Bird ID correction

or How to Avoid Work

Do you have a favorite way to avoid chores that you don't want to do? I do. I work on my blog. I think about post ideas. I mess with the margins. I take pictures. I write stories. I read other blogs. Anything to avoid the task at hand. And to make it even harder to do what I need to, I usually have a purring cat on my lap when I'm at the computer. (Can you hear Annie purring now?)

I have several things that should be attended to, especially with Christmas approaching, so today was going to be a no blog day. A day when I focused on what really needed to be done. Wally even suggested that we turn off the internet. He thought it would be more conducive for both of us to accomplish what we needed. He's studying for a test and I am cleaning the guest room.

But then it happened, Aunt Martha, my personal bird expert, told me that the birds I identified as juncos in the last Second Look, are really brown-headed cowbirds. I couldn't let that go by. I had to correct it. I had to do a post today. So here it is.

CORRECTION:
These birds identified as juncos in A Second Look--December 5, 2012 are really brown-headed cowbirds. Sorry for any inconvenience this may have caused.

Brown-headed cowbirds

 Until tomorrow- unless I get tired of cleaning the guest room.

A Second Look--December 5, 2012

Here's what I saw this week during a Second Look.

Amazingly, these mums are still blooming. They have been well protected against the house.

Each one of the holes on this sweet gum ball was full of seeds about the size of a mustard seed.

This red bellied woodpecker is new to the feeder. Mostly we have downy woodpeckers visit.

We still have several branches brought down by Sandy that have to be cleaned up.

I don't remember our purple sage blooming this late in the season before.

Blue Jays

These brown-headed cowbirds were hanging out below our feeder.

A Second Look at this wreath shows reflections of trees and sky it is framing.

Christmas Lights

or Good Enough is Good Enough When Your Husband Has a Stiff Neck

Every year soon after Thanksgiving, we put up our outdoor Christmas lights. We have a standard display that we hang along our roof lines and around bushes in front of the house. This job was scheduled for last weekend. However, Ward woke up with a pain in his neck (literally, not figuratively) and things didn't go as planned. We weren't able to put any lights up except on a spruce tree in front of the house because Ward is the only one who does roof work in the family. I tried to convince him that lights only on the tree were still good and in this situation, good enough was good enough. And I almost, sort of, kind of believed it.

However, today I became a true believer. Recently, we had an elderly neighbor move in across the street and I met her for the first time this afternoon. She remarked how much she was enjoying our lights. She actually mentioned it several times during our conversation and thanked us for putting them up. So even though we may not get to the rest of our display, my new neighbor reminded me that, "Good enough is good enough."

Do you have to remind yourself sometimes during the holidays that good enough is good enough?

You're a Good Man Charlie Brown

or How to Learn about Life While You're Having Fun

Long ago and far, far away in my other life, I played Snoopy in You're a Good Man Charlie Brown. (Yes, Snoopy is usually a male part, but that's the part they gave me.) I have seen the play performed a few times since then and continue to sing songs from it on a regular basis. Friday night I saw the play once again, and it was my favorite performance thus far. I saw it at a local high school, and I went because my special buddy, Sarah, was going to be in the chorus.

Normally, the play has only six roles. However, this version had dozens of kids. The director thought of many clever ways to involve numerous kids giving them opportunities to sing, speak, and dance on stage. This included the kids in special education classes as well, and it was all done seamlessly and flawlessly. Sometimes, Charlie Brown was the only one on the stage. Sometimes there were only two or three characters, and sometimes the whole gang was out there. Amazingly, each time the number of characters seemed just right.

I was thinking later about the play and the number of characters that were on stage at any one time. This seemed like a good model for the balance that I need to have in my life. Sometimes, it is important for me to be alone and to listen to what I am really thinking. Other times, it is good for me to have just one or two other people around who can support me in a very personal way. And sometimes, it's just fun to have the whole gang. And if I'm really smart, I'll figure out when I need to have each of these times.

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But wait, there's more...

--Sarah, did great in the play. She was well behaved and was always where she was supposed to be.

--I did great watching the play. I was well behaved and only had to be poked once by Ward when I was singing along too loudly.

Thankful Sunday--December 2, 2012

I am thankful for the Big Bang Theory television show.

This show never fails to amuse me and Ward. I am especially thankful this weekend that Theo was home from school to watch it with us.