Hang on to your hat

We have a very windy day, drying up all of the puddles, bringing down dead branches off the trees, blowing the empty garbage containers around, (today was our day in the neighborhood for garbage and recycle pickup).

We had rain for most of the day yesterday, sunny with cloudy periods today, it is still quite cold, with the wind making it feel even colder.

No much happening on the estate today, too wet to do anything outside, so it is going to be an inside sewing day.

Because it is Friday, we are having salmon for dinner, veg, salad and not sure what is for dessert.

If something earth shattering happens, I will be back. 

Wardrobe & brolly

 What do I wear?  one day it is hot and humid and shorts and T-shirt are the order of the day, the next warm pants and sweater.  Two seasons of clothing in the closet, until we know for sure the cold weather clothes can be washed and stored away for a few months.  Today, the brolly came out of the closet for use as we have rain.  The earth is soaking it up quickly as it is very dry, have not had much moisture during the last month.   April showers bring May flowers, so "they" say.

I wear hearing aids and have done for the past seven years, checkups every year for adjustments and that is where I was this morning.  One ear had an accumulation of wax that needed to be flushed out.  Oh! that is an uncomfortable experience.  I know way too much information.  Adjustments were made, isn't it just marvelous how the technicians can use the computer programs to fine tune the aids to my hearing loss.  I need to use them at for a month and if I see no improvement, I may need to buy new ones.  $$$$

Update

Stopped post for lunch and now just getting back.

We have had rain all afternoon and it is downright cold.  It is the dampness that makes it feel that way.

We had spaghetti, meatball, and salad with lemon cake for dessert.

 

Thunder

Yesterday, was a lovely day, albeit quite cloudy in the late afternoon.  During the early evening, the sky became dark and we could hear thunder in the distance, but it did not come any closer.

As it was such a beautiful warm day, we could not resist the urge to get in the convertible with the top down and go for a ride.  This is just about  the only thing we can do at this point in time during the lockdown we are still in.  Farmers were out on their fields with their huge tractors and equipment being pulled behind to break up the earth.  The ground was dry and great clouds of dust were following behind.  The modern tractors have a cab on them, so the operator is protected from the weather and this dust.  The Winter wheat is coming along nicely, the crop does not appear to have been damaged by the snow and cold temperatures of the past season.  At this time of the year a lot of the farmers are using natural  fertilizer (POOP) to augment the soil for the coming season's crop.  I am sure you all know that it smells, cow, chicken and pig poop are terrible when it has been fermenting for a long time.  Sorry too much information?   This is the only downfall of driving in the country with the top down. Ha Ha.

Onward:  Stopped this post for lunch.

We had a few drops of rain, but now the sky is cleared and it is humid, which means we could have more rain and a thunder storm.  As I indicated earlier, the ground is dry and we could do with a good rain.

I finished edging my front garden this morning, it looks so much better when it is straight, neat and tidy.  Now, I am taking it easy, I find the constant motion hard on my shoulder and neck muscles, so do a bit each day.  The only problem with that is when I have finished edging and weeding it is time to start at the beginning of the gardens again.   I don't mind, I need to get my hands dirty and be outside.

Hubby has done his thing with the dandelions again and it looks so much better, now he has gone to his daughters' to help her with her lawn cutting and putting together her garden bench.  She lives alone so needs some help from a stronger person once in a while.

We  have a few dishes of food in the fridge that need to be cleaned up, so I am going to describe tonight's dinner as a buffet.  A little bit of this and little bit of that.

 

 

Early riser

 Up early again, it must be Tuesday, grocery day.  Again, only a couple of people in the grocery store, so it was a quick trip, in and out within the hour.  We did notice there were two young men erecting the enclosure for their garden centre, which is put on a section of the parking lot.   Soon they will stock it with plants, so happy about that.  Usually they have a good variety and all healthy looking too. 

The sun is shining again this morning, but it is forecast to be getting cloudy with rain later today and tomorrow.  Warmer temps too, which will be nice compared to yesterday, it was downright chilly and the air felt damp.

The inside of my car is going to get a good clean today, getting rid of the Winter sand and gravel on the floor mats.  It stick's to the snow which then melts and the gravel ends up on the floor.  Not going to bother with the outside, 'cause the rain will clean off the dust.  

The chickadee's have claimed one of the bird houses in the back garden, we have seen them going in and out with material for nest making.  They were also trying to get into the wren houses, however, the entry hole is too small for them to squeeze into.  

Hubby has a "thing" about dandelions, he hates them with a passion, so he got on the garden tractor yesterday and cut off their heads so they won't go to seed.   The dandelions bring back a memory of my Mother making dandelion wine.  She had everyone picking the flowers and I remember them being in large containers along with water and I am sure other ingredients with orange and lemon slices floating on the top of this concoction.  They were covered with  a cheese cloth attached to the top of the containers to keep insects out, as they sat on a table in a mud room at the back of the farm house.  My Father passed by these containers every time he came in or out of the house, and after the "wine" started to ferment he would pull back the cheese cloth and take slices of the oranges and lemons.  Cannot remember how this wine tasted, or even if it was drinkable, it could have been due to the lack of citrus fruit in it.  

Dinner tonight, seeing as though it is Tuesday again, it is chicken with left over cauliflower, scalloped potatoes and salad.  I also made an orange jelly with fruit yesterday, still some more of that left to use. 

My mind is blank

Sitting here on the computer for a few minutes this morning, as I normally do after I have done a few necessary chores.  Cannot seem to come up with a title for my daily post, so what you see is what you get today.  Not much of anything really.

The weather today, is cold but, the sky is blue and we have a lovely sun shining, who can ask for more?  Well, it could be a bit warmer in my opinion.  Mid week it is possible that may happen.

Hubby picked up all of  the cutting he took off of some invasive shrubs in the field across the street, then took them to the recycle depot.  At this time of the year it is open on Sundays for a few hours, so he took advantage of that.

I did some sewing on the placemats for our guild project, finished the tops of six, so now I need to sandwich them with some batting and backing, quilt and then bind them.  Members are asked to make two per month until November, but I am trying to make all of mine now, so that I need not be inside sewing during the warm months of Summer.  

We had two yellow finch at the feeder this morning,  we hope that they will bring back some of their relatives this year,  we had very  few come last year, there must have been a lot of  seed out in the wild.

Waiting for a couple of weeks before the Oriole feeder is put up, then the next feeder to be put out will be for the Humming Birds.

Dinner tonight, might be pulled pork on a bun and salad.  

For a blank mind, I seemed to have been able to ramble on.

Up & down like a bride's nighty

 That is our weather at the moment,  what were you thinking?

One day we have beautiful sunshine and warm temps which makes me shed some of the long sleeve sweaters I have been wearing outside.  Next I am putting them back on again, along with a coat.   It is only 6*C at the present time, the wind is quite brisk, and we had a shower over night.  I keep forgetting it is still only April, historically weather can be fickle this month.

Did some garden work yesterday, Oh!! how I hate getting old   After about an hour I was done, I get very tense in my shoulders which causes pain, so must learn to pace myself, I suppose.   After a good nights sleep I am ready to go again.  Very seldom do I take any medication, don't like putting in my body, any more pills than is absolutely necessary.

Yesterday, I missed another birthday celebration for a great grand daughter, she was nine, her sister will be two next week, another one I am not able to attend.  When we are back to a more normal life I would like to plan a birthday party for all six of my grands, only time will tell when that might happen.  Hubby and I will both have a milestone birthday, in Oct. and Nov. so hope we can do some kind of celebration for that.  

Previously I believe I have mentioned that correspondence, via snail mail is still done with a school friend I had in England.  On Friday, I received another letter from her.  We both started school together when we were four years old.  When I was 12 years old I left England, and never saw her again until 2001.  In 67 years since leaving England, I have met with her only once for 48 hours, but we have been writing regularly since 1954.   I doubt we will ever meet again, which is quite sad.  During a  lifetime, I know friends come and go,  because we are so far apart could be the reason for us still being long distance friends.

Dinner tonight, have not even thought too much about it at the moment,  I am sure we will not go hungry.  There was a change of plans last night and we had hot dogs, beans and a salad, lemon pie for dessert.  Maybe yesterdays menu will be tonight.

 

I love flowers

In the garden, also in my house.

This past week we had some really cold wintery weather, but the days have been improving since then. Every morning I go out just to see what is poking it's head up through the ground, did the rabbit eat those day lily leaves again?  Did those transplanted lilacs survive?  Oh! good those clematis cuttings are growing too?  That is my ritual, yesterday I spied a new daffodil blooming, raising the bloom the centre trumpet was a beautiful colour, never have I seen one like it.   It must be a rogue  bulb in the package I bought last Fall.   Not knowing how reliable the weather forecast is, and I didn't want it damaged by any frost, I picked it, and  now enjoying it in the house.  

The tomato seeds which were planted about three weeks ago have sprouted two plants, which are doing well.  Also, the marigolds are sprouting too.  The geraniums are a riot of colour, so I am a happy indoor gardener for a few weeks, until I can get out and plant them out in the garden.  

Yesterday, I did some much needed housework and did some weeding in the back garden.  Hubby has been a self imposed lawn mower and tree trimmer in the field opposite our house.  If he did not do this work every year we would be looking at a forest of shrubs, long grass and dandelions.   Several people thank him for making sure the public footpath is trimmed.  The dog walkers must like it too, as they always pick up after their pets.  Well, except for a couple who let their dogs off leash and don't know where they squat. 

Laundry in process, and later today I will be pulling more weeds.

Dinner tonight, taco's for two.  It is a new packaged taco kit especially prepared for two people, which is just perfect for us.  First time using it, so will see how it is.  Dessert? not sure yet, maybe a jelly with some fruit.

Will have to start thinking a little differently regarding meals starting next Saturday, as I have decided to go on a diet, not a strict one, but I really do need to loose some weight.  I am not fat, but just feel uncomfortable in my skin and if I don't do something now, those Summer clothes which I always say shrink over the Winter, will not fit.  Wish me luck.  

Have a wonderful weekend.