Of Loving Nature and Ceilings

My granddaughter, Nikki age 9, and I took a drive Sunday afternoon to the local forest preserve. Called Homer Lake, it does have a large man-made lake and quite a substantial wooded area. We parked the car and walked down by the spill way looking for deer tracks in the mud. Seeing none, we did see by the trash left behind(sticks and leaves) how high the water had been a few weeks ago.
We drove on around to some of the trails, but most were muddy and had standing water. So we walked down by the lake's edge. We heard several birds, a couple we could identify. We heard a crow, a cardinal and the honks of some Canadian geese. We saw a type of sea gull and were surprised by them. I didn't know they came this far inland. We watched them riding on air currents, diving towards the lake then circling around to do it all again. I gave Nikki the camera to try to catch a picture of one, but even with my zoom lens, none showed up enough to print. She was as disappointed as I was. But we decided when the weather warmed some we would come back and try again. She is getting enthusiastic about nature, I guess I am going to have to study up some.
As we walked back up the hill we noticed a tree with a new section of its' bark missing. As you can see below, there is a section of bark that has been gone awhile and the tree has turned dark. The newly removed area is still fresh looking. On closer inspection, we could see teeth marks in the freshly removed area. Nikki took great pains to get just the right angle to show the markings. We decided deer had been gnawing on it. I explained that when the snow is deep and they can't get to grass they will eat bark. This year we have had snow and frozen ground for what seems an eternity. I imagine the poor deer are really getting hungry. She thought it might be nice to feed them. I agreed, but explained that this is a natural area and in nature this is what happens. We don't want to make pets of them, but be able to observe them as in the wild.
Our next question was why this tree? The bark on this one looked no different than several others nearby, but they weren't disturbed. Anyone care to give an explanation? (I told you I'd have to study!) So that became a project for us. To find out about deer and how they survive in the winter. She is going to do some searching on the Internet as am I.
Deciding we were getting cold, we left the preserve in favor of some hot chocolate! We did take the long way back and drove by a goat farm. We stopped and watched them watch us. The goats were white with brown heads and we thought that unusual. We found a sign that said Boer Goats. A new breed to me. Nikki saw three turkeys in the corner of the goat pen. Two were black and one was brown. We waited hoping to see their tail feathers stand up, no luck. She did think maybe we should come back in the spring to see if they had little one...goats and turkeys.

Over hot cocoa we talked about nature and birds and how if we just look we can find all sorts of interesting things. She knows I do a blog and is going to help me think of things to write about. She is even going to make a list for me. I think I have another nature lover coming along!

For those of you that wished us well on getting our new ceiling up...we did! Our two son-in-laws came over on Saturday and with only minor complications we finished. Of course you realize my contribution to the project consisted mainly of cleaning up after them and supplying food and drink. In fact, we bribed them with offers of steak on the grill and all the trimmings. We ended up cooking the steaks in the dark, but it was well worth it. So thank you, guys, for your strong and young arms and legs! And for your generous and helping natures! We love you both.

All in all a good weekend! Hope yours was the same.

I've Caught Birding Fever!

Today, I had a totally different post in mind. My girlfriend and I were going to do some pre-spring shopping and looking. We went to a plant nursery and gift shop to see what plants were in and what we could expect to find in a couple of months. I had done some research on the net and had pictures and names of different annuals I wanted to try. That is what I was going to tell you about...but I will save that for another day.


Instead, I am going to tell you about the Red Tailed Hawk. As we were on our way back to her house, we suddenly saw a man walking towards a pick up truck with a huge bird on his hand! I took a quick look in my rear view mirror and did a u-turn on the highway. I pulled my car off the road behind him just as he was about to put the bird back in her box. I said hello, and ask if I could have a picture. He smiled and said yes and brought her back onto his hand and held her out for me. I snapped one! I ask what kind of bird she was and he told me a "one-year Red Tailed Hawk". When I asked what he was doing, he told me he was a falconer and had her out hunting. He has her on a leash of sorts and walks in the brush and grasses along the railroad track kicking up rabbits and mice for her to catch. He is training her to hunt for herself so he can return her to the wild. He finds them when they are very young and raises them, teaching them to take care of themselves. When I asked why, he told me that so many of the hawks don't survive their first year in the wild and he is trying to increase the population in our area. He has successfully released several in the past few years. I told him I'd been seeing more hawks in the general area . Usually, I can see two or three on my twenty mile drive into Champaign. I always find them fascinating to see either in flight or sitting in a tree watching the ground for something to eat.
Again I asked if I could take another picture a little closer. He just kept smiling and said she would be fine. So I moved very carefully toward her taking more and more pictures, and trying not to startle her. I was so excited to be this close!

She was very patient with me, and only went to fly once!

Isn't she wonderful. I could really catch the birding fever! After thanking him and getting back into the car, I realized I had not even ask his name! I will the next time and I will be sure to thank him for what he is doing.. I really would like to know more about his efforts.

After dropping off my friend, I went back out to the Wet Land (I did a post on this area a short while back) area and realized it was just across the road from where he had had the hawk. I wonder if he is connected to the Wet Land project?

The birds are starting to use this spot. I saw Canadian Geese on a small pond and there was a pair of ducks that I couldn't see good enough to describe. And I saw Robins! My first sighting this year. Spring really is coming.

And, my doves are coming back. I hadn't seen too many this winter. But under the feeder this morning there they were.

It was such a good day!

Serious Addiction

I am going to go public about my addiction. I have terrible cravings. I get cold sweats. My hands have tremors. My mind won't focus, and I am constantly wondering where my next fix will come from. I don't keep appointments and show up late for family gathering. My house work gets neglected and my laundry piles up. The mail and the bills are gathering and I think I am getting cut off notices.

I don't sleep, my eyes are bleary and I think my nose is running. People are starting to notice and have been whispering behind my back.

Yes, I am hooked! And I am not going to quit! I will continue to find a way to feed my habit! No intervention for me!

The wonderful, wacky, inane, witty, lively, amusing and entertaining world of Blogging has me in its' throes! I find my self on my laptop all hours of the day and night. I read all my favorites blogs then all their favorites blogs. I sit for hours gazing at the lovely flowers, beautiful birds, and gorgeous gardens. My mind goes hazy as I dream of how to incorporate them into my garden. I write down names of plants and check out their zone tolerance. I Google bird names to see if their habitat includes my area. I add a comment or ask a question. Then, I go back to see if I've been answered. And this is just the morning routine. It all happens, again, at night and some days at noon.

I have my camera at the ready at all times verging on the fanatical when it comes to keeping spare batteries and an extra memory chip. I watch for signs of spring as I do my shopping. I check out birds as I am driving, craning my neck to see what is flying over head. I wish I had my sunroof back! I spend hours at the window staring at my bird feeders waiting to get that perfect bird picture. I curse(yes, I've said bad words)the zoom feature for not getting close enough.

My thoughts are not my own anymore. I am constantly thinking of things to post. Could I do a whole post on the flying creature I thought might be a hawk? No, I didn't see it clearly much less get a picture. And I am sure I wouldn't now its' name anyway. Could I do one on the new bird feeder I bought, or the new garden gloves? Maybe, I could take pictures of my dead and dying bushes that have some kind of blight. But I don't remember the names of those bushes. I could always do one on the fact that I am so disorganized.

I have tried to quit. Even with company here, I still managed to sneak a peek while taking a bathroom break. When we lose (God forbid!) power and Internet connection and I have to go Cold Turkey, I've held my laptop outside to see if I could pick up a stray signal.

Alas and alack! I am an addict, a junkie... habituated, fixated, obsessed, hooked, compulsed and fanatical. Thank you, no, I don't want cured!

What to Do? What to Do?!

The Garden Bloggers Book Club has us reading Second Nature by Michael Pollan this time. And while this is not my book review, one of his chapters started me thinking. The chapter is Into the Rose Garden. Essentially, part of what he is saying is that roses today have very little in common with Old Roses. And as gardeners should we be perpetuating the hybrid rose frenzy? His thought process is of course much more involved as are his reasoning's. I'll let you discover them yourself.
What he started me thinking about are these (next 4 pics) roses I had in my garden last year. (not the pink one!) They are what grew up from the root stock of hybrid roses that had died. In their own way they are Old Roses or at least have an old rose in their lineage. The characteristics of the old roses is such that hybridizers chose them for grafting. They are very resistant to disease and insects and they are prolific boomers. Of course they only bloom once a year, but give that one blooming all they have. And the scent is heady!Therein lies my predicament! Do I want to pull these out to be replaced by a showy but temperamental hybrid? Or do I let them stay and in so doing become more of a naturalist in the garden?

I let them stay last year because I just didn't have the energy or the desire to do much with my gardens. I was so disappointed to have lost so many roses all at once, it just didn't seem worth the effort to replace them. I did enjoy the bursts of color and for a short while, my gardens were alive with blooms.

With my new found energy and my growing enthusiasm for getting back to gardening this year, I have been planning on taking them out and replacing them with less troublesome perennials. Now, honestly, I don't know what to do. I agree, mostly, with what Pollan is trying to say. That gardening should not be a compromise with nature, but a cooperation.

I know, definitely, that I will let them do their bloom thing, but after that...

They are , indeed, wondrous in all their glory!

Now, a couple of favorites.

As a hybrid, Mr. Lincoln is not as bothersome as most and living in Illinois it is a requisite plant. I do love the deep red color and the large stately blooms.

Queen Elizabeth is indeed a favorite of mine. She blooms with vigor early in the season. Later, her blooms, while more meager, are larger in size. What's more, the Japanese Beatles don't seem to care for her! And Pollan admits that "most authorities agree that Queen Elizabeth is one of the best roses of the 20th century!"

What to do? What to do?!

Of Winter Weather and Fat Cats

I promise! This will be my last post of winter weather! I just wanted to show how quickly my short excursion went from "OK, the roads aren't too bad" to "Oh my gawd, what am I doing out here?"

Thankfully, I made it home safely. And wisely I decided to stay in for the rest of the day!

So many of you have shown your beloved family members on your posts that I decided to share mine with you. Her name is actually Pokey, but we call her Grey Girl or more times than not Fat Cat. She is actually not ours. We inherited her a couple years ago and well that's another story...

Suffice it to say she now thinks of our house as her domain and us as her domestics.

She likes my garden window. This window is right above my sink in the kitchen. I thought she should stay off the counters and most definitely away from my plants. She thought this made an excellent place to watch the world and take naps in the sun. And if getting there meant jumping on the counters...and if my plants were in the way... We compromised. She got her way and I moved my plants out of her space.

Of course when I am in the bathroom, she likes to join me.

A basket makes a very cozy place to nap.

I am a cute kitty. Please rub my belly.

But her favorite spot is my arm when I am working on my lap top!

Enjoy your day and give your special friends a rub!

A Hug for Us!

Mary did a wonderful post entitled "Hug a Kid Today"and that is so true. But while we're at it let's give ourselves a "Hug", too! I have been reading articles on stress reduction and the main theme running through them is taking some "me" time.

How would you describe yourselves? As women, most of us would say caregiver or something along that line. We take care of family...children, grown children, grandchildren and even parents. We take care of the home, the pets , the bills, and our job. We feel responsible for all of these things. No one else can do what we do...do it as well. And there in lies the stress factor!

One of my dearest friends was told a few years back that she needed to de-stress her life. She replied it would be easy if she could "divorce her husband, adopt her kids out, and quit her job!" I think that would work for the most of us. Less drastic measures can be taken however according to Tena Tessina Phd and author of "The Ten Smartest Decisions a Woman Can Make After Forty".

Her first suggestion is to enlist the troops. Make a list of chores and let each family member pick two to do each week, then post the list. Even the busiest member to the smallest child can help. That brings up the but it's not done right argument. Don't sweat the small stuff! Given practice and praise and a lessening of standards it will be fine. Actually, the choree will develop a sense of accomplishment and a feeling of being more a part of the family and team! Before you realize it you will discover you do have support.

Her second suggestion, ring in relaxation. She proposes setting an alarm twice a day to remind you to relax. Take a stroll even if it is just around the house or office. Meditate or say a mantra. Do yoga or try a deep breathing exercise. Five minutes, two times a day is enough to clear your head and raise your energy level.

Marion Somers PhD of Brookdale Centeron Aging offers advice on dealing with elderly parents. For many of us in the "sandwich" generation this is a considerably cause of stress. We should allow someone else to do at least three tasks a week. This can be another relative, a friend or even a paid helper. This allows more time spent directly interacting with the parent and more time for yourself. You will feel less guilty and less stress by knowing things are getting done while you have spent quality time with them.

She also recommends setting more attainable goals. Instead of thinking I need to get the garden cleaned up from fall, say I could clean one bed today after lunch. I need to get this house organized could be I will tackle a cabinet a day.

Another of her ideas is to start with calm. Set the tone for the day by taking fifteen minutes each morning for me time. Read a book, take a walk, enjoy the birds or again, meditate. If we can devote twelve hours a day to others, we can enjoy fifteen minutes for ourselves.

Anne Coscarelli PhD director of the Ted Mann Family Resource Center at ULCA offers several tips. Tip one is to reframe stress. If you have a harrowing commute turn it into a time of rejuvenation. Listen to a book you haven't had time to read. You can rent most anything in audio form. I have done this on long trips and it is amazing how many I could hear that I just couldn't get to any other time. While waiting for appointments take along a book or the mail, or even your knitting. Ten or fifteen minute blocks of time are long enough to accomplish many tasks.

Embracing No is probably the hardest of her suggestions. The old saying, if you want something done...give it to a busy person, is for many of us our maxim. We say yes to any and everything that comes our way whether it is work or family or community. Is this something I really want or need to take on? I have used the" will it matter in ten minutes, a week, or next month" method. By saying no more (and the task will be done by someone!) we free up time to do what we really want, to enjoy the people that matter to us, and to give us more me time.

So if it takes an alarm clock or inking in places on our calendars for me, we need to carve out time to nurture ourselves. In the long run, our family, loved ones, work and ourselves will benefit.

Now just do it!

Of Spring! and Ceilings

Today was one of those days you just had to get out of the house! After long suffering the throes of winter, the sun was out, the wind was from the south and the temperature was a balmy 67! I took my camera, put on my sunglasses, left my jacket inside, and out the door I went.


Much to my surprise, I did find signs of spring. Of course they are only beginning to show, but they are there. My first glimpse was of the snow drops, hidden yesterday by snow. As you can see the leaves are a little yellow from the lack of sunshine. But they are there in all their glory announcing to the world that neither sleet nor rain... None of their little buds have opened yet, and there are only a few of those. But so much green! In a few days they will be popping up everywhere. Do you, also notice the brown stuff? Dead grasses that didn't get taken care of last fall. In fact the more I looked for spring, the more work I saw to be done. I didn't get much done last fall in the way of cleaning up. I'm pretty sure it was because the weather turned nasty very early and I didn't get the chance. (well, it sounds credible, doesn't it?)

The brick path way has signs of life. Moss! I have been cultivating it trying to get it to spread. When we (my sweetie that is) laid the path, we left room for moss. I have always loved the look of moss growing between brick or stones. It gives it such an old world, I-have-been-here-forever look. Hopefully more will fill in as the weeds are a pain to pull.

Even my lilacs are getting buds. This is the big one that has huge flowers. It is a lavender one and stands about 10 feet tall. It isn't very big around yet, but has more than made up for it in height. I didn't see any on the smaller dark purple one. I think it is blooms a few weeks later.

The dwarf ornamental cherry is starting to show signs of life too. Isn't it amazing what a warm day can do. I trimmed this tree last fall. It actually hurt me to do it, but the limbs were growing in some odd directions and were getting too close to the patio table and chairs. (no we can't move them as the umbrella stand for the table is bolted into the stone!)

And last, but not least, even the iris are getting new leaves! I planted these a few years ago not knowing you should virtually put them on top of the ground. I planted them Like a tulip or daffodil several inches deep. They did grow the first couple of years but had no flowers. (bummer!) Some kind hearted experienced gardener told me the reason was they were too deep but to leave them alone and they would work themselves to the top and bloom. And so they have. I have had wonderful orchid-like blooms for 2 years now.

After one day of spring, which was heavenly and boosted the spirit greatly, alas winter returns tomorrow with much colder temps and rain-sleet mix. In fact, by Thursday, the low is going to be back in the single digits! I hope it doesn't kill our little tastes of spring!

To all who have wished us luck with our ceiling. It went pretty well. We have about half the railing up. This is after spending time measuring and remeasuring. As I said, it has been years since we've done any remodeling and we are out of practice. For any of you who have done something like this you know there is a lot of going up and down the ladders and reaching over your head. My goodness! We used muscle we didn't know we had! Next Sat. the son-in-laws are coming to help us finish. Thank-you! They have much younger legs and arms! I will post a finished picture. And now, I need another long soak in the tub.