Sunday - and Thanks!

Thank you for all the comments yesterday. I can feel a bit of the ache still today but it's nowhere near as bad as yesterday. I think the headache was resulting from a bunch of factors. I had been out for a walk and then had a volunteer thing that was very social (I'm not). I didn't take water with me so no drink, and I didn't have breakfast, and I had to do a lot of interacting with people and I think all of it combined just gave me a headache. It was the kind that I don't get often, but when I do nothing seems to help - I just have to go to bed and sleep it off.  Needless to say, I was not productive yesterday, but I did do the volunteer thing, and I won't feel so guilty about being away for the big volunteer event at the beginning of next month. 

Today, for our Sunday Adventure, we had been thinking about going to a favourite nature park further away from us but with the rising petrol/gas prices and entrance fee, we decided not to go and opted for somewhere closer that was free. Well, it's not free but we pay $15 a year for a pass that gives us entrance to 103 State Parks of which we visit quite a few of throughout the year - a bargain, I think! I'm a little sad not to go, but I can't justify spending the money when we are going to visit daughter in a couple of weeks which we're really looking forward to. I feel we really have to choose our activities a lot more carefully when prices are high. 

We did have a lovely walk. There were a few Spring flowers about. The Trillium was just starting to bloom. In a few weeks they will carpet the woodland floor. 

There were also quite a few Dutchman's Britches around too

There were lots of birds singing as we walked through the woods too. It was quite lovely. Surprisingly, it wasn't that busy. Our weather was summer-like today! The high was 80f/27C!!! Can you believe it? And lovely sunshine. The temperatures are dropping a bit tomorrow and then maybe several days of showers. At least today was lovely!

How was your weekend? 

Rainy Day

 It absolutely poured today. All day long. The weekend promises more of the same. It did clear up round about six this evening for a little while so I sat out on the back porch and watched the birds. Because of the rain I had no walk, but I did have a productive day! I took back some recyclable cans/bottles. We still have a lot to take back but I took back a bunch and put the money in my Travel Covid Test Fund (that's what I'm calling it lol). I also rang the library bookshop to see if they were accepting book donations. They are, but only on Monday and Wednesday and they couldn't get me in until the 12th July! Not sure I'm still going to be in the US by then, so I declined making an appointment. I then called Goodwill (another charity organisation) and they said they were accepting donations without an appointment. As much as I'd rather have the books go to the library bookshop I need them out of my house so they will be going to the Goodwill shop. 

I also managed to get a bunch of things sorted that had just been sitting around waiting to be taken care of. It felt good to clear them away. I shall work on another batch tomorrow if the promised rain arrives. Between my daily chores I also did some crafting and tidied up some things in the craft room. 

Photos of flowers from a recent walk. I love seeing the wildflowers popping up at this time of year. I'm not so good on all the names but I enjoy seeing them and taking photos. 

If it is raining tomorrow I am hoping to get around to taking photos of some craft projects too! 

Happy Walking...Walking...Happy Walk

I feel I got a little bit more accomplished today. I did my regular jobs and did some more sorting. I actually got a few things listed on Ebay too. I am really ready (I think) to get rid of some of this stuff. It's not going to be easy to sort through things I especially like, but I feel the need to lighten myself of some of the things. I would really like to get the house decluttered and feel as though I have some space. At some point (I never thought I'd say this) but I would really like to move. If anything this six months spending more time at home has proved it is that this is not where I would like to end up living. Perhaps it's just a dream, but if it helps in getting things sorted through that's a good thing and, if this is where we end up, it will be with a cleaner and more breathable living space.

Okay - on to day two and the title of this post. What do I enjoy doing? I enjoy walking. It is something that has kept me sane the last six months. Just being able to get out in nature and look around, see the different animals, birds and the changing of the fields as I've walked through them has given me something to look forward to each day. It was a little dicey there for a while. The place I really enjoy walking and is closest to where I live was, for a while, one of a very few spaces open for walking in our city as all the rest were closed. It got very crowded, more trash was left and more dogs off leashes, but things have settled down a little now. During this time I did enjoy seeing people walking with their children who were enjoying nature and looking for frogs, ducks and such. 

My walking boots see a lot of action. They also keep my feet nice and dry!

Some of the lovely wildflowers I see on my walk. Things seem to change so much from week to week. There are flowers that die off and new ones that always seem to be popping up. The change of colours is amazing to watch. I love walking through the field and feeling as though I'm a million miles away from the city when I am in fact in the city. 

How about you? What is it that you enjoy doing? What has helped keep you sane in the last few months? 

What Day is it?

Earlier I thought it was Wednesday and when I was getting ready to write this I was just about to title it Monday...Another Beginning. Sigh. I feel as though I'm going crazy!

A moan - I don't moderate my comments, but I'm really tempted. Today there were at least ten spam comments, all the same comment, same person on my page and another two from someone else. Sigh. UPDATE ON THIS - I have turned on moderation as I received more spam comments.

Another week plodding along. Can't say I've been up to much. Walking. Reading. Crafting. House stuff. Some days I just feel like a hamster running on a wheel - round and round and round. We didn't go far Sunday as the weather was lousy. It was cooler but with it came the rain. We did go out for a drive and a quick walk along the beach, but not to the wildlife place we were going to go.

I have - finally - been sorting through a pile of magazines and books that I needed to go through. I was a bit more brutal with the magazines this time. Some I am donating but a lot got a project ripped out and then were put in the recycle. Some of the clutter has been getting on my nerves again which is the perfect motivation for sorting through it. There isn't any point hanging onto some of this stuff so I determined to be a little selective on what I keep.

I have also started a new cross stitch project (out of one of the magazines I sorted through). I need something to keep me awake. I'm having an awful time with sleep right now. I feel so sleepy sometimes in the afternoon. I think it has something to do with pre-menopause as I went through something like this a few months ago. I just need to get over the fact that I feel guilty if I sleep during the daytime and just do what my body demands.

Photo of the day - American Goldfinch. I love watching these birds in the field where I walk in the morning. There are so many wildflowers growing back there. I am trying to take photos of them, find out what they are and make myself a little book.

Mid-Week

It's heating up again. The air conditioner was working overtime today. I am not doing well in the heat. I did go for a walk but when it started to heat up and the sun was beating down I started to feel quite sick. It's been that way for a while when it's been hot. I don't think I'm coming down with anything. I think it's just the heat. Sigh. Once I got home I didn't sit outside. I decided to just stay out of the heat and do some crafty things. My son finished a box of cereal and saved the box for me. There's no cute face on the front but I can use the box for a cover for a mini album.

Here's what's on my craft desk.

On my walks I have been really enjoying seeing the wildflowers. There are so many of them. I am a little saddened that I haven't seen that many bees or butterflies around. It seems there used to be a lot more of them.

This is one of my favourite wildflowers. It is Chicory. The flowers are a lovely blue colour.

From Wikipedia 

Common chicory is a somewhat woody, perennial herbaceous plant of the dandelion family Asteraceae, usually with bright blue flowers, rarely white or pink. Many varieties are cultivated for salad leaves, chicons, or roots, which are baked, ground, and used as a coffee substitute and food additive. 

I have been taking lots of photos of the flowers I do see and though I don't always know what they are I plan to look them up and perhaps put the photos and a description in a mini album. I do have a Michigan wildflower book but I find it quite difficult to use as some of the photos in it aren't the best and some of the flowers look the same! I took photos of some leaves the other day and found out they were Poison Ivy. I had an idea as my husband always tell me 'Leaves of Three, Let it Be'. I didn't get close enough to touch lol.  

I took this one with my phone and shall keep it on there for reference when I'm out walking. There was a lot of it around!

I hope your week is going well. 

Saturday

Hubby and I were going to try to go for a little walk this morning, but I've woken up (at a fairly decent time) and it is raining! Yesterday was the same and quite chilly. I ended up feeling not too good last night - hot and cold again. I'm not sure if it was just the weather or something else. I don't feel too bad this morning so maybe it was just the sudden change in temp (that certainly doesn't help). Instead of a walk I suppose we'll do Plan B and go look for some flowers. I want something cheery in the garden to maybe attract more butterflies and birds.

I was also sad to read this morning that Sue's husband Col (from The Cottage at the End of a Lane) had passed away. I remember he got cancer around the same time as Mum. I think reading other blogs we sometimes feel as though they are friends we're reading about. I think I connected with Sue's blog as she's from Suffolk and when she and Col lived in Ipswich in their bungalow they were just round the corner from Mum. My thoughts are certainly with her and her family today.

I'll be Skyping Mum later. It's Mother's Day here in the US tomorrow. I usually send Mum a card for both but have to admit I haven't got around to it (haven't been feeling up to it - the making or getting to post office). I did send her a card and presents for Mother's Day in March so I shall just wish her a Happy Mother's Day and let her know I'll be thinking about her. It is only seven weeks until I visit!

I'll leave today with some photos of Spring I took earlier in the week when the sun was shining!

Hope everyone has an enjoyable Saturday.

Enjoyable Tuesday - feels off because it's a holiday!

We did go walking this morning. We decided on a state park that is along Lake Michigan but there is about a half mile uphill walk to the beach. The park is named Saugatuck Dunes State Park - the dunes in there telling you it's all hills. We did get there early enough that it wasn't too busy. We got a nice walk in over the dunes (one of the harder trails) and along the beach. By the time we got back to the car park it was getting packed. People were carrying LOADS of stuff up the hills! Crazy!

A little piece of paradise - at least for a little while! Pretty sure that later in the day it was as packed as every beach in west Michigan seems to be. At least we got out for a walk for a bit. It was beautiful along the lakeshore. I love seeing small structures like the one in the top photo. Interesting. I always wonder who built them and why.

Back at home hubby did do some sausages on the grill. I didn't eat any but I did have some yummy corn that he grilled. He has got that down to a fine art. I'm not much good on the grill and I'm happy to leave it to him. In truth I don't even know how to use the thing!

Good news in the garden. Despite seeing a deer sniffing around them the other evening I have flowers on the plants my friend gave me. I can't tell you how happy I am to be able to show them to her. I killed the last lot she gave me.

I love the way they look when they first start blooming. Hope everyone is enjoying their Tuesday!

Spring is coming! Spring is coming!

There are flowers growing in my garden, well in the grass. Not sure what they are and if the grass was long enough they'd be mowed away BUT it is something other than dull, dead grass.

My 'kids' came down yesterday and we had a barbeque over at MIL's. We haven't all got together since Christmas so that was nice.

She has lovelier flowers growing at her house - they were bursting with colour.