This Week in Life - 1 May 11

Wow, it's hard to believe it is already May Day - Beltane - a sure sign that summer is on it's way. Although we are not complaining about the weather this year, we're really not (she says as she looks to the heavens) - we need the water after all!

I was successful (I think...waiting on word from the daughter) in finding a dress for her wedding in November. I'll post pics AFTER the event. Here are some of the losers of the year though, to tide you over! Oh, yeah, and I figured out the self-timer on my camera in order to take those pics, BTW...yeay for me!!




And wow - I really did write over 30 poems during the month of April - National Poetry Month, as evidenced on my other blog, titled Butterflies of Possibility after a writing prompt I picked up around the time we found out my first grandchild (a boy, Benjamin, now three years old and very adorable and fun to take to the zoo etc.) was expected!








Our latest excursion was to Effie Yeaw Nature Center at Ancil Hoffman Park in Carmichael, CA. Saw turkeys, does and a buck during our walk, as well as some butterflies and acorn woodpeckers. Autumn Rose, my 18-month old granddaughter was fascinated by the kestrel in the Center, and the trees and oak leaves littering the paths. She hasn't quite got the hang of talking yet, but man, she loved Rocky the resident kestrel!

I finally figured out, sort of, how to get things where I want them to be in the blog - pics et al. Okay, now off to make ham, cheese, and spinach crepes for dinner, with a mustard vinaigrette - yum!

Jan-Feb 2011 - Winter to Spring

It's the 6th of February, the birds are chattering away in the trees, and the temperature is supposed to be in the mid-70s today. The calendar says Winter, but the weather says Spring.

We have Oregon Juncos, finches, and Red-Winged Blackbirds visiting at the moment. The Red-Winged Blackbird is my favorite bird - I remember seeing them along the highways and byways when we'd go out driving around when I was a kid.

Another bird I find fascinating is the Tawny frogmouth. It hails from places Down Under, and emits a low thrum much like a bullfrog does. We discovered it as well as the Lady Ross' turaco (a lively bird with beautiful striking colors !) at the Sacramento Zoo when I took my grandchildren there this week!

Yes, I had a wonderful 2 1/2 visit with the grandbabies at the Sacramento Zoo this week. We saw every animal there at least once, and some two or three times! Some were active and some were melancholy - the gibbons were just sitting in the small pool of sunshine touching their enclosure, not noticing the humans milling around the place. It's amazing to see the world through the eyes of a child!

And last night, I went to the Cozmic Cafe in Placerville to see my favorite band - Tempest. Neat venue, lively crowd, great energy! Hope they play there again in the future!

As for my weekly goals of writing and exercise - I was 100% on the exercise and on accomplishing the Morning Pages. And I even wrote a bit on a short story idea yesterday. So this was a good week all around!

Looking Up - Family

I was blessed to have my son and my grandchildren over for a few hours this evening. The grandson turned 2 in March and the granddaughter is 6 months old. My generation is now the elder generation with the passing of my aunt in February. And the grandbabies are the up and coming generation. Family is a blessing and a port in the storm when you truly need one. We may harangue you and give you our strongly worded opinions, but we do love you and will stand by you when need be. That is what family is for, after all.