Oh, What a Beautiful Morning

Oh, what a beautiful morning!   Oh, what a beautiful day!

Can't you just hear that song now?   And the bluebirds singing??

Its another gorgeous day here in the mountains.  There's lots of foggy mornings, but it usually burns off very quickly.  I just came in from replenishing a hummer feeder.  The little buggers eat voraciously.  

I've been hoping to see critters here and a few nights ago I got my wish. 

We had just finished dinner when I happened to look outside and this is what we saw.  I've seen does with twins before, but this is the first time I've seen triplets.

Pileated Woodpecker 

A week or so ago, I was sitting outside with my coffee and taking in the the morning when I heard pecking.  I got up and looked around the end of the house into the trees and saw a pileated woodpecker.  What a treat.  Then, to my amazement there was movement a few feet away from that bird and there was another one!!!!  Obviously a pair, or at least I hope so.   I've heard them frequently and seen them flying but that's the only time I've seen them so close up.  Just thrills me to know that they're in the neighborhood. 

I feel like I'm living in a tree house.  There's trees all around, except for my wonderful views, and up here on the main level I don't see tree trunks much.  It's all branches and leaves of all kinds.  I haven't unearthed my tree book yet so that I can start identifying the ones I don't know.  Hmmmm....wonder what box that thing is in?

Anyway, I'm one happy camper right now.  Hope all of you are the same. 

Y'all take care. 

New Digs

Hello dear blogger pals.  It has been a whirlwind, let me tell you. 

From June 25 to July 26, we went under contract on a new house, negotiated the sale of our old house, closed on the purchase of the new place, packed up our 15 years of accumulation and MOVED 450 miles.

Needless to say, this has consumed all our time and energy. 

Somehow, the pile of boxes doesn't look so big in this picture.  Maybe that's because we were busy unpacking the ones in the kitchen at the time. 

On Friday we finally got all the boxes out of the living room and got the furniture arranged.  My great niece and her family were stopping in for a short visit yesterday, so it was a great incentive to get it done.  

I know that as time goes by I will be rearranging things all over the house.  I haven't even begun the process of putting the downstairs half of the house in order.  

My stepdaughter and her husband (who helped us move) started the repainting project down there but just didn't have time to finish it before they had to leave.  Hubby will be finishing it up this week. 

When the company was here, I snared the two young men to move some of the furniture around downstairs and give me a head start when I finally get to the unpacking down there. 

I'm sitting on my front porch right now listening to the raindrops dripping from the many trees nearby.  The clouds are forming, changing and disappearing over the mountains in a never ending dance.  Try as I might, I haven't gotten a good shot of the view.   Yet. 

cloud/fog layer in the distance

There are tons of ruby-throated hummingbirds coming to the feeders.  The other small birds are around but haven't quite gotten used to the feeders yet.  The prior owners left in October for the winter and due to circumstances, never came back, so the birds have to learn the routine again.

I have longed to live with hardwood trees, rolling hills and four seasons for nearly twenty years.  Even when we built the house in Florida, it was a stopgap measure until a later date  Then, when the agreed upon date came and went, health issues for hubby cropped up and delayed the move for a few more years.  Finally, it was just time to do it or forever relinquish that dream.  I couldn't give it up, so here we are.  

I sure hope all of you are having a wonderful summer.

Y'all take care