69°f, about 20.5°C. Light showers, heavy overcast.
A morning rose on this dark morning
It was a day for drinking lots of iced tea and sitting under the ceiling fan on the porch as much as possible. We did not get the gate in the chicken yard, or work on the little terracing project. I caught up my ebay packing and shipping, and sorted out a scare from my health insurance when I got a letter saying I had been disenrolled...what?? when?? Apparently it was some internal change with my retiree heath coverage where they disenrolled, then automatically re-enrolled me, who knows why. But all is well. Whew.
This fellow is watching me write, and has just been talking to me with a surprising variety of clicks, buzzes, chirps, and song. Who knew a cardinal has some many different vocalizations?
The cardinals are enjoying the cherries we left on the tree. A brown thrasher made a surprising visit too. I have not seen any other birds eating them. The mulberries seem to be far more popular than sour cherries!
I spent a good bit of time trying to find parts for Larry's mowers. Neither one is currently usable: both have belt issues. I ordered one belt online, not cheap, and it should have been here Monday. But it seems to be stuck in Dallas with FedEx. Tomorrow if it doesn't show up i will ask for a refund.
The other mower had a broken spindle--now I know what that is, having looked at dozens online until we found the right one. It is supposed to be here Saturday. Meantime, the grass has thankfully slowed its growth so things aren't looking too bad, yet. But after today's rain that may change. So frustrating.
I did a little furniture painting too, getting a second coat on this stool and first coat on a cabinet. I think I can finish both today.
So no garden work lately, although I will get out later today and get more plants in the ground. And maybe plant the butternut squash. The gardens look happy to get rain; we actually watered the flowerbeds yesterday, for the first time this year.
I finished my most recent book, I Am Lucy Barton, by Elizabeth Strout. I enjoy her writing, although this particular book, which explores a dysfunctional mother-daughter relationship, was not my favorite. Strout's writing is so compelling that I kept reading even though the characters did not appeal to me. One of my problems with her book--and it is my problem, not hers--is that I have a hard time relating to modern city people and their issues. While some things, like mental illness, are certainly universal, I find it hard to relate to the urban setting sometimes. Although, I completely enjoyed A Gentleman in Moscow by Amos Townes, and totally getbinto Maeve Binchy's books, many of which are set in Dublin.
Currently I am reading A Gracious Plenty, by Sheri Reynolds. I am only into it by a few chapters, but such beautiful writing! This one promises to be a good read.
And speaking of writing, this weekend is the West Virginia Writers Conference. I always enjoy this time to get together with writer friends. We have a reading at the conference from our Porch Poems book, but that is the only "work" I have to do there. Should be fun.
Well, off to work I go, doing something...don't know what yet. Larry is off to town to try to find a mower belt, so I have enjoyed some uninterrupted time to get this written. Have a good afternoon, friends.
Copyright Susanna Holstein. All rights reserved. No Republication or Redistribution Allowed without attribution to Susanna Holstein.
We have some small birds in the trees here and they begin singing around 4ish in the morning. Way too early but nice to hear as I fall back to sleep. :)
ReplyDeleteOh that is early! Ours start about 5:30, still too early for me!
DeleteYes, Northern Cardinals do have an extensive repertoire. They are charming birds, universally appreciated it seems.
ReplyDeleteAnd quite ornery too! They fuss and quarrel all the time here, over nothing that I can see. But I enjoy having them around. We seem to have at least a half dozen males and an equal number of females around our yard and gardens.
DeleteI wish we had a cardinal. They are in the city where my daughters live, and even in the town where I shop, but they do not come here. Urban birds, and yet we have all these enticing bugs. Tsk.
ReplyDeleteOurs are anything but urban here, Mary! We are in deep country, mostly surrounded by forest and a few fields. I think though that cardinals are seed eaters, not insect eaters. A pity because we too have plenty of bugs!
DeleteOur birds begin waking up between 5 and 5:30. I love to wake up listening to them. I'm trying to learn to pick them out by their songs. Cardinals are one that I can recognize.
ReplyDeleteWe've had two more hot days, but we've opened the windows just now at 9pm. The next few weeks should be relatively decent in terms of temperature anyway.
ReplyDeleteThe cardinals are really beautiful. I have never seen one over here. Wish we had some sunshine...it has been raining quite a lot and pretty cool (just 10C-15C) for June.
ReplyDeleteThe cardinal-experience sounds outstanding! All I hear are pigeons.
ReplyDeleteOur local wren was being a very shouty bird before 4am today!
ReplyDeleteI think they are all making the most of the beautiful mornings..before it turns pearshaped again at breakfast time! We could do with a little of your heat..winter weather in summer is no joke
Ugh! 88, I would melt! It has been in the mid 50s here. I could use it a touch warmer, but I would rather have it cooler than too hot. Love the cardinal pictures!
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bird, we dont have that kind, here is a tropical hot weather.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful bird, I read back on your chicken post, such fun, not!! What pesky birds those news ones are, hope they produce the eggs for you.
ReplyDeleteOh, I also meant to say that the tornados in the midwest have slowed things down. Someone I know is waiting on paperwork that is on its way...but stuck somewhere.
ReplyDeleteThe birds we have around here that sing are only the House Finches. The ravens squawk loudly but don't really sing. And the heat is on here, in the high 90's, so our house is closed to it and to any birdsong. What a loss!
ReplyDelete