Revenge of the Birds

We love all the different birds that visit or live on our property, but I have to say we are just as (if not more) partial to the squirrels. Other people complain about the squirrels getting into their bird feeders and we put up squirrel feeders. While others are swapping tips on how to keep them away we are enjoying watching them scurry around and play. I mean really, look at that face and they are all such characters as well.

Last year my husband had some scrap wood so he built this little house that we would occasionally put some nuts or corn in through the winter. Well this spring the birds seemed to say thank you very much and proceeded to move right in. Now, instead of being a squirrel hang out, it has become a bird duplex.

Not only have they commandeered the squirrel house, I think they eat more cat food than the cats. Of course the Blue Jays have always been brazen and seem to feed only on cat food at times, but now other birds are following suit. The other morning a Blue Jay was at the bowl getting his standard breakfast and a Brown Thrasher was standing in line behind him waiting his turn. I guess I will just stand back and applaud them for going after what they want.

Family Fun

Hmmm, I've been at a loss for words. OK, all those who know me can get up from rolling on the floor with laughter now. I have lots going on but just no words to put on paper, plus you just wonder sometimes how it could possibly interest anyone else. I will say we had a great time with the family visit last weekend, enjoying loads of fun, love, laughter and of course food. I think I did alright for someone who's claim to fame doesn't include any hostessing skills. We visited and the ladies rode the horses while my nephew hung out with my husband. Everyone thanked him for entertaining Sammy, but I wondered who was really entertaining who? I am still reaping one of the benefits from their male bonding, they made us a tree swing which I have enjoyed all week, yeah.

The top picture was taken by my step-sister Lynne. What a special moment she captured with my sweetheart C C and my niece Hannah. The last picture was taken by my daughter Kristin, she got a lot of great photos for me that day so I could visit and play a little.

Before I leave I do want to pass on the recipe for pies I made, they were a big hit. I give thanks to Willow over at Willow Manor and if you don't read her blog here is the link for the pies. Yummy and so easy, that part is important for me :).

Also I would like to wish everyone a Happy and Safe Memorial Day Weekend and more importantly thank all those who serve or have served in our military forces.

Enthusiasm

Enthusiasm: a feeling of lively interest, positive expectancy. We have all heard and believe the saying by Mr. Cousins that “laughter is the best medicine”. I propose that enthusiasm is very good medicine. What do men, women, children, parents, employers, co-workers, friends want? They want what we are all naturally drawn to - the apparent joy and happiness expressed by enthusiasm in “ourselves and others”. Without it, the destructive stress of too much “don’t want to” and “have to” and “shoulds” is significant. Depression, anxiety, negativity, procrastination, passive-aggressive behavior, lethargy and many other symptoms can result. Complaining becomes too central to the conversation. Most of us have responsibilities that are not always “fun” but if we lose our “want to” we can become increasingly negative in our interactions with ourselves and the world around us. There is no need to settle into helplessness or long for dreams far out of our reach. Look within your current context and practice looking for, and focusing on, specific “want tos” and build your mood there. Even specific positive details, no matter how seemingly minor, can improve your health.

Wayne Townsend (recent post from his website under the title Best Medicine)

I especially love the last few sentences and am presently working on filling my life with "want tos" and enthusiasm. Some of the things I'm enthusiastic about today are:

that our community garden is growing beautifully and all the plants are flourishing

that I got into an intriguing looking wetlands workshop next week

that my daughters lives are going so well and they are happy and healthy

that my family is coming down to the beach and spending the day with me tomorrow

What are you enthusiastic about today?

Expectation

"Energy follows thought;

we move toward, but not beyond,

what we can imagine.

What we assume, expect, or believe

creates and colors our experience.

By expanding our deepest beliefs

about what is possible,

we change our experience of life."

Dan Millman

I have found in my life that I live up to expectations whether they're from someone else or expectations I set for myself. The problem with this has been that too many times the bar has been set pretty low, sometimes even kicking up dust. They say the first step is acknowledging the problem and now it is time to start raising that bar.

A Mother's Day Story

In the past year my step sister and her family moved to a farm. They immediately jumped into the farm life, purchasing cows, chickens, horses, goats, and probably more I don't know about. This story is about their most recent additions. A cow on a neighbor's farm had twins and was only feeding one. Milly was a tiny calf and mom didn't feel she had enough for two; you know how that story goes in the wild. Lucky for Milly she wasn't born in the wild but next door to my step sister.


They took her in and for the last few weeks have been bottle feeding her. This week one of Lynne's cows named Sarah gave birth to a big boy they named Little John. Immediately Sarah took Milly in and began nursing her as well.


Little John is Sarah's first calf and even though she is a Jersey dairy cow with plenty of milk it is still beautiful how she has taken Milly in equally to her own calf. I love when a mom's love and instinct are so great she just cares for all who need her. Instead of having no mom, Milly ended up with several, a few human and one bovine. Not only is Milly now able to nurse from a momma cow, giving Lynne and the boys a break, Little John and Milly have bonded as well. Can I get an Ahhh for this one?

Happy Mother's Day to all of you who nurture and care for others, whomever or whatever they may be.

All the pictures are taken by Lynne. The top picture is Little John and the next is my nephew Sammy feeding Milly. Even though Milly is a few weeks older, she is the smaller one in the last two photo's.

Size Is Relevant

Five acres seems hardly enough when you are trying to provide grazing and exercise/play area for 2 1/2 horses*. Five acres is too much when you are trying to find a bull headed bull dog who has run into the woods hot on the trail of his favorite delight, deer poop. "Ain't I beautiful and I smell so good too, it's doggy cologne".

* 1/2 may be an exaggeration, donkeys don't need much .... maybe 1/4 is closer.

This is a recent picture, those are Live Oak leaves on the ground. As I said in my post The Majestic Live Oak, they shed in the spring.

Sometimes You Just Have To Move

I am sitting here listening to some great classic rock and doing a little chair dancing. It is the best chair dancing you've ever not seen. I know this because there is no one here to tell me otherwise :). I only dance alone, when I can be free to do whatever I want. My girls once walked in on me dancing around the house and said earnestly, "mom please never do that in public". You may, however, catch me chair dancing if you pull up next to me at a stoplight. Also, if you happen to pass by my office, you may occasionally catch me contorting around the room. Just think of me and realize it is not someone having a seizure. Any other fabulous chair or closet dancers out there?

I try to reference pictures that are not taken by me. This is obviously not mine and can only assume is a snippet from the show. I would like to think I am a better dancer than Elaine at least.

Quotes

I have a quote a day on my sidebar because I love to read new quotes each day. A recent quote was "The cat is the mirror of his human's mind .... the dog mirrors his human's physical appearance". I kept reading this quote and couldn't decide whether to like it or be scared by it :). Of course I think all my dogs have been gorgeous, and even though I think all my cats have been brilliant, each in his/her own way has been a bit off. Hmmm, that does kind of fit me, the bit off part that is. I wonder if this means that the horse mirrors his humans soul.

I have always had cats, but the current two resident cats pictured above are technically my daughter's cats. You know, those daughters that don't live here anymore. :).