Come and Take A Walk with Me

Our Wild Backyard

*edited to say that the "unidentified Bird" is an American Goldfinch.

We continue to enjoy all of the visitors to the feeders. Here are some recent photos of who has been dropping by!

Male Cardinal


Female Cardinal


Nuthatch


Tufted Titmouse


Yet to be Identified American Goldfinch


Pesky, Good-for-Nothing, Rotten Squirrel


Downy Woodpecker

We also have a million Chickadees and Pine Siskins. I have only seen Robins twice. If anyone can help us to identify the one bird shown here, we would appreciate it.

Happy Monday!

Catching Up

That Cream Cheese Pound Cake I made yesterday?

It turned out A.M.A.Z.I.N.G.

I spent a great afternoon with a wonderful girlfriend,
someone who really gets me, and whom I enjoyed catching up with.

Oh, and she brought me these:

And here are a few more pics of the wee ones:

Can you see Mater in this picture? Hee hee.


Here is how Ella likes to spend a leisurely Saturday afternoon--
lounging with a good book.

James called me over to the table yesterday--
he said it was my birthday and I needed to
come and blow out my candle.

And since this theme is going around, here is my own sleepy time shot.

Despite a quietly calm and sweet weekend,
I can't shake a certain sadness.

I hope it passes soon.

Look at my beautiful children.
How could I possibly spend one more second feeling sad?

It is probably just the rain.

Come on, SPRING!

Playtime

I love our morning playtime together.
The sun streaming in through the window.
James' concentration.
The vintage blocks.
The clack-clack-clack of the train.
The intent watching of the cat.
Gino trying to stay out of the way.
Gordon's googley eyes.
Togetherness.

I Must Have / Make / Do This!

I have an old friend coming over for dinner on Saturday night. (Ha, not and OLD friend, but a friend who has been there forever.) Anyhoo, I love her to pieces and I will be making this JUST FOR HER!

Cream Cheese Pound Cake and Strawberry Coulis,
recipe and photo courtesy of Smitten Kitchen

I am also making her a new pasta recipe that I found and will share in a few days. Let's just say that it contains ditalini (I just love saying that--it makes me laugh and I am not sure why) broccoli and TONS of olive oil. YUM!

Here is a blog I frequent--I just love her artwork. You must check it out. Every day I visit I feel like I am getting a little present!

She draws whatever she purchased that day. There was a time in my life (ages ago) that I was deeply submersed in everything artistic. This blog reminds me that art doesn't have to be a big undertaking--you can find art in the every day. It also makes me think of my Dad. who for sometime in the 70s worked the third shift at Bath Iron Works, and would draw me a little picture and leave it for me on the fridge to find every morning.

That's a blog I love, one that reminds me of the simple of every day living, and recalls a bit of nostaligia. Check her out at Obsessive Consumption.

I am making a conscious effort to spend less time on the computer. I think that it has slowly begun to encroach on my free time--especially the mindless bits of time spent on Facebook. Fun? Yes. Have I reconnected with old friends? Yes. Would I rather be learning how to bake/cook/knit/garden from the blogs that I love? Yes.

However--I am somewhat addicted to this little online escape. (Hey, at least I can say that it is benefiting someone, right?)

And finally, in time for Easter, a very sweet little project that I will be jumping on this weekend:

Easter Eggs, photo and instructions at Vintage Chic Home

I discovered this blog and can't stop checking back. Love a great new Blogland find!

Let me know if you like these links--and if you make, bake, cook or play anything I have listed!

Happy 7 Months, Ella!

She has her two bottom teeth, she is almost crawling (more like scooting on her belly like an inch worm), she says what sounds like "Da Da," and most of all, she ADORES James. (Sigh) I just love her to pieces.

A Child's-Eye View

We have been enjoying birdwatching as a family here at the new house. We have several feeders set up, and have seen a number of birds, including Robins, Woodpeckers and Nuthatches. James has a great view of the feeders from his seat at the table in the kitchen, and he knows nearly every variety. His favorite is the "Chick-a-dee-dee-dee" as he says it.

A few weeks ago we did a little craft project with cut paper. I asked him body parts for birds (body, legs, wings, beak) and I cut them out. He then glued them on the paper. Here is a comparison of the real birds we have photographed, and James' versions.








Of course, being his Mom, I think these are pretty fantastic. Maybe I have a little John James Audubon on my hands!

Hello, Junco!

Not a great pic, but now we have seen:

Junco
Hairy Woodpecker
Downy Woodpecker
Tufted Titmouse
Nuthatch
Chickadee
Carolina Wren
Eastern Bluebird
Pine Siskin

I have been away a bit, so I have a few
more new visitors up my sleeve to share with you!

I'll reveal the newest guests soon!

An Afternoon at the Barn

James asks me several times a week, "Can we go see Grandpaw so that he'll take me to the barn to ride the horses and the GREAT BIG RED tractor? PLEEEZE???" That's what he got to do this past weekend!

I love this next pic of the two of them walking to the barn. My Dad is over six feet tall, so the comparison is really sweet. A little boy and his grandfather.


Take a look at the name of this tractor. FARMALL. Look and sound familliar? The tractors in the movie Cars are CHEWALLS. Tee hee. Those Cars people crack me up.


Is James excited, OR WHAT???


My Dad is still really in pain after my Mom's passing, but spending some time with his grandson gives him great pleasure. I think that is pretty obvious.

There is another horse at the barn that is being stabled there. He is an Arabian named Flash. He is pretty fat for an Arabian, but DANG is he a great looking horse! My old Sonny Boy is going on 25, so this four-year old spring chicken makes him look like an old man.

Priceless. I am so happy to be able to give my son these experiences, and give my Dad an opportunity to smile a little bit.