A Second Look--December 2, 2015

We are into early winter weather with many cold, rainy days, and I have not been encouraged to do a lot of looking around the yard. It's also deer season which has limited my exploration in the woods. Nevertheless, the view from the window has been good. The bird activity has picked up  as well as the deer activity in the upper yard.

Here are a few things I saw this week (and last) during a Second Look.

We recently had a full moon which was bright enough to wake me up at night.

We don't see many bucks in the deer herds that come into our yard, but there was one this day.

Downy woodpecker

I've been seeing some bluebirds over the last couple of weeks. Some of them migrate south and some stay for the winter which I guess these are doing.

This pair of bluebirds have been going in and out of the birdhouse almost like it is spring and they're building a nest. However, they are probably just establishing a roosting place for the winter.

House finch and goldfinch. They are blending pretty well into their background.

The leaves are pretty much down from the trees now except for the oaks which won't lose all of this years leaves until the new spring growth pushes them off.

Thankful Sunday--November 29, 2015

I am thankful for new motivation.

I've never been a regular exerciser. While I am active and have done various exercise programs from time to time, I've never experienced the "exercise high" that comes from the feel-good chemicals that are released with exercise. I've always stopped before I reached that point.

However, now I am motivated and am having more success than I've had in a long time. My employer has joined a growing trend and has subscribed to a program that gives rewards for exercise and other good health habits. Points are rewarded for walking along with other challenges.

Since I joined a couple of months ago, I've been making sure that I eat my veggies and have two fruits a day. I'm getting adequate sleep, drinking more water, and recording things that I am thankful for (on more days than just Sunday). I'm taking time to read and I am using reusable shopping bags. Also, I'm doing strengthening exercises and having my blood pressure taken. I have gone walking in the cold rain, with a migraine, and in the dark just to get enough steps in to get the points I need. I have chosen only veggies at a BBQ restaurant to get my requirements in for the day and have gone to the store to get extra fruit to keep up with a challenge.

Wow. That's an impressive list, if I do say so myself. Especially for me. So what's my motivation? Well, besides the obvious one of it's good for me (which has never been particularly motivating in the past), I'm earning money. So far, I'm up to $50 and if I work really hard, I may earn some more before the program restarts at the first of the year.

And perhaps even more importantly, I am surrounded by people who are doing the same thing. The program is one of the hot topics at work and we are both encouraging and competing with each other. (I didn't realize how competitive I am until I started this.)

So for this program and the motivation it is giving me to take better care of myself, I am thankful.

Thankful Sunday--November 22, 2015

I am thankful for a new roof.

A few weeks ago, we noticed a water stain on one of our ceilings which led us to the conclusion that we needed a new roof. Friday, it was installed. And for new roofs and dry ceilings, I am thankful.

A Second Look--November 17, 2015

While a few trees are hanging onto some of their leaves, most are bare now. A couple days of rain and strong winds bought most of the remaining ones down this week. The squirrels are scampering about usually with a nut in their mouths and the deer are spending more time in the upper part of the yard. Sometimes I see a herd of them taking a nap in the sun.

A few fall  flowers are continuing to bloom and a handful of things have sprouted new growth like its spring. It's fun to see a spot of vibrant green here and there among the brown leaves. While morning frosts are common now, no snow yet.

Here are a few things I saw this week 

during a Second Look.

Pansies

Maple tree

Blanket Flower

Bishop's Weed (or Snow on the Mountain)

Mums

Wild asparagus 

White tailed deer

Japanese Maple

Computer Time

I try to limit how much time I spend on the computer every day. There are no official rules, I just know when it's been too much. And recently, I've reached too much before I've had time to post here.

Lucy as a kitten. (Not related to anything in the post. Just like the pic.)

So what have I been doing? First, there's my regular routine of checking my email and dealing with whatever business comes up. This may be something with my mother, a bill, or other family concerns. I've also been working on a couple of newsletters that have been plaguing me. Paragraphs have been written and erased, written and erased, written and erased. Finally, they were written and declared done because I ran out of time. Throw in a little blog reading and Facebook checking and it adds up to too much time on the computer--that indeterminate amount of time that just feels like too much. But now that the newsletters are done, I have a little more time open for other pursuits like my blog.

But a little more time is the key word and I've run out of it for the day. It's time for me to move on so I can fix supper. Yes, that's right. I said fix supper which is going to involve cooking. On the menu is leftover homemade chicken pot pie from last night, a green salad with lettuce, cucumbers, tomatoes, and pears along with roasted cauliflower. And for dessert--brownies.

So see you next time. Do you ever feel like you spend too much time on the computer?