Saturday

So windy here today. There were several times I wondered whether the trees in the garden would survive! We don't have a huge garden but there are several pine trees at the back that are huge. They sway and groan in the strong winds. So far, they have survived!

We did take a ride in the morning to the lakeshore. The waves weren't wild when we went but I did manage to see a new-to-me bird. An American Avocet. Four of them. I thought, at first, that they were some kind of seagull as they had their heads tucked into their bodies, but when they raised their heads, I could see their curved beaks. They actually curved upwards. 

I took several photos with my camera - here's a couple

 

We got home in time for husband to go to the Celebration of Life. I did a little crafting this afternoon and listed a few more Ebay auctions. Tomorrow we're off for a walk somewhere. Don't know where yet. The clocks here go back in the early hours so it will be a strange day. I always seem to struggle the first couple of days after any clock change. 

I hope everyone is having a good weekend

Day 309

A nice walk on a windswept, empty beach

A Day to Remember

I got up early this morning to watch some of the funeral. It was quite moving. 

I was supposed to have a Covid booster and Flu shot today but storms came through last night and the place I was going to sustained damage and the appointment was cancellled. I tried to reschedule but couldn't do it online. I think that closer to the end of the week, I'll go in and see if I can do it that way.  I was hoping to get it out of the way! 

I walked by myself for a little while before doing my grocery shopping and going home. I managed to get some household chores done and got some of the camping clothes washed. There will be more washing tomorrow. We got through some heavier clothes as the nights were a little chilly. 

I was going to do some more sorting in the craft room, but because I stayed on track and got other things done I didn't go upstairs. I don't have a lot planned tomorrow so will tackle more of the craft room tomorrow. I still have a long way to go, but I did get some sorting done over the weekend and it is looking better. I actually managed to take a bag of rubbish out of there at the weekend!

Day 257 (Wednesday 14th Sept)

Wasn't a good day. We were all worried about Shasta. She still managed to have a smile when she got some attention from Mum. 

Day 258 (Thursday 15th Sept)

We got up really early to see Daughter, SIL and huskies off. It was a sad day. Husband and I didn't want to go back to bed so we went and found a sunrise somewhere. This was taken where yesterday's video was taken. It was beautiful. The day was full of worry waiting to hear they all got home safely and then waiting to hear about Shasta's passing. 

Day 259 (Friday 16th Sept)

We decided to go back home early. We didn't fancy staying without Daughter and her family. On our way home we decided to stop at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Park. It's $25 to get in but we decided to treat ourselves. When we reached the gatehouse the man there asked if we met certain criteria, one of which was being a Veteran. Husband served for ten years and showed the man his ID. We got a free pass! Not just to that park, but to every National Park! It's apparently a benefit to veterans. How nice and expected that was!

This sign made me laugh. It's changed since the last time we were here. I have the sign on my blog page. There were only two people climbing - a man and his son. The rest of us watched!

Day 260 (Saturday 17th Sept)

A walk by myself. 

I'll catch up with the rest tomorrow. I'm really tired. It's been a long old day. 

Playing Catch-up

I haven't posted for a few days. Nothing wrong. I've just been trying to catch up with my other photography blog. On that blog I'm documenting A Year at Asylum Lake for my Big Project with my online camera club. I'd fallen behind - is that anything new for me - and I wanted to get caught up. That meant sorting through photos I'd taken on my walks, organising them on my computer and writing the blog posts. I am still a couple of weeks behind, but it's feeling more manageable. It was on my to-do list for the week so that's one thing I can check off! 

Another thing I wanted to do this month was get rid of 30 books. It's only April 8th and I've already managed to sort out 21 of them! I hang my head in shame as some of these were books daughter had left behind. 

This was also the Phone Photo - Things That Make Me Smile 97/365. I am so pleased that I was able to get rid of so many. I will be looking for more this weekend so stay tuned - lol. 

I listed some more on Ebay. If they don't sell, I shall be donating them. We'll see how it goes. I really wish the library bookshop was accepting donations as I would feel better about donating books to the shop but I need them out of my house so they will have to go to a charity shop of some sort. 

I haven't progressed much on my craft room. I did start looking through things, but realistically I will have to come up with a method of choosing what stays and what goes. I honestly still like most of the things I have in there. It is a matter of working out what exactly I am going to use and not things I want to hold onto in case I want to use them. Sigh. 

I did well on the meal planning this week. I went and did a food shop today too so I have most of what I need for next week too. The place I usually shop at is having renovations done and is a mess, the shop is a mess and the car park is a mess. I don't like food shopping at the best of times, but the mess makes it worse. I can feel my anxiety climbing. So I changed places I shop at - only problem is that the roadworks on the main road close to mine started and (soon) the road will be closed completely in one direction (until October) so I thought I'd go today in case they close it after the weekend. It was supposed to be closed on the 6th but for some reason they have kept a small bit of it open. If I down drive in my neighbourhood I can still get through - for now at least. 

It's not been a good week weather wise. Cold (I'm tired of it), rainy (I'm tired of getting wet on my walks) but I have managed to get out all but one day. 

Phone Photos - Things That Make Me Smile 96/365

I found this at Jane's and it made me laugh!

Day 98/365

I got these today! Made me smile. Daughter sent them to me. 

Hope everyone has a good weekend. I've got some blog hopping to do! 

2/2/2022 Groundhog Day

It's 2 2 22 today. My son was the one to mention it. The date would have entirely gone by me lol. It's also Groundhog Day here in the US. Weird superstition/tradition. I knew nothing about it before I came here so I thought I'd share. 

Disclaimer - this is how I understand Groundhog Day. 

Every year on February 2nd in Punxsutawney Pennsylvania a special festival is held for their famous groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil. The festival starts before sunrise. Folklore says that if it is cloudy when Phil emerges from his hole, he will leave his burrow and there will be an early spring. If it is sunny and the groundhog sees his shadow, he will go back into his burrow and there will be six more weeks of winter. Once Phil has made his decision it is said he will tell the president of the Groundhog Club in a secret language called 'Groundhogese'. The president will then let the gathering crowd know. 

It is said that Groundhog Day began as a German custom during the 18th and 19th century and is believed to be influenced by European lore where a badger or bear was used to forecast the coming spring instead of a groundhog. 

This is a photo of Punxsutawney Phil and Groundhog President. 

Well, did Phil see his shadow? Will there be six more weeks of winter? 

He saw his shadow, so we are in for six more weeks of winter. That's not a surprise to those of us who live in Michigan. 

We had quite the snowstorm today. It's still snowing, and we have about 8-9 inches of snow. I stayed indoors except to go outside and put birdseed out for the poor birds who were eating like crazy. Four deer stopped by several times during the day to eat some birdseed. There were two lying down in the snow when I got up this morning. There are several trees at the back of our garden, and I think they were hunkering down back there. 

Husband and son went off to work as usual. When they came home they both worked hard to clear the driveway, pavements in front of our house (as we are required to do) and rake the roof - this is so the snow doesn't build up too much, melt and drip and cause really bad icicles. It took quite a while and - as I said - it's still snowing but hopefully it's winding down. 

33/365 Phone Photos - Things That Make Me Smile 

One of our old Christmas Trees buried in snow. The birds love hiding underneath the bottom of this tree. Made me smile to see such lovely snow and know that I don't have to go out in it!

Week Over?

I must admit I've been in a bit of a wobbly state this week but it has gone quick! I think that's just it, we have to keep plodding along and making the best of things.

I have been working hard on the book decluttering. Sometimes I still feel as though I'm moving one pile to somewhere else, but I am sorting through things and getting rid of things. I have another box of books ready to go to the library bookshop (when they open) or the charity shop (if the library bookshop doesn't open soon). Getting rid of some of them aren't bothering as much as I thought they would or perhaps I'm just a little bit more ready. I still have a lot to go through but it's nice to see things leaving the house. I have even been sorting through some magazines (crafty ones) ripping out the bits I will use and recycling the rest. The recycle bin was almost full again this week.

I have been upstairs crafting a little. It's been quite hot again though. I have begun working on getting things organised more up there and have found some things that I didn't remember I had. It's like going shopping at home lol. I am pretty sure there are things up there that I'm going to get rid of. There are some decorative papers I know that I won't use. I was thinking up making up a collection and then putting them all together in the donate box. I hate the thought of tossing them out.

There have been a couple of lovely mornings out walking this week. The light is becoming quite beautiful in the morning. These are phone photos but I thought I'd share. It has (sadly) been quite busy at the place where I walk in the mornings. I am hoping that once things cool down it will be a little quieter. Selfish of me but I miss the peacefulness of my walk.

I hope everyone has a good weekend!