Tuesday, April 24, 2018

A JAILBIRD, A CHANCE OF SPRING AND HOW TO MAKE A CHEAP PILLOW EVEN CHEAPER...











There are those of us 
that felt like
 the never ending winter weather
 had us locked up 
in a prison not of our own making 
and then 
there are those of us 
that took it 
one step further...






...and, literally,
 went into self-imposed exile.

 There are certain sounds 
that only Kai can hear 
and they will send him looking
 for a safe hiding place. 
 Evidently,
 he felt this was one of those places
 but he couldn't figure out 
how to get out of it.

 Before I could help him,
 he made a break for it and...





...in no uncertain terms,
 told me
 he wasn't waiting around for me 
to bail him out!






It appears 
that Mother Nature 
has finally bailed us out 
of the dark days.

 Since we have had 
a number of beautiful days
 of good weather, 
I am assuming that a 
chance of Spring 
really is here 
and no amount of possible dreariness
 that might come 
would change my mind.

 Especially, when I see...







...two of the tiniest of creatures
 taking up residence 
in our own little
Fly-By-Night Hideaway...






I couldn't get close enough
 to take a clear picture 
but you can tell, 
when comparing him/her
 to the ivy leaves and the entry 
into the bird house, 
how small this little pair is.

I get such a kick out of 
imagining 
what their eggs 
must look like!

 Sitting on the screened porch 
we can watch all
 of their comings and goings 
as they busily prepare
 for their new family. 
 So cute! 
and 
So spring!


P.S. I tried to google them but couldn't really tell from the pictures what kind of birds they might be. Brown, with a light grayish breast and a longer beak than a regular bird, but nowhere as long as a hummer. Super tiny and perch on the side of a tree and kind of skitter around. If you can tell from that description, let me know. Just curious.





As so many of us are,
 I am obsessed with pillows. 
 Not too much else 
will change the landscape of a room 
like a pretty pillow.

  But, what happens when 
the limited storage space 
is all used up
 but the yearning for more pillows isn't?

 I have come up
 with a solution 
that suits me
 just fine...





You all are aware 
that I have an assortment of
"cheap" pillow covers 
I have ordered through Amazon. 
(Not a one over $4.00)

 Of course, 
there are many choices of pillows available 
at many different price points 
and of much higher quality 
and, I am not saying 
that these can compete with those
 in any way,
 but for me they truly work.

 When a down form is inserted,
 it takes these pillows to
 a higher level...





...and because of the storage issues, 
I have turned mine into 
"two for the price of one".

 I have done a stenciled design 
on the back.
  This way, 
I can change details and colors 
on a whim 
and not have an
 extra pillow 
to buy or store.





Whether
 it is safe to say -
 or not:






HAPPY SPRING!



...Judy...









Tuesday, April 17, 2018

PATIENCE...










As I write this,
 it is bone chilling cold outside. 
 Last week, 
I wrote about how the sun had come out
 and we were really entering into the 
Spring cycle.

 It was so nice, 
I said, 
that the air smelled fresh and pure
and the colors of spring were brilliant, 
to the point of 
hurting our eyes.

 Now,
 there are swarms of little birds 
rushing the holly tree, 
picking something off that 
only their little eyes can see, 
and then rising up into the sky. 
 A black cloud in search of 
another neighborhood. 

 Above, 
they have left a few behind,
 silhouetted against a gray sky,
 possibly
 to protect their spoils
 until the others 
make their return trip,
 as they have been doing each day.





Now,
 later in the morning, 
the air remains cold and 
rain is falling. 
 Oh, 
wait a minute,
 that rain has now turned to snow. 
 Nothing is sticking and
 after awhile the snow is gone,
 a slight drizzle remains, 
and we are back to 
very cold, gray skies.





I have never been 
what you would call
 a patient person.

 I can become engrossed 
in a project, 
one with minute details and 
that takes a lot of time, and
 stick to it until the end, 
but waiting for a table 
or in a grocery store checkout line 
are not things that I like to do. 
 Although,
 I enjoy being with people, 
I would rather tackle a task
 by myself, 
following my own plans and
 getting things done. 
 I am no good at
 putting a puzzle together 
as that entails a plan
 not of my making and
 it frustrates me.





 Along with all of those pressures
 having been piled upon my shoulders, 
I find that one of my 
least patient qualities 
is waiting for this horrible winter 
to be done.

 This teasing
by Mother Nature is
 getting so tiresome.

 Today was a day
that we were going grocery shopping. 
 It has been a little over a week 
since our last trip and 
we are rooting through the cupboards,
 looking for dinner provisions,
 but with this unpredictable weather system,
 we decided not to go. 
 You know,
 I'm no good at it,
 but the Captain 
can make a meal out of 
practically nothing,
 so I knew we wouldn't starve, but...





...not having
 fresh flowers on the table 
is unforgiveable!






On a trip to Home Goods awhile back, 
I was looking for some pillows
 with brightly flowered patterns on them. 
 I thought
 that would brighten up these
 dull days. 
But, 
as much as we all love Home Goods,
 do you ever go and 
not find one thing of interest?

 That doesn't happen to me very often
 but on this trip, 
even though the shelves were full,
 none of the colors were right, 
it all looked kind of junky, and 
there was a lot of broken stuff.

 I did spot 
these two black and white pillows 
that I liked. 
The ones that I use most of the time
 are falling apart and
 I do think a bit of black 
always looks good. 
I think these will
 look right at home with
 some other 
colorful pillows added in.





I did add some more 
galvanized pieces to the shelf. 
I think that star 
is kind of pretty and 
a different look 
from the usual barn stars.
 The star and the "O" are from
Hobby Lobby.





The lilac buds 
are going to be opening soon. 
 With them, 
I hope that the nice weather 
will return also and 
I won't have to depend totally 
on Trader Joe's 
for fresh flowers...
and my solemn wish 
is that I can...


"Adopt the pace of nature: 
her secret is patience."

Ralph Waldo Emerson



...Judy...





FYI: 
I wrote this yesterday (Monday). 
Just before I was going to post today,
guess what?...
Spring is back!
 The sun is out and brightly shining! 

Oh, Lordy! 

Trader Joe's here we come!


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Tuesday, April 10, 2018

P WORDS...










Awhile ago 
I wrote a
Post 
 about "F" Words 
Pertaining
 to 
fires, fairs and flowers, etc. 

 Today, 
"P" words will be featured, 
including 
Pretty,
 Posies,
 Pink,
 Promises,
 Peach Pie 
and
 Particularly Proud Poses,
 not necessarily in that order.






The week started with 
Pesky
 rain...





...where there was only one
 made-to-order
Patch 
of sun 
in the whole world
and guess who found it?

 The rain threatened to flatten 
the remaining daffodils 
in the garden 
so they were brought inside 
to be enjoyed 
one last time.





~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



Then a trip to 
the grocery store
 supplied the Cottage
 with some 
Pretty 
in
 Pink...













~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~



The rains stopped
 and the sun,
 and Spring, 
came out at
 the same time...





...and the best cure
 for cabin fever
 could be a ride in the country 
where the colors are vibrant 
and the air smells clean and fresh.

  With no 
Particular 
destination in mind, 
we found ourselves traveling 
down a 
country road...






...Passing 
rows of budding
 fruit trees...






...a Pond 
inhabited by
 duck decoys...





...a true country icon...





...and a cottage 
that held
 Promises 
of farm fresh 
within...





...and indeed there was.

  A beautiful and juicy 
Peach Pie, 
baked to golden
 Perfection...





...and with 
the taste of
 Promises 
kept.


~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~


Along the journey, 
in bright green
 Pastures...







...there were subjects 
that were more than willing to
 Pose
 for the camera...





...and one 
who could not be bothered.
  
And in one 
Particularly
 Proud
 Pose...





there is he 
who would like to show off 
his new "do"...




...with a bright 
new neck kerchief 
and a
 smile.


...Judy...






HAPPY SPRING !!!



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