and trying to carry on through the last of this summer’s heat. I want so much to see beautiful flowers blooming and soft colors instead of this harsh desert sunlight.
Okay, I’ve had my rant. Maybe I’ll see if Tracy is up for a day trip this weekend. That should make us both feel better.
“Sunshine is delicious, rain is refreshing, wind braces us up, snow is exhilarating; there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.”
John Ruskin
“Sunshine is delicious…
rain is refreshing…
wind braces us up…
snow is exhilarating;…
there is really no such thing as bad weather, only different kinds of good weather.” John Ruskin
All of this weather happened right at the cabin. I know that Annie hated the snow trip and I totally understand why, but how could you not love it all in retrospect?
protein with your sugar water?
This is a brand new feeder that Annie had just hung up earlier in the morning. It didn’t take long for the ants to find it.
Or the wasps!! See all the little ants bellied up to the bar enjoying a drink.
We had a wonderful time in Strawberry and didn’t even land up in jail. :) And the wash was running! Actually it ran a couple of times during the rains. It was amazing how quickly it happened.
When we got there Friday night, it was cool and lovely. Slept with the windows open and the breezes blowing. Saturday we had a lovely rain for most of the afternoon.
Now rain isn’t what time at the cabin is all about…but it sure helps with my coming-to-the-end-of-the-summer-can’t-take-the-heat-anymore blues.
We had such a good time…visiting, hiking (for those up to that), reading, beading, movie watching and just relaxing with no responsibilities or commitments. It was lovely.
I’m sure I may have used this post title before, but c’est la vie. Didn’t know this was a multicultural blog did you? :)
This sign has caught my eye for years as I head into Buckeye to visit with my buddy, Annie.
The Bales family settled in the Buckeye Valley in the 1880’s and have been a part of Buckeye’s rich farming history ever since. There is a local road named Beloat after some of their early ancestors and fifth generation farmers still live on that road and continue their family tradition today. Coming from a girl who moved all over during her childhood and still finds it hard to put down roots, that amazes me. In the early years, the hay was stacked with a sling and derrick.
The above picture is courtesy of a Then and Now book on Buckeye by Verlyne Meck. It has some of the most interesting pictures and facts. I’m glad there are people who place importance on preserving and recording the history of an area.
I think it is very ironic that someone with the last name of Bales sells bales of hay. Call me goofy…it’s okay…people do it all the time, but that strikes me as funny. When talking with my sister-in-law about the post she said what about an orthopedic doctor with the last name of Bones. You get the idea. Do you know of any other examples of this type of phenomenon…yes, let’s call it a phenomenon. (I know there should probably be a question mark in there somewhere, but laudee with the way I talk…who know’s where?)
And speaking of Annie – you remember, way back at the beginning of this post – we’re headed to Strawberry again this weekend! Yippee! We actually got rain down here in the Valley last night, so I’m really looking forward to rain up north. We’ve managed to talk a couple more of our bunco group into going with us, so I’m sure we’ll be raising hell. Watch the news for four geriatric women being jailed on charges of…well, I’ll leave that to your imagination. Happy Friday and have the most wonderful weekend!
a few days makes. This is the shot of the newest baby dove on the 6th of August…just breaking out of its shell.
This is a picture of the baby at just two days old on the 8th.
And this is the same baby at eight days old on the 14th.
I would guess in a few more days this little one will be flying and will have left the nest. This is the momma’s fourth clutch this summer…she’s been busy.
Going…
going…
gone.
Tracy and I braved the hot weather and got out to take some pictures one day last week. One of the stops we made was at Friendship Park in Avondale. They have a nice pond there with lots of water fowl and turtles.
I think this duck has aspirations of being a flamingo. He was quite comfortable standing around on one leg. To sleep, some just preferred the old “looking behind me to see who’s sneaking up” style.
I never did get a very good shot of the Snowy Egret. It was the only one of its kind at the pond and didn’t like it if we got too close.
I think his yellow feet are too cool.
There was something a little militant about this fellow. Could be the stripes.
It was really nice to get out and about. It was WARM though by the time we headed home. I guess that’s not going to change for another month or so. We’ll just have to be brave and drink lots of water.
The “New Beginning” pictures I just posted were taken on Tuesday morning. This is the picture of the nest that I took this morning – Thursday.
Now I know in the previous picture (plus I actually saw with my own two little peepers) that there were two eggs hatching that day.
But there is only one little baby in the nest. I looked around to see if I could find the one who doesn’t seem to have made it, and I couldn’t find anything. And I have to say, this little one isn’t so very little for only being in the world for two days. Greg is thinking that maybe a roadrunner got the other baby, but I don’t know why it would leave one. I guess it’s all about how life works, but I’m missing the other little fellow.
The momma dove has decided that the empty flower pot that hangs closer to the house has more shade. She’s moved her house to this location for her latest brood.
On my way out the door yesterday morning, I noticed she had eggs in her nest and to my amazement they were hatching!!!
I was lucky enough to have my point and shoot camera with me. I’ve cropped these in pretty close and apologize for the quality, but I’m sure you can see the little ones poking their way into the world.
Put a smile on my face for the rest of the day.
li·brar·y
1. a. A place in which literary and artistic materials, such as books, periodicals, newspapers, pamphlets, prints, records, and tapes, are kept for reading, reference, or lending.
I have had a truly deep love for libraries ever since the fourth grade when I was allowed to visit the public library after school in Sumter, South Carolina. I have moved all over this country and even been to France. The one thing I remember about every place since South Carolina was where the library in town or on base was.
These are not books. These are movies.
The other side of this aisle had just as many video games. I have to say, I have never (until today) checked a movie out of the library. But I also have to say, I will in the future. They even have several series from television. I can see that it would be a great benefit for kids to try a new video game out before investing. So, I’m trying to embrace the changes that libraries are undergoing, but I’m very sad to say….
that in this branch of our county library in the fiction section at the end of this second set of books, we are already through the letter “C” and working on the letter “D” by author. That’s not very many books. Once when I asked at another branch of the county library for several of the classics…John Steinbeck, Pearl S. Buck…I was told they didn’t carry copies of those books because that wasn’t the demographic they were going for. Huh??
How about you? Do any of you still frequent your county or city library? Are you enriching your children’s lives with the love of literature in whatever form that may take?
I’m such a big kid at heart. I conned Nicole and three of her friends into watching the Paranormal Activity movies with me last night.
I’ve always loved “scary” movies as long as they’re not the bloody, gory kind. I like suspense and thrills. I have a memory of my childhood where my two older brothers and I sat up in our family room watching what are now “the old black and white” Werewolf and Frankenstein movies. I fell asleep and they turned things off and went to bed. I woke up and was afraid to walk through the dark house to my room and was crying. My oldest brother heard me and came and took me to my room. He’s always been my hero since then even though as often happens with brothers and sisters we’ve had our share of troubles. But I know if things get dark and scary, I can always count on him.
But when you stay up ‘til the very wee hours of the morning watching movies, this is what you find in the morning…
young people asleep on the couches, floors and in your spare room. I love it!
