Thursday, April 30, 2020

Happy Thankful Thursday


Happy Thursday everyone, 


I wanted to share more Spring scenes from around my yard.  The trees are still blooming, the birds are chirping, the bleeding heart is blooming and the azaleas are looking pretty. 

I am thankful for Spring blossoms. 

A look at the dogwood and the redbud trees from side of our yard.


 Images from the deck and around the back yard, side yard and the front.



"My favorite weather is bird chirping weather."

The Tufted Titmouse, Carolina Chickadee and the Pine Warbler love the suet. 


 The male Northern Cardinal loves the sunflower seeds.



 A view of the forest from our deck.


The azaleas are looking pretty. 





 The blueberry bushes  and the bleeding hearts are blooming.  The bees are happy..

I am thankful for the pollinators, the happy bees.



 This is the view out our kitchen window. 



I am thankful hubby and I are staying virus-free. I pray everyone is feeling good, stay safe and calm.


Some of my favorite book finished last week are:
Devonshire Scream by Laura Childs in the Tea Shop Mystery series.
The Mapping of Love and Death by Jacqueline Winspear in the Maisie Dobbs series.
A Lesson in Secrets by Jacqueline Winspear in Maisie Dobbs series.



I am always thankful for your visits and the comments.



Live simple and be happy!  😊 Spread joy & happiness!


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday

Monday, April 27, 2020

Our World, My World


 Happy Monday! 

 I hope everyone is hanging in there and staying safe.  I know some states are re-opening now, Maryland since March 30th is continuing the stay at home unless you are essential. We can go out for a walk for fresh air and to the store wearing a mask.

 Sunday April 19th, we took a walk in our neighborhood. We can not walk on the trails/fire roads due to the closing and no-trespassing signs. So we had to take our walk on the road.  We walked to the bridge, where it goes across the reservoir.  During our 30 years living here,  it was the first time they closed the fire roads/ trails to the public. No fishing boats on the lake, no hiking, no horseback riding, just no to everything.  




 There are no sidewalks so a few times we had to go back and forth across the street whenever we heard a car or truck coming.





  We have to watch out while walking some trucks have these huge mirrors sticking way out. We managed safely to walk down to the bridge and back home. 



 The trees are budding, on this day it still looks like winter most trees were still bare. The forest is considered the watershed area around the reservoir. 



 A view of the lake from the right side of the bridge. 


 We walked just a little on the bridge. The only people we saw beside drivers in cars and trucks, were some bike riders and joggers. 



 I am guessing the bird below is a Northern Rough-winged Swallow. I watched maybe 5-6 of these Swallows flying low over the lake.



Besides the Swallows that hang out around the bridge we could see a few Canada Geese on the lake.  


 In the forest around the lake there are the native White Dogwood trees.


A lone flower we saw off the road, not sure of the id.



Beside birding in my yard, a walk on the road or a drive to the bike trail we only go out to the food stores. We live in a rural area near the lake, it is a 15 minute drive to the food store. This is my world.




I pray everyone is healthy and remains safe. Take care.

What's happening in your corner of the world? Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there.


 
Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday



Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!


Thanks for visiting and commenting, have a happy day and a great new week!

Saturday, April 25, 2020

Saturday's Critters #332

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!


Surprise here I am with more yard birds. These were seen on the weekend of April 18th.   I've been seeing more American Goldfinches lately, the male below has his pretty summer colors. 





The Chipmunks are regular visitors to my deck, they know where to find the good food.



There are times I look out my window I see more squirrels than birds.  The critters are well fed.



A pair of Mourning Doves on the deck railing..


 A Carolina Wren searching for sunflower seeds or suet crumbs.



Sharing a meal are the Pine Warbler and a Downy Woodpecker.


I have not shared our new Grand-puppy, Winnie the Corgi has now joined our other grand-pups Nibbles and Chewy. We met Winnie the Corgi for the first on March 15th, before the stay at home started.






I hope everyone is safe, healthy and happy!  


Here is my linky:




Thanks to all my visitors and for all the wonderful comments. I appreciate everyone who loves critters and has linked up their critter post.



Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the host Anni.

Thursday, April 23, 2020

Happy Thankful Thursday!


 Happy Thursday everyone!

I am thankful some of our trails are still open and we are allowed to take a walk, the fresh air and exercise is needed.  It is requested we wear face mask when in a grocery or pharmacy store. I hear places may be opening soon, in the states that do not have as many Covid cases.  I hope everyone is stay healthy and taking the necessary precautions to stay well. 

At home I watched the Red-bellied Woodpecker right before leaving for our walk.



Not many people out on the bike trail on this day,  I could count the people I saw on one hand.


 My and my shadow out for a walk, some fresh air and exercise. 


 It was another pretty sky day, but temperatures were only in the 40's and it was a little breezy.





 Some scenes from our local bike trail.  I heard a few birds during our walk, a few Chickadees and the Titmouse. I like seeing the flowers along the trail as we walked.


 Not sure of the flowers seen off the trail, they looked like a tall purple phlox?


 We decided to take a little ride around the lake on the way home, the dam is seen below.  I saw one Double-crested Cormorant flying away from the dam area. 



Thankful to say we are doing well and not going too crazy over having to stay at home. I would rather be safe at home than sick with the virus.


 I am sharing some of my latest books, reading has been taking up a lot of my stay at home time.  

Among the Mad by Jacqueline Winspear,  Maisie Dobbs series #6
Plum Tea Crazy by Laura Childs, Tea Shop Mystery Series # 19
Broken Bone China by Laura Childs, Tea Shop Mystery Series #20

I am always thankful for your visits and the comments.



Live simple and be happy!  😊 Spread joy & happiness!


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday


Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!

Monday, April 20, 2020

Our World, My World

 Happy Monday everyone!

Stay Healthy, Stay Hopeful and Stay Strong!!

Happy Earth Day!!!

 April is rolling along quickly, our weather has been crazy. The temperatures this month are up and down, tornado watches, snow, heavy rain, wind and frost  If you wait a minute the weather will change. The trees are blossoming and looking beautiful. For some reason my neighborhood is way behind other nearby areas with bloom time in our state. I am happy to see the dayliles, irises, bushes, plants and trees all seem to be off to a great start. 

April 14th, I am still seeing some of my winter yard birds along with the summer birds.  The 3 birds together, are the WT SParrow, male Northern Cardinal with a House Finch, a lone Northern Cardinal. Bottom are the  Hairy Woodpecker and another WT SParrow.




 Some scenes from around the yard, maple tree, creeping phlox, blooming Dogwood and Redbud trees. 




The Japanese Maple trees in the front yard are turning a pretty red.


 The Creeping Phlox is looking pretty. 


 My yard birds seen on April 14th, an American Goldfinch male in his pretty summer colors, a winter Dark-eyed Junco, a winter White-throated Sparrow and a male House Finch.





 I love the curly ferns, they will be open soon.


 I have quite a few Chipping Sparrows in my yard, they are sweet birds.


 The dogwood and the Redbud trees are blooming and looking pretty.

The Dogwood blooms are pretty, one of my favorite trees. 

 
I pray everyone is healthy and remains safe. Take care.

What's happening in your corner of the world? Please check out and visit the following memes and links. I hope to see you there.


 
Thanks to Angie the host of  Mosaic Monday



Thanks to LadyFi  the host of Our World Tuesday!


Thanks for visiting and commenting, have a happy day and a great new week!

Saturday, April 18, 2020

Saturday's Critters #331

Welcome to Saturday's Critters!


If you love all God's creatures like I do and also like to blog about them and take critter photos this is where you can share your critter post. Link up your post and share your critters, join in with my critter party ! You can share any kind of critters the real ones, pretend ones, statues and paintings, a new or old post!

 The Hairy Woodpeckers have been visiting my suet feeder often, a few times a day. This is the male below, you can see the red spot on it's head. 











Here comes the Red-bellied woodpecker in for a landing on the suet.  Make way!!






Mr. Red-bellied Woodpecker says good, now I have the suet all to myself.  

 






Below are the Downy Woodpecker and just a peak at the Pine Warbler  on the other side of the suet feeder.





Celebrate Earth Day April 22nd, we can each do some easy things to help the environment.. Here are some suggestions I found on a Earth Day website. Try walking or ride a bike to places rather than drive, plant a tree,  recycle as much as you can, switch to ebills if you can, plant an organic veggie garden, stop using pesticides, volunteer your time and my favorite is make an oasis for the birds and critters in your yard.  





Thanks to all my visitors and for all the wonderful comments. I appreciate everyone who loves critters and has linked up their critter post.


Here is a list of my linky parties;

Also visit:  I'd-Rather-B-Birdin. Thanks to the host Anni.

Thursday, April 16, 2020

Happy Thankful Thursday!

 Happy Thursday everyone!


"All is well, Be Joyful, Be Happy!!

"Life is so much brighter when you focus on what truly matters."

I am thankful for the simple pleasure of skywatching.  This is the view from our deck, pretty blue skies and puffy white clouds.  One morning I went out to fill the feeders, I ended up spooking 3 large deer that were in our yard.  I watched them until their white tails disappear into the woods.


 Watching the birds in my yard is another simple pleasure, below are the American Goldfinch, Pine Warbler, Chipping Sparrow, Dark-eyed Junco and the Brown Thrasher.  These were all seen on April 7th. 


 While following the stay at home orders, I have been able to watch the Great Blue Herons from my yard.  There are times I can find 6-7 different areas where the herons are nesting.  This day I found 3 near one tree, can you find them?


 The Chipping Sparrows have returned for the season, they are cute birds.


Another pretty sky, looking up from our deck. 


"Be kind whenever possible, it is always possible. "

I am thankful my family and I have been virus-free so far, I wish the same for everyone! Take care and stay healthy!

I am thankful for all the books I have been downloading from the library. My latest books were: 
Chamomile Morning by Laura Childs  # 6 in the Tea Shop Mystery series.
The Bookman's Wake by John Dunning # 2 in the Cliff Janeway Series
The Burglar by Thomas Perry, a new author for me.

I am always thankful for your visit and comments. 

Live simple and be happy!  😊 Spread joy & happiness!


Thank you Michelle for hosting Thankful Thursday
Thank you to Yogi the host of   Skywatch Friday


Thanks so much for visiting and for your nice comments on my previous post. Have a happy day!


Happy Monday!

  Wishing everyone a great day and a ha ppy new week! "Calm is a super power. Don't let stress kill your happiness." "Jud...