maison rustique

Was greeted this morning by House Sparrows, Cooper's Hawk!!, Carolina Wrens, Tufted Titmice, Northern Mockingbirds, Downy Woodpeckers, Great Crested Flycatchers and Northern Cardinals.

What a great video! What a great guy he was! RIP.

I'm working to downsize and get this place listed soon. I will certainly miss my Wildlife Diner patrons when I move. I don't think I posted here about the other day. I was driving down the highway. An Indigo Bunting flew down just to the right of me on the center line and sat there briefly. First time I have actually seen one, though I have picked up their songs at home a few times lately. Their electric blue color is just stunning. Then, on the way back on the same highway, either a crane or heron flew down low to look at me, dip a wing, then take off. When those things happen, I feel like I'm being sent a message of some sort by the PTB. Yesterday we visited cemeteries to decorate family graves. We did an abbreviated version this year since so many of us have health issues right now and stamina is low. At any rate, while at one of the Independence cemeteries, we pulled up to our family plot and there was a beautiful fox running across the way toward a wooded area. I didn't have my phone out yet to get a photo. Then a bit later I observed a cardinal flying around from one gravestone to another. As many believe that viewing cardinals are loved ones visiting from the other side, it was a sweet thing to see in a cemetery.

It will be beautiful weather today until evening when more severe storms head into the area. My sisters and BIL are coming and we will go decorate family graves since the rest of the weekend is supposed to be wet. My morning songsters included some newbies again. Blue-gray Gnatcatcher and Great-crested Flycatcher, who need to get busy because it is really buggy out there, are new to my immediate area. Singing along were Northern Cardinals, ?House Sparrows, American Crows, Brown-headed Cowbirds and Carolina Wrens.

Yes, I hope so, too. He actually had lost 2 fillings in front teeth and the dentist said when he was replacing one, another fell out. So, he replaced 3 fillings and smoothed out a crown on a back tooth that had broken. Our dentist is wonderful. He cared for my Mom when she had dementia and he is aware of Don's condition and sensitive to my financial situation with having to pay for memory care. There was a lot he could have done--made me aware--but said he doesn't think those things are critical and can wait. And, I am meeting friends this afternoon for Happy Hour wine and pizza at a new-ish place here that I've been wanting to visit. It is rare for our little city to get an independent restaurant. We are in the land of crappy chains here.

This morning I was serenaded by northern cardinals, house sparrows, house finches, brown-headed cowbirds, American robin, ruby-throated hummingbird and common nighthawk. The hummer and a couple of squirrels put in personal appearances. They were too hungry to wait for me to go inside. As you'll notice, the severe storms that we've had in the mid-west this Spring have been very hard on my furniture covers. I had to throw out some that were completely destroyed by hail and wind, but if that is the worst damage, I can live with it.

All went fine. They gave him extra meds and he was very calm, but very out of it.

The husband either broke a front tooth or lost a filling. I am taking him to the dentist this morning. Since he has had several violent rages in the past 3 weeks, I'm a nervous wreck about it. Will be his first time to leave the facility. I just hope I can get him back there. They increased his Seroquel beginning of last week and with one exception, it has helped tremendously. I hope I don't project my fear and discomfort onto him. I'll be glad when today is over--my stomach is in knots.

A little off-topic, but it sort of fits here. Vinyl is collectible/popular again. Are VHS tapes collectible? The husband bought VHS movies/TV series for a long time, then the same with DVDs. I'm getting rid of 99.9% of it. I suspect I can donate the DVDs, but do I just toss VHS tapes? I've got boxes of 45s to sell somewhere. And still a couple of boxes or so of albums (He sold a few hundred a few years ago.). And will likely get rid of most of the CDs.

A friend brought me potatoes au gratin. I had meatloaf left from my lunch the other day, so I made a meatloaf sandwich to go with for supper. I like my meatloaf sandwich the way they made them at Marie Callender restaurants. With mayo, sharp cheddar and plenty of salt and pepper. Did not take a photo of the sandwich, but here are the potatoes.

It was over 90 degrees yesterday (and more of the same today) and I didn't really even feel hungry. I had a cold chicken thigh with a little side salad. Avocado lime dressing over the whole thing. Glass of pinot grigio. It is too early for it to be this hot.

This morning while I was putting out birdseed, I had 2 young squirrels that kept running back and forth across the deck as if to hurry me along. The musical accompaniment was provided by Red-eyed Vireo, Mourning Dove, Brown-headed Cowbird, Yellow-bellied Flycatcher (new!!), Broad-winged Hawk (also new!!), Carolina Wren and Red-bellied Woodpecker. It was rare that the Cardinals weren't joining in. They were out earlier, but perhaps they were put off by a hawk in the area.

@StephanieL, I Googled and that cake looks great. Is yours a recipe you've made before? Willing to share? It sounds like a great summery dessert or snack cake.

Sandwich of chicken and artichoke/lemon pesto with a little side salad.

My morning concert included Northern Cardinals, House Sparrows, Tufted Titmice, American Robins, Ruby-throated Hummingbird (who also made an up-close appearance) and Downy Woodpeckers.

Beautiful symphony this morning: Northern Cardinals, Carolina Wrens, House Sparrows, Tufted Titmice, Mourning Doves, Ruby-throated Hummingbirds and Baltimore Orioles.

I am so stealing that!!

While I was putting out the birdseed, I had a Ruby-throated Hummingbird come up to the feeder right next to me. It was wonderful! And I got a real haircut yesterday!!

For some reason, my OA is always worse in May. It is like May is arthritis month or something. It is an especially rainy May here so it is even worse than most years.

Where do you find low-carb chips? Since my meals are often a handful of tortilla chips tossed on a plate with some shredded cheese and nuked, I should make that switch. Only I have not seen them anywhere.

Well, damn.

The morning song was brought to me by Northern Cardinals (particularly loud), Carolina Wrens, House Finches, Swainson's Thrush (another newbie!!), Downy Woodpecker and Brown-headed Cowbirds.

Lucky (cat) actually let me oversleep by half an hour this morning. I needed it. I have not been sleeping well for a few nights and feel better now with just those few extra minutes. Edited to add that both sisters are now home. Younger sis is very tired but feeling mostly fine after the ablation. Older sis is also tired but feeling mostly back to normal--they deemed her gall bladder OK and not necessary to come out at this time. I don't expect that to last, as she does not eat a well-balanced diet by any stretch of the imagination.

I'm not familiar with that brand. I've received similar type micro cookware as gifts and they sit in a cupboard for years until do I a purge and donate them. Somehow, I don't find microwaving food to be that much of a timesaver. It takes next to no time to put a steam basket in a pan, bring it to a boil and steam some veggies. And microwaved meats? No, thanks. The exception is potatoes. I often nuke a baked potato if I'm short on time, or nuke them for a minute or two before I put them in to roast, just to save time. And of course I use it to re-heat leftovers.

The husband is still off the deep end in his violent rage. I tried to see him yesterday. He was sitting by the door and immediately began screaming obscenities at me. The nurse in charge grabbed me and pulled me aside for a meeting. Said he was just really bad and she did not recommend that I try to interact with him until they get him under control. I ran back to his room to leave him a few things and they then took me out the back door and through the courtyard so I wouldn't have to walk past him. While he has gone into these rages at times over the past 6-8 months, I have never seen it last this long. I have to wonder if the solar storm is affecting him. His delusions/hallucinations are definitely worse in the days leading up to a full moon, so not sure why the sun wouldn't have an effect, too. I truly am marrowed--married but to someone who breathes and walks, but isn't really alive. Not quite a widow, though that would be easier I think.