Thanks, Jean, we have been lucky the last 55 years to have lots of space, guess it was what we needed most of all. What is on the other side of the wrought iron fence is taken care of by the Park Department so a big plus.

Amy, they all had saucers & even larger ones for the big guys! You'd have gotten a kick out of those big kids having fun. The dog is pretty old but you can tell it loves the kids/family. They all stop to visit if I'm out front, when they walk the dog, seem like a sweet family. This neighborhood has rolled (most houses) over several times in the 33 years we've been here. Guess I've been here the longest, 2 women in retirement homes that were here before we bought.   

I was going thru some older photos from 2009 thru 2013, looking for some I could use in my nature graphics. When I saw these, they reminded me of all this talk about Spring, so I decided to post some taken when I was mobile.

I love petunias. I always have some in my pots in season.  They would not survive in the winds and rain we are having now.

Good morning, 19° and for today and tomorrow rain in the forecast, will wait and see how close they are this time. The guessers did pretty good with the snow last week. I feel like I slept the whole weekend. Slept good at night and slept mornings and afternoons away. So much for that jerk telling me to get used to it. I think I got enough sleep this week end to make up for the short nights but it is said we never catch up on lost sleep and I know I need my 8 hours and can get by with 7 at times but not often. 4 days in a row of 5 or 6 hours turns me into a grouch-as the dumb coordinator said==get used to it==then sleep a few days away. Have to call Yvette today to find out when she comes back. I would do better without help like the one they have been sending when I have to wash the dishes over. I even have to mop the floor again after she leaves. One day after doing the dishes I asked if she did the counters and she asked  what I meant. I asked when she does her dishes at home if she washes the counters and stove top and the fridge. She said she never did that. I asked how clean they were and if she ever wiped her hand over things. she said NO. I always saw my Mom do  that so I always did  and all the help I have had the past 6 years have done things like that automatically. I know 3 other ladies here who have dropped out of the company and trying to find a different place for help but  none are taking on new clients because they are short handed because of covid.

PATRICIA  now you know how I feel every time I go to see the new creations in the PSP folder. With that terrible HP I had could hardly keep up in here. Then my grandson ordered this Dell but did not check to see if it had the CD player in it. Could not install my PSP 12U without it so last week I ordered an external one from Best Buy. You know me when I buy or order anything I was the disk to prove I have it.

AMY  in January we usually have a thaw, this year nothing to thaw. On Valentine day we had many a heavy snowstorm of more than a foot of white. On St. Patrick day we always had a big storm with at least 18 inches of snow. Weather has changed because the last 6 or 7 years we don't get those storms anymore. The snow we had last Friday is the worst we have had in 5 years and no icy rain ended it.

SHIRLEY  if a Robin showed up here now it would starve with the ground covered with snow.

Think I will go wash up and get dressed fir the day. Don;t know if the lazy one will be here or not.
Have a good day and stay safe.

Monster petunias & pancies, Patricia!  I do remember the photos you posted and that's how I think of Alaska. I bought a package of petunia seeds from the best lawn & garden (most expensive) place in town, the biggest blue you ever saw on the package ONLY when they bloomed in my yard, NOT where I planted them & not the first year, they were about the size of a half dollar. They grow all over the end of the garage in the flower bed & I keep hoping one day they will grow up. Was really funny how they skipped around to the other end of the house & not a one grew where planted. I do not have a green thumb. Love seeing all the photos, makes me hungry for Alaska again! When we go to Colorado every town has tubs of flowers blooming all over the shopping district. Guess it may be altitude, as well as a damper climate. With the wind sucking up our moisture guess nothing wants to hang around here.

Bubble, the wind can get on your nerves, I do know that. We haven't had enough rain the last years or so to keep things growing without watering. Even the river hasn't come up for a couple years, to clean off the banks. All those trees the beaver cuts down to get the branches off, the poles laying all over the ground, usually wash downstream & they have to pull them out at the dam. Got enough just behind my house to knock down the dam... maybe?

Gloria, I've been looking for help for years and don't like to have family work for me, but can't find anyone that knows how to really WORK. I would like to overhaul one room at a time, get rid of stuff I don't use, clean floors & whatever. Until the cats are gone it is a losing battle.  I didn't realize how much extra work poor Tom was, but Callie is almost as bad with her hair & insistance that litter boxes were not meant for her. Hope you can get back to working with PSP. My problem was after buying the newer versions I couldn't figure how to set up the workspace & the older version wouldn't work on the later Windows. Do you like Win 11?  I'm not ready to face that update. This laptop still has the CD-DVD drive, came with 10.

Better get moving, I'm going to think about pancies (thought that they were spelled with an S... but Google spells with a C...)and petunias, maybe try pots again since it was the bermuda grass that took over flower beds & berm, can't pull it out!

Got a bag of raisins in the frig so will get them out (thanks to Rick's suggestion) to feed the early bird robin. Bet the little red hen might like them, too, they do look like a deflated tick like my brother told me when I was 3 or 4 years old. Ornery kid!

Quote from: Gloria on February 07, 2022, 08:37:16 AMHave to call Yvette today to find out when she comes back.

Tell her we're all pulling for her.

for Shirley

the robin

Oh, thank you, Bubble! Look at those fat buds on the tree (Cleveland pear...compare to Brandford pear but hardier, faster growing, etc.) You do an amazing job resizing & posting. I keep trying to resize without PSP but never sure it's right size in all ways. Thank you!

Anyone looking for a camera this Panasonic Lumix DMC FZ70 has a 60x zoom & I keep it on "auto" everything. It must be at least 10 years old but e-bay has lots (I've never used e-bay so no recommendations from me). Because I paint from my photos I wanted a camera that I could take a wide angle shot & zoom in to see what that speck was, can't paint what you can't see. I have not looked for anything better since finding this one. Back in the day it was Jack, Carole, Trish & yours truly that kept the wires humming about new cameras. With so many cameras on the market I'm surprised that Amazon still lists this one, from Japan, and pricy compared with the ones on eBay..... Hey, not a camera discussion, is it?

I had Aviv for quite a few hours here.  I tried to stop his incessant chatting by giving him these building wooden slats.
Here is the result

Hmmm...future engineer? Still adorable with that mop of curls!

I agree Patricia, he sure is a heart stealer!!

The "kids" went to an outing in nature this week end. There is a small cyclamen forest near the moshav where they live. These protected  flowers grow wild and plentiful in this season.





   

Love the photos, Bubble, and impressed with how much time the kids get to enjoy education OUTSIDE the class rooms. Also that Illy can be one of the parents to help keep track of kids. I volunteered a few times, usually only 2 or 3 parents went on a "field trip"... but I got the feeling my kids preferred I wasn't along.  Just how long did it take him to build that wall to hide behind? I have a friend that somehow got volunteered to have a niece stay with her this summer, so she can take a class at the local college. Friend's biggest concern is now that she's had several years since her husband died she is used to only the noise from TV or music SHE chooses, and no chatter. Says her niece is a sweet girl & polite, neat, etc.... but she chatters all the time. Friend is in panic mode but wouldn't/couldn't refuse under any circumstances. Much as we love family we have reached the stage (for sure I have) that I go, I do, and I stop right in the middle of doing and sleep. Thanks for sharing the photos, always interesting to see Aviv's activities.

Great photos Bubble!! I can imagine the smell that the cyclamen give off when in bloom!
 My friend told me to always smell the white ones and if lucky you can find one with a heavenly scent!

As usual, another round of great family photos, Bubble! I love seeing all the outings Illy does with her son, and there are so many places to see that you kindly share with us. I looked up Moshav, and I guess they're "Moshavniks" now!

Yes they are Patricia

I also asked about the smell of the cyclamens but apparently they never bent down  to check it

For Shirley

I was watching out the front window yesterday as the doves would land on a branch & their wings would go up as if to balance... bird after bird.  I couldn't figure what was going on until I had a look down toward the river, sun was hitting the trees right & light bulb went off in my head.... those birds were sliding down the icy branches & I couldn't see the ice in front!



 Callie has been bored with life & not willing to go out at all, didn't want the bed I put by the door so I tried this folded runner, PERFECT!  It was soft, by a vent aimed right at her and she could see what was going on without freezing.  Both cats act different since Tom died, like "who is the favorite now?"  They are spoiled!

Birdies and kitties sure do keep you busy, SHIRLEY.  That kitty looks so comfy!

Good Morning everyone. well the tepture is a bit better this morning just 25º @ clear 6:25 AM.but I am not going out in the snow that Is left, It has settled down quite a bit,looks to be about 2" deep now rather than the 6" we got. as we do not have feince here yet to keep the cow in we bought we put her up at our sil and deaughters Place. our great grand childern are staying at there place doing home schooling. deaughter is qulafyed teacher,and she is dooing that. I have mixed emtions about that, they  miss the playmates at school. the grea grands are haveing a great time with the cow she is realey gental, and the childern are haveing a great time feeding and petting her. they naned her rose. and they are trying to milk her,but she id dry,just in the 3d pieriod,due in aprial. they was first going to name her aprial but changed ther miend to rose. they are having a ball with her. when she has her clave will be a sight. Have a good day oday.

Lloyd

 JaneS I have lot of enjoyement watching the birds here. I think about putting up a bird feeder but I reamber how nasty it got when I done that at the farm one year. I see lot of black and sparros here,mostly but did see a pair of robbins a couple days.but have not seen them seince the snow, Mabey they got smart and went south for the wienter. see you all later.

Lloyd

Thank you, Bubble, for posting those. Life kind of slow around here but soon everyone will be out taking care of the yards & planting flowers. I can hardly wait to plant lettuce in the trug, doesn't last long but have seed packets ready & waiting!

CallieCat is starting to shed, could make a whole 'nuther cat with the fur on that dark floor this morning. She goes out today to lay in the sun, enough snow melted so plenty of dry spots.

I still am puzzled why the ice on the trees in front didn't show up like in back. I ordered a couple more feeders from Amazon, be here first part of the week. The migrating birds will start showing up soon. Guess I'd better clean that window over the sink, have 3 layers of glass to shoot through. I can open the sliding door out back so much better photos.

Always enjoy the photos.

For Amy
This is next door....the snow/ice is slowly falling off the roof.  The two mounts close to you are my neighbours trugs

Bubble, thank you for posting this. That should be the two mounds of snow are her trugs. She does have another one on the far side  and is getting another one this Spring. Can't wait to play in the dirt.

Oh MY!  Too much snow for me!  I think I'll stay where I am for a while.