A different way of making hay???

I was driving down a 2-lane highway shortcut, to the main 4-lane  highway, when I spotted what appeared to be the strangest hay baling I had ever seen before.  I had seen hay baled with plastic wrap before but not quite like this.  I had to stop and take pictures.  These were not as big as the usual round bales I see in pastures, before they are hauled to a central point and lined up.  They appeared to be considerably smaller and the white plastic complete enclosed them.

 

They were stacked up neatly on top of each other along the fence row, not on their rounded sides, but on the flat end of the bale.

I then saw someone was driving along and picking up the bales to deliver and stack them.  The contraption on the front of the tractor was not the spike that I was used to seeing, for the more common large, round bales, but a pair of pincers, looking much like hot dog tongs you'd use on a barbeque!

I talked to the driver who told me that the bales are completely sealed so as to keep out excess moisture, but also to prevent mold and mildew from occurring within the wrapping.  Too much moisture can produce heat, which can turn into a fire within the hay.  Barn fires have been known to occur due to improperly cured and baled hay.

I learned quite a bit in school about how to properly care for hay, but there are always new, better, more efficient methods being discovered.  Along with new, better, more efficient machinery.   This was the latest wrinkle, for me. 

The Food Chain

I went out this morning to feed the horses.

Then I fed the birds.

Then I fed the dog.

Then I fed us.

The order isn't important.  The important fact is that it seems a good part of my time is spent feeding things!  And if not feeding, then buying feed for those eaters.  But then I can't NOT feed stuff. 

Of course people need to eat, and I am a "people."  The dog needs to eat because she is in our care, by choice, and it's our responsibility to keep her healthy.  Same with the horses.  We own them, so it is our duty to keep them fed too.

The birds?  Well, we started years ago, and they seem to expect us to keep helping them out.  No, they probably wouldn't starve if we took the feeders down, but we'd feel bad, especially when the ground is covered with snow, ice, etc, and their feed seems to be at a minimum.  Besides we enjoy watching them eat, and counting the species we've attracted.

Do we enjoy watching the horses eat?  Probably not.  The dog?  No, probably not.  Each other?  No, probably not, unless we notice some really bad table manners, and then we're forced to watch, and make commentary.  Well, we not forced to, but I can't help myself, usually.   I admit, sometimes I'm a bit bourgeois.

Then as I threw scraps into the compost heap, I realized, I'm feeding the worms, too!

Here's your sign...!!!

Okay, the above title is becoming a hackneyed phrase, but in this age of ever-changing technology, which has some people verging on helplessness, I think this time it really applies!

I volunteer at a Nature Center which is at the end of a road.  There is a sharp right hand turn into the Center's parking lot.  The road visitors turn off, used to be a frontage road that emptied onto the highway, but has since been closed (for many years now) and has very obvious signing, barriers, etc.

There was an incidence whereas a "visitor" was watching their GPS and ran right into the sign and warning posts.  This picture was taken a few days later, after the damage had been repaired and the car bumper removed from the scene.  You can see where the dirt and gravel were churned up.

                               

Here is an expanded view.  You can see the road turning into the Center.

 

Now GPS units have been criticized for giving the wrong information occasionally because they are programmed incorrectly, or street names change, streets are added, and information is not updated, etc, etc.  But I do not believe this excuses a person for just watching/listening to the GPS and NOT watching so see that the road is indeed disappearing before their very eyes, AND run into things.  Did the driver think they were going to bend over and flatten as if they were on hinges?

 

Fortunately no one was hurt, but did they not SEE THEIR SIGNS???!!!

 

My kingdom for a knish!!!

 

The Knish Factory burned down!
 

I kid you not! In New York City!

 

It’s been a couple years since I’ve been in New York City, and I specifically went to see the progress at Ground Zero. I had previously visited there the April after 9/11, and several times since. On that aspect, I was amazed at the beautiful new buildings being erected, and the memorial itself.

 

But of course when you’re in New York, there are different, fascinating foods to explore, and a few old favorites that are not available just anywhere. Usually we visit a deli that was only a block or so from Ground Zero, but since the new buildings have been erected, we lost our way. So we decided to eat from one of the many corner food carts. I had thought that if we had found our “favorite deli” I would get a knish, an interesting Jewish pastry. I probably haven’t had a knish in over 35 years. But a good one, you don’t forget!

 

Since the deli was no where to be found, and we decided on a different venue, I read the menu choices on the side of the food cart, and lo and behold, they sold knishes!!! BUT, when I asked for one, the guy told me, and I quote, “…the knish factory burned down.” A likely story I thought. Here it was 2:30 in the afternoon, and he probably just didn’t have any, either because he sold out, or he never carried them and it was false advertising. So we went to a second food vendor. Same story, the knish factory burned down. AHA, they’re all in cahoots.

 

Then I saw this sign on a vendor’s cart…omigod, it’s true…the knish factory burned down.

 

 

So my question is, doesn’t any one make knishes themselves, at home, or in the back of their store??? I hope the factory is rebuilt before next year, because it would appear, knishes are important, as a staple in the diets of New Yorkers, and to me, and not necessarily in that order!

Elaine was bitten by a copperhead!

Oh, Elaine is our corgi, dog that is... 

Not the first time we've had a dog get bitten by something venomous, and we assume it was a copperhead since that's the only venomous snake in our neck of the woods.  We were mowing one of the pastures, and our dog usually follows us around looking for small mammals (especially rats or mice) that get run out of their hidey holes by the mower.

When we were through. about 2 p.m., we noticed she was walking unsteadily from under the front deck of the house.  Then we saw her swollen head, which she had trouble holding up, and her eyes were mostly shut. 

You can see a faint tinge of blood too, but that probably came from the two rabbits she had killed previous to the snake bite. 

We decided, from previous experience with another dog, to just monitor her progress, and make sure her airways were open.  Sine most animals get bit on the head, that is the most likely cause of distress...not being able to breathe due to swollen closed air passages.  By 6:00 that evening she looked better.  But her face is still obviously swollen.

 

Today she looks even better, and was running around barking, and contemplating chasing the horses.  She has edema under her chin, and may have draining later, but she's almost back to normal.

So what should someone expect if their dog gets bit?  It would depend on the size of the dog, and the type of bite received.  Copperheads are not know for "bad" bites, and the fact that animals do not react as frantically as humans do, I believe, aids in their recovery.  Of course you need to monitor the animal's behavior closely after the bite, but in this case all's well that ends well.
 

Giving 4 gallons, a pint at a time!

WOW...

I got my 4-gallon pin today for giving...4 (FOUR) gallons of blood over the past few years.  Now that's a lot of blood, since the average human body only carries around 1 and a half gallons (or about 5 -6 quarts.)

I started when a friend said he had given over 100 times already (he started VERY young) and I thought...I could do that! He's still giving, so I'll never catch up, I fear, but that's okay!  If you do the math, 2 pints equal a quart.  Four quarts equal a gallon, so that means I've given at least 32 times. 

I'm also a very desirable donor.  I'm O- (oh negative.)  I can give blood to anyone.  Plus, I'm known as a "baby quad" donor, which means my blood is the most desirable to give to a new born baby.  They can accept all blood, provided it's the right type, but mine does not carry the CMV (cytomegalovirus) virus.  From what I read, this is a common flu-like virus that's often found in the body, but rarely manifests itself; however, it's extremely undesirable to introduce, though a blood transfusion,  in babies, who have no immune system yet.  I could yet contact this virus, and then my blood would just be O-, but for now, I'm a doubly-wanted donor.

I can only give every 6 weeks, so if there is an emergency, and it's not the right time, I have to wait.  The blood center usually calls me though when it's time.  And somehow I have a 6th sense that also tells me when it's time. When I do go in, I "bleed out" quickly, so I can be in and out in about 15 minutes from the introductory testing (amount of iron in my blood, pulse, blood pressure.)  Plus the fact that the phlebotomists (the blood takers) do this so often they are very good at hitting that vein, and not hurting (too much.) 

Another added benefit is that I get a cholesterol check, every time I give.  It's not totally accurate since I don't fast for 24 hours ahead of time, but it does have meaning, and I take it seriously.

If you're squeamish, this may not be for you, BUT you don't have to look at the bags of blood.  I never see mine until the technician is gathering up all the equipment after it's over and even then, you can ignore it. 

Lest I forget, you also get a snack and a drink on your way out.   That's another incentive!!!  Cookies!!! 

Joined a gym today...

Well actually I joined a couple months ago, but it takes so much time, I have no time to write!  Now that just is NOT true!!!    But it sounds like a good excuse.  Anyway, back to the gym.

I have to admit I thought it would be all spandex, and svelte bodies.  Never thought it would look any thing like "Biggest Loser" where everyone obviously has some weight issues, except for the trainers.  I was pleasantly surprised.

Many, MANY people are just not in shape.  No, they're not morbidly obese, but there were quite a few big people there.  What depressed me was how well they carried themselves, and how much they worked out, and how hard!  I was winded after the first half hour (the first day that is) and they were going, and going, and going.

 I have since increased my stamina, and have been working out at least 5 days a week, for an hour.  Thought the pounds would just drop off, like the "Biggest Loser", but noooooooooo.  Oh my clothes do fit a bit differently, and everyone (?) knows  muscle weighs more than fat, but I want to see results in the way of numbers, on the scale!!!

So back to the big picture.  Of course there are a couple "beautiful people" that go.  The kind who have perfect bodies, perfect skin, perfect hair, perfect tans, and look amazing in spandex...but they're in the minority.    The rest of us are nondescript, doing our best, and that's the bottom line.  We're trying!

The most fun event is walking the upper course track around the basketball/volleyball and watching the little kids below play basketball, or volleyball.  The athletes of the future, keeping fit, and having fun!

 

Dodging a bullet twice in 10 minutes!

No, not me, but some very, VERY lucky driver who probably needs to review Rules of the Road again!

As I was going down a very flat, straight (some slight hills) 2-lane highway, a Chevy HHR passed me as I obviously wasn't going fast enough (60 mph in a 60 mph zone.)  There was a car in front of me, also going about the same speed.  There were also cars coming the other way.  The first car, in the on-coming lane, had to hit the shoulder as the HHR pulled back in to their proper lane.  Obviously they thought they were faster than oncoming traffic.  This time they made it.

Then, a few miles down the road I saw that same car pull off the road in a hurry!  I thought they had "almost" missed their turn off as there was a driveway up there.  Nope, they were in the ditch, and it was a healthy deep ditch.  I stopped to see if I could help, but they kept gunning the motor and muscled their way out onto the road.  At one time they did slide back on a bit of a severe angle, and I thought for sure they were going to tip over.  Those HHRs must have a very low center of gravity.

When they finally did get on the road, I thought I heard the familiar flup, flup, flup of a flat tire (or tires) as they drove a few yards, in the opposite direction they were originally headed, and turned into a driveway.  I can only assume they had a blowout?  And if this was the case, weren't they lucky to not have the blow-out when they were speeding down the highway, and quickly pulling in front of the car in front of me, when they were passing in close proximity to oncoming traffic!!!

The first pic shows the skid marks as I passed them.  I didn't take the pics right away, and so the black is not as "vivid" as when it was brand new.   The first pic is how the skid marks look going in the direction of the car's original route.

The bottom picture shows what it looked like on the way back from my trip.  You can see a mail box, on the left side, down a few hundred feet.  When I passed by, the HHR was at the house at the end of the driveway which belongs to the mailbox.  Guess their hurry to get out of town got them about 10 miles down the road, and totally disabled.  

Last week I almost had a run-in with a person obviously texting, on this same road, and swerving all over, speeding and slowing down.    I used to think that people had accidents on curvy, hilly roads, but it would seem, the straighter and flatter, people take more chances. 

Time for a glass of wine...at home...

Bah humbug!!!

After working retail during the Christmas season for several years now, I can appreciate how a person can get burned out, when on the "receiving side" of the register.  Normal rudeness increases exponentially at this time of the year.  Common sense just flies out the window. 

 Just how important is that gift anyway?  I can hear you saying...

 ..."I knocked an old lady down, but I got the gift!"

..."I totalled my car on the way to the Mall, but I got the gift!"

..."I maxed out my credit card, but I got the gift!"

..."I couldn't afford to donate to the Bell-ringers, because I got the gift!"

..."I didn't make the mortgage payment, but I got the gift!"

TV, radio, newsprint all screams that we should get that "special someone" the gift at all costs, but how important is the gift, if all those other variables appear.

There's an old lady that could have been hurt.  A car that should have lasted for a few more years.  A debt that didn't have to be incurred.  A charitable donation that may have bought a cup of coffee for someone who couldn't even afford that.  A house that didn't have to go in to foreclosure. 

These are all hypothetical scenarios, but they can and do happen.  Just because someone wanted to get the gift.  Couldn't/wouldn't the received be happy with just any gift?  As long as it was given with love, and care, and sincerity?  I could and would be.




 

Dead Santa

I was driving to a garage sale, in a middle-class neighborhood, when I saw my first dead santa on the ground, in front of an otherwise nicely decorated house.  Further down that same street I saw a dead snowman, and some dead elves. 

I was sure that this was the work of vandals.  That people without the Christmas spirit had indeed probably sliced open, or shot BB pellets at these poor, forlorn inflatable forms we see at Christmas.  What a way to deflate your Christmas spirit!  And this surely did not look like the kind of neighborhood that such things would take place.

Then, later that same day, I went to another garage sale, in an even  nicer neighborhood, miles away from the first "killing field."  The same thing...dead santas everywhere.  And this neighborhood even has a resident cop in their midst.  At least the squad car was parked in front of the same house, as was seen on a previous ride through.  How could we have so many vandals roaming the streets causing mischief?

Then a light bulb went off!

These inflatable santas, and snowmen, and elves, are all kept inflated due to a small air pump that they're attached to.  And to conserve electricity, the home owners are turning off the pumps during the day, hence the inflatables DEFLATE, and thus cause the seeming carnage of dead santas. 

It's still an eerie sight, but now I know the cause!

What next?

Sheesh...if this doesn't beat all! 

We park our cars under a nice, big oak tree next to the house.  Sorry, no garage, or car port, just the wide open spaces.  So during a (not so recent any more) rain storm, one of the branches broke off the tree, and fell on the jeep.  Or rather fell INTO the jeep.  Who could have predicted this happening?

Yep, a tree branch right through the top of the jeep.  What are the odds of this happening?  Why didn't it fall horizontally rather than vertically?    Of course our auto insurance deductible is as much as the cost of replacement, so the burden of fixing it was on our shoulders.  We opted to get a large tire patch (as is used for semi-trailer tires) and patch it that way.  Actually looks quite nice, and it's waterproof!

Oh, if you notice the "rubber" snakes on the dash, and visor...those are just for fun!
 

Olive oil...and it worked!

I have a confession to make.

I made brownies last weekend as a thank you for some people who had done some good deeds for me.  They were from a store-bought mix.  I did read the package to see if I needed milk, or eggs, or whatever to finish the mix.  I did need eggs and so I bought a dozen.

What I neglected to notice was that I also needed oil, preferably vegetable oil.  I didn't have any.  I didn't buy any.  I didn't want to go back out and buy any either, as it was a long day, and I just wanted to finish the brownies!

I did have olive oil, extra virgin olive oil.  High quality olive oil.  Expensive olive oil.   And it is a vegetable, isn't it? 

So I figured that I would try it, and taste sample the mix before I put it in the oven to bake.  It seemed to taste fine, so I made the brownies.  After they were cooled, and cut up, I again sampled a small piece.  Still seemed just fine, and so I delivered the brownies and went home.

I did save a couple for my husband.  I did not tell him how I made them.  Of course as soon as he saw them, he had to eat one.  I held my breath.  He pronounced them very, very good!  I then told him what I did.  He said, if anything they were not as overly sweet as usual, and he appreciated that.

I don't know as I'd do that again, as olive oil is more expensive than vegetable oil, but if I do, I'm still not going to tell anyone. 

You want hummingbirds?

Try planting this flowering vine!

This is growing on our fence.  It's native to the area.  It's known around here as Trumpet Vine.  Huge orange flowers, with deep throats for the hummingbirds.   Can become a nice woody vine, with rather large, stout stems.  I've also seen a yellow variety, but orange seems to be more prevalent.  I don't know how it propagates naturally, although I do know you can take a cutting from a more tender spot, and get it to grow from that start.  I did find these pods on the end of a branch, and so assume it may also start from some sort of seed?

It can spread by trailing branches on the ground or by discarded cuttings.  It can also be considered a pest, due to the spreading, but it is my experience that it's no where the problem that honeysuckle can be, plus it's a much more showy plant.    This particular plant also bloomed twice this year; once in June, and again in August, drought nonwithstanding!

If none of this appeals to you, you can put up the obligatory feeder, in  place that doesn't get direct, hot sun (at least that's what I think), with some trees or shrubbery closeby that they can nest in.  This picture was taken on my covered porch.  The bird was competing with a bee, which if you look closely,  you can see in the picture.    The birds are very bold, and very wary at the same time, and can be hard to photograph with just an inexpensive digital camera!

The bird won!
 

Recycling at it's best!

This is something you don't see every day.  And it makes my heart swell!  This building was in an area that is slated for a new road interchange among other things.  I watched as the contractors carefully pulled off the brick, and I was wondering what their intentions were.  I thought the building was too nice to tear down, but in this day and age of "everything's disposable", I assumed the worst.  I thought perhaps they were just saving the brick.  Then I saw the truck with the I-beams inderneath the building!  They're gonna move it!

This used to be the office of my insurance agent.  He's moved into another facility.  Don't know if he's waiting for this to reach it's new home.  But whomever is moving it, kudos to them as this was a nice building, and I assume moving is much cheaper than rebuilding from the ground up!


 

This is what a drought looks like!

 

This picture was taken from ground level, looking at the "grass" that WAS my front yard. 

 

 

The few leaves of green are some weeds that just won't die.   You may say that the grass looks like it was long and never cut, and so fell over.  Well, that's only part of the story.  It was at the length that we may have cut it, but we didn't, and it started dying before we could, and it's better to leave it a bit long in case of drought, etc.

 

Then the trees started taking a hit.  This is a picture of our cypress tree, which is a water hog, and it's even sitting on or close to a septic (we don't actually know where the septic is for that part of the property; we have 2.) 

 

Obviously turning more than a bit brown.  And this is at the end of JULY!!!  This is a close-up of one of the branches. 

 

It would appear that the tree is trying to hold on, and therefore losing all the leaves down to the tips of the branches, trying to hold on for dear life.  Since this picture, the brown leaves have all fallen off, but the green remains.  Since that time, we've also had about 2 inches of rain, although not all at the same time.  We're expecting more tomorrow, and perhaps next week. 

 

You may ask why we don't water things that are stressed, or perhaps even dying.  The truth of the matter is that we live in the country and are on a well.  If the well were to run dry, we'd have to dig a new one, and that costs thousands of dollars.  If we baby the well, we can get by, and save some money.   Save a LOT of money actually.   The grass will grow again.  The trees seem to be hanging on...we'll know more in a few months, IF we get the rain we still need.  (We're about 16 inches below normal for the year.)

 

If you live on city water, you can water your lawn, flowers, etc, but there is that cost to you.  Well water costs us electricity; city water costs you like a utillity.  And if the grass doesn't need trimming, then you can save money either on your lawn service, or your back, mower and the cost of gas.  To us, it was a no-brainer.

 

This has happened to us before, about 30 years ago.  It was not as bad.  We got through it.  We'll get through this, or adapt to a "new lifestyle."  Time will tell.

 

 

 

Let me tell you about my aneurysm...

...so you might recognize similar symptoms in yourself or others and get help!

It started a few weeks back.  My work demands I do quite a bit of driving.  I noticed that one eye seemed to be a bit weaker than the other.  Thought it was just eye strain from driving.  Then I had what I can only describe as a pressure around my head that was reminiscent of wearing a tight cap.  No pounding, no pain, just a tightness. This had lasted at least a week already.

We went out of town a few weeks ago now, and while I was waiting in line at an event, I had a sudden short sharp pain in my head.  Thinking I was just getting a tension headache, I ran to the car, got out an aspirin, took it, sat down for a few minutes, and then got back in line, and finished the day.  On the ride home, which was several hours, I slept as I was not interested in looking out the window or reading, even though I had a good night's sleep previously.

I thought that if the tightness continued, I'd go to the doctor.  Monday morning I felt better, and worked all week.  That Friday night I was out and about doing what I normally do on Friday night.  I bent down to put something in my car, after shopping, and I got a sudden, more prolonged pain above my left eye.  It may have only lasted a few seconds, but it felt like I was hit in the head with a hammer.  Again, there was no more pain.  I just knew this was something I had to have looked into immediately.

I drove to the fire station, and asked them to drive me to the ER.  They called the ambulance service and I was taken there.  Let me say at this time, my vital signs, with the exception of my blood pressure were normal.  Normal pulse, normal respiration.   I did request something to cover my eyes as lights were bothering me.

Once at the ER I was again given tests that confirmed that my vital signs, with the exception of my blood pressure which was off the charts, were normal.  The doctor on duty was a neuro-surgeon, and he suggested a cat scan.  It was unremarkable.  After hearing me repeat what I had experienced, he decided that perhaps I needed a spinal tap.  It sounds worse than it was.  He explained that there would be no pain, and there wasn't, and the worst thing I might experience would be a headache from the spinal tap.  I could endure a headache, as long as that sharp, shooting pain didn't reoccur.

As it turned out the spinal tap indicated blood in the spinal fluid, and another, more intensive cat scan (actually an MRI) was ordered.  That scan definitely indicated an aneurysm, and surgery was scheduled for later that morning.  All I remember of that is being wheeled into the prep room, talking briefly to the anesthesiologist, and the next thing I knew, I was back in my room, with my head bandaged, arms full of IVs,  talking to Dennis and my doctors. 

The next five days were spent in the hospital, one more day in ICU and then the rest of the time in the neuro-surgery ward.  Except for having to take medicine every four hours, non-stop, and being asked the same repetitive questions (name, birthdate) it seemed uneventful.   I was then  sent home, with medicine that I was to take every four hours for three weeks!   Most of the first week I spent in bed as I just felt too weak to get up and about.   After that I did start getting dressed, and after another week, I ventured out of the house for short periods, or just to sit on the deck, in the shade, and enjoy the cooler weather.

Took the last of my pills on a Saturday, and have not had any adverse effects or withdrawals, so I can only assume they did their work.  The worst part was having to set the alarm for the middle of the night so I could take them.    Now the worst part is waiting for my hair to grow back.  I did get  an impromptu hair cut from Dennis, with my guidance, and it's defintely short.  He suggested shaving the rest of my head, but I was not willing to do that.  For now, I'll just wear a scarf. 

I didn't realize how common aneurysms seem to be until I heard from many of my friends and acquaintances about people who they knew had them, only with much more disastrous results.  All I can say is...know your body, and if you've had migraines in the past, this is SO much more than that!   And don't wait!

Affordable housing

Who says you can't find a nice home at a good price, and not inflated as they were in the late '90s or early 2000s.

I pass by this place at least once a week, and its still vacant!  The location is on a nice highway that they're improving upon as I write.  They're widening the road, and even straightening it.  Right across the street there's a gas station-convenience store, and they even sell bait.  Remember threre are two lakes quite close by.   Of course, there's a bank on the other corner, for convenient local financing. 

You can see from the picture that the highway department put up a drift fence so you don't have to worry about all the street dust and dirt flowing down to your doorstep.  And look at the trees around you.  Shade and seclusion.  This picture was taken in the very early spring; they're much more green now.

Road construction should be finished before the year is out, so get packing!  But don't forget to bring a few tools.  As the sign says, this is a "fixer-upper."

Thank you, Alice Walton!

She's the power behind the new art museum, in of all places, Bentonville, Arkansas of course!  It's called "Crystal Bridges."  And unfortunately, there seem to be too many people who live in the area who know nothing about it, or how to get there!

We went a fewSunday s ago, and everything went "swimmingly" (it was pouring down rain), except the closer we got, the more we knew our directions were spotty.  So we stopped at a few gas stations to ask directions.  Almost no one knew what or where we were walking about.  Although obviously, we did get there.

The museum is all about American art and artists.  A few were immigrants, but they probably came over on the Mayflower, so we can excuse their lack of a birth certificate!

To me, the best exhibits were the original Rosie The Riveter, by Norman Rockwell.  The guard told us an interesting story too.  Seems Rosie was portrayed by a 19 year old girl.  Then Rockwell looked towards Michangelo's painting of "The Creation of Adam" for the musculature he wanted to depict.  Needless to say, Rosie is a bit too mannish, and supposedly Rockwell apologized to the original model for the way he portrayed her physique.  There are also some areas of the painting, that were omitted from the Saturday Evening Post.  I'm not going to say what...if you go see the painting, you'll know!   (...depending upon your age...)

My second favorite exhibit(s) were the Alexander Calder mobiles.  I just love them!  So simple and yet so unique. 

And the buildings and grounds are amazing.  Pictures cannot do them justice, so just go there!  I know Bentonville is NOT a destination for most, but if you're in the general area, or passing through, or passing close by, DO go there!  Oh...did I mention it's ALL  FREE???!!! (Closed Tuesdays.)

Again, THANK YOU Alice!

A case of mistaken identity.

We have mice in the country.  Of course there are mice in the city too, but in the country they seem to get into things, like your car!  And they do things, like chew on the wiring.  And that means a trip to the car repair guys, and lost time, and money spent, etc. etc.  Well, you get the picture.

So when I got in my car the other morning, and looked at the passenger seat, I thought I saw mouse droppings!  Oh no, not my new car!  Damn them...

I got out, went over to the paasenger side, opened the door, looked really really closely at the little black things (turds?) and realized...that they were thistle seeds that fell out of the bag that I bought the day before.

BIG, big sigh of relief!

They're baaacccccccckkkkkk...

The hummingbirds, that is.

Dennis went out the front door (where the hummingbird feeders usually hang) and said one flew up into his face.  I told him that's the way they tell us they're back, and want something to eat!  I had already cleaned out the feeders, and so it was a small matter to make up some food for them this morning before I went to work.  Never did get a chance to ask Dennis if he saw any more today.  I watched the feeders for a while, when I came home from work, but no one showed up.

At our old house, I had a window above the kitchen sink, and they'd hover in front of it when they came north for the summer.  Again, signalling they were back!

Interesting story about their arrival times...we have a local gal who is certified to band hummingbirds.  She gives demonstrations at the local Nature Center a couple times every summer.  She said the earliest she ever saw a hummingbird was in February, and NOT this past February, when it was so warm, but last year, when it was in the teens and twenties.  The hummingbird had probably, she surmised, come up with a load of flowers destined for Lowes' or some other big box store that get their plants early.  Not a totally unusual occurence. 

When it showed up at her house, she rigged up a light for warmth, and a feeder to keep it going.  The bird survived, and when the weather finally got warm enough, and the local plants started blooming, the bird left. 

Don't have hummers?  They need adequate nesting areas (think lots of trees and cover), and seem to prefer cedar trees (or at least those are my observations) as they can be preyed upon by a lot of things, including dragon flies!  No kidding!  And I saw a big dragon fly this afternoon...

Nothing is more relaxing that sitting on our covered deck, reading a good book as the sun sets, and listening to the buzz of the hummers' wings as they feed and fight and fuss over each other.