On Saturday, we woke up to sobering news that we are involved in another conflict in the Middle East. It was difficult to process, so I did what I had to do to survive. I turned off the news and enjoyed the beautiful day we had here.
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| Amidst the tragedies of the world, there are still signs of hope and things to smile about. |
As the day was warming from the 30s F to the 60s F, Wally and Theo came over for a visit. While Wally and Ward processed yard waste, Theo and I made a big pot of chili. I always enjoy our cooking sessions and the cooking tips I learn from Theo as he tries to make each dish have a good depth of flavor. He is much better with seasoning than I am. The chili turned out to be some of the best I've had.
After lunch, the sun was shining, and the temperature was rising. Wally and Theo made their way home, and Ward and I sat on the porch and read in the warm sunshine. It was wonderful.
Later, we worked in the yard, pruning and cleaning up the beds. I usually don't do much fall cleanup, except in the vegetable garden, so there's a lot to do. My excuse is that the dead growth on top is a layer of protection against the winter cold. That's my story, and I'm sticking to it. :)
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| We saw more signs that life goes on when we found that bluebirds are building a nest in one of the nest boxes. |
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| However, to protect the birds, we need to narrow the box hole that a squirrel enlarged this winter. |
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| During our cleanup, we found several branches that came down with last weekend's snow. This cleanup is going to involve some chainsaws. |
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| We also found that voles had been active in several places in our yard. We're still in the research process, but it looks like they won't be easy to get rid of. |
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| I uncovered some daffodils that were trying to grow under a flower pot. |
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| And it looks like the spinach from last fall is coming back. Another thing to smile about. |
We're back to colder weather today, but spring is on its way.
