Don't forget the hummingbirds

I finally remembered to put my hummingbird feeder out last week. My little bird came to visit the same day I put it out. It's easy to make your own hummingbird nectar . Boil two cups of water and add one half cup sugar... make sure sugar dissolves. Red food color is optional, but I do color my nectar red. Let it cool and that's all there is to it! (you may have to make more or less, depending on the size of your feeder. Just remember: 1/4 cup sugar to 1 cup water)

What a difference a day makes!

You'll have to click on the picture to enlarge, but I think we have two baby birds in the nest. One grew feathers overnight...the other is still bald. The funny thing is: the egg that was cracked in yesterday's photo hasn't hatched yet. And to be able to witness this miracle is awesome.

"His eye is on the sparrow.... so I know He watches me."

About the post below....

Hey Guys! Please click on the photo of the eggs in the post below. It wasn't until I clicked, that I saw a crack in one of the eggs. I just ran to the door to see, and sure enough, I now have the first baby bird lying on his back inside the nest today! I'll try to get another picture tomorrow!

Around the yard

Just some pic's from around my yard today. I made this hanging basket this morning and hung my new little garden flag. Notice the "stone" on the ground. This was a $1 find at a yard sale a few weeks ago. It's not really a stone. It is actually a plastic thing to hang on a wall. The lady said she used it in an "oriental" themed bedroom. I knew exactly where I would use it, but I didn't tell her. Isn't it unique? (click on photo for a better picture) Below is my front corner of the house. The azaleas are blooming in beautiful color this year. I had several to die on the other side of the front door during the drought. Not sure if that's why they died or not, but I need to replace them this year. (if you click on this photo, you'll see my Butterbean peeking out the window... he doesn't let me too far out of his sight)

Did I tell you the bird came back? She came again this year and I was upset because I didn't want her to nest on my wreath again. Then a storm came and blew everything away. I felt guilty because I didn't want her there and then this happened. I found one egg that was not cracked. I hung the wreath back up and put the one egg back in the nest. She didn't come around for a few days. Then, to our surprise, she came back....... somehow kicked out the "bad" egg and laid some more. My wreath looks pretty bad right now, but I'm enjoying watching mother nature at work again. (you may have to click on this one too, to see the eggs)

I'm not sure what kind of eggs these are, but the bird who belongs to the nest in on my roof. Click to enlarge to see if you can identify this bird for me.

And finally, a different view of my new dog fence. Aren't the flowers gorgeous? I wish they could last all summer, but unfortunately, they'll be gone soon, and it won't look as pretty. I have spent most of my day on the back porch today, enjoying the view.

I hope you guys are having great weather today too!

Doggie Love

Thank you, Will, for the new fence. The dogs have truly enjoyed playing in their new back yard... leash free!

Sweet Tumpy

Precious Butterbean (momma's boy)

Fearless Sweet Pea (who likes to stay outside all by herself for hours on end)

Ten Glorious Days!

I've had ten glorious days away from work! And I LOVE working part time. I haven't accomplished as much as I thought I would, but it's been great doing things at my own pace and seeing things get done, finally. Below is a view of my new porch, still in progress... I bought these chairs this week and plan to put cushions in them soon. I will update progress in the porch area as it develops. Hopefully, next week the plants will be able to be planted and hung.

Yes, I finally set the frog upright! I cleaned around this tree and the frog is happy again. He laid on his side all winter with the ball a few feet away. :o(

This is my favorite corner of the yard right now. I love all the pretty flowers and the dogs are really enjoying their new fenced in area. WORTH EVERY PENNY SPENT! Such freedom... for the dogs and myself now. No leashes in this area!

I must go back to the real world today and the next three days. Work is calling my name, as I do still need a paycheck coming my way. That's okay though.... I love my new part time status. No work drama!!! I'm not there enough to even know what's going on around me when I'm there. I feel more like myself again... loving my life!

Whatever, Martha!

Martha Stewart, I am not.... but I sure had fun making these today. These are lemon cupcakes with cream cheese icing. The grass is colored coconut and the eggs are , of course, jelly beans. Yummy! I only decorated enough to put inside my cake plate to sit with my bunnies. The rest were left plain and are in a plastic container on the counter. (probably will be the best tasting ones!)

Speaking of "Whatever, Martha!".... Have you seen that show? It is a HOOT! It comes on the FLN channel on cable. (10:00 and 10:30 pm, my time on Tuesday nights) The show is produced by Martha Stewart, but her daughter and a friend are the hosts. They take segments of her previous shows and "tear them apart".... hilarious! If you get a chance, you should watch this show sometime. I can only imagine what those girls would say about my cupcakes! :o)

Yellow Finches

I have to show off "my" birds. I bought a new bird feeder last week and the little birds wasted no time finding it. This picture was taken the very next day after I hung the new feeder. I love watching the yellow finches feed!

On a sad note: we had a lot of wind a few days ago and my little bird nest (basket and all) blew off the porch. I was cleaning in my flower beds when I noticed the basket in my azalea bush. I gulped and yelled "oh no!" My daughter ran to front door to see what was wrong and we discovered four little eggs lying scattered across the front steps. Three were obviously cracked, but one seemed to be intact. I gently placed it back inside the nest, hung it back on the door, and watched to see if the mama bird would come back. She actually did come back for a little bit, but has now abandoned the nest. I guess she knew that the egg was damaged. I feel guilty because I had actually moved the basket with the nest away from the door, a few feet away and rehung it, thinking I was doing an "okay" thing. I guess I made the nest more vulnerable to the wind when I did so. Sorry, mama bird... I will not touch your work next year!

The Quilt

Yesterday I went to the library. Going to the library is one of my favorite things to do when I have time to really look around. This little book is really a short story put into book form. I started reading it yesterday while waiting for my hair appointment and finished it last night before we watched a movie. (free DVD "rental" from the library) This is a Christian fiction story and was such a sweet book about being thankful.

This is one of my favorite passages in the book: "The quilt was a picture and a story. It was a testimony to a time when pressures did not cry out for urgent things to be constantly tended to, when the world had not created a thousand different temptations pulling free time into a myriad of mindless activities. It told of values and patience and timeless meanings. It drew the person in. It spoke of comfort and rest. It soothed with the gentleness of a mother's kiss."

This described feelings for me that I could never describe for myself.... it explained, for me, why my heart is so drawn towards quilts. I have always loved quilts and quilters.... the simplicity of it all, yet the persistence and patience that it takes to reap the rewards of finishing and enjoying a quilt.