No Better....

 

I didn't wake any better this morning.  Too much noise & odd atmosphere is making the mornings hard to sleep through.  Screeching birds, loud trains, fussing neighbors, rattling trucks, etc... have been obnoxious this week.   Things aren't enough this way or that to get comfortable with.  It's muggy, but not enough for much of a fan.  

I'm already crashing  & this season has just started.  There's things happening this week, including an dental appointment.  Then it's the 1st of the month with all it's stuff.  In the midst of that, will be that crapfest time change.  I'm exhausted & overwhelmed just thinking about it.  I'll get through it, not like I have much of a choice.

It'd been nice to post about an article or something good in my life.   Neither seems to be happening any time soon.   Apparently, that's just my life.

Cya...

6 Days Until...

 

After today, there only 6 days left until Thanksgiving.  Whether you celebrate it or not, it's almost here.  I have most the stuff we need gathered.  I'll get the rest today.  Here we go again, another holiday season.  I'll try to get with it, no promises.

There's been a lot of things to not be grateful for this year.  The scales are leaning into the red.  I'll try to find the joy & a little fun.  The bills are paid, we have some Christmas plans, nothing's broken at the moment & some of the Winter birds are back.

That's it for now, I need to get around. Take care.

Cya...

December Beginnings...

 

It's time for the 1st of the month bills.  We've already started, because the gas bill runs early.  By Monday, everything but the credit cards will be paid for the last time of 2021.  

We'll head out in a bit to handle what we can this morning & go shopping.  After that, we'll get our boosters.  I hope this is the last time, but I'm not sure about that.  

It's been an entertaining morning outside.  Squirrels & birds don't make good neighbors.  I'm not sure who goes after who 1st, but they're always going at it.   The birds don't like the bunnies either, but at least the rabbits stay on the ground.

That's all for now, take care.

Cya...

Bright Shiny...

 

It's a bright morning.  It's warming up & the 30 degree overnights seem to be gone.  I'm hearing a  lot of birds & flowers are blooming outside.  Spring is  definitely here.  There will be things I'm not overly fond of this season, but I do like the light  & warmer days.  

I know the lawn mowing & yard yick is right around the corner.   The bugs are ramping up as well.  But it's shining & I'm not cold. Soon, the blankets will be washed & stowed.  The house shoes & jackets will be back in their off season places.

Yes,  there will be yuck, but there will also be sunshine.  I'll try to look at the flowers & not the green pollen mess.   I'll try to focus on the birdsong & not the mowers.  I won't  always succeed, but I'll try.

Take care.

Cya...

Pops Of Color...

 

It's a very grey morning & we're heading into a cold week.  Occasionally the birds are providing little pops of color in the drear.   The cardinals, jays, finches & robins are the palette for today.   The other little birds are mostly greys & browns.  They look like shadow work in the yard.  

It wasn't a successful article day.  Most were rehash & repeat.  If not, they were too theoretical to post about. I'll be glad when this month is behind us.  I hate Winter.

Cya...

Awkward Starts...

 

The new system is operational.  It's still weird & there are things that need altering.  The mouse & keyboard that came with it may not stay.  They're weirdly thin & cheap.  I have replacements of those if I need them.   Mostly, it's a go.

We have to move a lot to the curb for trash day.  It's part of the annual box-odus.  We hoard boxes all year thinking we might need them.  What isn't used by the holidays is sent away.  In that manner is the house is in better order for the new year.

Besides watching some fat squirrels & foraging birds, that's all for me.  Take care.

Cya...

Not Really Here...

 

Not really here right now.  We've been dealing with COVID since March & for the most part I've done reasonably well.  However, we're heading into my bad part of the year.   We've been grey for days & I can really feel it.  This year, there's nothing to do for distraction.  There's no one else, it's just me.  Everything else is just pulling at what little I have left.  

If there's nothing left to help me, then to hell with the rest of it.  At least I get interaction from the porch cat I feed.  I get small moments of joy from watching the squirrels & birds.   The rest of it brings mostly tiresome drama & demands.  I'll do what I can & to hell with the rest.  In the end, I'm the only person helping me.

Cya...

Grey Nothing...

 Everything's grey this morning.   It'll probably rain tonight & then be colder until Wednesday.  I'm not unhappy about seasonal cold.   The bugs & grass need to die. 

Even though I'm seeing more birds than this Summer, their numbers are down.   I miss bushes filled with blue birds or cardinals.  We didn't even have our mockingbird dramas this year.   The cat's, squirrels & other birds got a reprieve.  

I guess the holiday season is killing off articles.  Mostly I'm just seeing pieces asking for end of the year donations.  Other than that, the well's pretty dry.

That's it for now, take care.

Cya...

Last Full Moon...

It got cold last night & I woke to a chilly house.   My breath is steaming after each sip of tea.  I'm trying to be as positive as possible while 2019 winds down.   There are less than 3 weeks left, only 2 til Christmas.  My roomie's birthday is soon.  Solstice is the 21st & Yule will run until the beginning of the new year. 

We're in the last full moon cycle.  It's called the Cold Moon or the Long Night's Moon.   It's announcing the long dark.  

I'm watching birds & squirrels race about in the yard.  They're enjoying the sun & looking for food.  It's nice to see the red birds back.  Some of the Winter birds are showing up.  

Trying to find things to smile about, take care.

Cya...

Cool Morning...

We never got over 85 yesterday.  Last night was in the mid 60's.  Tonight is supposed to be cooler.  This cool down will only last a bit, but it's appreciated.  Unfortunately, among  the grateful are bugs.  The fleas have been a nuisance lately.  

On another matter, the air in my backyard is missing some things.  I've seen a few tiny hummers & some dragons, but not near what I saw last year.   There are lots of articles over vanishing hummers.  The experts think they may have had a good wildflower crop this year & just didn't come as far in.  It could also be that they altered their migration paths.  Still, I have very few dragons, butterflies, bumbles & honey bees.  Not to gripe, but there's even less wasps.   No one's gardens are doing well this year.  There aren't many pollinators.

I have seen more squirrels & the occasional rabbit.  But even the ever pissed off mockingbirds' numbers are down.   Usually, by now, I've seen the occasional possum or smelt a skunk.  But, not this year.  This year is different & I hope it's not a really bad sign of things to come soon. 

Take care. Hope you're seeing hummers & dragons.

Cya...

Trying The Now...

Weatherwise, we've been in a good place over the last week.  That may be coming to an end.  The forecast shows serious rain chances for the week.  I don't mind the rain.  I dislike the drear & how Oklahoma doesn't know how to just rain anymore.  Everything has to be a storm.  I hope it's just a bit of rain. 

In the now.  The tiger lilies are starting to bloom & our volunteer elephant ear has made it's 4th return.  It already has several leaves open.  We've had a lot of lightning bugs, more than usual for us.  We've had fewer mockingbirds so far, but a lot of cardinals.  There's also been an abundance of brown thrashers.  Strange, fairly aggressive, ground birds, that get a good size.  For now the yard has stayed mostly fire ant free.

Trying to stay in a good place & not care too much about the impending rain.  Take care.

Cya...

Slept In...

I slept in a little this morning.  Not much, but I'll take it.  I'll be up early tomorrow for a doctor's appointment.  It'll be with my primary & see what he thinks about this matter.  He might have the results of my last thyroid test & chest x-ray.   I'm really not sure what to expect from this meeting with him.  I usually go in knowing the script, not this time.  

For now, I'll sit here & drink my tea.  I'll watch the little birds  hopping through the too stubborn to die clover.  They're bouncing on the limbs of the bushes that have flowered early.    The white & yellow flowers may be early, but they're a welcome break from all the drear.

Take care.

Cya...

Mid June Morning...

Nothing much is going on this morning.  I didn't notice any articles of interest.  The weather is pleasant so far.  I'm sure will take issue with it.  I put out a little water tin yesterday with some rocks in it.  Maybe the smaller birds & insects will more comfortable using it instead of the bowl I put out for the larger animals.

Nothing else here.  Maybe more tomorrow.

Cya...

Post Mow...

Yesterday was the 1st mowing of the year.  It was need, but it was pretty awful as well.  With the weird weather & never-ending allergies, the added lawn yuck killed us.   I was already feeling off & that did me in for most the day.  The little cat, Millie, AKA  Camilla, was out of it for the day.  She laid on the floor looking near dead.    She slept with me all night & is still on my bed.  She seems to be a little more with it, but not her normal over-amped self yet.  

With the mowing, comes the need for edging.  I hope he comes back soon to handle that or I'll have to.  Yard work is pretty much beyond me now.  I've had to accept that idea.  I went out to clear some grass from around a small rose & it nearly did me in just handling that small bit.  Our enemies, the fire ants, are back.  I've found  almost a dozen small hills so far.  That might be more than I found all Summer last year.   I hope that's not a sign.  We've also got a few fleas off the cats.  I hate fleas.

The yard is mowed & the birds are taking advantage of the short grass.  Bugs are back on the menu.   The pole dancing squirrel was back this morning.  There'll probably be squirrelettes soon.

That's all for now.  Me & the kitten need to recuperate a bit.

Cya..

365...

This is the 365th day of my 50th year.  Doesn't that sound like a lot?  It's also the last day of August.   This was a trying year & I'm glad to see it coming to a close.   August wasn't such a bad month & the stress that was in it, was mostly due to electric bill issues.   Still, I think 2017 will look better in the rear-view mirror. 

I woke to jays, blackbirds & crows outside my window.  Some small animal had ripped open the trash.  An easy, but annoying fix at 7 something in the morning.    We have some tiny brown birds that warble like elephants.  

I'm trying to be in better spirits for my birthday tomorrow.  I most often fail at that.  I might again.  But, it'd be nice not to.  

So long August.

Cya...

Cya June...

It's the last day of June.  It wasn't a bad month, but it certainly was stress-free either.  So long June, I'm  sure you've got places to be.

It's day 2 of Triumeq.  I'm not dead or dying yet.  Hopefully, that'll hold.

We had a decent downpour this morning.  We needed the rain.   

I've noticed some new birds in our trees.  They look like a leaner, grayer cardinals.  It had less of head crest & a slightly longer tail.  I looked it up.  I think it's a desert cardinal.  I suppose it could've been a hybrid between a desert & northern (normal) cardinal.   They're fairly attractive birds.  

I saw my 1st hummingbird this morning as well.  The Hummers & Dragons are back.  Summer is here.

Cya...

It's Official...

Move on out of here Spring.  I've been saying that for weeks.  Spring was beyond unpleasant this year.  I barely enjoyed the things that normally make me smile, like the little blue flowers in our yard early in the season.   

Now, it's official, Summer is here.  Hopefully, it won't blaze.  Still, I'm ready to be past spring.  So, Hello Summer, welcome back.

I didn't mention it earlier, but this last Sunday was the month anniversary of Rowan's passing.  It's been absurdly quiet & low key here since.   We still talk about her every day.  I still catch myself going to do things for her.  Unfortunately, eventually that will fade.  It angers me, but it will.   

There are 2 cats on the porch occasionally.  Hazel, formally known as Meth Kitty & a dumb, orange, boy cat.   Do orange males come in any other variety, other than dumb or grumpy?  I think Hazel may be expecting.  I'm not in the place to deal with more than porch cats.  They can come  go as they please.  But, I'm not capable of being more committed than that at the moment.  That probably sounds awful.

The mockingbirds are back in full force.  1 comes to my window to gripe at about the cats.  A female cardinal keeps flying around the porch trying to catch wasps.  She's not graceful.

That's my life now.  In between shopping, errands & doctors' appointments, I watch noisy birds, stray cats & various other little things in the yard, like lightning bugs & lizards.  It could be worse.

Cya...

Yard Visitors...

Over the last few days, the yard's been fairy populated.  We have our various assortment of chirping birds & their constant drama.  The squirrels are still running amok through them..  The bunny is making return visits.  The neighbor dogs bark at them, but they get no response. They're all fun to watch, but they're all also covered in flea.  I wish they'd leave their fleas in some one else's yard.  I'm having enough bug issues already.

The porch has had some action as well.  A speckled brown kitty, I don't know it's a he or she.  It's too twitchy & really fluffy.  Every time I try to determine sex, I get a dirty look & a hiss.   Kitty is horribly offended at my forwardness.  We, awfully, called it Meth kitty due to it's tweaker nature.

A juvenile bird was on the porch screeching.  It could almost fly.  I think it was in the process of learning.  It either tried too soon, fell out or got pushed out of the nest.  It's parents hovered for a while.  I put some old bread & water out for it.  Soon, it fluttered off the porch into the yard towards some bushes.  I hope it made it.

I had to settle some issues with my dental insurance.  It seems to be handled, just a processing error.  I called my dentist to let them know.

That's my life animal, yard & insurance drama.  Yay!

Cya...

So, No...

I mentioned yesterday that I'd tried to find articles to post on & change my current topic.   I can do the latter, but not the prior.   Articles are still barren for a while.  

We went shopping this morning & it went alright.  We're back & not much is going on today.  We're supposed to have clear skies for a couple of days.

There's a bird soap opera outside my window.  The various birds are fussing with each other.  The cardinals seem to overlook the other birds, except for the finches & mockingbirds.  They're hard to ignore.  Occasionally, a squirrel goes tromping through & upsets everything.    We haven't had many jays this year & the hummingbirds haven't made it back yet.   I'm looking forward to them & the dragonflies.  

It seems like a day of shopping & bird watching is all for me.

Cya...

Shopping & Watching...

We went shopping this morning.  It was far from pleasant.  Walmart has forgotten what an AC is for. Their store is hot & humid. Everyone was sweating.  It can't be good for the produce.  

We finally got home & now I'm watching some birds.  We have some huge blue jays.  Somebody ate well as a chick.  There are also some juvenile crows in the yard.  They are interesting to watch.  Very curious, but seriously awkward.  They definitely haven't gotten out on the gangly, fluffy stage.    They're all neck, beak & legs.   Still fun watch bounce around looking for bugs.

It's going to be hot again. Glad we've handled all the outdoors things for today.   Inside I'll stay.  

Cya.