having them recovered.] No matter, there are other pillows to be found and in the meantime Mr. Squirrel has fulfilled his husbandly duties and Mrs. Squirrel has a nice warm house for the coming babies. [I'm sure there are babies planned, these squirrels seem to be very adept at producing.]

Although it's January of 2013 I still have my Christmas/Winter arrangement on the front door. I sometimes do a basket of just greenery and red berries for the finish of the cold months but this evergreen and neutral look appeals to me so it shall stay longer.
I am actually just taking my tree down today. Or at least getting it taken apart and the ornaments put up. I didn't get to enjoy it before Christmas, life was too hectic to even give it a glance. So the last couple of weeks I have enjoyed it tremendously along with the gas logs and natural garland enhancing the mantel. My tree reflected the same look as the front door piece, I do try to coordinate to some extent. But it's time to take it down. Always a tad bit sad to me but I also enjoy the spacious feel it gives to the room when it's no longer gracing the corner. Candles are lit, fireplace burning brightly, and "Brandied Fruit" is on the lamp ring making it feel cozy and sweetly scented. It seems a better time to take a nap instead of taking the tree down but I must continue! Otherwise, my resolution of "not procrastinating" would already be broken!

A cold start to a New Year--January 2013

 I'm pretty sure I've expressed my dislike of cold weather at some time or other. It's no secret, I deal much better with warmth. I work better, play better, relax better with sun and heat. However, winter has it's place and now is as good a time as any! I do get a rest from the gardens [although to see them you would think I've been resting plenty--they need work!] and my mind needs some rest also. 2012 was a tough year. Although I have "semi-retired" I am apparently doing it all wrong. I worked way too much and too hard and missed out on a lot of my normally enjoyable activities. This year I have vowed to do better, to get some of that "balance" I've been talking about and to have more time to myself. No one believes me. I don't blame them, I've cried "Wolf!" way too many times. But I take my New Year's resolutions very seriously and to achieve some balance is one of them. Wish me luck!

This New Year will bring two major changes and additions to our family and we are very excited! First we will get little Nora ELLEN. [The Nora is silent.] Megan and Logan are having the first baby, the first grandchild, great grandchild, and great niece. Patti is beside herself, we all are. Then Forrest will be marrying in October and Michele will become a treasured member of our little clan. So as our family grows and is blessed by these wonderful events to come I give thanks. Even if my feet are cold at the moment.

Meatball Weedman

 I haven't focused on CARE [Covington Animal Rescue Effort] in my writing only because I sometimes need to get away from it, it absorbs most of my time now. However, I think Meatball deserves his story told. He's a wonderful little slew footed guy that we debated on pulling from the pound. Not because we didn't want to but because finances and foster homes were nil. No money, no place to put him. But that thin dejected little creature spoke to me. He was just so tired. I think what he had in store for him might have been welcomed by him at that point. I donned him "Meatball" on the spot and immediately delivered him to the vet where he had all vetting including a heart worm test and of course

he was positive. Again, no money, no place to put him! We had the treatment done [after yet Another fundraiser] and still no available place so I actually bought another kennel for him. He filled out with love, care, fresh food and water and his brittle dull coat softened until he felt like velvet. We had the little guy for about a year [once CARE rescues we rescue--they do NOT go back to the pound after a designated time!] and he got adopted!!! Now you may ask how could we let him go after so much time? Didn't we love him? Yes. We did. But my job as a foster mom is to be a halfway home and get these wonderful babies Out of the pound. We don't adopt them out because we don't love them, we adopt them out because we Do love them and to make room for others. That's it in a nutshell. So I did the adoption myself. Well. He got loose and ran off. I was devastated. It was here in the County so every day I went and looked and looked and looked. There were "Meatball sightings" but he wouldn't let anyone catch him. Getting discouraged and so tired I almost didn't go back that afternoon but thought, "What If.......?"  So I grabbed a dirty T-shirt that I had cleaned his kennel in, some of his bedding, and set off thinking maybe the scent would bring him to me. Apparently it and the higher powers did! A friend that was helping was about to leave and I was leaned against her truck when here came little slew footed Meatball right to me! So back home we came and home he stayed. He is now officially Meatball Weedman. I believe with all my heart that he loves us and Knows he's here to stay. There's a whole new attitude and happiness exuding from him, he dances with joy, we call it the "Meatball Dance". I don't know his history or where he's been but I know his future--love and care and a place to call home. So that, folks, is what CARE is all about.

A Place to Reflect

Since I'm all about reflection this time of year and since I Love sitting areas we have a new one! This darling table and two chairs were at Upscale Resale in Covington, the store where I have The Rose Garden room. No way was I passing it up, I had the perfect place--the corner of one of the little back porches off the new addition! It's been a little cool for sitting there in the mornings but by mid afternoon it's the perfect spot for a cup of coffee with Bailey's. I've made lists on this table, drawn floral designs for the shop, and I'm enjoying it tremendously!

The Autumns of our Lives

I've always heard the "old timers" say that a lot of berries on the trees and shrubs mean a hard winter is ahead. If that's the case we have a cold one coming! I'm personally not a fan of very cold weather, I freeze, but there are some aspects of winter that I love. Sitting in front of the gas logs and looking at the incoming seed and garden catalogs is one of my all time favorite things to do. It's the time when you can dream of a perfectly weed free vegetable garden with rows and rows of heavily laden vines of tomatoes, peppers, eggplant, and whatever else your imagination plants. But we're not quite at the point of gas logs. Right now it's a damp cold that's causing the leaves to turn color quickly and fall overnight. Our adopted Honey Girl loves this weather and you can hear the leaves crunching as she chases squirrels and chipmunks. All the fosters seem to enjoy the break in the heat, we had a terribly hot summer. The chrysanthemums are loaded down with blooms and the dogwood trees have more berries than I ever remember. Soon the cedar waxwings will be flocking and devouring every red berry they see. I love their Lone Ranger masks and exotic looks as they strip the color from the trees.

So Thanksgiving just around the corner and the thought of Christmas right after that brings a moment of reflection--

a lull in the hectic pace that my life seems to have taken on. A time for thought about next year and what I want to change and what I want to accomplish. I think I plan more resolutions this time of year than New Year's Eve. 

Autumn has always seemed a bit bittersweet to me, the end of color and production in the gardens, the end of the Season of Life, so to speak. Yet I love this time of the year. It's restful. And heaven knows, I need some rest!