Sunday, February 16, 2014

Sunday, February 16, 2014

On THIS Particular Sunday...(A Brief Synopsis)

It's about 9:30 a.m.  The house is quiet, and my husband and I are enjoying coffee and watching the birds that come to our backyard feeder.  The coffee is nothing fancy, no flavors, froths, whips or caramel drizzle, just reliable old Eight o'clock brand whole bean Dark Italian Roast and Great Value non-dairy creamer.  Coffee snobs, we are not.

The feeder, like the coffee, is nothing fancy either.  Rickety, weathered grey, with suet holders on each end of it, this cedar feeder was old and decrepit when I acquired it, and I've had it about 11 years.  The birds don't care.  As long as it has food, they really don't give a shit about what it looks like.

Over the last two days, we have been graced with our normal visitors that we see nearly year round.  Cute Tufted Titmice, (what a name!), vibrant Cardinals, Blue Jays, with their striking blue, white and black feathers, Slate-colored Junco, Black Capped Chickadees, Nuthatches, Mourning Doves, a sparrow of some sort, as well as Downy and Red-bellied Woodpeckers.

We were excited yesterday when a huge Piliated Woodpecker landed in some Shumate (?) trees in our back yard.  These trees have some sort of seed cluster into winter, and judging by the ones already stripped bare, I'm guessing that they are a source for this bird.  I got a few somewhat fuzzy shots with my iPhone, but they were clear enough to see that it was a female, Hopefully, this Spring, she'll nest.  We saw her twice, so it's a pretty good indication that she stays in this area.

Piliated's are shy birds, about crow-sized, maybe 17 inches tall.  They have a wide range, most of the Continental U.S., actually, but are seldom seen as they prefer deep woods.

12:47 p.m.

The sun keeps making brief appearances, ducking back behind clouds like a shy child.  I'm trying to enjoy the view from my little office, but it's hard when it's overcast and the ground is snow covered.  Sigh.  

Finally got around to fixing some breakfast, while he tinkered around on the guitar.  Sausage patties, eggs, toast, milk for him, coffee for me.  More bird watching.  Cleaned up the kitchen, loaded the dishwasher and started it.  Load of whites in the wash.  Cut up for stir fry, a big sirloin steak.  It's currently marinating in Teriyaki sauce in the fridge.   I have some Asian veggies to mix with it and then serve it over fragrant Jasmine rice.  Be good in my lunch tomorrow, too.

He's snoring to NASCAR on the TV.  I'm pensively, sporadically, trying to write, just feeling distracted.  I know there's a big package of loin chops that needs divied up and frozen, as well as a small pork loin roast.  There's more laundry to be done.  There's books to gather up to take back to the library tomorrow, things to get ready to take to work in the morning.  Again, SIGH...

4:23 p.m.

Didn't divvy up the chops and roast.  Half the laundry is done, but did get books bagged up.  Have to start dinner soon...

5:18 p.m.

Adding music to a USB drive for my truck.  Seriously have to start dinner as soon as I'm done with this.  

7:43 p.m.

Dinner was delicious.  Will definitely have to fix again.  Laundry is just about done.  My goal of doing only basic chores today, not getting dressed, and fixing a good dinner were accomplished.  Life is good, is sweet, right here in this moment.  And this moment.  And this....you get the picture.

All that's left is to get a shower in and relax for a few before heading to bed.   

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