Katy here again. (If you didn’t read it, I did the previous post too. Just saying.)
I bugged and bugged mama this morning, whining to go outside. At 6 a.m. In the rain.
And because of me she got to see this. It lasted less than a minute.
You can thank me later. She already did. As is appropriate.
Your gal, the damp but still beautiful Katie-girl.
Katie here. Mama says I can show you a little bit from my back yard. She and I went ‘sploring out there this afternoon.
A bit of sunbathing in my yard.
At first I was reluctant to go out with her cause I thought she was going to put me in my kennel. Don’t get me wrong, I love spending time in my kennel, but only when I want to be out there, not just cause she’s tired of my whining politely requesting treats.
Looks like this little bug was out exploring too!
Mama and I love spring, so many subtle colors! And then there are the brilliant colors of spring. I like those too!
I’ve got hearts on my shoulder mama, and forget-me-nots at my feet!
I think my folks have done a pretty good job of keeping my yard looking nice. I should probably appreciate them more.
Isn’t this pretty? It’s a quince blossom.
This week mama and I weeded one of the gardens. I was the motivator and she was the labor. Every time she stood up to stretch I barked at her to get back to work. She said I’m something of a taskmaster!
I love this color, don’t you?
I told her that as a princess I expected the best out of my people. She sort of nodded wearily.
More pretty color!
We have lots more gardens to weed, I hope she maintains my high expectations.
This evening mama took me to a neighbor’s land again. We got to run through the woods and I had a wonderful time, but it sort of wore me out, so I’ll have to share that adventure another time.
Sometimes a run in your own backyard is the perfect way to enjoy an afternoon.
I hope you all are enjoying spring wherever you are!
Talk later, your gal Katie.
It’s harder, some weeks, to find a reason to smile, and this week has been one of those. What with the deaths of Tim Conway and Doris Day, the fall and hip fracture of former President Jimmy Carter, some health issues within my family and a semi crash not far from me that has critically injured two people just today, it seems there’s not a lot to smile about.
But if I take a moment (and a deep breath) I know the truth, that there’s always something to smile about. You just have to pay attention.
For instance – today the sun came out.
Really mama? Can’t we just get on with our walk?
To those of you living in Florida or Arizona or California that might not seem like a big deal. Now that I think about it, maybe all of you in those far away states are sun hoarders, unwilling to share a little light with us in the northern, damp and bleak states. Well, today the sun came out and we reached 70 degrees.
And Katie and I reveled in it.
The neighbors have a beautiful pond.
We took a walk, my girl and I, on a neighbor’s land across the street. I let her off her leash and she trotted along the pond, nose to the ground, then up and down hills so happy to be free to sniff all the good stuff.
Come on mama, there’s good smells over here!
I was happy to be free of the wet dripping rain.
And it was enough, this one day of sun, to make me smile.
Spring pushes winter out of the way.
Katie and I hope you have something to smile about too. Let us know what’s making you happy and put a comment in Trent’s Weekly Smile post (pingbacks aren’t working at the moment.
We look forward to reading all about your smiles.
Big thanks to our neighbors for letting us wander in their yard!
The week is literally flying by as I smile while watching the spring arrivals at my bird feeders.
Male cardinal, female and male grosbeaks, shot through the living room window complete with reflections.
May 1st was a very very big day, as the first two male Baltimore orioles showed up, brilliant in their orange feathers.
Welcome back Mr. Oriole! We’ve missed you!
Their feeder had only been up one day when they arrived, so perhaps they’ve been around a few days. I hope they didn’t get too hungry waiting for me.
All day today, May 2nd, the oriole feeder has been active, with the beautiful orange birds, plus others who stopped by for a taste.
Energized for takeoff!
Today I saw my first Grosbeaks, two males at my seed feeder fighting each other for space at the table. One finally chased the other off, but then seemed kind of confused.
Waiting his turn at a feeder.
I had his favorite food on the feeder, but he seemed interested in all the activity right next door at the oriole feeder. So he gave that a try.
Hey everyone, there’s desert over here!
Turns out he liked it and sat there tasting for quite some time. And when he noticed me he flew up into the tree to watch…
It’s safe up here to sort out what kind of options I have.
…then sat at the finch feeder eating thistle seed for a long time. He thinks he’s arrived at a smorgasbord. I guess he has.
Hmmmm, this is pretty good too!
And when a bluejay showed up he retreated to another feeder pole to watch the action.
Just resting between courses.
Yesterday I saw the first hummingbird too, checking out the oriole feeder because I hadn’t put up his feeder. I hurried up and got that out and he’s been back today. In fact I just saw him a few minutes ago. No pictures yet, he’s pretty shy.
And of course between the orioles and grosbeaks (a female showed up today too!!) and hummingbirds…
Sharing is hard sometimes.
…I have the usual gold finches and titmice and chickadees and bluejays and blackbirds and cardinals.
And this guy, image caught through the window and a screen.
Good water lady!
What made you smile this week? Tell us your story and link to Trent’s blog so we can all smile with you!
I make everybody smile!
I have all these photos, taken during our March 31st snowstorm and now it’s feeling warmer and the snow is long gone and if I don’t post these soon I never will.
Yes, the snow is gone, at least down here in Southeast Michigan. Not to say it won’t be back. But at least we’re not still covered in snow like our friends to the north.
Last week we a were enjoying a beautiful day when I noticed this out my kitchen window…
“Seems a little small, lady. Do you have anything with three bedrooms and two baths?”
“Brrrrr….I should have migrated South.”
I spent much of the morning sitting in my nice warm living room taking pictures of frantic birds landing on the feeders.
“It’s a smorgasbord!”
Eventually I put the camera on a tripod, sat on the sofa, and used my phone to release the shutter in order to get these shy gold finches.
It was so much fun!
I never know exactly what I’m going capture when I’m trying to shoot birds. Sometimes I’m surprised when I download everything and take a look. This one made me laugh.
Take off!
I know professional bird photographers spend hours and hours preparing for a particular bird shoot…and it takes a bit of luck too. I feel pretty lucky that I can sit here and watch all these little guys stop by for a visit.
I hope you enjoyed my birds as much as I do!
If we’re lucky this was the last snowy day around here for awhile.
Not surprisingly we had snow on March 31st. This is Michigan after all, where winter doesn’t go quietly.
We only got this much snow, but it sure was pretty!
Oh no, winter around here is much more sneaky than that.
After beautiful days earlier in the week those pesky weather people predicted snow, and they were right. It started Friday evening, by Saturday morning the yard was stunning. And when the sun peeked through the clouds (for only a few minutes, but still) it was spectacular.
A moment of sun early in the morning made it all sparkle.
I told Katie I arranged for snow just for her Gotcha Day. I don’t think she bought it, but she was kind enough not to laugh.
I’d rather not sit here mama, can we go back inside now?
Even she seemed to think it was pretty cold, wet and windy when we toured the yard. She said snow was not enough to get me off the hook for the lack of celebration on her big day. I had to promise something special for later. I think camping might do it, but don’t tell her.
Seriously mama, I’m cold and wet.
Meanwhile the birds were crazy. I have so many cute shots of them crowding around the feeders, that they will have to be in a separate post.
It was crazy around the feeders!
And of course Katie will be posting about her day and her expectations for future adventures. I might be in a bit of trouble there. We’ll see.
Waiting his turn at the feeder. Classy gent.
Change Is Hard 