Gloria, they may also have the huge fluffy snow flakes that are falling now!!

Rhubarb is up and if this keeps on it will be covered again in snow..

              

There is a TCM event/showing tonight about Buster Keaton.  It's at 10:30 here in the East. Don't know if you all get the same showings or if you are even interested.  I always liked Keaton and Harold Lloyd. Comedy of yesteryear - even if they didn't intend it that way.

Here's Why You Might Want to Take Down Your Bird Feeders Right Now
A mysterious illness has been sickening and killing thousands of songbirds in Eastern states. You can help by taking precautions in your yard.

Affected Bird Species and Disease Symptoms
Fledgling blue jays, American robins, common grackles, and European starlings seem to be the hardest hit by the new illness, but it's also striking adult birds and a few other bird species. Symptoms include crusty, weeping, closed, or swollen eyes, as well as lethargy, twitching, and other neurological conditions.

So far, cases of the new bird illness have been confirmed in several Eastern states and the District of Columbia, including Maryland, Virginia, West Virginia, Delaware, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Kentucky, Tennessee, Ohio, Indiana, and Florida. No problems have been reported in humans, pets, domestic livestock animals, or poultry.

State and federal agencies around the country are investigating possible causes, says Todd Schneider, a wildlife biologist with the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. To date, they've ruled out avian flu and West Nile virus, which is good news because these viruses can jump to humans. Other common viruses, parasites, and toxins that affect birds also don't appear to be the culprit either. Researchers also looked for a connection to the recent eruption of the 17-year cicadas, but they haven't found one.

What You Can Do to Help Birds
Some states, including a few without confirmed cases to date, recommend temporarily taking down your feeders, in case that's where the disease is being transmitted. Don't worry about birds going hungry without your feeders during the warmer months, says Schneider, because plenty of natural food is available for them. So far, removing your feeder is just a precaution, because "the illness has been seen in some species that don't use or seldom use feeders, like robins and blue jays," he adds. Schneider recommends the following standard precautions:

If you keep your feeder up, it's good practice to keep it clean. Wear protective gloves and scrub it once a week with a 10% bleach solution (one part bleach mixed with nine parts water). Rinse thoroughly with water and allow it to air-dry.
If you have several feeders or baths, space them out so birds won't gather in one place. Congregating birds can transmit diseases to one another.
At least twice a week, rake up any bird droppings, spilled seeds, or hulls from underneath the feeders; bag them up and trash them. If it rains, rake as soon as you can before mold starts to grow.
Empty bird baths every couple of days, and clean them using 10% diluted bleach solution. Rinse thoroughly and air-dry before refilling. When you finish, throw your gloves in the trash, and wash your hands with soap and water.
What to Do If You Find a Sick or Dead Bird
Because birds can carry several diseases, it's important to know how to safely deal with any unhealthy or dead bird you may find. Plus, you can help wildlife agencies track the spread of diseases by reporting the incident.

Avoid handling wild birds, living or dead, and never with bare hands.
If it's necessary to remove a dead bird from your yard, wear disposable gloves or cover your hand in a plastic bag to pick it up, then double-bag it in sealed plastic bags and put it in your trash.
Keep pets and small children away from sick or dead wild birds.
Despite what's happening, don't panic, Schneider says. "There's no sign this will move to humans or non-birds. There are some really smart people working on this, and they'll figure it out."

If we could get masks on them it also might help.

Good Morning everyone,  RAMMEL you are full of reazer supe, ( masking the birds. I set a lot in my office and watch the birds. so far I have not seen any dead birds, I hope we do not get sick or dead birdes here, and i am sad that some of you are having the proulbem. we have plenty of natrual feed for the bird here in MO. I no longer put up a bird feeder, because it creats too much mess. Have a good day.we are getting light rain here this Morning.

Lloyd

Good Morning Everyfriend!  My thoughts are all of my friend, Joyce who is not going to recover.  I'm losing her and it hurts!  Now I'm off to get ready for church!  Hope everyone has a better day than I'm having!

Good morning..

We are going to have an amazing day, temp is to get into the 60's!!

A day of rest here... may play in the sewing room 

Jane, hugs...this is a difficult time for you. You and Joyce go back many years.

Patricia, hope they soon find out what is causing the bird deaths.

Better scoot,dog food was not in at the grocery store and it may be in now. Babe and Jessie like the one kind and not happy about the other one.

Enjoy your day and stay safe..

Good morning  everyone. Overcast sky this morning and I turned the heat on again.

AMY  my oldest son has tried to grow rhubarb but no luck so gave up on it. I can not believe how much they charge for it in the markets now when it is in season. Long gone are the years where one could buy it really fresh for 5 cents a pound. I do like it but what I have seen in markets here it is not fresh.

PATRICIA  I heard on the news last night that Eagles have died and they don't know why yet.  When I lived in the last apartment I always had Blue Jays at my feeder. Before a storm I would see  them and Cardinals feeding at the same time and what a contrast with the larger blue jays and the smaller red cardinals. 

JANE  how sad to know your good long time friend is going home to our Father. I don't know what hurts more a sudden death in an accident like one of my sisters or a long illness when there is no hope. We suffer with both of them.

Time to go have breakfast. Have a good day and stay safe.

The North Carolina Wildlife Assoc. put out warnings on local media some time ago not to put up bird feeders this year and to report any dead birds we may find in our yard.  Bird Flu has been reported in Tenn. and other neighboring areas.  Bird flu in NC would be a disaster.  Besides losing the wild birds, our enormous turkey and chicken agra-industries could be decimated and that would be a big economic loss for the state.

Beautiful day here and supposed to be up in to the 80's this afternoon.  That will be nice.

Take care, All.

Good morning from a sunny Interior at 30 degrees, our low for the day. Our snow is almost gone, not even piles anymore, a splash here or a spot there.

So far, this new bird disease and die-off are only in the US's Eastern regions, but that could change. Hopefully, it's not as tenacious as the bird flu. Locally, the ravens have seemingly left for their cooler summer range in the mountains.

Still, I've seen neither the annual breakup of the sizeable multispecies winter flocks into smaller single-species flocks nor any migrating birds. Of course, they cut down all the trees on this side of the building, and I'm no longer able to wander the Wildlife and Bird Sanctuary as  I once might have.

Many of our town birds are forest species, so you rarely see them away from trees. We have too many species of hawks for them to be confident in the open.

Jane, I'm so sorry about Joyce. Good friends are harder to lose than family sometimes.

Gloria, Rhubarb grows like weeds here along with multiple root vegetables; you see piles of them in fall give away piles along with zucchini. I wish we could grow the fruit trees here rather than only crabapple. However, the University Research Farm has managed to grow apple trees after grafting them onto crabapple or chokecherry trees.

Amy, we're starting to see some shortages here, especially with paper products and some cleaners. Everything remains the same; masks are required on buses and taxis and signs up in stores list masks as optional but not for employees.

Unfortunately, none of the Ethnic stores seem to be re-opening, and I'm going to miss that as I loved those stores, their products, and their atmosphere. They were so much better than these mall groceries that are all alike!

The indoor all-year-round farmer's market is starting to be out of many local products and switching to more organic as they do this time of year. Still, the two others won't open until after Memorial Day, when they start with greenhouse offerings.

That's also when the seed packets and plants will begin arriving from more southern areas of the state. Some years back, the state banned seeds and live plants from import to protect against alien plants, critters, and diseases.

The building is still on lockdown with all recreational rooms, and the library remains closed. There is still only one security guard per shift and one maintenance guy on call. Although, I suppose there are more with seven buildings. Yesterday, the one I saw in the hallway was still all swatched in plastic.

My friends and I are still maintaining our morning texts and calls. Although now it's more often texts.
I'm beginning to hope that we're coming to the end of the pandemic and entering the management part.

 There are now four different variations since Omicron as the virus mutates, but as vaccinations rise, there are fewer unvaccinated to fuel the deaths and pandemic.

Patricia, just came from a store that sells canning jars and the shelves are bare!! People are already stalking up on them.

Hello Everyfriend!  I'm still thinking of Joyce and praying that she is cared for and loved.  He daughters have managed to make it possible for her to stay in her home but now she has caregivers coming in on a regular basis.  She's een a top-drawer nurse all her grown-up years and I know what she must be thinking.

I spent yesterday and today alone except for my trip to church!  I love that I can go back to church.  I missed it so much when we had to close down.  My daughter cathy drops me off and good friends bring me home.  I dislike not having a car but that's life! 

I'm heading for the haystack.  I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and a happy tomorrow and may God bless us, every one.  Especially Joyce!

Good night everyone. well I fell asleep watching a good wester, I have sean it severial times,but I enjoy them and a reafrshieng dose not hurt,they are still enjoyable. well I have had a not good day, tightenss all acros my chest.I am going to get up ealey in the morning and see if I can get in to see the doctor at VA tomorow. good night and sweet dreams.

Lloyd

Good Morning Everyfriend!  Frankie had an early work day today so Cooper was an early arrival!  It's supposed to be up into the 70s today and I'm in favor of that!  Cathy is picking me up around 9 or so to do our grocery thing today.  This will be different since her retirement.  We used to go on Saturday and everything was so crowded!  Today might be a good day.  We'll see!

LLOYD, I hope you get your appointment and that they will be able to give you some relief.  Feeling bad is no fun!

I have to go get myself dressed so I can take Cooper for a walk as soon as it's light enough.  I wish you all a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow! 

Good morning...

A liquid sunshine day here with a temp of 47° . Yesterday was an awesome day. We finished raking up the yard and will take that to the dump another time.  I can feel my muscles protesting this morning. Why is it when you are having fun you pay dearly the next morning. Bird singing was our music and they were singing their hearts out.

Today is an easy day, just work about home.  May get some sewing in.

Jane, have fun out with Cathy and I hope the stores are not that busy for you.

Lloyd, take care..

Gloria, I have on huge patch plus two little ones I have started. Those were from pieces that I pulled and part of the rhubarb root came so I planted it to see if it would grow.

Patricia, do you have lilacs there?? Soon ,ours will be blooming in about 3-4 weeks.

Enjoy your day and stay safe..

Good morning  everyone. I was wondering what the noise I heard was and when I got up and finally opened the bedroom window it is the landscapers, no not planting but cleaning up all the sand spread when they spread sand after the snow so no one slips and falls. We didn't have much snow but boy we sure have a lot of sand in the parking area.

JANE  it is 10 or 12 years since I stopped driving and I still miss my car and being able to go anywhere when I feel like it. That feeling of being independent is one I miss very much.

AMY  my daughter had been canning for years but now she has started drying a lot of it. She checked YouTube and kept seeing a certain dehydrator show up so she got one. Now she is getting into bagging them into those long lasting bags where you just add water to heat or cook. She has spent time looking into preserving food long time. Where they live if the dry river bed at the bottom of the hill floods they will still have food and now with their solar panels set up at last she can run all that electrical things and has no electric bill to pay and no gas to carry home every week to keep generators running. 
 My older son and DIL started canning a few years ago and now is into the things Regina has been doing and telling her all about it. Makes it look like he is the one who has to teach her when she is the one who told him about it.

LLOYD  hope you can get to your doctor at the VA.

AMY  the forsythia is in full bloom here now  and I would have to go outside on the porch to see the house across the street where there are 2 huge lilac bushes to see them. Those are my favorite spring flowers and love the scent.

Have a good day and be safe.

Quote from: JaneS on April 25, 2022, 06:22:32 AMThis will be different since her retirement.  We used to go on Saturday and everything was so crowded!  Today might be a good day.  We'll see!

Hope they got those shelves restocked - from the weekend rush.

Good morning! There's nothing new here, it's 38 out there, and the gray, grizzled snow is almost gone. People are urged to watch out for ponding (We've upgraded from puddling!); and to watch out for iced culverts melting, frozen drains thawing and basements flooding. Everything we expected for the first part of April is now happening, but better late than the alternative.

Gloria, with these eyes, I was never able to drive. Still, I miss the availability of buses, being able to walk anywhere anytime and not have to call ahead for a taxi, wait twenty or more minutes while you hear that prerecorded message not to hang up, and the dispatchers will soon be available. Then after giving your info, it is another twenty until your cab comes. And to add insult to injury, they closed two major bridges and approaches in my neighborhood for a year while they replaced said bridges.

One has now reopened, and the other is slated for next month. Since 2015, it has been new telephone and electricity poles, sidewalk replacements, new linking roads or lane replacements or additions, and now it's bridges with three more to go starting this fall and in 2023. The city has also annexed more areas.

Two military bases are also changing, with the closest airforce receiving a new flight squadron. The army base, whose territory lies partially within city limits, is also getting a new military group. I expect to see more activity as we are only 53 miles from Russia in one area and less than three miles in another.

Gloria, with your older son and Regina, that's known as "mansplaining."

Amy, we have the small shrub lilacs.

Good morning, Jane. The middle part of weekdays is always better here in the stores. However, after all that time without shortages, suddenly we're having them, mostly paper products.

Lloyd, I hope the doctors can make you feel better!

The day has been a fun  one and very interesting also. I looked out the back and there at the end of the yard was a little black hen. She was searching for bugs or whatever and having a time of it. I did manage to get a few photos and saw the neighbour waving so went over to talk. She was a little miffed at the hens getting into her garden....quess you could say she was as mad as a wet hen.   Told her I would be peeling apples and could the hens have them, yes so when done I gave them a bowl of apple peelings.

Just now I watched a crow picking up wet bread and flying off to hide it.. one piece he tucked here in the flower bed and covered it with leaves. The next piece her flew over to my neighbour and tuck a piece in her flower bed! I bet Callie was licking her lips when she saw that big bird!

Smoked ham,scalloped potatoes, mashed carrots and parsnips and fried mushroom are for supper. Along with hot applesauce to go with the pork

Identify Your Backyard Birds


https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pEXX6Oyuj4k

Patricia, that video was interesting, thank you.

I can watch out the kitchen window and be entertained with the birds. My friend calls it bird tv. S

I'm off to the haystack!  Cooper is already there waiting for me and I'm tired right down to my shoe strings!  And Frankie is spending the night and has to be to work at 6 so here I goe!  I wish you all a peaceful night's sleep and ahappy tomorrow.  And may God bless us, every one!

JaneS, where is your car?

Amy, what is your recipe for Scalloped Potatoes?

Good Morning Everyfriend!  It's still a tad dark out there but I need to go get dressed and take Cooper for his morning walk.  The temp is still up but a bit lower than yesterday.  Tomorrow will be down in the low 60s and then it will be going up again.  Typical Spring weather for this area!

TOMEREADER, my car is in the junkyard!  While I was having and recovering from surgery back in Nov. and Ded. it decided not to start and when I had it taken to the garage, they noted that it also needed an inspection sticker.  When they started a list of what was needed for inspection, it turned out that the it needed considerably more than it was worth to get it back on the road.  And at the ripe old age of 22, I decided not to invest several thousand dollars in it's repair.  So here I am...on foot!  But luckily, my daughter has just retired and she doesn't seem to mind chauffering me.

I wish you all a good day...better than yesterday but not as good as tomorrow!

Good morning..

Another cloudy and wet day here. Chores that didn't get done yesterday may get done today. I have 6 bars of cheese to grate up and freeze. No doubt I can find enough laundry to do also.

Last night was the first night the frogs have been singing and did that have a huge chorus. Noticed that the turtles are also out  as we saw/avoided a huge snapping turtle crossing the highway.

Tome, I really don't have a recipe but just put peeled sliced potatoes in a dish with onion sliced sprinkled in between layers. May a roux of about 2-3 tbs of butter with 2 tbs. of flour .When that has melted, I stir in about 3 cups of milk. Bake at 350° for 1 hour. You can also throw in bacon bites  or grated cheese in the sauce before you pout on the potatoes.

Enjoy your day and stay safe..

Good morning  everyone. Another gray sky this morning. When I went to pull the bedroom shade down last evening the rescue was here again putting someone in the back.. I hate seeing that. Seems like every day lately that ambulance is here. sometimes because someone fell and like yesterday taking someone to the hospital. That is why I hated moving to a place like this. If I stayed at the apartment I had in my son's house I would never get out because there was no way or room I should say to put one of those chairs that go up and down. That house was at least 125 years old. There was a mill nearby and that was a rooming house with crazy stairs and small rooms. Over the years different owners changed things and my son knocked down walls to make rooms bigger blocked some stairs and I had a lot of storage on one of those blocked stairways.  That old mill is now condos.

PATRICIA  going to take a long time  to check all those birds. Like that they include the sounds they make.

JANE  I used to do my shopping early on Saturday  mornings  to do my grocery shopping.  I would see several people there that  were stay at home folks, not workers. I felt like telling them to shop during the week and leave weekends for those who work all week.

Have a good day and stay safe.

well I slept in late this morning , but it was midnight when I went to bed. It Is 49º and sunny this morning. Hope you all have a good day. we Have lettice readishes, carrets and Peas up in the raised beds. so we will have somengting to eat before you know it. I have already taken my vitals and sent the results on to VA. that machine is amaseing. talks to you and tells you what to do in order. first thaing every mornig is take the blod sugar and post it,then oxygen level and heart rate. and tells you to have a good day. not a cloud in sight.

Lloyd

Good morning, all. It's cooler today with only 28 degrees and a forecasted high of 51. Tomorrow very early, we're to have a smidgen of ice and snow to go nicely with the water on the sidewalks and roads from the past few day's warmups.

Nothing new here in either town, the apartments, or me. Another day of basic chores, perhaps some laundry, and not much else. Yesterday, the last of the airforce base's new squadron came in with a roar and a dip of the wings so we'd know they were there. Farrah decided she rather miss the festivities and noise and decamped to under the bed. I wish I could have joined her.