One Thing After Another

Haven’t been posting or reading blogs for awhile as there has been a multitude of things going on around here. There was the neighborhood rummage sale last week that I organized , Father’s Day and the accompanying party held in our backyard last Saturday, helping my 90 yr. old father which is almost becoming a constant lately and now a few dog problems. Regarding my dogs, Chaps, my 15 yr old chihuahua has been having some incontinence problems that the vet is successfully treating – and I’ll be doggone (ha-ha) if little Jenny, my 3.5 lb’er isn’t now having piddling problems! This piddling started right after we got her this past February but lately has gotten worse. This seems to be an involuntary problem and mostly when we go to pick her up. Now you may think “well just don’t pick her up” but in dealing with this little thing, there are many times that we do need to pick her up……when she is on a walk and a big dog is coming towards her, when she wants to get off a high bed in the morning, when she refuses to go outside because it’s raining or because the temperature isn’t to her liking and many other times too numerous to mention. The vet has done blood and urine tests and we are waiting for the results. As you can imagine, these “specific” problems lead to much cleaning and washing of floors. I have to admit to getting a bit overwhelmed but love my dogs enough to work through to a solution. I am working on not getting overly excited when one of these accidents occurs, as I have noticed Jenny running away frightened of getting hollered at and then finding her like this…….

Empty Nester Again

Well it happened, I’m an empty-nester again! The 3 robin babies and 2 robin parents that we have been sharing our patio with have deserted us.

It’s not that I didn’t expect it. My last blog was barely posted when the next day I went outside to see the first baby flutter down to the ground and immediately hide in my deutzia plant.  Turned around to see this….the second baby who was sitting on one of our new outdoor chairs (we hadn’t even removed the plastic yet) and within seconds he/she also took off to a different part of the yard.

At this point I whip my head around to see the last of the nestlings, standing tall and contemplating exactly it was where he would head for….which turned out to be a crash-landing onto the grass. Both his father and I were distressed to witness this but he was fine. Papa Robin immediately ushered him under some of our hosta plants.

I could hear the 3 babies calling out to their parents periodically through out that day, all in their various hiding places and their parents dutifully would bring them food.

Today, 3 days after they left “home”, I still see and hear them from time to time, always with a watchful parent not far.

Honestly it was so endearing to watch nature at it’s finest. I just loved it!

Wondering why I feel so sad then……..

The Robins Nest In My Backyard

My last post was about a robin’s nest that is located very close to our back door and is occupied by mom, dad and 3 of the cutest baby birds you have ever seen.

To think that when they first built there, the beginning of May, I was worried about the mother abandoning the nest after she got a load of my 3 “charging-out-the-door” dogs, but she has gotten quite used to all of us.

Then I was worried about all the windy days (sometimes gusts of 35 mph) and cold nights (plenty of 40 degrees). Every night I would lay in bed and brace myself for the possibility that either the nest would’ve blown down or the featherless babies wouldn’t survive the night. So each morning I would hesitantly open the door to find her, still sitting on her precious eggs and then babies  so patient but I’m sure wishing it would warm up.

 

Well in the past week, we have finally warmed up. Thank the Lord, the looong winter is finally behind us!

 

The robin parents are feeding frequently, whether we are out there or not.

 

My dogs can even be sunbathing on our brick patio, not far from their nest and they aren’t bothered by them.

I suppose one of these mornings I’ll go out there and they will be gone. I watch them stand up in the nest and stretch their little wings that are not completely feathered yet,  readying themselves for their coming adventure.

I’m enjoying watching this little bit of nature – and I’ll miss them when they leave us.

Congratulations to Us !

We’re expecting! Yes, that’s right, we are excitedly anticipating at least 2,  probably 3, but possibly as many as 4 new lives around here!

Oh wait, maybe you misunderstood, (or maybe I wanted you too –ha ha )- but what we are expecting is a nestful of baby robins!!

Mama and Daddy Robin started building the nest on Monday May 2, atop a floral decoration I have hanging on the back of our house. The nest is sturdily built under a large patio roof.

 

   By the 4th there was no sign of them so I thought maybe they had second thoughts about building so close to our back door, that we come and go thru a million times a day.

 

Well by the 7th they were back and this time the female was sitting tight on the nest so I think that means there are eggs in there.

 

It’s going to be fun to watch this beautiful gift of nature but I have to admit to obsessing at my husband…”don’t slam that door, you’ll scare her!”,  or “does the grass really  need to be cut again? You’ll scare her!”, and the one that really gets him..”you can’t sit on the glider! you’ll scare her!!”-----the glider is directly under her---and he loves to sit on it.

His idea – and I guess I have to admit he’s probably right – is to just carry on as normal. After all, she was building the nest as we came and went so she must have realized what she was in for. But still……

 

……uh oh, have to go……hear the lawn mower starting up out there….doesn’t he realize he’ll scare her!!!

Jealous Jenny

You can be quite absorbed in either TV, reading or anything else when you are suddenly aware of a low, quiet growling and Mike standing by you, holding onto one of his little stuffed animals in his mouth. This is the signal that he wants you to toss it across the room. Since he is so hard to resist, we find ourselves accommodating him, putting down whatever we’re doing and getting down on the floor with him to play.  Sometimes we get in a good 20 tosses or so and sometimes he quits after 2 or 3 throws…?

And then again, sometimes, he just wants to lay on his back and have you scratch his chest and talk to him.

This used to be Mike’s special time until Jenny decided she should join in…..and Mike being the passive personality, he would just leave and get back in his bed. I Didn’t think this was fair, and that Mike sometimes needs to have undivided attention.

The other day my husband had just gotten down on the floor to play with Mike when sure enough here comes jealous Jenny, trying to come between the 2 of them. I gently scolded her, telling her to give Mike “his space”. She listened and  found a place to oversee and still be close at hand……just in case she was called "into play”.

                                           

Rummage Sale

 My neighbors and I are planning a neighborhood rummage sale the beginning of June, and I am in the midst of gathering and washing items that I want to sell. Have been going thru the basement and now need to get into closets, cubbyholes and the garage attic. Trying to get my husband to go thru his things but he is just sure that everything little thing he has, he either needs or will certainly use in the future.  (uh huh…..)

I don’t have that problem. If I haven’t used it in a while or have no further interest in it, I don’t have a problem either selling or donating it.

I’m not as into houseplants as I used to be – so out goes my collections of pots, stands, hangers, tools, lights and other items. I will be happy for the space.

 

I find some kitchen items that I don’t want, an older hotplate that I never use,  drinking glasses that no longer fit in my new quest to have only clear (looks better thru my glass cabinet doors),

 

and oh those zillions of coffee cups that somehow accumulate – out lots of them  go, so I only have 6, the amount of cup holders I have.

 

I’m not one for selling clothes, maybe only if they still had the tag on, and I don’t have any of those. I usually “use-up” my clothes pretty badly. So no, no clothes.

My son will bring over some of his outgrown little girls’ clothing and that always goes over well. Also toys.

My sister will bring lots from her mother in law’s broken-up housekeeping and hopefully she will do well with that.

Haven’t really been involved in one of these for many years – and haven’t really stopped at one either, so hopefully I won’t overprice or underprice anything. I guess it’ll be trial and error.

Talking to neighbors, they have tvs, furniture, lamps, clothing, outdoor game equipment etc. to sell – so we should be pretty varied.

Chance to make some extra money and clear out unneeded items. Whatever is left we will donate. Should be fun!

 

Just look how excited these 2 are!!

 

It Is Almost Easter, Isn’t It?

Haven’t had much to blog about lately. Wracked my brain to come up with something….so I guess I will just go with what’s new around here – and that is absolutely nothing!!

Don’t know if this ongoing winter is getting to me or what…… oh wait, that’s right, I forgot…..it’s spring. ha ha

Woke up to snow covering the grass – that’s right it’s April 18 and we’re still dealing with snow and sleet!  Not only that but it is supposed to be cold all week, 30’s every night. aarrgghh!!!!!

When I feel like this, I try to remember that lots of people have it worse than me…..how about those awful tornadoes yesterday in North Carolina?

And I’m sure that the Japanese still recovering from earthquakes, tsunamis and nuclear fallout would laugh at my problems.

I know, shame on me……

Now that I’m properly humbled and embarrassed by my selfish attitude, please excuse me while I go shop for my Easter outfit……woolen hat, scarf and mittens

Happy  Easter