Wonderful Waxwings

I had a wonderful treat the other morning on the way to water aerobics.  There are mature holly trees lining a walkway to the recreation center and there are other trees in the lawn that are now budding.  I heard the high pitched squeaks and chirps immediately.  I looked up and there in the trees was a flock of probably 75 Cedar Waxwings.  A friend and I stood there admiring them for a while before going on to the pool. 

When I was leaving, I heard an even greater chirping uproar and discovered that the flock had grown exponentially and there were HUNDREDS of waxwings in those trees.  I watched, just mesmerized, wishing I had my camera.  Then I thought, what the heck, I'll go home and get it and maybe they'll still be here when I return.  Home to change clothes and grab the camera and run back. I lively only a couple of miles from the rec center, so it doesn't take long. 

Cedar Waxwings 

There was no way to begin to capture all the birds in the trees and flying around. 

I've never seen a flock like this and will be lucky to ever see it again. Waxwings winter here in the south in small flocks but migrate northward for nesting and disperse throughout the countryside. 

Hubby and I noted our seventeenth wedding anniversary this week. No great celebration but amazement as to where the time has gone. It's also time to figure out where our summer travels will take us.  Such a dilemma!  

Y'all take care. 

Sneak Peek

Where does the time go?  Seems like its only a blink and another week or month has gone by. 

Winter is hanging on here.  We are expecting temps well below freezing tonight, so I'll be hauling the plants inside a bit later today. I'm letting them enjoy the sunshine for now.  And it is wonderful to have sunshine at last.  We've had lots of dreary, gray skies this winter. 

I'm finally back to my quilting.  I'm working on a Double Slice Layer Cake pattern making a new coverlet for the bed in our RV.  It won't be finished before our next trip, though. 

It's always interesting to see your own home through the lens of a camera.  At least it is for me.    I wander around the house thinking how I want to change this, or move that and pictures seem to be the best points of reference. 

Y'all take care. 

Recent Happenings

The very first bird I saw this morning was a Red-Breasted Nuthatch.  There's been an  irruption of them this winter and they are being seen all over the south, even down to southern Florida.    With all the Razorbill sightings, it has made for interesting birding. 

At long last, the mainstream newspapers are paying attention to the effects of climate change on wildlife.  In today's paper there was an article discussing how animals and birds are having to adapt at record pace to keep up with their changing environment.   Birders and other conservation folks have been aware of this for several years. 

Our birds (and squirrels) have been such gluttons lately that I let the feeders get empty and left them for a few days.  It forces the critters to clean up some of the feed that has been slung out onto the ground.  It took less than a half hour for them to find the feeders had been refilled. 

We've had other recent visitors to the yard, too. 

I bought what was supposed to be a squirrel proof feeder but mine was obviously defective.   My friend bought the same brand and hers has a round of mesh on the top that mine doesn't have.  Hers won't let the squirrels in.  

I have since covered the top where he was able to enter with wire mesh and they've been kept out since.  

A couple of weeks after his first visit, the bear returned and although I did not see him that time, there was evidence of his visit next morning. 

That poor birdbath looks awful there.  The crud grows in it so fast in all the warm weather we've had in what is supposed to be winter.  It has been cleaned up and looks much better now and reset.

Y'all take care. 

Hardly a Hair Left

Oh, frustration and bother!!!     I've spent the morning  amongst HDMI to HDMI micro, SATV/USB combo, to USB to USB, and my mind is just spinning and I'm ready to pull my hair out!! 

I got a Kindle Fire HD for Christmas and am enjoying it immensely.  I've used it to start to catch up on the Downton Abbey series.  I used Netflix for Season 1, but they don't have Season 2 yet.  So, thanks to Susan at Blackberry Creek Home Arts , I went to YouTube for Season 2.  I can watch it here on my computer but I figured since I have an HD TV that I'd prefer to watch it on the big screen.  Hence the need for a new cord.    I've got the Kindle hooked to the TV just fine, but since I haven't downloaded the Dolphin browser yet, can't use it to access YouTube.  

Now, I went to the documentation that came with this computer where I can access YouTube, of course, to see if it had an HDMI outlet.  The diagram included one.   However, I did not notice the small asterisk beside it which indicated "on some models" and guess what?  Not on my model.  

Now, my solution is either a new cord using USB ports, or finally get the Dolphin browser downloaded onto the Kindle.  I tried to do that this morning, but got a message that it wasn't compatible with my device.  However, all the Kindle support forums say that its what you have to have to access YouTube and Flash.   Arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhh!!!!!!!!!!!!!   I'll figure it out somehow. 

Now, if you recognize all this agony, you have my sympathy.  If  you think I've suddenly started speaking a foreign language, count yourself lucky and keep it that way!! 

Hubby was "helping" and I told him that trial and error, reading and research was how you learned how to do this stuff, it isn't magic like he believes.  He believes I can answer any question or solve any problem he has with his computer -- like magic.  His comment?  "Nothing is worth hours of frustration like that."   Hmmmm.... maybe I'll remind him of that next time there's a problem with his computer that he wants me to solve. 

Now, aren't you glad you stopped by for a visit this morning?   Just kidding.  I'm always delighted when folks stop by.  Thank you. 

Y'all take care. 

Loss

Loss.  It comes into all our lives on little feet, sometimes sneaking up on us and other times charging in like a tornado.  Either way, the result is the same.  Our lives are changed, torn up, upset and rearranged, never to be quite the same again. 

I lost my favorite uncle on Saturday.  We knew the end was coming soon, and were amazed that he held on as long as he did.  He was married to my mother's youngest sister and had been in my life all my life.  Never was there a time when he was not part of me.  Now, I'll miss his laughter and his hi-jinks.  One more pillar of stability and security that has gone, leaving the family with the necessity of standing on our own just a bit more, without the reassuring knowledge that there was someone to help us when needed.  I miss you, Uncle Earl. 

Blogland lost one of its stars yesterday.  Leontien Van de Laar lost here courageous battle with melanoma and is now in a better place, healed of that scourge.  I never met her in person, but her spirit and determination were inspirations to me.  They still are.  A member of my cyber family is missing and it is as real as though she lived next door. 

FLOWERS FOR LEONTIEN 

There may be folks who cannot understand the connections we form here in blogland.   That's their loss, I believe.  My day would not be complete without checking in with my friends here and letting them be part of my life. 

I wish you all peace and happiness in this new year. 

Y'all take care. 

Slip, Slide, Slip, Spritz, repeat

It is my practice, as a quilter, to wash and iron my new fabric before using it.  Let me tell you, however, it can get way ahead of you if you don't pay attention!   And I wasn't paying attention.   I've got stacks and stacks of fabric that needs to be washed and ironed.  Now, some people just go ahead and use their fabric as they get it, but I like to do my best to get rid of any crooked rolls on the bolt and to get rid of any excess dyes that might be in the fabric.  I definitely don't want to have any bright/dark color running the first time its washed and ruining a quilt.  Today, for instance, I washed yards of a dark blue mottled batik.  It is gorgeous fabric but the excess dyes released in the wash turned two color catchers nearly dark blue.  Can you imagine what that would have done to a quilt?  I shudder to think.  

Sorry for the fuzzy pic!  I must have moved the camera.

Anyway, I've spent a lot of time the last few days on this chore.  It is so satisfying to see those lovely stacks of beautiful fabrics just waiting to be sewn. 

Anybody want to volunteer to come do the remaining 5 drawers (plus more) of fabric??

Y'all take care. 

Merry Christmas 2012

Let me wish all of you the most Blessed of Christmases. 

May the New Year bring you peace, good health and prosperity. 

Y'all take care.