We've had such crazy weather these last couple of months that I've just about forgotten what 'normal' really is on the Texas thermometer.
It's hovering around the freezing mark this morning.... our mostly-outside cat Gatsby spent last night in the house, and when I put him out earlier today, he didn't want to stay out there more than ten minutes, so back he came. When he heard me opening the back door, he ran from the front porch...... he's not exactly a light-weight cat and when Gatsby runs, it sounds like a large dog is running on that porch. Gatsby ran into the kitchen, through the breakfast room, into the TV room, and he made a running leap into his pillow-bed, and that's where he's been ever since.
When I went into the garage to feed Mickey, he was in his pillow-bed on his chair, which is sitting in front of a heater..... Mickey was so toasty-warm that he didn't move. I put his food dish right into his pillow-bed and that's where he ate his Fancy Feast. Breakfast in bed for Mickey Kitty this morning. He stayed right where he was, all snuggled into that pillow-bed, clearly not wanting to go outside. Fine........ I can't say as I blame him. Not a drop of sun out there, so the barely 36 degrees feels even colder. I shut the garage door to keep it warm in there for Mickey, and that's where he'll spend most of the day. If it gets warmer outside, I'll open the garage door later on for him, but I don't think that's going to happen.
I'm still fighting this cold/flu/whatever it is...... feeling better than yesterday, but not feeling as if I'm really all better. Oh well..... people are going through much worse than this, so I'm not complaining. This too shall pass. And until it does, I'm just taking it easy and trying to do whatever I can around the house. (Who in the world put up all these Christmas decorations in this big old house?)
Monday, December 30, 2013
Friday, December 27, 2013
Happy ending for the owl...
We heard from our friend in Clear Lake about the owl that he and my husband rescued from the fence on Christmas Day..... the owl is resting comfortably at the Nature Center and is on the mend. They've fixed his wing, given him antibiotics, made sure he could eat and drink, and now he's resting and letting his wing heal. When he can fly again, he'll be released. They said it was a "barred owl," and I looked for photos on the Internet.
I think "our" owl was younger than the ones shown on the Internet sites... but the coloring is definitely the same. White and beige with light brown bars of color along the feathers. The most striking was his bright yellow beak, and huge black eyes. Sort of like teddy-bear eyes.... and his feathers were just so soft and silky. I realize that owls aren't the nicest of birds... they attack their prey with a vengeance, grasping them in their talons and dropping them from the sky over and over again to break their bones..... not exactly a nice way to go if you're a small animal, and there's no way to out-run an owl with a three or four-foot wing span.
That being said..... this young owl, having been impaled on a barbed wire fence not far from here, just didn't have a chance of surviving the night-time coyotes who would have definitely taken off with him. A happy ending for this little story..... that owl's Christmas Day began with him being impaled on the fence...... then he spent the afternoon in a box on our porch..... then a two-hour car ride to Clear Lake (and he stayed in the box the whole trip)...... then spent Christmas night wrapped up in that box in J's living room...... managed to get out of the box at four o'clock in the morning to go exploring J's house..... and then began his recovery at the Nature Center that next morning.
Since we moved out here four and a half years ago, I've been saying that there's "a lesson every day." Not even a day of rest on Christmas.
I think "our" owl was younger than the ones shown on the Internet sites... but the coloring is definitely the same. White and beige with light brown bars of color along the feathers. The most striking was his bright yellow beak, and huge black eyes. Sort of like teddy-bear eyes.... and his feathers were just so soft and silky. I realize that owls aren't the nicest of birds... they attack their prey with a vengeance, grasping them in their talons and dropping them from the sky over and over again to break their bones..... not exactly a nice way to go if you're a small animal, and there's no way to out-run an owl with a three or four-foot wing span.
That being said..... this young owl, having been impaled on a barbed wire fence not far from here, just didn't have a chance of surviving the night-time coyotes who would have definitely taken off with him. A happy ending for this little story..... that owl's Christmas Day began with him being impaled on the fence...... then he spent the afternoon in a box on our porch..... then a two-hour car ride to Clear Lake (and he stayed in the box the whole trip)...... then spent Christmas night wrapped up in that box in J's living room...... managed to get out of the box at four o'clock in the morning to go exploring J's house..... and then began his recovery at the Nature Center that next morning.
Since we moved out here four and a half years ago, I've been saying that there's "a lesson every day." Not even a day of rest on Christmas.
Thursday, December 26, 2013
The Christmas owl...
We heard from our friend J about the owl he and my husband rescued yesterday. The owl was very quiet during the two-hour drive from here into Clear Lake, so I'm sure J was happy about that. We had visions of the owl trying to get out of the box while he was driving on the freeway.
When he got home, J decided to keep the owl in the house, in the living room. (You may have guessed that there is no Mrs. J to put that idea to rest... I don't think I would have wanted an owl in the middle of my own living room.) J checked on the owl during the night, and each time the owl was still resting, nestled in the folds of the towel tucked into the cardboard box. At four o'clock in the morning, however, the box was empty. J looked around the room and the owl was still resting comfortably, but just not in the box. He's not able to fly, but he somehow managed to get himself out of his cocoon and he was exploring the room. Looking for Christmas mice? (Which is probably how he got himself impaled on that barbed wire fence in the first place.)
J was going to bring the injured owl to the Nature Center this morning, and we haven't heard back from him yet. We're hoping to hear a happy ending to this little Christmas story. When the owl was in the box on our porch, just after the guys rescued him, I petted the owl on his head, between his eyes, like you would do with a cat. And, just like a cat, the owl closed his eyes a little bit and seemed very content with the light stroking. His feathers were so soft, like velvet, and his coloring was just absolutely beautiful.
We're keeping fingers crossed for this Christmas rescue.
When he got home, J decided to keep the owl in the house, in the living room. (You may have guessed that there is no Mrs. J to put that idea to rest... I don't think I would have wanted an owl in the middle of my own living room.) J checked on the owl during the night, and each time the owl was still resting, nestled in the folds of the towel tucked into the cardboard box. At four o'clock in the morning, however, the box was empty. J looked around the room and the owl was still resting comfortably, but just not in the box. He's not able to fly, but he somehow managed to get himself out of his cocoon and he was exploring the room. Looking for Christmas mice? (Which is probably how he got himself impaled on that barbed wire fence in the first place.)
J was going to bring the injured owl to the Nature Center this morning, and we haven't heard back from him yet. We're hoping to hear a happy ending to this little Christmas story. When the owl was in the box on our porch, just after the guys rescued him, I petted the owl on his head, between his eyes, like you would do with a cat. And, just like a cat, the owl closed his eyes a little bit and seemed very content with the light stroking. His feathers were so soft, like velvet, and his coloring was just absolutely beautiful.
We're keeping fingers crossed for this Christmas rescue.
Wednesday, December 25, 2013
Who? Who?
Christmas Day..... and this afternoon between dinner and dessert, my husband decided to take our dinner guest on a ride through our part of the hills here and show him some of the other properties. I was thrilled for the little respite, which allowed me to clear away the dinner things and get dessert set up..... and after being sick with a bad cold/flu/whatever for a few days, the rest at that time of the afternoon was perfect.
Up and down the roads went my husband and his friend.... J lives in Clear Lake, and doesn't see livestock and wildlife on a regular basis, so he was enthralled by all the animals on the properties here. On the way back to our own road, as my husband drove along the perimeter of a property that has lots of exotic deer and elk, they saw a huge owl impaled on a fence. It's wings were straight out, as if it had been crucified right on top of the barbed wire fence.
My husband stopped the car and they both got out, and managed to get the owl off of the barbed wire. The poor bird was so exhausted that it didn't even resist them. They figured that the owl must have been swooping down to catch a mouse or squirrel or something, and didn't realize the fence was there. One of its wings was torn and bloody, making it impossible for the poor bird to fly. They wrapped the owl up in an old towel that was in the trunk of the car, and brought it home. Even on Christmas Day, we have wildlife adventures here.
As soon as my husband walked into the door, I knew something was up...... he said "You might want to come out on the porch and take a look at this." My guess was that they had found an abandoned dog or cat along the road. That would have been easier to deal with than the injured owl....... the bird was all snuggled up in the towel, looking at the three of us through eyes that were half-open. We have no idea how long that bird had been impaled on the top of that fence, but it was surely long enough to tire him out.
We put the bird into a box and he just stayed there all wrapped up in his towel till friend J was ready to leave for Clear Lake. First thing in the morning, J will take the owl to the Nature Center and they'll be able to mend his wing, and hopefully he'll be flying again. One lucky owl...... it was just luck that my husband decided to take a drive after dinner...... that owl would still be on the fence, and easy prey for night-time coyotes.
Up and down the roads went my husband and his friend.... J lives in Clear Lake, and doesn't see livestock and wildlife on a regular basis, so he was enthralled by all the animals on the properties here. On the way back to our own road, as my husband drove along the perimeter of a property that has lots of exotic deer and elk, they saw a huge owl impaled on a fence. It's wings were straight out, as if it had been crucified right on top of the barbed wire fence.
My husband stopped the car and they both got out, and managed to get the owl off of the barbed wire. The poor bird was so exhausted that it didn't even resist them. They figured that the owl must have been swooping down to catch a mouse or squirrel or something, and didn't realize the fence was there. One of its wings was torn and bloody, making it impossible for the poor bird to fly. They wrapped the owl up in an old towel that was in the trunk of the car, and brought it home. Even on Christmas Day, we have wildlife adventures here.
As soon as my husband walked into the door, I knew something was up...... he said "You might want to come out on the porch and take a look at this." My guess was that they had found an abandoned dog or cat along the road. That would have been easier to deal with than the injured owl....... the bird was all snuggled up in the towel, looking at the three of us through eyes that were half-open. We have no idea how long that bird had been impaled on the top of that fence, but it was surely long enough to tire him out.
We put the bird into a box and he just stayed there all wrapped up in his towel till friend J was ready to leave for Clear Lake. First thing in the morning, J will take the owl to the Nature Center and they'll be able to mend his wing, and hopefully he'll be flying again. One lucky owl...... it was just luck that my husband decided to take a drive after dinner...... that owl would still be on the fence, and easy prey for night-time coyotes.
Monday, December 23, 2013
Too much Christmas cheer...
My husband and I drove along the road winding around the properties here, going up towards the main highway. I brought along a plastic bag and a clippy-thing to pick up trash along that road, being that some people think the side-roads are their own private garbage cans. I cannot stand the sight of soda and beer cans and chip bags blowing around in the grass along the side of that road, so I make it a point to keep it clean, as do some of the other neighbors. Besides that, tomorrow night is Christmas Eve. Santa would not be pleased if one of his reindeer happened to step on a can of Bud Light.
So back and forth we went along that road.... my husband driving, both of us looking for trash, and stopping when we saw something that needed to be picked up. Had it been warmer out there, we would have been walking, but once again, the temperatures have dropped into northern numbers on the thermometer.
On the road near the main highway, we saw the sun reflecting on a large glass bottle... I got out of the car with the plastic bag and the clippy-thing, and saw that it was a liquor bottle that someone had tossed into the grass before making the turn onto the main highway. (Are they stupid enough to think that the effects of what was in that bottle wouldn't hamper their driving?)
I picked up the bottle with the clippy-thing and saw two inches of liquid still at the bottom of the bottle.... I turned it upside-down with the clipper and then realized that there was a tiny field mouse floating in the liquor. Yuck, yuck, yuck....... poor thing was dead of course, but I'm used to seeing field mice so other than those few "yucks," I didn't scream or toss the clipper into the woods. (That would not have been the case had there been a snake in the bottom of that bottle.)
The mouse was tiny enough to have crawled into the neck of the bottle after someone had tossed it in the grass. Apparently, the mouse was also thirsty enough to have begun drinking the liquor. Either he drank enough of the liquor to kill him, or he drank enough to make him tipsy and then he couldn't find his way back out of the bottle. Either way, he was dead. My husband said "He died happy."
I continued with my "yucks" all the way back home, knowing that there was a dead mouse inside the bottle that was now tucked into the plastic trash bag. Not exactly a Disney Christmas story, but that's all I've got for today.
So back and forth we went along that road.... my husband driving, both of us looking for trash, and stopping when we saw something that needed to be picked up. Had it been warmer out there, we would have been walking, but once again, the temperatures have dropped into northern numbers on the thermometer.
On the road near the main highway, we saw the sun reflecting on a large glass bottle... I got out of the car with the plastic bag and the clippy-thing, and saw that it was a liquor bottle that someone had tossed into the grass before making the turn onto the main highway. (Are they stupid enough to think that the effects of what was in that bottle wouldn't hamper their driving?)
I picked up the bottle with the clippy-thing and saw two inches of liquid still at the bottom of the bottle.... I turned it upside-down with the clipper and then realized that there was a tiny field mouse floating in the liquor. Yuck, yuck, yuck....... poor thing was dead of course, but I'm used to seeing field mice so other than those few "yucks," I didn't scream or toss the clipper into the woods. (That would not have been the case had there been a snake in the bottom of that bottle.)
The mouse was tiny enough to have crawled into the neck of the bottle after someone had tossed it in the grass. Apparently, the mouse was also thirsty enough to have begun drinking the liquor. Either he drank enough of the liquor to kill him, or he drank enough to make him tipsy and then he couldn't find his way back out of the bottle. Either way, he was dead. My husband said "He died happy."
I continued with my "yucks" all the way back home, knowing that there was a dead mouse inside the bottle that was now tucked into the plastic trash bag. Not exactly a Disney Christmas story, but that's all I've got for today.
Saturday, December 21, 2013
The longest day of the year...
.... and it's raining today. Started out very warm this morning, and I had the doors open so the breeze could come in through the screens. Well, that didn't last too long. Just before lunch-time, the balmy breeze turned into a cold wind which kicked up the pecan leaves and sent them scattering along the driveway.
The temperature must have dropped at least ten degrees after that wind blew in..... and now it's sweater-weather for sure, after a summery-like morning. Looking out of my window here, you would think I'm up north instead of in the middle of Texas. Once again, the weather gods are not being very kind.
December 21st...... the first day of Winter, and just four more days till Christmas. I sometimes wonder about this count-down till Christmas Day. When I was a kid, it was such a big deal.... four more days... we would all be just about jumping out of our shoes by this time, wondering what was under the tree, which gifts came from friends and family, which came from Santa.
When you get older, Santa becomes an emotion, not a person. And looking at Santa that way, you realize that it's even better because you don't have to limit your Santa-ness to just one day of the year.... you can carry Santa with you every blessed day of every week, every month, all year long. Be nice. Be good. Be kind. Be Santa.
So, for today, on December 21st..... forget about the field mice that get into the house, the stray cats that find their way to the barn, the armadillos that dig holes around the lawn, the raccoons on the back porch, the snakes near the front porch, the coyotes in the fields, and the threat of cougars out in the woods.
It's almost Christmas......... Merry Christmas!
The temperature must have dropped at least ten degrees after that wind blew in..... and now it's sweater-weather for sure, after a summery-like morning. Looking out of my window here, you would think I'm up north instead of in the middle of Texas. Once again, the weather gods are not being very kind.
December 21st...... the first day of Winter, and just four more days till Christmas. I sometimes wonder about this count-down till Christmas Day. When I was a kid, it was such a big deal.... four more days... we would all be just about jumping out of our shoes by this time, wondering what was under the tree, which gifts came from friends and family, which came from Santa.
When you get older, Santa becomes an emotion, not a person. And looking at Santa that way, you realize that it's even better because you don't have to limit your Santa-ness to just one day of the year.... you can carry Santa with you every blessed day of every week, every month, all year long. Be nice. Be good. Be kind. Be Santa.
So, for today, on December 21st..... forget about the field mice that get into the house, the stray cats that find their way to the barn, the armadillos that dig holes around the lawn, the raccoons on the back porch, the snakes near the front porch, the coyotes in the fields, and the threat of cougars out in the woods.
It's almost Christmas......... Merry Christmas!
Thursday, December 19, 2013
A horse in the night...
We went out to dinner last night with J&J, and then drove to "Santa's Wonderland" to see their display of Christmas lights. Wonderland is a drive-through display of millions of colored and white lights, with all sorts of designs and Christmas stories along the way.... everything from the tiniest angel to a life-sized creche, and everything else inbetween. Last night was the perfect weather, too..... not cold, not too warm, no wind, and I guess everyone else thought so too because the place was jam-packed with cars. There's also a little village there with a Christmas shop, but it's always so crowded, with parking spaces at a minimum. This is the second year we've driven there to see the lights and it's a nice little tradition.
If all of those Christmas lights don't get you into the Christmas spirit of the season, then nothing else will work. We had gone to a Chinese restaurant for dinner, so after the trip to Wonderland, we stopped at another restaurant for dessert, being that we were all celebrating my husband's birthday which was last week.
On the way home, along a two-lane road that we take all the time between that town and ours, J thought he saw a horse on the side of the road. He insisted it was there, even though the rest of us hadn't seen anything at all as we were driving along. J made a U-turn and went back...... and sure enough, there on the side, right near the shoulder-less road, was a huge black and white horse. How did the three of us not see that horse?
J pulled the car over and called the sheriff's department, and my husband got out and tried to get the horse away from the road. My husband saw a car pulling into one of the driveways there and asked the man if he owned that horse or knew who did. The man said he didn't own the horse and his attitude said he didn't much care who did.
The horse didn't seem to be bothered by the bright lights of the cars, or by my husband urging him to get back into his pasture..... that horse just kept munching away on the grass, not paying much attention to anything else. Within minutes, a deputy's car pulled up with all his lights flashing, which slowed down the cars that were driving along the road. My husband and the deputy got the horse into a field away from the road, but there wasn't a gate there to keep the horse contained.
We all drove away at that point, leaving the deputy to find out who owned the horse and why they weren't keeping him from wandering into the road in the middle of the night. We were all impressed that the deputy got there so quickly, but we figured he must have been driving on that road when the call went through.
As we drove away, we were joking that we killed two bread puddings at the restaurant but we saved the life of one horse. Then we got serious and we were all upset that people can so easily acquire pets and animals but then just as easily ignore them and not take care of them.
If all of those Christmas lights don't get you into the Christmas spirit of the season, then nothing else will work. We had gone to a Chinese restaurant for dinner, so after the trip to Wonderland, we stopped at another restaurant for dessert, being that we were all celebrating my husband's birthday which was last week.
On the way home, along a two-lane road that we take all the time between that town and ours, J thought he saw a horse on the side of the road. He insisted it was there, even though the rest of us hadn't seen anything at all as we were driving along. J made a U-turn and went back...... and sure enough, there on the side, right near the shoulder-less road, was a huge black and white horse. How did the three of us not see that horse?
J pulled the car over and called the sheriff's department, and my husband got out and tried to get the horse away from the road. My husband saw a car pulling into one of the driveways there and asked the man if he owned that horse or knew who did. The man said he didn't own the horse and his attitude said he didn't much care who did.
The horse didn't seem to be bothered by the bright lights of the cars, or by my husband urging him to get back into his pasture..... that horse just kept munching away on the grass, not paying much attention to anything else. Within minutes, a deputy's car pulled up with all his lights flashing, which slowed down the cars that were driving along the road. My husband and the deputy got the horse into a field away from the road, but there wasn't a gate there to keep the horse contained.
We all drove away at that point, leaving the deputy to find out who owned the horse and why they weren't keeping him from wandering into the road in the middle of the night. We were all impressed that the deputy got there so quickly, but we figured he must have been driving on that road when the call went through.
As we drove away, we were joking that we killed two bread puddings at the restaurant but we saved the life of one horse. Then we got serious and we were all upset that people can so easily acquire pets and animals but then just as easily ignore them and not take care of them.
Wednesday, December 18, 2013
Now this is a Texas winter....
Warm and sunny days, with temperatures in the 60s and getting closer to 70 every day. So warm that some of the ladybug eggs are hatching and they're flying around the front porch. I've no idea where the ladybug nests are, but when the weather gets warm, those little eggs must open up from the heat and out come these teeny ladybugs. Last Spring, there were so many ladybugs on the porch columns that it looked as if we had painted the white columns with red polka-dots.
I haven't seen any more scorpions since that big one in the garage the other day, but now that the weather is warming up even more, I'm being cautious about snakes. That's one thing that I don't want to be surprised with.... any kind of snake, whether it's poisonous or not.
The guys who cut the hay were here yesterday. They had cut the hay down a couple of weeks ago, but then we had soaking rains, and then the frigid cold, so the cut hay was just scattered on the property, laying right where it had fallen. Yesterday, they came by with this huge raking machine that gathers the hay into big piles as they pull it through the fields. My guess is that they'll come back either today or tomorrow with the baling machine, and then we'll have huge round bales in the fields until they come with yet another machine to pick those up and cart them away. The first time the hay was cut in our fields, my husband and I sat on the porch and watched the whole process. My husband took pictures, which we sent to family up north. And when the first bales were in the pastures, I stood next to one of those huge bales and sent that photo to my cousins. ("You're wearing jeans and boots? Boots without heels?!?") Now when the hay-guys come here, it's just another day on the ranch: "The guys are out there cutting the hay..... I hope the wind doesn't blow the dust up on the porch furniture."
We're enjoying these warm sunny days...... and we don't miss the frigid nights. However.... the weather wizards on the local news are telling us that another cold front is going to blow down here from Canada, and could arrive just in time for Christmas. Well, bah humbug to that.
I haven't seen any more scorpions since that big one in the garage the other day, but now that the weather is warming up even more, I'm being cautious about snakes. That's one thing that I don't want to be surprised with.... any kind of snake, whether it's poisonous or not.
The guys who cut the hay were here yesterday. They had cut the hay down a couple of weeks ago, but then we had soaking rains, and then the frigid cold, so the cut hay was just scattered on the property, laying right where it had fallen. Yesterday, they came by with this huge raking machine that gathers the hay into big piles as they pull it through the fields. My guess is that they'll come back either today or tomorrow with the baling machine, and then we'll have huge round bales in the fields until they come with yet another machine to pick those up and cart them away. The first time the hay was cut in our fields, my husband and I sat on the porch and watched the whole process. My husband took pictures, which we sent to family up north. And when the first bales were in the pastures, I stood next to one of those huge bales and sent that photo to my cousins. ("You're wearing jeans and boots? Boots without heels?!?") Now when the hay-guys come here, it's just another day on the ranch: "The guys are out there cutting the hay..... I hope the wind doesn't blow the dust up on the porch furniture."
We're enjoying these warm sunny days...... and we don't miss the frigid nights. However.... the weather wizards on the local news are telling us that another cold front is going to blow down here from Canada, and could arrive just in time for Christmas. Well, bah humbug to that.
Monday, December 16, 2013
A warm afternoon....
... after a frigid night.
It was so warm this afternoon that JS and I went out walking.... the whole walk, up to the main highway and back. Haven't done that in ages because it has either been too wet and rainy, or too darn cold and windy.
J's little dog Bella came along for the girl-time. J had her dressed up in the cutest little doggie-Christmas outfit.... red velvet with white fur around the little ruffle, plus she had a silver necklace of Mardi Gras beads to complete the blinged-out look. Just too cute for words... and did I mention that Bella's little toe-nails were painted red to match her outfit? Never let it be said that country-puppies don't know how to dress up.
Surely does make me want another dog again, but let's not get started with that......
This week is like the calm after the storm...... we had our big Christmas party on Saturday night. Almost all of our friends and neighbors were here, along with a couple of friends from our old neighborhood in Clear Lake. I think this year's Christmas party was the best we've had in this house.... the energy and enthusiasm was just off the charts this time, and I don't know exactly why, but it was sure nice to see everyone having such a great evening.
In the midst of the other night's frigid weather, I found a huge scorpion in the garage when I went in there to feed Mickey. I nearly stepped on the darn thing because I wasn't looking down. Thankfully, my foot missed it, but I smashed it flat with the container of weed-killer. I'm still not at the point where I can just step on a scorpion to kill it........ not these feet, no matter what shoes or boots I'm wearing.
And everyone says that the cold weather kills all the crawling critters on the property here. Bah-humbug to that...... I guess the scorpions don't know all the rules.
It was so warm this afternoon that JS and I went out walking.... the whole walk, up to the main highway and back. Haven't done that in ages because it has either been too wet and rainy, or too darn cold and windy.
J's little dog Bella came along for the girl-time. J had her dressed up in the cutest little doggie-Christmas outfit.... red velvet with white fur around the little ruffle, plus she had a silver necklace of Mardi Gras beads to complete the blinged-out look. Just too cute for words... and did I mention that Bella's little toe-nails were painted red to match her outfit? Never let it be said that country-puppies don't know how to dress up.
Surely does make me want another dog again, but let's not get started with that......
This week is like the calm after the storm...... we had our big Christmas party on Saturday night. Almost all of our friends and neighbors were here, along with a couple of friends from our old neighborhood in Clear Lake. I think this year's Christmas party was the best we've had in this house.... the energy and enthusiasm was just off the charts this time, and I don't know exactly why, but it was sure nice to see everyone having such a great evening.
In the midst of the other night's frigid weather, I found a huge scorpion in the garage when I went in there to feed Mickey. I nearly stepped on the darn thing because I wasn't looking down. Thankfully, my foot missed it, but I smashed it flat with the container of weed-killer. I'm still not at the point where I can just step on a scorpion to kill it........ not these feet, no matter what shoes or boots I'm wearing.
And everyone says that the cold weather kills all the crawling critters on the property here. Bah-humbug to that...... I guess the scorpions don't know all the rules.
Friday, December 13, 2013
So much for the sun......
Today was supposed to be a partly sunny day. Once again, the TV weather wizards have failed. This morning was cloudy, with maybe three rays of sunlight peeking through..... and then the rain started after lunch today. The temperature is nearly 60 degrees, so that's a plus.
A plus? Our normal 'winter' temperature should be hovering around the 60-degree mark. Did someone change the weather rules for this state without asking anyone who lives here?
Drizzling rain.... all afternoon... but I got a lot done in the house. Tomorrow is our Christmas party, and I've spent most of the day arranging tables and chairs, centerpieces and favors, and cooking, cooking, cooking. We always have a pot-luck dinner for our big parties, but still, I'd rather cook more than I need because we never know who's bringing what.
Tomorrow night and Sunday night, it will be 32 degrees. Once again, the 60 degrees will disappear. With that in mind, I don't think our friends will be looking for a cold punch, so it will be hot apple cider for tomorrow night, and iced tea for those who insist on drinking something cold. Iced tea is like a staple in this state.... no one cares what the weather is doing..... without iced tea on the menu, it wouldn't be Texas.
Sort of like... without a mild winter with sweater-degree temperatures, it wouldn't be Texas. Maybe that's been the problem with the recent weather...... someone has stretched the state's boundary lines and moved us all further north.
Get those red shoes on...... click the heels three times.... and maybe we'll all end up back in a warm Texas winter.
A plus? Our normal 'winter' temperature should be hovering around the 60-degree mark. Did someone change the weather rules for this state without asking anyone who lives here?
Drizzling rain.... all afternoon... but I got a lot done in the house. Tomorrow is our Christmas party, and I've spent most of the day arranging tables and chairs, centerpieces and favors, and cooking, cooking, cooking. We always have a pot-luck dinner for our big parties, but still, I'd rather cook more than I need because we never know who's bringing what.
Tomorrow night and Sunday night, it will be 32 degrees. Once again, the 60 degrees will disappear. With that in mind, I don't think our friends will be looking for a cold punch, so it will be hot apple cider for tomorrow night, and iced tea for those who insist on drinking something cold. Iced tea is like a staple in this state.... no one cares what the weather is doing..... without iced tea on the menu, it wouldn't be Texas.
Sort of like... without a mild winter with sweater-degree temperatures, it wouldn't be Texas. Maybe that's been the problem with the recent weather...... someone has stretched the state's boundary lines and moved us all further north.
Get those red shoes on...... click the heels three times.... and maybe we'll all end up back in a warm Texas winter.
Tuesday, December 10, 2013
A sunny day, finally.
We had lots of sun today, but the temperature didn't seem any warmer than yesterday. I let Mickey out of the garage today since it wasn't raining, but he wasn't too happy about the cold temperature, and he went back into the garage after just half an hour outside. He jumped up in his chair, which is nice and warm from the heater, and that's where he spent the rest of the day. Mickey is a Texas cat, and not used to these very un-Texas like temperatures.
I saw a large brown and white rabbit near the gazebo this afternoon..... I think he's making his home right underneath the gazebo, because there's clearly a spot there when he can get under the wood trim. He? She? Whichever.... it was a pretty big rabbit. I got out the binoculars to look more closely without scaring him, and he's a very pretty bunny. I have no idea if there's an entire bunny family under that gazebo, but both Mickey and Gatsby have investigated the ground around that gazebo from time to time, so maybe the cats have noticed a bunny smell, or have seen bunny traffic going back and forth under the wooden base.
I told my husband about the rabbit, and without missing a beat, he asked me "And where do you think that rabbit is having his meals?" The answer..... "IHOP." I should have guessed that.
Still cold outside..... and I'm still not happy with the weather, but there's certainly nothing I can do about that, short of getting on a plane and heading to Key West or somewhere like that. Warmer days are sure to come back, sooner or later..... hopefully sooner. My cousin in Florida called me tonight and said that the temperature in Orlando is 82 degrees. I should tell my husband that it may be time to visit Mickey Mouse and Company again.
But on the bright side..... we spent the day decorating the big Christmas tree in the dining room...... my husband did the lights, I did the ornaments and all the embellishments. Looks beautiful.... Santa and the elves would approve.
I saw a large brown and white rabbit near the gazebo this afternoon..... I think he's making his home right underneath the gazebo, because there's clearly a spot there when he can get under the wood trim. He? She? Whichever.... it was a pretty big rabbit. I got out the binoculars to look more closely without scaring him, and he's a very pretty bunny. I have no idea if there's an entire bunny family under that gazebo, but both Mickey and Gatsby have investigated the ground around that gazebo from time to time, so maybe the cats have noticed a bunny smell, or have seen bunny traffic going back and forth under the wooden base.
I told my husband about the rabbit, and without missing a beat, he asked me "And where do you think that rabbit is having his meals?" The answer..... "IHOP." I should have guessed that.
Still cold outside..... and I'm still not happy with the weather, but there's certainly nothing I can do about that, short of getting on a plane and heading to Key West or somewhere like that. Warmer days are sure to come back, sooner or later..... hopefully sooner. My cousin in Florida called me tonight and said that the temperature in Orlando is 82 degrees. I should tell my husband that it may be time to visit Mickey Mouse and Company again.
But on the bright side..... we spent the day decorating the big Christmas tree in the dining room...... my husband did the lights, I did the ornaments and all the embellishments. Looks beautiful.... Santa and the elves would approve.
Saturday, December 7, 2013
In the heart of winter...
...That's the phrase I just heard from the weather wizards on TV... "Hunker down, folks, because we have just found ourselves in the heart of winter." Oh goodie.
The seven-day forecast doesn't look any better than the last couple of days we've had here. We can expect temperatures in the 40s during the day, and into the low 30s at night. We'll have one day of 50 degrees, which will probably seem like a heat wave after all of this. And tomorrow, we could see some freezing rain. I'll repeat: Oh goodie.
We've been in the house for two days. I've gone outside just to put trash in the can, and I've been inside the garage to feed Mickey and to spend some time with him in there every few hours or so. Mickey's half of the garage is warm, thanks to that heater.... and he seems to be okay. I think he's getting cabin fever, though, because he clearly wants to go outside. Not going to happen... not when it's this cold, this cloudy, with not a drop of sunlight anywhere. I don't want to have to walk around the property looking for him, and if I have to keep that garage door open so he can get in and out by himself, then the heater isn't going to work very well in there. Mickey will just have to be content with the inside of the garage, and he can walk through the little door into the coop if he wants some fresh air. Fresh air? It's more like frozen air. Give me a blessed break.
I'm glad we don't have chickens anymore. I used to worry about the hens in cold weather like this. All the chicken books say that birds don't feel the cold that much... they fluff up their feathers to insulate themselves against the cold and they huddle together to keep warm. I still worried about the chickens being too cold out in the coop. My husband says that I transfer my own feelings about the cold onto every living thing out there, and maybe I do. All I know is, cold is cold, and it isn't fun. I went through winters like this up in New York for 40 years, and moving down here and getting this type of cold weather is not what we had in mind when we headed for Texas.
Oh well, it is what it is. And it is freaking cold.
The seven-day forecast doesn't look any better than the last couple of days we've had here. We can expect temperatures in the 40s during the day, and into the low 30s at night. We'll have one day of 50 degrees, which will probably seem like a heat wave after all of this. And tomorrow, we could see some freezing rain. I'll repeat: Oh goodie.
We've been in the house for two days. I've gone outside just to put trash in the can, and I've been inside the garage to feed Mickey and to spend some time with him in there every few hours or so. Mickey's half of the garage is warm, thanks to that heater.... and he seems to be okay. I think he's getting cabin fever, though, because he clearly wants to go outside. Not going to happen... not when it's this cold, this cloudy, with not a drop of sunlight anywhere. I don't want to have to walk around the property looking for him, and if I have to keep that garage door open so he can get in and out by himself, then the heater isn't going to work very well in there. Mickey will just have to be content with the inside of the garage, and he can walk through the little door into the coop if he wants some fresh air. Fresh air? It's more like frozen air. Give me a blessed break.
I'm glad we don't have chickens anymore. I used to worry about the hens in cold weather like this. All the chicken books say that birds don't feel the cold that much... they fluff up their feathers to insulate themselves against the cold and they huddle together to keep warm. I still worried about the chickens being too cold out in the coop. My husband says that I transfer my own feelings about the cold onto every living thing out there, and maybe I do. All I know is, cold is cold, and it isn't fun. I went through winters like this up in New York for 40 years, and moving down here and getting this type of cold weather is not what we had in mind when we headed for Texas.
Oh well, it is what it is. And it is freaking cold.
Friday, December 6, 2013
More cold, more wind, still freezing...
Okay, I've just about had it with this weather..... the wind is still with us, bringing cold temperatures down from Canada. It's worse up near Dallas, with freezing rain that has thousands of plane flights being cancelled, which I know isn't a picnic for the travelers up there.
We kept faucets dripping last night, and plugged in electric heaters in the cottage and the barn, in an attempt to protect all the new plumbing that my husband installed himself the year after we moved here when the pipes froze during a prolonged (and also Canadian) hard freeze that settled into the Hill Country. ("Welcome to the countryside..... take that!..... we're freezing your pipes to let you know what you've gotten yourself into.")
The cats are all sleeping and cuddled up in the warmest spots.... and it was so cold that I made soup for lunch. Spinach/artichoke soup, which I made from a basic vegetable soup recipe that I've adapted for my other soups (broccoli and cauliflower). We tasted that spinach/artichoke soup at one of the little cafes in town and we liked it...... my version is thicker, better, cheesier. (Is that a word?)
My husband really loved today's soup and asked me if I've been writing down the recent soup recipes. I told him that the recipes are all in my head, and I just 'wing it' as I go along.
"So you're not writing the recipes down?" said he.
"No need to.... I just make the soup the same way each time and it seems to be working just fine."
"But what if something happens to you and I feel like making spinach/artichoke soup?" said my husband.
I resisted the urge to ask him if something did happen to me, would making soup be his first priority?
We kept faucets dripping last night, and plugged in electric heaters in the cottage and the barn, in an attempt to protect all the new plumbing that my husband installed himself the year after we moved here when the pipes froze during a prolonged (and also Canadian) hard freeze that settled into the Hill Country. ("Welcome to the countryside..... take that!..... we're freezing your pipes to let you know what you've gotten yourself into.")
The cats are all sleeping and cuddled up in the warmest spots.... and it was so cold that I made soup for lunch. Spinach/artichoke soup, which I made from a basic vegetable soup recipe that I've adapted for my other soups (broccoli and cauliflower). We tasted that spinach/artichoke soup at one of the little cafes in town and we liked it...... my version is thicker, better, cheesier. (Is that a word?)
My husband really loved today's soup and asked me if I've been writing down the recent soup recipes. I told him that the recipes are all in my head, and I just 'wing it' as I go along.
"So you're not writing the recipes down?" said he.
"No need to.... I just make the soup the same way each time and it seems to be working just fine."
"But what if something happens to you and I feel like making spinach/artichoke soup?" said my husband.
I resisted the urge to ask him if something did happen to me, would making soup be his first priority?
Thursday, December 5, 2013
Cold... freezing... windy...
Maybe if I put on a pair of red shoes and click my heels three times, I will end up back in the 80-degree warmth that we were enjoying here just one day ago.
Give me a minute....
Click... click... click.
Nope. It didn't work. These red heels don't have a zillion sequins on them. Maybe that's the problem.
I can still hear the wind howling. Our outside cat Gatsby doesn't want to go anywhere near the back door, and he becomes an inside cat in cold weather. Mickey Kitty is in the garage with his warm and cozy tent-bed and a private heater. Sweet Pea is huddled up on top of the afghan on the sofa in the TV room. I am sitting here with two sweaters and a shawl around my shoulders. Gone are the capris of the other day, replaced by longer, warmer slacks. These old Victorian houses weren't built for this type of cold weather.
And, I must say that I look ridiculous in these red heels.
Click... click... click. Three times.
Damn. It still didn't work. It's still freezing.
I need to buy a zillion red sequins.
Give me a minute....
Click... click... click.
Nope. It didn't work. These red heels don't have a zillion sequins on them. Maybe that's the problem.
I can still hear the wind howling. Our outside cat Gatsby doesn't want to go anywhere near the back door, and he becomes an inside cat in cold weather. Mickey Kitty is in the garage with his warm and cozy tent-bed and a private heater. Sweet Pea is huddled up on top of the afghan on the sofa in the TV room. I am sitting here with two sweaters and a shawl around my shoulders. Gone are the capris of the other day, replaced by longer, warmer slacks. These old Victorian houses weren't built for this type of cold weather.
And, I must say that I look ridiculous in these red heels.
Click... click... click. Three times.
Damn. It still didn't work. It's still freezing.
I need to buy a zillion red sequins.
The weather goes beyond stupid....
.... and borders on the insane.
As I type, the wind is blowing and the sun is probably shining over The Bahamas because we haven't seen it at all today. Our recent temperatures of 80 degrees are once again gone, gone, gone. The weather wizards on TV are saying that those numbers will be dropping 50 degrees within the next 24 hours. Oh goodie. I can hardly wait. Do the weather wizards have to keep smiling when they give us such bad news? I would appreciate it very much if they delivered an apology along with a bad weather forecast--- "I'm so sorry to tell y'all this, but it's going to feel more like Alaska than Texas for the next seven days.... I tried very hard to find a more suitable forecast for y'all, but it just wasn't in the cards this week."
I keep saying this.... but when we first moved to this state twenty years ago, we didn't have such violent cold snaps, and the Canadian winds stayed up near Canada, where they belong. With apologies to Canada.... (we've been there and it's beautiful) but I don't exactly need any of that brutal weather during the months of December and January, thank you very much.
And right about now, the Canadians are thinking "You call that cold snap brutal?! "
In my city-girl mind, this is brutal, and about the only thing that's going to keep you warm and toasty when you go outside is a full length mink. But they don't do that here. So I can't. I guess I'll just freeze and be thankful that we don't live in Canada.
As the temperatures drop, I get cranky. And the lower the temperatures, the crankier I get. My apologies. Time for hot tea.... and a good book.
However....... on the bright side (and there's always a bright side)... when I checked the utility closet this morning, the sticky glue-traps were not holding either a mouse or a snake. There is a god.
As I type, the wind is blowing and the sun is probably shining over The Bahamas because we haven't seen it at all today. Our recent temperatures of 80 degrees are once again gone, gone, gone. The weather wizards on TV are saying that those numbers will be dropping 50 degrees within the next 24 hours. Oh goodie. I can hardly wait. Do the weather wizards have to keep smiling when they give us such bad news? I would appreciate it very much if they delivered an apology along with a bad weather forecast--- "I'm so sorry to tell y'all this, but it's going to feel more like Alaska than Texas for the next seven days.... I tried very hard to find a more suitable forecast for y'all, but it just wasn't in the cards this week."
I keep saying this.... but when we first moved to this state twenty years ago, we didn't have such violent cold snaps, and the Canadian winds stayed up near Canada, where they belong. With apologies to Canada.... (we've been there and it's beautiful) but I don't exactly need any of that brutal weather during the months of December and January, thank you very much.
And right about now, the Canadians are thinking "You call that cold snap brutal?! "
In my city-girl mind, this is brutal, and about the only thing that's going to keep you warm and toasty when you go outside is a full length mink. But they don't do that here. So I can't. I guess I'll just freeze and be thankful that we don't live in Canada.
As the temperatures drop, I get cranky. And the lower the temperatures, the crankier I get. My apologies. Time for hot tea.... and a good book.
However....... on the bright side (and there's always a bright side)... when I checked the utility closet this morning, the sticky glue-traps were not holding either a mouse or a snake. There is a god.
Wednesday, December 4, 2013
It's always something...
.... and usually, 'something' always happens when my husband is working.
We have a utility closet between the kitchen and the breakfast room. That closet has louvered doors and contains the heater/air-conditioning unit. The only other things behind those louvered doors are glue-traps for catching mice.
My inside cat Sweet Pea walked by that closet earlier this evening and he stopped in his little kitty-tracks and stared at the louvered doors. Then he got up real close to the slats in the doors and he sniffed..... I actually heard his breath and saw his whiskers twitching. I was reading a book at the table in the breakfast room, and clearly saw that Sweet Pea was not happy with what he had detected behind those doors.
When a mouse gets caught on a glue-trap, Sweet Pea will stand by the door and meow, sort of like "If you open these doors for me, I'll take care of that nasty little rodent for you." (He doesn't understand that messing with a glue-trapped mouse will also adhere his kitty-self to the sticky glue.) What I usually do when that happens is pick up Sweet Pea and put him in the TV room and close that door before I open the closet to see what's caught on the glue-trap. In the beginning of these mice adventures, I would ask my husband to dispose of the poor little mouse, but I've since learned to grit my teeth and use a four-foot-long clippy thing to pick up the glue-trap, mouse and all, and put it into a trash bag and carry it outside to the garbage can..... all the while apologizing to the mouse.
But on this day..... with Sweet Pea first twitching his whiskers and then hissing at those louvered doors, I found that every ounce of bravery that might be within me just disappeared... and I was afraid to open the closet doors. I put Sweet Pea into the TV room and called our friends J and J up the road. I hated to bother them for such a questionable favor, but there was no way around it. I kept watching the bottom of that closet door while I told them the problem. They were at my back door within minutes.
J and I watched as her husband opened the door.... he was armed with a flash-light, a clippy thing, and a walking stick. Never let it be said that we let the man go into battle without the proper weapons. J opened the door.... J and I were holding our breath, I think..... we watched the beam of the flash-light.... and there was nothing in there except half a dozen glue-traps, all of them mouse-less. Two of the traps were decorated with dead scorpions.
J seemed to think that possibly a snake had gotten up into that closet from below the house..... there are small spaces near the ductwork that a snake could possibly slither into... the same spaces that the field mice find when they're looking to get out from the cold and into a warm spot next to a furnace. Except that it was very warm today..... and don't these godforsaken snakes have somewhere else to go other than this house?!
I thanked J and J for their patience with my inability to adapt to all things country out here in the hills. They even asked if I wanted to come up to their house till my husband got home from work. And leave Sweet Pea here by himself to fight the battle? I can't be that heartless... he's a very good cat.
Sweet Pea walked by the utility closet after J and J went back home..... he gave the bottom of the door a little sniff. Then he walked about two feet away from it and sat down to keep watch. He didn't hiss, and his whiskers didn't twitch. I went into the breakfast room and finished reading my book.
When Sweet Pea walked into the TV room a little while ago, I shut that door, and opened up the door to the utility closet. Brave soul that I am..... I opened up two new boxes of those glue-traps.... and spread them all around the floor surrounding the heater/air-conditioner unit. The inside of that closet now looks like a miniature city with model train tracks going round and round... just about every inch of that white floor is lined with black glue-traps. If there is indeed something in that closet, it won't be able to move three inches without getting hopelessly stuck.
We have a utility closet between the kitchen and the breakfast room. That closet has louvered doors and contains the heater/air-conditioning unit. The only other things behind those louvered doors are glue-traps for catching mice.
My inside cat Sweet Pea walked by that closet earlier this evening and he stopped in his little kitty-tracks and stared at the louvered doors. Then he got up real close to the slats in the doors and he sniffed..... I actually heard his breath and saw his whiskers twitching. I was reading a book at the table in the breakfast room, and clearly saw that Sweet Pea was not happy with what he had detected behind those doors.
When a mouse gets caught on a glue-trap, Sweet Pea will stand by the door and meow, sort of like "If you open these doors for me, I'll take care of that nasty little rodent for you." (He doesn't understand that messing with a glue-trapped mouse will also adhere his kitty-self to the sticky glue.) What I usually do when that happens is pick up Sweet Pea and put him in the TV room and close that door before I open the closet to see what's caught on the glue-trap. In the beginning of these mice adventures, I would ask my husband to dispose of the poor little mouse, but I've since learned to grit my teeth and use a four-foot-long clippy thing to pick up the glue-trap, mouse and all, and put it into a trash bag and carry it outside to the garbage can..... all the while apologizing to the mouse.
But on this day..... with Sweet Pea first twitching his whiskers and then hissing at those louvered doors, I found that every ounce of bravery that might be within me just disappeared... and I was afraid to open the closet doors. I put Sweet Pea into the TV room and called our friends J and J up the road. I hated to bother them for such a questionable favor, but there was no way around it. I kept watching the bottom of that closet door while I told them the problem. They were at my back door within minutes.
J and I watched as her husband opened the door.... he was armed with a flash-light, a clippy thing, and a walking stick. Never let it be said that we let the man go into battle without the proper weapons. J opened the door.... J and I were holding our breath, I think..... we watched the beam of the flash-light.... and there was nothing in there except half a dozen glue-traps, all of them mouse-less. Two of the traps were decorated with dead scorpions.
J seemed to think that possibly a snake had gotten up into that closet from below the house..... there are small spaces near the ductwork that a snake could possibly slither into... the same spaces that the field mice find when they're looking to get out from the cold and into a warm spot next to a furnace. Except that it was very warm today..... and don't these godforsaken snakes have somewhere else to go other than this house?!
I thanked J and J for their patience with my inability to adapt to all things country out here in the hills. They even asked if I wanted to come up to their house till my husband got home from work. And leave Sweet Pea here by himself to fight the battle? I can't be that heartless... he's a very good cat.
Sweet Pea walked by the utility closet after J and J went back home..... he gave the bottom of the door a little sniff. Then he walked about two feet away from it and sat down to keep watch. He didn't hiss, and his whiskers didn't twitch. I went into the breakfast room and finished reading my book.
When Sweet Pea walked into the TV room a little while ago, I shut that door, and opened up the door to the utility closet. Brave soul that I am..... I opened up two new boxes of those glue-traps.... and spread them all around the floor surrounding the heater/air-conditioner unit. The inside of that closet now looks like a miniature city with model train tracks going round and round... just about every inch of that white floor is lined with black glue-traps. If there is indeed something in that closet, it won't be able to move three inches without getting hopelessly stuck.
Tuesday, December 3, 2013
Baby goats.
When I drove down our hill this morning, I saw three new baby goats in the neighbor's pasture. This is the man who raises goats for the meat... he also does his own slaughtering. Give me a blessed break. I wonder if that knowledge would have changed my opinion of this house and this property when we first found it.
I stopped my car in the road and watched the baby goats this morning. They play like puppies... running and jumping over one another and pulling at each other's ears and tails. So terribly cute.
And then I drove on, and got terribly sad. Those baby goats may not even live to see Christmas. That neighbor's favorite food is "el cabrito," which is roasted baby goat. He told us it was a delicacy, and offered us one after we first moved in. We said thank you, but no thank you. And, thankfully, he never asked again.
Baby goats. Oh well. Life goes on.
I stopped my car in the road and watched the baby goats this morning. They play like puppies... running and jumping over one another and pulling at each other's ears and tails. So terribly cute.
And then I drove on, and got terribly sad. Those baby goats may not even live to see Christmas. That neighbor's favorite food is "el cabrito," which is roasted baby goat. He told us it was a delicacy, and offered us one after we first moved in. We said thank you, but no thank you. And, thankfully, he never asked again.
Baby goats. Oh well. Life goes on.
Monday, December 2, 2013
Back to Texas weather....
Sunny and warm today, with temperatures due to reach the high 70s.... nearly 80. I'm sitting here in white Capris again, rather than jeans and two sweaters. Happy day.
Handyman Senior and Junior are outside painting. There may be hope for this handyman-duo after all. The other day when my husband told Senior that he wanted the paint chips cleaned up, Senior took that to heart. Before he left on Saturday, he got out the Shop-Vac from the garage and proceeded to clean up the paint chips on the back porch.
With today's warmer weather, the yellow butterflies are back. I hadn't seen them on those cold days we had last week, and when it rained, even the birds outside were hiding somewhere. Now it's like Spring again and the birds are singing and the butterflies are all over the garden.
The roses have been blooming, as well as the azaleas. We have long-stemmed pink roses in the backyard, and the deer come during the night and eat up all the leaves, but never touch the big pink petals of the roses. Odd, that they'd leave the sweetest part of the plant alone...... but who knows, maybe the leaves are tastier than the roses themselves.
Haven't heard the coyotes since two weeks ago, when they were howling so loudly that they sounded as if they were right in our backyard. I don't know if there are baby deer out in the pastures at night, but I'm hoping they're smart enough to stay close to the adult deer, which would give them a little safety from the coyotes. I think it's still hunting season for deer, and every couple of days we can hear gun-shots off in the woods. Seems like it's always 'season' for some poor animal up here.
Handyman Senior and Junior are outside painting. There may be hope for this handyman-duo after all. The other day when my husband told Senior that he wanted the paint chips cleaned up, Senior took that to heart. Before he left on Saturday, he got out the Shop-Vac from the garage and proceeded to clean up the paint chips on the back porch.
With today's warmer weather, the yellow butterflies are back. I hadn't seen them on those cold days we had last week, and when it rained, even the birds outside were hiding somewhere. Now it's like Spring again and the birds are singing and the butterflies are all over the garden.
The roses have been blooming, as well as the azaleas. We have long-stemmed pink roses in the backyard, and the deer come during the night and eat up all the leaves, but never touch the big pink petals of the roses. Odd, that they'd leave the sweetest part of the plant alone...... but who knows, maybe the leaves are tastier than the roses themselves.
Haven't heard the coyotes since two weeks ago, when they were howling so loudly that they sounded as if they were right in our backyard. I don't know if there are baby deer out in the pastures at night, but I'm hoping they're smart enough to stay close to the adult deer, which would give them a little safety from the coyotes. I think it's still hunting season for deer, and every couple of days we can hear gun-shots off in the woods. Seems like it's always 'season' for some poor animal up here.
Saturday, November 30, 2013
Cloudy Saturday...
.... but the sun is trying to peek out now and then. We had two beautiful days of weather for Thanksgiving and yesterday, with promises from the Weather Wizards that by the middle of next week, our temperatures will be up in the high 70s. (Is there hope for the low 80s?)
As I type, my husband is out in the yard with Handyman Sr. I have no idea what's happening out there, but every once in a while, I hear the buzz of a power tool. Yesterday, before Handyman Senior left for the day, my husband suggested that the paint shavings that had been scraped off would best be cleaned up with the Shop-Vac. Handyman Sr. looked at my husband and said that no customer had ever asked him to do that before.
I know what that means.... it could be the Kiss of Death for Handyman Sr.
My husband got the Shop-Vac from the garage and cleaned up all the paint chips in the flowerbeds, telling Handyman Sr. that he wasn't "another customer," and this is how he'd like it done. As I said.... the Kiss of Death may be around the corner.
Now I hear hammering from outside. Maybe they're putting the fence back up. Those just-repainted pickets look brand new, and I'm hoping that when the lengths of fence go back up on the posts, the entire fence will meet with my husband's approval.
It took us months to find Handyman Sr. I hope this won't be his 'swan song.'
As I type, my husband is out in the yard with Handyman Sr. I have no idea what's happening out there, but every once in a while, I hear the buzz of a power tool. Yesterday, before Handyman Senior left for the day, my husband suggested that the paint shavings that had been scraped off would best be cleaned up with the Shop-Vac. Handyman Sr. looked at my husband and said that no customer had ever asked him to do that before.
I know what that means.... it could be the Kiss of Death for Handyman Sr.
My husband got the Shop-Vac from the garage and cleaned up all the paint chips in the flowerbeds, telling Handyman Sr. that he wasn't "another customer," and this is how he'd like it done. As I said.... the Kiss of Death may be around the corner.
Now I hear hammering from outside. Maybe they're putting the fence back up. Those just-repainted pickets look brand new, and I'm hoping that when the lengths of fence go back up on the posts, the entire fence will meet with my husband's approval.
It took us months to find Handyman Sr. I hope this won't be his 'swan song.'
Wednesday, November 27, 2013
What's that big yellow thing up in the sky?
...... Oh yeah, it's the sun. It's been so long since we've had a sunny day, but this day before Thanksgiving is making up for that. It's still a bit colder than normal, but I'll take a bright sunny day over a cloudy over-cast day. (Note to the weather gods: Can we please get back to 80 degrees? Or even 75?)
And, on this sunny day before Thanksgiving, we had to drive into town for just one thing from the supermarket.... smoked oysters. We were just at the market yesterday for last-minute items, but totally forgot this one important ingredient for the dressing. (Up north, it's called stuffing.... down south, it's dressing. I have no idea why.)
My husband has been making the dressing for the turkey for years now... on Thanksgiving, it's an oyster dressing; for Christmas, it's his own creation--- The Big Fat Greek Dressing (with feta cheese and gyro meat that he gets from a Greek restaurant in Houston). Come to think of it, I'm sure my husband calls it "stuffing," but whatever it is, dressing or stuffing, it's delicious.
The parking lot in front of the HEB supermarket this morning was standing-room-only. Nearly every single space was filled. I didn't even go into the store because I knew I'd be looking around and pulling things from the shelves that I don't need this week, but will probably need next week. Our aim today was to get into the store, get just what was needed for tomorrow, and be able to get on the "10 Items or Less" line. (I'm not very good at getting less than 10 items.)
So I sat in the car and watched just about every resident of this town going in and out of that supermarket. When you live in a small town, your mind tells you that you have a small-town number of residents. However, your eyes will tell you differently when you go to the local market the day before a holiday... you'll see just about everybody in town there, and the population won't seem as small as you think it is.
Happy Thanksgiving..... and gobble, gobble to you all. And please, don't go shopping tomorrow on Thanksgiving Day... stay home and enjoy your family and have a piece of pumpkin pie. Watch some football.... write in your blog.... read a Christmas book... enjoy the day, the whole day.
And, on this sunny day before Thanksgiving, we had to drive into town for just one thing from the supermarket.... smoked oysters. We were just at the market yesterday for last-minute items, but totally forgot this one important ingredient for the dressing. (Up north, it's called stuffing.... down south, it's dressing. I have no idea why.)
My husband has been making the dressing for the turkey for years now... on Thanksgiving, it's an oyster dressing; for Christmas, it's his own creation--- The Big Fat Greek Dressing (with feta cheese and gyro meat that he gets from a Greek restaurant in Houston). Come to think of it, I'm sure my husband calls it "stuffing," but whatever it is, dressing or stuffing, it's delicious.
The parking lot in front of the HEB supermarket this morning was standing-room-only. Nearly every single space was filled. I didn't even go into the store because I knew I'd be looking around and pulling things from the shelves that I don't need this week, but will probably need next week. Our aim today was to get into the store, get just what was needed for tomorrow, and be able to get on the "10 Items or Less" line. (I'm not very good at getting less than 10 items.)
So I sat in the car and watched just about every resident of this town going in and out of that supermarket. When you live in a small town, your mind tells you that you have a small-town number of residents. However, your eyes will tell you differently when you go to the local market the day before a holiday... you'll see just about everybody in town there, and the population won't seem as small as you think it is.
Happy Thanksgiving..... and gobble, gobble to you all. And please, don't go shopping tomorrow on Thanksgiving Day... stay home and enjoy your family and have a piece of pumpkin pie. Watch some football.... write in your blog.... read a Christmas book... enjoy the day, the whole day.
Monday, November 25, 2013
Another cold day...
... and more rain. It's been raining steadily all day long. Not really pouring, but more than a light drizzle. Totally stupid weather. My cousins in Chicago have temperatures less than 30 degrees, my cousins in New York are coping with temperatures in the teens, and I haven't checked with my cousins in Arizona, but I'm guessing they're the warmest of all. (Time to visit Arizona.)
Haven't seen anybody for days.... with this kind of weather, people tend to just "hunker down," as they call it..... just stay at home and go out only when absolutely necessary. I've stayed at home not only because of the weather, but I don't want my car to get wet. (If we have to go out, we take my husband's car, which is a lot less pampered than mine.)
Speaking of pampered, our outside cat Mickey is safe and warm and cozy in the garage, thanks to the new heater we got for him. I've gone into the garage every few hours today, just to let Mickey know he hasn't been abandoned. I have even warmed up his Fancy Feast so he wouldn't have to eat chilled cat food in this weather. (No, my cats are not spoiled.) Mickey loves walking around the property chasing lizards, and I know he's not thrilled to be confined to that garage, but I'd rather have him in there and know where he is, rather than walking around the property in this weather looking for him.
Our other outside cat, Gatsby, has been inside most of the day. He's gone out a few times, looked at the rain from the porch, and come back inside to use the litter box. One thing about Gatsby... he's a gentleman cat and he knows the house rules. So unless that changes, I can let him inside when the weather isn't very nice.
Handyman Sr. and Handyman Jr. won't be here till after Thanksgiving.... that's when we're hoping the weather will take a turn for the better. Handyman Sr. is disappointed that he didn't get to finish up the fence before it started to rain, but what can you do..... certainly, that fence will be waiting for him when the weather clears up.
Right about now, as I listen to the wind and the rain out there, it seems like it's never going to be sunny and warm anytime soon. On the bright side, this is great weather for reading, and I've been reading through my Christmas books, one after the other.
Haven't seen anybody for days.... with this kind of weather, people tend to just "hunker down," as they call it..... just stay at home and go out only when absolutely necessary. I've stayed at home not only because of the weather, but I don't want my car to get wet. (If we have to go out, we take my husband's car, which is a lot less pampered than mine.)
Speaking of pampered, our outside cat Mickey is safe and warm and cozy in the garage, thanks to the new heater we got for him. I've gone into the garage every few hours today, just to let Mickey know he hasn't been abandoned. I have even warmed up his Fancy Feast so he wouldn't have to eat chilled cat food in this weather. (No, my cats are not spoiled.) Mickey loves walking around the property chasing lizards, and I know he's not thrilled to be confined to that garage, but I'd rather have him in there and know where he is, rather than walking around the property in this weather looking for him.
Our other outside cat, Gatsby, has been inside most of the day. He's gone out a few times, looked at the rain from the porch, and come back inside to use the litter box. One thing about Gatsby... he's a gentleman cat and he knows the house rules. So unless that changes, I can let him inside when the weather isn't very nice.
Handyman Sr. and Handyman Jr. won't be here till after Thanksgiving.... that's when we're hoping the weather will take a turn for the better. Handyman Sr. is disappointed that he didn't get to finish up the fence before it started to rain, but what can you do..... certainly, that fence will be waiting for him when the weather clears up.
Right about now, as I listen to the wind and the rain out there, it seems like it's never going to be sunny and warm anytime soon. On the bright side, this is great weather for reading, and I've been reading through my Christmas books, one after the other.
Sunday, November 24, 2013
Stupid cold snap.
Cold weather from Canada has settled over Texas.... giving the northern part of the state lots of ice, and giving us in the Hill Country lots of wind and rain. Totally stupid weather. It was nearly 80 degrees less than ten days ago. I hate the winter months of the year, just because of the unpredictable weather patterns that can fly across the state and leave us thinking we've all died and gone north.
When we first moved to this state in 1993, the 'winter' temperatures were cool at best, not even close to being so frigid and cold. Wearing a light blazer or a sweater in December or January was normal, and that's only when the temperature dared to touch 65 degrees. Tonight, the weather wizards are telling us the temperatures will be going down below 40. Ouch. That's cold.
We went out today and bought a space heater for the garage. Our outside cat Mickey sleeps in that garage at night, and even though I have a soft and comfy warm bed in there for him, I still don't want his whiskers twitching in the cold. So we got a safe and solid heater, and the garage is warmer now than it was without it. I hate having Mickey as an outside cat, but his indoor-kitty-behavior hasn't been the best since the Spring-time, and that's when we relegated him to the outside. He loves it, I hate it, so I'm just trying to keep him as comfortable as possible out there till the weather returns to warmer Texas temperatures.
Totally stupid weather, and very un-Texas-like, at least for this part of the state.
When we first moved to this state in 1993, the 'winter' temperatures were cool at best, not even close to being so frigid and cold. Wearing a light blazer or a sweater in December or January was normal, and that's only when the temperature dared to touch 65 degrees. Tonight, the weather wizards are telling us the temperatures will be going down below 40. Ouch. That's cold.
We went out today and bought a space heater for the garage. Our outside cat Mickey sleeps in that garage at night, and even though I have a soft and comfy warm bed in there for him, I still don't want his whiskers twitching in the cold. So we got a safe and solid heater, and the garage is warmer now than it was without it. I hate having Mickey as an outside cat, but his indoor-kitty-behavior hasn't been the best since the Spring-time, and that's when we relegated him to the outside. He loves it, I hate it, so I'm just trying to keep him as comfortable as possible out there till the weather returns to warmer Texas temperatures.
Totally stupid weather, and very un-Texas-like, at least for this part of the state.
Friday, November 22, 2013
Stupid weather...
... not quite a cold snap, but cold enough.... in the high 40s to mid 50s today. Yesterday, we had the air-conditioning on, today it's the heat. Stupid weather.
No work being done by Handyman Sr. and Jr. today.... too wet outside from last night's pouring rain, too cold and too windy... and we have no inside painting for them to do because they finished everything yesterday in just half a day. Handyman Sr. would like to work, so if weather permits, he'll be here tomorrow to finish up with the fence. (Wonder of wonders.... a handyman who's calling us for work, rather than the other way around.)
Today was a day to just stay inside... cold and cloudy and windy... definitely not my kind of weather. And there wasn't a drop of sun to even make you think it's warmer than it really is. Reading books and making soup, and trying to remember how warm it was yesterday. November is not my favorite weather-month of the year. And the only saving grace for December is Christmas.
No work being done by Handyman Sr. and Jr. today.... too wet outside from last night's pouring rain, too cold and too windy... and we have no inside painting for them to do because they finished everything yesterday in just half a day. Handyman Sr. would like to work, so if weather permits, he'll be here tomorrow to finish up with the fence. (Wonder of wonders.... a handyman who's calling us for work, rather than the other way around.)
Today was a day to just stay inside... cold and cloudy and windy... definitely not my kind of weather. And there wasn't a drop of sun to even make you think it's warmer than it really is. Reading books and making soup, and trying to remember how warm it was yesterday. November is not my favorite weather-month of the year. And the only saving grace for December is Christmas.
Thursday, November 21, 2013
Happy Handyman = Happy Day.
I stand thoroughly corrected about my first thoughts of the new handyman and his son. I guess on that first day, they were just getting adjusted to the work here, and hadn't hit their stride yet. They have since not only hit their stride, but have surpassed it. Happy day.
The fence is all painted and ready to be re-assembled... the whole thing had to be taken down because it was sitting in front of all the roses bushes. Down it came, they scraped it all and gave it two coats of paint, and up it will go again, looking like a brand new picket fence. That was supposed to happen today, but it rained most of the day. Handyman Sr. asked me yesterday if we had any inside work for him and Handyman Jr. to do today..... he had checked the weather forecast and he knew about today's rain. (Extra points for thinking ahead goes to Handyman Sr.)
I did have inside painting for them to do..... the walls surrounding the stairway going up to the second floor, and the large hallway in the center of all the second-floor rooms. I had bought the paint in January, thinking my husband and I could get that done. It never happened, because we really needed a scaffolding set-up because of the high walls over that stairway. So the paint cans have just been resting comfortably in the pantry all these months. Not anymore.
Handyman Sr. took a look at the hallway and the stairway walls before he left yesterday..... he said a scaffolding could be rented, but setting up a ladder with a long board running from that to the top of the staircase would work just fine. He assured me that he had done the same thing many times before, and I trusted his judgment (not his first rodeo, he told me).
The rain started pouring down during the middle of the night. Shortly before that, I heard a family of coyotes howling at the moon, sounding as if they were right outside the house. This morning, I saw a family of vultures, picking at the bones of whatever the coyotes had killed last night... those huge ugly birds were out in the field behind the barn at first light. (Not exactly the high point of my day.)
Handyman Sr. and Handyman Jr. finished painting the stairway walls and the second floor hallway at one o'clock this afternoon...... they started at 9:00 this morning and worked straight through. It looks beautiful....... gone are the white walls that looked like egg-shells from white chickens, and now there's a warm creamy beige on all those walls. The furniture in the hallway looks much better sitting against the beige, and the stairway walls are perfectly done, no streaks, no smudges against the ceiling, no drips. Happy day.
We have not only found one very good and reliable handyman... we have found two. Happy happy day.
The fence is all painted and ready to be re-assembled... the whole thing had to be taken down because it was sitting in front of all the roses bushes. Down it came, they scraped it all and gave it two coats of paint, and up it will go again, looking like a brand new picket fence. That was supposed to happen today, but it rained most of the day. Handyman Sr. asked me yesterday if we had any inside work for him and Handyman Jr. to do today..... he had checked the weather forecast and he knew about today's rain. (Extra points for thinking ahead goes to Handyman Sr.)
I did have inside painting for them to do..... the walls surrounding the stairway going up to the second floor, and the large hallway in the center of all the second-floor rooms. I had bought the paint in January, thinking my husband and I could get that done. It never happened, because we really needed a scaffolding set-up because of the high walls over that stairway. So the paint cans have just been resting comfortably in the pantry all these months. Not anymore.
Handyman Sr. took a look at the hallway and the stairway walls before he left yesterday..... he said a scaffolding could be rented, but setting up a ladder with a long board running from that to the top of the staircase would work just fine. He assured me that he had done the same thing many times before, and I trusted his judgment (not his first rodeo, he told me).
The rain started pouring down during the middle of the night. Shortly before that, I heard a family of coyotes howling at the moon, sounding as if they were right outside the house. This morning, I saw a family of vultures, picking at the bones of whatever the coyotes had killed last night... those huge ugly birds were out in the field behind the barn at first light. (Not exactly the high point of my day.)
Handyman Sr. and Handyman Jr. finished painting the stairway walls and the second floor hallway at one o'clock this afternoon...... they started at 9:00 this morning and worked straight through. It looks beautiful....... gone are the white walls that looked like egg-shells from white chickens, and now there's a warm creamy beige on all those walls. The furniture in the hallway looks much better sitting against the beige, and the stairway walls are perfectly done, no streaks, no smudges against the ceiling, no drips. Happy day.
We have not only found one very good and reliable handyman... we have found two. Happy happy day.
Monday, November 18, 2013
On the fence....
That was today's job for the handyman.... scraping and painting the fence. What could be more charming than a white picket fence? Not much. What takes more up-keep than a white picket fence? Not much.
I have new hopes for Juan.... he got here at 8:15 this morning, took just half an hour for lunch, and worked till 4:45 this afternoon. Maybe we won't be ringing in the New Year with him after all, if he keeps working at the pace he's been going. He worked alone today... his son had things at home to take care of.... and that could have been the reason for the longer work hours and the shorter lunch break. The son will be here tomorrow, so we'll see how that changes the work schedule. Juan knows that I see his wife every time I go to the thrift store (she works there) so I don't think he wants to leave us with a bad impression. Juan's words of wisdom for today: "Happy wife, happy life."
This morning started out foggy and drippy.... so foggy that I couldn't see the pond from the front porch. As the morning went along, the fog lifted, and by early afternoon, the sky was blue and the sun was shining and it was like a brand new day.
I have new hopes for Juan.... he got here at 8:15 this morning, took just half an hour for lunch, and worked till 4:45 this afternoon. Maybe we won't be ringing in the New Year with him after all, if he keeps working at the pace he's been going. He worked alone today... his son had things at home to take care of.... and that could have been the reason for the longer work hours and the shorter lunch break. The son will be here tomorrow, so we'll see how that changes the work schedule. Juan knows that I see his wife every time I go to the thrift store (she works there) so I don't think he wants to leave us with a bad impression. Juan's words of wisdom for today: "Happy wife, happy life."
This morning started out foggy and drippy.... so foggy that I couldn't see the pond from the front porch. As the morning went along, the fog lifted, and by early afternoon, the sky was blue and the sun was shining and it was like a brand new day.
Saturday, November 16, 2013
Weapon of Mass De-construction.
About the worst thing you can let loose in this world is a man with a power-washer. (Okay, maybe it's not the absolute worst tool, but it's right up there.)
The handymen (Juan and son) were here yesterday, prepping for the painting they will begin on Monday. They used my husband's power-washing machine to clean the porch columns and parts of the house that will be freshened up with new paint. This ear-splitting washing process went on for most of yesterday, and when they left, the living arrangements for our barn swallows went with them.
Gone were the carefully built nests of mud and tiny grass pieces... in their place were empty columns where the barn swallows fledged their baby birds this past Spring and Summer. Strangely enough, and there is no rhyme or reason to this, but Juan left a couple of the nests up there, even though the power-washer thing had destroyed more than half of those particular nests. (He told my husband that he would use a scraper to get "the rest of that mess" off the columns next week.)
Yesterday evening as the sun was setting, I checked the corner half-nest by the back steps. That's the nest where one of this past season's baby birds has claimed for his own private sleeping spot. There used to be two birds up in that nest, but one has moved on, either choosing to sleep in the trees or he has found a mate. So there in that devastated half-nest sat the one bird last night.... no longer able to cuddle down into the nest because of its diminished size, but the bird seemed to be comfortable. The bird watched me go down the steps to feed the cats.... and he watched me coming back up. I apologized for the condition of his nest.... and explained that when Juan comes back on Monday, the rest of that nest is going to be history. The bird tilted his head at me and blinked.
My husband says that Juan and son will be finished with the outside painting by the end of next week. Let's see.... they get here at 8:30 in the morning.... take lunch between noon and 1:30.... and then they leave before 4:00 in the afternoon. If they keep up with that daily schedule, I think we'll be ringing in the New Year with Juan and son.
The handymen (Juan and son) were here yesterday, prepping for the painting they will begin on Monday. They used my husband's power-washing machine to clean the porch columns and parts of the house that will be freshened up with new paint. This ear-splitting washing process went on for most of yesterday, and when they left, the living arrangements for our barn swallows went with them.
Gone were the carefully built nests of mud and tiny grass pieces... in their place were empty columns where the barn swallows fledged their baby birds this past Spring and Summer. Strangely enough, and there is no rhyme or reason to this, but Juan left a couple of the nests up there, even though the power-washer thing had destroyed more than half of those particular nests. (He told my husband that he would use a scraper to get "the rest of that mess" off the columns next week.)
Yesterday evening as the sun was setting, I checked the corner half-nest by the back steps. That's the nest where one of this past season's baby birds has claimed for his own private sleeping spot. There used to be two birds up in that nest, but one has moved on, either choosing to sleep in the trees or he has found a mate. So there in that devastated half-nest sat the one bird last night.... no longer able to cuddle down into the nest because of its diminished size, but the bird seemed to be comfortable. The bird watched me go down the steps to feed the cats.... and he watched me coming back up. I apologized for the condition of his nest.... and explained that when Juan comes back on Monday, the rest of that nest is going to be history. The bird tilted his head at me and blinked.
My husband says that Juan and son will be finished with the outside painting by the end of next week. Let's see.... they get here at 8:30 in the morning.... take lunch between noon and 1:30.... and then they leave before 4:00 in the afternoon. If they keep up with that daily schedule, I think we'll be ringing in the New Year with Juan and son.
Friday, November 15, 2013
Waiting for Juan.
Deliver me from handymen who listen to different drummers.
We were spoiled with handyman Wayland, who showed up in our driveway at first light and worked all day except for a half-hour lunch which he brought with him and ate in his truck. Didn't matter if it was 100 degrees or half of that, Wayland was here and ready to work all day. A lot got done back then... painting and scraping and power-washing and more painting. Whose idea was it anyway to buy an old Victorian with cypress wood siding on all three floors?
Wayland has since 'graduated' to ultra-handyman talents... he's been building barns and decks and houses... and he hasn't worked here for a couple of years now. Woe is us. Handymen aren't the easiest people to find. Correction: reliable handymen aren't the easiest people to find.
One handyman took two weeks to get here to cut up and remove a giant limb that broke off from the pecan tree by the pond. Once he got here, he made short work of that job and hauled everything away, but we haven't seen him since. Probably because we haven't called him. Waiting two weeks for one small job isn't on our must-do list.
This current handyman Juan came recommended by the ladies in the thrift store. He's been in the construction business for 25 years..... he works with his son and they can do just about everything. We've been waiting for a month for him to start work today... painting and scraping and power-washing, and more painting. Juan and his son got here at 8:40 this morning..... they left for lunch a little before noon..... off in their truck they went, and they just pulled into the driveway a few minutes ago (it's 1:40 now but who's counting).
I'm hoping against all hope that this father and son duo work out.... after they finish the outside painting, I'd like them to paint the main hallway going up to the second floor. The ceiling is very high over that stairway... they would need scaffolding and nerve. They would need to start it in the morning and finish it that same day. I wouldn't want scaffolding and drop-cloths left on the stairs over-night or over a few days.
Is that too much to ask? If it is, then I don't need a handyman..... I need a bunch of little green elves who come out of hiding after midnight and do all these chores so when I wake up the next morning, everything would be done and I wouldn't even know the elves had been here. (Is that too much to ask?)
We were spoiled with handyman Wayland, who showed up in our driveway at first light and worked all day except for a half-hour lunch which he brought with him and ate in his truck. Didn't matter if it was 100 degrees or half of that, Wayland was here and ready to work all day. A lot got done back then... painting and scraping and power-washing and more painting. Whose idea was it anyway to buy an old Victorian with cypress wood siding on all three floors?
Wayland has since 'graduated' to ultra-handyman talents... he's been building barns and decks and houses... and he hasn't worked here for a couple of years now. Woe is us. Handymen aren't the easiest people to find. Correction: reliable handymen aren't the easiest people to find.
One handyman took two weeks to get here to cut up and remove a giant limb that broke off from the pecan tree by the pond. Once he got here, he made short work of that job and hauled everything away, but we haven't seen him since. Probably because we haven't called him. Waiting two weeks for one small job isn't on our must-do list.
This current handyman Juan came recommended by the ladies in the thrift store. He's been in the construction business for 25 years..... he works with his son and they can do just about everything. We've been waiting for a month for him to start work today... painting and scraping and power-washing, and more painting. Juan and his son got here at 8:40 this morning..... they left for lunch a little before noon..... off in their truck they went, and they just pulled into the driveway a few minutes ago (it's 1:40 now but who's counting).
I'm hoping against all hope that this father and son duo work out.... after they finish the outside painting, I'd like them to paint the main hallway going up to the second floor. The ceiling is very high over that stairway... they would need scaffolding and nerve. They would need to start it in the morning and finish it that same day. I wouldn't want scaffolding and drop-cloths left on the stairs over-night or over a few days.
Is that too much to ask? If it is, then I don't need a handyman..... I need a bunch of little green elves who come out of hiding after midnight and do all these chores so when I wake up the next morning, everything would be done and I wouldn't even know the elves had been here. (Is that too much to ask?)
Tuesday, November 12, 2013
The season's first cold snap.
Well, here we go... tonight and tomorrow night the temperatures are supposed to be in the mid-30s. The cold weather makes me cranky, so I'm warning y'all right now.
When we first moved to Texas in 1993, our winter temperatures were in the mid 70s, with barely a day or two when those numbers dropped into the 40s. Our "winter coats" back then were light jackets and blazers, or a heavy sweater. We had a barbeque one New Year's Day when we called our family in New York to tell them we were eating lunch out on the deck and enjoying the sun. They had all just finished shoveling snow and they were probably sorry they even answered the phone.
For the past five years or so, the Texas winters have gotten progressively colder. When we lived in Clear Lake, I don't remember ever going through any hard-freezes during the months of December, January, and February. Maybe getting the warmer air from the Gulf made a big difference in the temperatures. Up here, two hours away from the hurricane-threatening coast (our reason for moving) there are no warm Gulf breezes. Plenty of winds and breezes whipping around these hills, though, and when your house is in the middle of so many acres, there's nothing around to catch those winds before they get to you.
The first winter we were up here, the Hill Country had a hard freeze that lasted two weeks... the pipes froze and my husband became a plumber.... fixed all the pipes, insulated everything... and we've been cautious weather-watchers ever since. Water filters get covered up, indoor faucets get dripped, outdoor faucets get wrapped with Styrofoam covers. We're barely into November here, and that's all going to be on today's to-do list.
The prospect of leaving New York's cold winters and re-locating to warm and sunny Texas had a certain appeal to it back in 1993. Now, in 2013, I cannot believe that the weather wizards on the local television stations are telling us to "bundle up, wrap up, and hunker down" for the next two nights. Give me a blessed break.
When we first moved to Texas in 1993, our winter temperatures were in the mid 70s, with barely a day or two when those numbers dropped into the 40s. Our "winter coats" back then were light jackets and blazers, or a heavy sweater. We had a barbeque one New Year's Day when we called our family in New York to tell them we were eating lunch out on the deck and enjoying the sun. They had all just finished shoveling snow and they were probably sorry they even answered the phone.
For the past five years or so, the Texas winters have gotten progressively colder. When we lived in Clear Lake, I don't remember ever going through any hard-freezes during the months of December, January, and February. Maybe getting the warmer air from the Gulf made a big difference in the temperatures. Up here, two hours away from the hurricane-threatening coast (our reason for moving) there are no warm Gulf breezes. Plenty of winds and breezes whipping around these hills, though, and when your house is in the middle of so many acres, there's nothing around to catch those winds before they get to you.
The first winter we were up here, the Hill Country had a hard freeze that lasted two weeks... the pipes froze and my husband became a plumber.... fixed all the pipes, insulated everything... and we've been cautious weather-watchers ever since. Water filters get covered up, indoor faucets get dripped, outdoor faucets get wrapped with Styrofoam covers. We're barely into November here, and that's all going to be on today's to-do list.
The prospect of leaving New York's cold winters and re-locating to warm and sunny Texas had a certain appeal to it back in 1993. Now, in 2013, I cannot believe that the weather wizards on the local television stations are telling us to "bundle up, wrap up, and hunker down" for the next two nights. Give me a blessed break.
Sunday, November 10, 2013
A soupy weekend...
The weather has been mostly cloudy and cool, and mostly dreary all weekend. We've had some sunshine yesterday, which was nice and pretty and very warm, and the roses and the azaleas are all in bloom in the backyard. If you concentrate on the flowers, you think of Spring. Look too long at the sky when it's so gray, and your mind knows it's really November.
When I'm in the back courtyard on the way to the coop, the perfume from the roses rests on the air and the aroma is just breath-taking. I wish I had one-eighth of the gardening talent of the woman who planted all those roses twenty years ago. I just thank my lucky stars that 90% of those rose bushes are still blooming five years after we bought this property.
I've been making soup this weekend..... thick and creamy broccoli soup one day, broccoli and carrot soup the next day. (No heavy cream, just non-fat milk, thank you.) Making soup has been a happy accident since last year. I had been cooking a head of cauliflower while the laundry was in the dryer... totally forgot about the boiling cauliflower and by the time I remembered it, that vegetable was a soft and pulpy mass. I hate wasting food, so I thought of trying to use it for soup, and it worked out perfectly. So now when I want to make any sort of vegetable soup, I just set the pot to boiling and let it cook away till it's soft and pulpy and ready to be turned into a thick soup.
Late last night, we heard a horrible cat screech out in the backyard. Mickey was closed up in the garage at the time, and both Gatsby and Sweet Pea were sound asleep in the TV room. As soon as we heard that cat out there, both inside cats ran to the back door, followed closely by my husband and myself. We went out on the porch but didn't hear so much as a tiny meow. This morning, when both Mickey and Gatsby were out on the porch, they were sniffing up, down, and around the porch furniture. I'm wondering if we have yet another stray cat to worry about. Seems like just a couple of weeks ago that we took the last stray cat away to hopefully find a new home.
I'm hoping beyond hope that last night's screeching howling cat has just moved on. I don't want to bring another cat to the shelter... and I don't want the outside cats to have to fight their way around the property trying to claim their territory. That last stray cat gave Gatsby a good deep scratch on the top of his head and it's just now healing up, so I'm sure The Gray Gatsby would agree with us when we say No More Cats!
When I'm in the back courtyard on the way to the coop, the perfume from the roses rests on the air and the aroma is just breath-taking. I wish I had one-eighth of the gardening talent of the woman who planted all those roses twenty years ago. I just thank my lucky stars that 90% of those rose bushes are still blooming five years after we bought this property.
I've been making soup this weekend..... thick and creamy broccoli soup one day, broccoli and carrot soup the next day. (No heavy cream, just non-fat milk, thank you.) Making soup has been a happy accident since last year. I had been cooking a head of cauliflower while the laundry was in the dryer... totally forgot about the boiling cauliflower and by the time I remembered it, that vegetable was a soft and pulpy mass. I hate wasting food, so I thought of trying to use it for soup, and it worked out perfectly. So now when I want to make any sort of vegetable soup, I just set the pot to boiling and let it cook away till it's soft and pulpy and ready to be turned into a thick soup.
Late last night, we heard a horrible cat screech out in the backyard. Mickey was closed up in the garage at the time, and both Gatsby and Sweet Pea were sound asleep in the TV room. As soon as we heard that cat out there, both inside cats ran to the back door, followed closely by my husband and myself. We went out on the porch but didn't hear so much as a tiny meow. This morning, when both Mickey and Gatsby were out on the porch, they were sniffing up, down, and around the porch furniture. I'm wondering if we have yet another stray cat to worry about. Seems like just a couple of weeks ago that we took the last stray cat away to hopefully find a new home.
I'm hoping beyond hope that last night's screeching howling cat has just moved on. I don't want to bring another cat to the shelter... and I don't want the outside cats to have to fight their way around the property trying to claim their territory. That last stray cat gave Gatsby a good deep scratch on the top of his head and it's just now healing up, so I'm sure The Gray Gatsby would agree with us when we say No More Cats!
Friday, November 8, 2013
Prodigal cows...
... along with one old and stubborn bull.
So there I was earlier this afternoon, pulling up to our mailbox after having been in town doing errands all morning. I glanced up the road and saw four cattle and an old blue truck. First thought that came to mind was that neighbor L had lost his cows again..... either his cows or his goats are forever getting out of his fields. Not that big a problem for L, because between that old truck of his and his two herding dogs, he gets the cattle back onto his property fairly quickly.
But then I looked again.... definitely a blue truck up the road, but... I see someone running after the cows with a broomstick...... and that person is wearing blue capris. Definitely not neighbor L, plus I didn't see any dogs up there..... just a woman with a broomstick.
And that's when the little country-light-bulb went on....... that blue truck was my friend JS's.... and there were no dogs up there on the road herding those cows. JS does have a tiny Chihuahua but she hadn't mentioned anything about teaching Bella to chase cows.
Up the road I drove, all the while wondering if that big old bull up there would come charging after my city-girl car. I was hoping the silver-blue color of my little car wouldn't upset that bull any more than he already was.
I pulled my car into the center of the road, hoping that the cows wouldn't try to pass it... not even thinking that there was plenty of grassy areas on both sides of the narrow road that they could have used to get past me..... and that's what the cows were interested in--- all that tall grass. The bull didn't even lift his head up from his grazing, and he wasn't upset at all... he was just pulling up the grass in big chunks, not even paying attention to J and her broomstick.
Two of the cows ran onto J & J's property, and I used my cell phone to call them for help..... they were in town having lunch. Lunch? How can they calmly eat lunch while JS is out there running around the road with a broomstick? Before I had a chance to put my cell phone back in my purse, one of the other neighbors came driving down the road in his truck..... he stopped to ask me what the problem was. I resisted the urge to ask him if JS with a broomstick constituted a 'problem.'
When I told him what happened.... that the wind had blown JS's gate open and the cattle got out, he told me that he'd go and get a bucket of corn to lure the cows back to their own field. And that's exactly what he did.... which was an easy chore for three of the cattle because Donna Quixote's threats with the broomstick had them back in front of their own gate. Just one of the cows ran in the other direction and ended up on still another neighbor's property.
By that time, the first three cattle were back inside JS's gate.... the neighbor with the bucket of corn and JS were in their trucks and headed towards rounding up the last cow. I turned my own car around and drove back down the hill towards home. Except for a smashed cow-pattie on one of my front tires, my sweet little car was just fine.
Strange coincidence.... while I was in town this morning, I ordered four new tires for my car which will be put on next week. I think I just might tell JS that this city-girl decided to change all four tires because of the cow-pattie mess from that big old stubborn bull.
So there I was earlier this afternoon, pulling up to our mailbox after having been in town doing errands all morning. I glanced up the road and saw four cattle and an old blue truck. First thought that came to mind was that neighbor L had lost his cows again..... either his cows or his goats are forever getting out of his fields. Not that big a problem for L, because between that old truck of his and his two herding dogs, he gets the cattle back onto his property fairly quickly.
But then I looked again.... definitely a blue truck up the road, but... I see someone running after the cows with a broomstick...... and that person is wearing blue capris. Definitely not neighbor L, plus I didn't see any dogs up there..... just a woman with a broomstick.
And that's when the little country-light-bulb went on....... that blue truck was my friend JS's.... and there were no dogs up there on the road herding those cows. JS does have a tiny Chihuahua but she hadn't mentioned anything about teaching Bella to chase cows.
Up the road I drove, all the while wondering if that big old bull up there would come charging after my city-girl car. I was hoping the silver-blue color of my little car wouldn't upset that bull any more than he already was.
I pulled my car into the center of the road, hoping that the cows wouldn't try to pass it... not even thinking that there was plenty of grassy areas on both sides of the narrow road that they could have used to get past me..... and that's what the cows were interested in--- all that tall grass. The bull didn't even lift his head up from his grazing, and he wasn't upset at all... he was just pulling up the grass in big chunks, not even paying attention to J and her broomstick.
Two of the cows ran onto J & J's property, and I used my cell phone to call them for help..... they were in town having lunch. Lunch? How can they calmly eat lunch while JS is out there running around the road with a broomstick? Before I had a chance to put my cell phone back in my purse, one of the other neighbors came driving down the road in his truck..... he stopped to ask me what the problem was. I resisted the urge to ask him if JS with a broomstick constituted a 'problem.'
When I told him what happened.... that the wind had blown JS's gate open and the cattle got out, he told me that he'd go and get a bucket of corn to lure the cows back to their own field. And that's exactly what he did.... which was an easy chore for three of the cattle because Donna Quixote's threats with the broomstick had them back in front of their own gate. Just one of the cows ran in the other direction and ended up on still another neighbor's property.
By that time, the first three cattle were back inside JS's gate.... the neighbor with the bucket of corn and JS were in their trucks and headed towards rounding up the last cow. I turned my own car around and drove back down the hill towards home. Except for a smashed cow-pattie on one of my front tires, my sweet little car was just fine.
Strange coincidence.... while I was in town this morning, I ordered four new tires for my car which will be put on next week. I think I just might tell JS that this city-girl decided to change all four tires because of the cow-pattie mess from that big old stubborn bull.
Thursday, November 7, 2013
Where's the heat?
I am so spoiled with all the warm temperatures we've had...... and now the weather has been changing since the first of November. Bah humbug to that.
The temperature went down to 48 last night... and tonight it will be about the same or a bit warmer. By the time the afternoons roll around, the sun has come out in force and it's nice and warm, but not even close to October's 80 degrees anymore. The best we can hope for this week is the high 70s during the day, which is called "sweater weather" in this state. When I lived in NY, the high 70s would have been a miracle in the month of November.
One good thing about the weather change... I haven't seen a scorpion or a wasp lately. Hopefully, the colder temperatures have frozen them all and sent them to Insect Heaven. Who meets them at the Pearly Gates? Saint Beetle? (Sorry... couldn't resist.)
Just one barn swallow is up in the nest by the back steps now... I have no idea what happened to the other little bird, which I'm guessing is the sibling to the bird that's still here. When I went outside to feed the cats this evening, just two little birdie-eyes watched me going up and down the steps. When I got to the back door, the one little bird hunkered down into the nest to keep warm. Maybe the other bird found a mate.
The cats.... Mickey spends his nights in the garage, where he has access to the fenced-in coop when he wants fresh air. I can't trust Mickey inside the house anymore, so he's been an outside cat since this past Spring. (Gone are the days when I used to tolerate bad-cat behavior from an indoor cat.) During the day, Mickey and our other outside cat, Gatsby, spend their time out on the property. Mickey used to explore half the property when we first let him outside, but now he's learned to stay close to the house, the garage and the cottage. The farthest he will go is to the barn, which is far enough, in my opinion.
On these colder nights that we've had, I've brought Gatsby into the house, gentleman cat that he is... I never have to worry what he'll do in here. Actually, since the neighbors have seen both cougars and coyotes right close to their houses, I've been bringing Gatsby into the house every night for the past two months now. I'd like to leave Gatsby in the garage with Mickey, but Gatsby is a bigger cat and he eats up all the food and sleeps in Mickey's favorite pillow-bed out there. Gatsby may be a gentleman cat inside the house, but in the Cat Kingdom outside, his motto must be "Every cat for himself."
I worry about Mickey..... I know the garage is safe for him, and heaven knows I've created enough warm sleeping spots for him out there. Between the coop and the garage, he has chairs and pillow-beds, and tables with blankets.... all the comforts of home. I keep telling Mickey he's "camping outside" for the night....... but I hate having him out there. I guess I hate cleaning up cat-accidents even more because I'm not willing to let him in the house anymore. Not to mention the fact that he doesn't even want to come in the house now. Marco Polo Mickey has discovered the great big world and he doesn't want to give it up.
The temperature went down to 48 last night... and tonight it will be about the same or a bit warmer. By the time the afternoons roll around, the sun has come out in force and it's nice and warm, but not even close to October's 80 degrees anymore. The best we can hope for this week is the high 70s during the day, which is called "sweater weather" in this state. When I lived in NY, the high 70s would have been a miracle in the month of November.
One good thing about the weather change... I haven't seen a scorpion or a wasp lately. Hopefully, the colder temperatures have frozen them all and sent them to Insect Heaven. Who meets them at the Pearly Gates? Saint Beetle? (Sorry... couldn't resist.)
Just one barn swallow is up in the nest by the back steps now... I have no idea what happened to the other little bird, which I'm guessing is the sibling to the bird that's still here. When I went outside to feed the cats this evening, just two little birdie-eyes watched me going up and down the steps. When I got to the back door, the one little bird hunkered down into the nest to keep warm. Maybe the other bird found a mate.
The cats.... Mickey spends his nights in the garage, where he has access to the fenced-in coop when he wants fresh air. I can't trust Mickey inside the house anymore, so he's been an outside cat since this past Spring. (Gone are the days when I used to tolerate bad-cat behavior from an indoor cat.) During the day, Mickey and our other outside cat, Gatsby, spend their time out on the property. Mickey used to explore half the property when we first let him outside, but now he's learned to stay close to the house, the garage and the cottage. The farthest he will go is to the barn, which is far enough, in my opinion.
On these colder nights that we've had, I've brought Gatsby into the house, gentleman cat that he is... I never have to worry what he'll do in here. Actually, since the neighbors have seen both cougars and coyotes right close to their houses, I've been bringing Gatsby into the house every night for the past two months now. I'd like to leave Gatsby in the garage with Mickey, but Gatsby is a bigger cat and he eats up all the food and sleeps in Mickey's favorite pillow-bed out there. Gatsby may be a gentleman cat inside the house, but in the Cat Kingdom outside, his motto must be "Every cat for himself."
I worry about Mickey..... I know the garage is safe for him, and heaven knows I've created enough warm sleeping spots for him out there. Between the coop and the garage, he has chairs and pillow-beds, and tables with blankets.... all the comforts of home. I keep telling Mickey he's "camping outside" for the night....... but I hate having him out there. I guess I hate cleaning up cat-accidents even more because I'm not willing to let him in the house anymore. Not to mention the fact that he doesn't even want to come in the house now. Marco Polo Mickey has discovered the great big world and he doesn't want to give it up.
Tuesday, November 5, 2013
Still raining...
... a nice soft rain that's been falling all day long again. I haven't seen any more of those yellow butterflies... guess they don't much like the rain either.
The two barn swallows are still up in their nest by the back steps. I make a point to look for them every evening, and there they are, perched up on their nest and looking down at me. I've been talking to those birds every day since they were teeny-tiny, and I'm thinking that they do know me and trust me not to hurt them.... they don't even move when I walk by their nest. They just look at me with tilted heads..... "there she goes again." So cute. I wonder how long they're planning to stay. Mostly all of the other barn swallows have moved on. Maybe these two particular birds don't like flying in the rain. Can't say as I blame them..... I don't intend to take my car out of the garage till the sun is shining again.
With all this rain, I haven't had to stand outside with the hose to water the flowerbeds. Just who planted all that stuff anyway? Seems like it took the better part of an hour every morning to get everything watered well..... and then another watering in the late afternoon if the temperature got up to or over 100 degrees. I can fully understand why Texas gardeners have such respect for cactus plants...... they thrive with or without watering, no matter what the temperature happens to be.
The two barn swallows are still up in their nest by the back steps. I make a point to look for them every evening, and there they are, perched up on their nest and looking down at me. I've been talking to those birds every day since they were teeny-tiny, and I'm thinking that they do know me and trust me not to hurt them.... they don't even move when I walk by their nest. They just look at me with tilted heads..... "there she goes again." So cute. I wonder how long they're planning to stay. Mostly all of the other barn swallows have moved on. Maybe these two particular birds don't like flying in the rain. Can't say as I blame them..... I don't intend to take my car out of the garage till the sun is shining again.
With all this rain, I haven't had to stand outside with the hose to water the flowerbeds. Just who planted all that stuff anyway? Seems like it took the better part of an hour every morning to get everything watered well..... and then another watering in the late afternoon if the temperature got up to or over 100 degrees. I can fully understand why Texas gardeners have such respect for cactus plants...... they thrive with or without watering, no matter what the temperature happens to be.
Sunday, November 3, 2013
The vapors....
..... an old southern ailment, as in Darlin', Ah do believe Ah have a case o' the vapors.
And that's what I thought of early today when I looked out the balcony onto the pond... there were vapors of steam coming up from the pond and slowly evaporating into the cool air of the morning. I guess the temperature of the pond water was warmer than the air above it, and the results were mystical and very beautiful.
Today is the first morning after the time change last night. Back one hour.... and I don't really like when we have to move the clocks back because it makes the days shorter.... as if we're all getting cheated out of part of the daylight. I sort of ease into the time change.... I had all the clocks in the house turned back an hour before dinner-time last night. I started on the third floor and made my way down to the first floor... by the time the clocks were all put back one hour, the entire house was once again in the same time zone.
I can hear shots being fired today.... this is the first full day of deer season, I believe. Good luck, Bambi. I just hate hunting seasons..... seems like we just got through with dove season up here. All those tiny doves that the hunters shoot.... I have no idea why. Do they really cook and eat those small and beautiful birds? Or do they just use the doves as target practice until deer season begins?
Our neighbors behind us have a shooting range set up on their property, complete with wooden targets. There are days when they shoot for hours on end, and you can tell when they change guns because the sounds are different. About a year ago, they had friends over and it seemed that the shooting went on for half the afternoon over there. One of the other neighbors called them up and asked "Should we all be worried on this side of the hill? Has war been declared?" That gentle hint got them to stop shooting, at least for that particular day.
One of the other neighbors has a deer feeder on his property..... and not far away he also has a deer-blind nestled in the trees. When the deer come to the feeder, if that neighbor is in his deer-blind, he's got a straight shot at the deer. So unfair to the deer. Just horrible.
As I type, the shooting on the property behind us is going on and on.... it's getting so that I'm trying to type to the rhythm of the gunshots. Time to stop typing, since the neighbors aren't going to stop shooting. I wonder how many shots need to be fired till I can call them up and ask if war has been declared in this part of the Hill Country....
And that's what I thought of early today when I looked out the balcony onto the pond... there were vapors of steam coming up from the pond and slowly evaporating into the cool air of the morning. I guess the temperature of the pond water was warmer than the air above it, and the results were mystical and very beautiful.
Today is the first morning after the time change last night. Back one hour.... and I don't really like when we have to move the clocks back because it makes the days shorter.... as if we're all getting cheated out of part of the daylight. I sort of ease into the time change.... I had all the clocks in the house turned back an hour before dinner-time last night. I started on the third floor and made my way down to the first floor... by the time the clocks were all put back one hour, the entire house was once again in the same time zone.
I can hear shots being fired today.... this is the first full day of deer season, I believe. Good luck, Bambi. I just hate hunting seasons..... seems like we just got through with dove season up here. All those tiny doves that the hunters shoot.... I have no idea why. Do they really cook and eat those small and beautiful birds? Or do they just use the doves as target practice until deer season begins?
Our neighbors behind us have a shooting range set up on their property, complete with wooden targets. There are days when they shoot for hours on end, and you can tell when they change guns because the sounds are different. About a year ago, they had friends over and it seemed that the shooting went on for half the afternoon over there. One of the other neighbors called them up and asked "Should we all be worried on this side of the hill? Has war been declared?" That gentle hint got them to stop shooting, at least for that particular day.
One of the other neighbors has a deer feeder on his property..... and not far away he also has a deer-blind nestled in the trees. When the deer come to the feeder, if that neighbor is in his deer-blind, he's got a straight shot at the deer. So unfair to the deer. Just horrible.
As I type, the shooting on the property behind us is going on and on.... it's getting so that I'm trying to type to the rhythm of the gunshots. Time to stop typing, since the neighbors aren't going to stop shooting. I wonder how many shots need to be fired till I can call them up and ask if war has been declared in this part of the Hill Country....
Friday, November 1, 2013
Yellow butterflies and barn swallows.
I cannot even count the number of yellow butterflies I've seen today. So pretty.... bright yellow, big ones and little ones, and even a few teeny ones. There were so many flying around the plants that I just stood out in the courtyard for a while and just watched them. The butterflies especially liked the red sage that's near the garage.... and the yellow of the butterfly wings was so intense that when they got close to the esperanza plant they seemed to be the exact shade of yellow as the blooms on the plant.
I'm glad that neither Mickey nor Gatsby seem interested in catching butterflies. Mickey is into lizards, and Gatsby is into napping and eating, so the butterflies are safe. At least from the cats.... I don't know if larger birds will catch butterflies..... it seems that the black crows go after just anything that's within their reach.
There are still four barn swallows out in the porch nests every night. Most of the swallows have gone now...... I don't exactly know where they fly off to (Capistrano?) but at this time of the year there's hardly any swallows left. Being that we had a dozen nests around the porch during spring and summer, and the barn swallows survived the over-100-degree weather, you would think they'd all want to stay around now when we're having our 'second spring.' But just the four remain.... they fly all over the yard during the day, and then come back to two of the nests for the night. Two of the birds cuddle up together in one nest by the steps, the other two are in an adjacent nest on top of one of the porch columns.
I wonder if the nests they choose for sleeping are the same ones they were in as baby birds. The two birds that sleep in the nest right by the back steps are very trusting of me and the cats.... they watch me go up and down the steps in the evening and they just sit there in the nest and look without flying away. When the baby birds were in that particular nest this past spring, they did the same thing... they peeked over the edge of the nest to watch me come and go. Same birds? No idea, but it's a nice thought just the same.
Picture-perfect, glorious day today.... nice and warm, not a drop of humidity, beautiful blue sky filled with yellow butterflies.
I'm glad that neither Mickey nor Gatsby seem interested in catching butterflies. Mickey is into lizards, and Gatsby is into napping and eating, so the butterflies are safe. At least from the cats.... I don't know if larger birds will catch butterflies..... it seems that the black crows go after just anything that's within their reach.
There are still four barn swallows out in the porch nests every night. Most of the swallows have gone now...... I don't exactly know where they fly off to (Capistrano?) but at this time of the year there's hardly any swallows left. Being that we had a dozen nests around the porch during spring and summer, and the barn swallows survived the over-100-degree weather, you would think they'd all want to stay around now when we're having our 'second spring.' But just the four remain.... they fly all over the yard during the day, and then come back to two of the nests for the night. Two of the birds cuddle up together in one nest by the steps, the other two are in an adjacent nest on top of one of the porch columns.
I wonder if the nests they choose for sleeping are the same ones they were in as baby birds. The two birds that sleep in the nest right by the back steps are very trusting of me and the cats.... they watch me go up and down the steps in the evening and they just sit there in the nest and look without flying away. When the baby birds were in that particular nest this past spring, they did the same thing... they peeked over the edge of the nest to watch me come and go. Same birds? No idea, but it's a nice thought just the same.
Picture-perfect, glorious day today.... nice and warm, not a drop of humidity, beautiful blue sky filled with yellow butterflies.
Thursday, October 31, 2013
Still more rain....
.... and flash flooding. But thankfully, not right here.
I woke up in the middle of the night, around 2:00.... couldn't sleep and I had no idea why. It just seemed like there was a weird energy in the air. Can't explain it, but that's what it felt like. I've had that sensation before... when my husband and I were looking at houses. We'd go into a house with a realtor and I had to get out of the house quickly because I felt like I couldn't breathe. "Bad energy in there," was always my reason. My husband took me seriously... the realtors always looked at me like I'd lost my mind.
Last night when I couldn't sleep, I just decided not to fight it and I spent some time at the computer and even more time with a book. The rain started while I was awake and it came down in buckets. We didn't get thunder, but there was indeed a rumbling in the air that wouldn't quit. I just kept reading, and then got out of bed before the sun came up.
The rain continued all morning long, and then the afternoon turned sunny and warm. I spent part of the afternoon picking up the branches that had fallen from the pecan trees during last night's wind. Those trees are massive, but the smaller branches are delicate and even a gentle wind can send the bare branches falling to the ground. As I've been doing since we moved here, I pick up the branches and toss them onto the ever-growing brush piles around the property. I've lost count of how many nails I've broken with those blasted pecan branches.
The hawks sit patiently on the fences near those brush piles, waiting for small birds and mice to come out from inbetween and under those piles of branches. The brush piles are there for the safety of small animals, to give them a place to nest and hide, but I think the piles attract the hawks because they're smart enough to know that little animals make their homes in all of those branches... especially when the grasses start growing up and around them.
A nice surprise from all of this rain we've had..... the waterfall at the edge of the creek down the road is once again making a joyful noise. The creek-bed itself is rather wide and very deep, the precipice is narrow, and the water that goes over the edge there comes from a very thin but very long creek that runs along one of the nearby properties.... and the sound of that rain-water rushing over the edge is just so beautiful. It's been nearly a year since we've heard that hidden waterfall. When I drove down the road later this afternoon, I stopped my car and opened the window.... the water was running over that edge in a contented rush, and I heard cardinals chirping in the woods. A little country-road surprise that not everyone has discovered.
I woke up in the middle of the night, around 2:00.... couldn't sleep and I had no idea why. It just seemed like there was a weird energy in the air. Can't explain it, but that's what it felt like. I've had that sensation before... when my husband and I were looking at houses. We'd go into a house with a realtor and I had to get out of the house quickly because I felt like I couldn't breathe. "Bad energy in there," was always my reason. My husband took me seriously... the realtors always looked at me like I'd lost my mind.
Last night when I couldn't sleep, I just decided not to fight it and I spent some time at the computer and even more time with a book. The rain started while I was awake and it came down in buckets. We didn't get thunder, but there was indeed a rumbling in the air that wouldn't quit. I just kept reading, and then got out of bed before the sun came up.
The rain continued all morning long, and then the afternoon turned sunny and warm. I spent part of the afternoon picking up the branches that had fallen from the pecan trees during last night's wind. Those trees are massive, but the smaller branches are delicate and even a gentle wind can send the bare branches falling to the ground. As I've been doing since we moved here, I pick up the branches and toss them onto the ever-growing brush piles around the property. I've lost count of how many nails I've broken with those blasted pecan branches.
The hawks sit patiently on the fences near those brush piles, waiting for small birds and mice to come out from inbetween and under those piles of branches. The brush piles are there for the safety of small animals, to give them a place to nest and hide, but I think the piles attract the hawks because they're smart enough to know that little animals make their homes in all of those branches... especially when the grasses start growing up and around them.
A nice surprise from all of this rain we've had..... the waterfall at the edge of the creek down the road is once again making a joyful noise. The creek-bed itself is rather wide and very deep, the precipice is narrow, and the water that goes over the edge there comes from a very thin but very long creek that runs along one of the nearby properties.... and the sound of that rain-water rushing over the edge is just so beautiful. It's been nearly a year since we've heard that hidden waterfall. When I drove down the road later this afternoon, I stopped my car and opened the window.... the water was running over that edge in a contented rush, and I heard cardinals chirping in the woods. A little country-road surprise that not everyone has discovered.
Wednesday, October 30, 2013
More rain.... more snakes....
It rained practically all morning long today.... another good pouring-down soaking rain that put even more water in the pond. Last week's rain brought the turtles out of the woods and they were sunning themselves on the rocks in the pond. Today's rain thoroughly covered the rocks, so I didn't see the turtles but I'm sure they're all still out there. Five at last count.
When it stopped raining and the sun came out, I went into town for errands and grocery shopping. As I was carrying packages from the car to the back steps, I saw a green and black ribbon snake sunning itself on the courtyard. Oh goodie. It was just a small one, but that's even worse because there's never just one or two snake-babies around.... there are a lot of snake babies and heaven only knows where the other ones are that I didn't see. I repeat..... Oh goodie.
J and I walked this afternoon..... and on the way down our hill, right near where the road turns, there was yet another snake. This one was in the road, and looking right up at us.... another small one, but one we'd never seen before. J did some Internet searching and found out it's an 'eastern hognose.' Just goes to show you that snakes don't abide by the rules..... Texas is not on the east coast, last I heard. This particular snake wasn't too pretty (as if any of them are?) and the colors were weird... black and red and brown, and its large head wasn't in proportion to the rest of its body either. Once again, it was a small snake....... which means its siblings are probably out there in the woods somewhere. That particular one looked at us and then slithered off in the direction of my pond. Once again.... Oh goodie.
When it stopped raining and the sun came out, I went into town for errands and grocery shopping. As I was carrying packages from the car to the back steps, I saw a green and black ribbon snake sunning itself on the courtyard. Oh goodie. It was just a small one, but that's even worse because there's never just one or two snake-babies around.... there are a lot of snake babies and heaven only knows where the other ones are that I didn't see. I repeat..... Oh goodie.
J and I walked this afternoon..... and on the way down our hill, right near where the road turns, there was yet another snake. This one was in the road, and looking right up at us.... another small one, but one we'd never seen before. J did some Internet searching and found out it's an 'eastern hognose.' Just goes to show you that snakes don't abide by the rules..... Texas is not on the east coast, last I heard. This particular snake wasn't too pretty (as if any of them are?) and the colors were weird... black and red and brown, and its large head wasn't in proportion to the rest of its body either. Once again, it was a small snake....... which means its siblings are probably out there in the woods somewhere. That particular one looked at us and then slithered off in the direction of my pond. Once again.... Oh goodie.
Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Crows.... we have crows....
Large black crows are now out in the yard every blessed day. They come along every year around this same time, looking for pecans ripening on our trees. My husband will blast them with an air-horn when they get to making too much noise. The sound of the air-horn scares the cats, scares the barn swallows and the bluebirds, and scares me, but doesn't do all that much to the crows.
The crows are smart..... they will walk along the grass underneath the trees, all the while looking up at the branches. When they find a clump of pecans, they fly up to that branch, pick off a nut, and then fly out to the road with their prize. With the pecan in their beak, they bash it onto the pavement of the road until the shell cracks...... and then they munch on the nut pieces. This process is repeated until they've had their fill of pecans and fly off into the pasture to hunt for something else.
The squirrels are also pecan-hunting at this time, but they're not as loud nor as obnoxious as the crows. The squirrels can easily bite into the pecan shells with their teeth, and sometimes they will hang upside-down on the trunk of the tree, dropping the pieces of shell on the ground and just eating the nut. More often than not, either Mickey or Gatsby is out there watching the squirrels eat the pecans. Gatsby stays up on the porch and watches from a distance.... he's a smart cat and knows that he'll never catch one of those squirrels. Mickey is the more hopeful of the two cats..... he will sit as close to the squirrel as he can get, sometimes having to dodge the falling shells... almost daring the squirrel to come down to the ground so he can chase it.
I will be hearing the screeching of those crows from now till after Thanksgiving..... same goes for my husband's air-horn.
The crows are smart..... they will walk along the grass underneath the trees, all the while looking up at the branches. When they find a clump of pecans, they fly up to that branch, pick off a nut, and then fly out to the road with their prize. With the pecan in their beak, they bash it onto the pavement of the road until the shell cracks...... and then they munch on the nut pieces. This process is repeated until they've had their fill of pecans and fly off into the pasture to hunt for something else.
The squirrels are also pecan-hunting at this time, but they're not as loud nor as obnoxious as the crows. The squirrels can easily bite into the pecan shells with their teeth, and sometimes they will hang upside-down on the trunk of the tree, dropping the pieces of shell on the ground and just eating the nut. More often than not, either Mickey or Gatsby is out there watching the squirrels eat the pecans. Gatsby stays up on the porch and watches from a distance.... he's a smart cat and knows that he'll never catch one of those squirrels. Mickey is the more hopeful of the two cats..... he will sit as close to the squirrel as he can get, sometimes having to dodge the falling shells... almost daring the squirrel to come down to the ground so he can chase it.
I will be hearing the screeching of those crows from now till after Thanksgiving..... same goes for my husband's air-horn.
Monday, October 28, 2013
Spiders R Us.
I hate spiders. The only thing I hate worse than spiders are scorpions. The funny thing is that I hardly ever see a scorpion outside the house.... the scorpions are always inside, the spiders are usually outside. Welcome to my Insect World.
Just before dinner-time, I remembered that I forgot to water the yellow marigolds. I try to water them every day unless it rains, because they're planted in a very shallow circle of dirt around the fountain, and that spot gets broiled in the afternoon sun. So there I was, just about to bend towards the hose, and there's the biggest banana spider I've seen so far. Had I not been paying attention, I would have walked right into the web and the spider would have been splayed across my left knee.
In that particular spot in front yard, there's been a banana spider web all summer long. First it was high above the water faucet, near the peak of the first floor roof line. I left the web where it was because it was far enough above my head and out of my way. The spider stayed there for weeks and weeks, and I checked its whereabouts each time I used that faucet for watering the marigolds.
Then the spider decided to relocate about a month ago.... she re-built her web on one of the sago palms..... at knee level, but away from the water hose and the faucet. Fine. I left it there, and again and again, I kept checking to see where that spider was before I used that particular hose.
It rained in the middle of the night on Saturday.... so I didn't bothering watering plants yesterday. But today, the sun was out, it was a lovely day, and those marigolds needed fresh water, and so did the fountain, which the bluebirds and barn swallows use for their daily baths. (We don't have a water fountain, we have a tri-level birdbath.)
I came within an inch or two of walking right into that spider web this afternoon. Scared the daylights out of me. I looked at that spider, sitting right in the middle of her web....... and I knew it had to go. Where would she build her next web? Right across the front or back door? "All's fair in love, war, and spider-webs," I told the banana spider.
Back I went to the other side of the house.... and I came back with the can of wasp spray. (I've yet to see a can of spider spray.) I sprayed that spider as she sat on that web. Cruel way to go, let me tell you..... and I had to watch her till her last twitch, just to see where she landed so I wouldn't step on her. (I don't step on spiders, living or dead. I can't stand the crunching sound.)
I used the broom to destroy the web after the spider met its Maker....... and all remnants of that particular spider and the web are gone now. My apologies to E. B. White and Charlotte.
Just before dinner-time, I remembered that I forgot to water the yellow marigolds. I try to water them every day unless it rains, because they're planted in a very shallow circle of dirt around the fountain, and that spot gets broiled in the afternoon sun. So there I was, just about to bend towards the hose, and there's the biggest banana spider I've seen so far. Had I not been paying attention, I would have walked right into the web and the spider would have been splayed across my left knee.
In that particular spot in front yard, there's been a banana spider web all summer long. First it was high above the water faucet, near the peak of the first floor roof line. I left the web where it was because it was far enough above my head and out of my way. The spider stayed there for weeks and weeks, and I checked its whereabouts each time I used that faucet for watering the marigolds.
Then the spider decided to relocate about a month ago.... she re-built her web on one of the sago palms..... at knee level, but away from the water hose and the faucet. Fine. I left it there, and again and again, I kept checking to see where that spider was before I used that particular hose.
It rained in the middle of the night on Saturday.... so I didn't bothering watering plants yesterday. But today, the sun was out, it was a lovely day, and those marigolds needed fresh water, and so did the fountain, which the bluebirds and barn swallows use for their daily baths. (We don't have a water fountain, we have a tri-level birdbath.)
I came within an inch or two of walking right into that spider web this afternoon. Scared the daylights out of me. I looked at that spider, sitting right in the middle of her web....... and I knew it had to go. Where would she build her next web? Right across the front or back door? "All's fair in love, war, and spider-webs," I told the banana spider.
Back I went to the other side of the house.... and I came back with the can of wasp spray. (I've yet to see a can of spider spray.) I sprayed that spider as she sat on that web. Cruel way to go, let me tell you..... and I had to watch her till her last twitch, just to see where she landed so I wouldn't step on her. (I don't step on spiders, living or dead. I can't stand the crunching sound.)
I used the broom to destroy the web after the spider met its Maker....... and all remnants of that particular spider and the web are gone now. My apologies to E. B. White and Charlotte.
Sunday, October 27, 2013
Welcome to the zoo....
As I type this, I can hear an owl outside..... his hooting sounds are so close that I think he's up on our roof. When we first moved here and heard the owls, I thought it was a very soothing sound, like the cooing of doves. But then I learned how mean and diligent owls can be when they go hunting at night.
I don't know which of the smaller species are preferred by owls, but they will grab onto any small animal that's outside at night. They swoop down and grab their prey with their talons, and then they fly upwards with their catch and then drop them to the ground... again and again. Pick up the prey, fly up high, drop it to the ground... repeat.... repeat... repeat... until whatever they have caught is just dead and broken up and way beyond saving for anything but an owl's midnight feast. (They don't tell you all of that in the Disney stories.)
Earlier this evening, we heard a pack of coyotes howling out on the property.... they sounded so close, as if they were right up in the front yard. Coyotes typically howl at the moon when they've caught some poor animal, as if they're announcing their dinner-time to the world at large. We used to keep Gatsby outside all night long, but I've been bringing him inside...... he sleeps in the TV room with Sweet Pea, and I think Gatsby appreciates having a good night's sleep without having to keep one eye open for night-time predators.
I'm still not thrilled that we've had to make Mickey an outside cat..... he's out on the property during the day, but I close him up in the garage at night. Heaven knows I've made it very comfy for him in there... he has an entire work-counter all to himself, with his food and water dishes, plus two pillow-beds, and even an enclosed bed that I fashioned out of a large wicker basket. He can walk thru the little doorway that goes into the fenced-in chicken coop, and he can look at the stars or get some fresh air... so he has both spaces all to himself during the night. Mickey seems to be quite content, and not worried at all about his living arrangements. I'm the one who worries, even though I really do know he's safe and secure in there during the night. Safe from coyotes and raccoons and bob-cats and cougars..... but if a snake wanted to get into the garage (or the coop) I would imagine it would find a way into either place. I just try not to think about that too much.
At the party last night, we were talking about the night-time wildlife here. Bob-cats and cougars.... the cougars have longer tails and are much bigger than the bob-cats. Then we have foxes..... which we've seen right in and around our barn. And the coyotes, which everyone has seen and heard on their properties. Everyone has deer on their property, and about the only bad thing you can say about the deer is that they'll eat every delicate leaf and plant in your garden.
Welcome to the zoo.... welcome to our country world. And today, all day long, was so beautiful and quiet.... you could hear the wings on the barn swallows as they flew from tree to tree....... there wasn't much of a breeze today and it was just so quiet and serene outside. But as soon as day turns to dark, all the predators come out to play.
I don't know which of the smaller species are preferred by owls, but they will grab onto any small animal that's outside at night. They swoop down and grab their prey with their talons, and then they fly upwards with their catch and then drop them to the ground... again and again. Pick up the prey, fly up high, drop it to the ground... repeat.... repeat... repeat... until whatever they have caught is just dead and broken up and way beyond saving for anything but an owl's midnight feast. (They don't tell you all of that in the Disney stories.)
Earlier this evening, we heard a pack of coyotes howling out on the property.... they sounded so close, as if they were right up in the front yard. Coyotes typically howl at the moon when they've caught some poor animal, as if they're announcing their dinner-time to the world at large. We used to keep Gatsby outside all night long, but I've been bringing him inside...... he sleeps in the TV room with Sweet Pea, and I think Gatsby appreciates having a good night's sleep without having to keep one eye open for night-time predators.
I'm still not thrilled that we've had to make Mickey an outside cat..... he's out on the property during the day, but I close him up in the garage at night. Heaven knows I've made it very comfy for him in there... he has an entire work-counter all to himself, with his food and water dishes, plus two pillow-beds, and even an enclosed bed that I fashioned out of a large wicker basket. He can walk thru the little doorway that goes into the fenced-in chicken coop, and he can look at the stars or get some fresh air... so he has both spaces all to himself during the night. Mickey seems to be quite content, and not worried at all about his living arrangements. I'm the one who worries, even though I really do know he's safe and secure in there during the night. Safe from coyotes and raccoons and bob-cats and cougars..... but if a snake wanted to get into the garage (or the coop) I would imagine it would find a way into either place. I just try not to think about that too much.
At the party last night, we were talking about the night-time wildlife here. Bob-cats and cougars.... the cougars have longer tails and are much bigger than the bob-cats. Then we have foxes..... which we've seen right in and around our barn. And the coyotes, which everyone has seen and heard on their properties. Everyone has deer on their property, and about the only bad thing you can say about the deer is that they'll eat every delicate leaf and plant in your garden.
Welcome to the zoo.... welcome to our country world. And today, all day long, was so beautiful and quiet.... you could hear the wings on the barn swallows as they flew from tree to tree....... there wasn't much of a breeze today and it was just so quiet and serene outside. But as soon as day turns to dark, all the predators come out to play.
More wet stuff from the sky.
We woke up to the sound of thunder and rain in the middle of the night. Pouring-down rain, lots of thunder. I think it started around 3:00 this morning and it lasted a good long while. From the upstairs balcony, I can see that even the shallow end of the pond is filled to the brim now. Usually, the water rushes in through that shallow part and it runs right to the deep side of the pond. After last night's rain, the entire pond is rowboat-worthy, if anyone had a mind to do that. (Not this girl, thank you.)
The weather yesterday was sunny, warm, and picture-perfect, and very much like Spring. I call this time of the year The Second Spring because all the roses and azaleas are in bloom again, the butterflies and dragonflies are out in force, and the yellow-jackets are just all over the property.
Our Halloween party was last night.... friends came in costume for a potluck dinner and hours of laughs and conversation. It was very nice of the weather gods to provide such a beautiful day yesterday..... all of those great costumes would have been soaked if that pouring rain had started at party time.
As we drive around the towns up here, all of the pastures are green and lush.... unlike other years when everything was brown and brittle by the middle of July. We've had more rain than usual this season, and while the pouring rain is sometimes more than the smaller back-roads can bear, the fields and pastures are just drinking it all up. And the frogs..... after the rain comes the symphony of frogs, and you have to be careful where you step in the morning because there's bound to be a frog right in front of your feet.
The weather yesterday was sunny, warm, and picture-perfect, and very much like Spring. I call this time of the year The Second Spring because all the roses and azaleas are in bloom again, the butterflies and dragonflies are out in force, and the yellow-jackets are just all over the property.
Our Halloween party was last night.... friends came in costume for a potluck dinner and hours of laughs and conversation. It was very nice of the weather gods to provide such a beautiful day yesterday..... all of those great costumes would have been soaked if that pouring rain had started at party time.
As we drive around the towns up here, all of the pastures are green and lush.... unlike other years when everything was brown and brittle by the middle of July. We've had more rain than usual this season, and while the pouring rain is sometimes more than the smaller back-roads can bear, the fields and pastures are just drinking it all up. And the frogs..... after the rain comes the symphony of frogs, and you have to be careful where you step in the morning because there's bound to be a frog right in front of your feet.
Friday, October 25, 2013
Mouse... mice...
... and these aren't Disney mice in cute little outfits ready to sew up a ball gown for Cinderella.
The first mouse today was very small, on the garage floor. Mickey Kitty must have found it sometime during the night and he killed it. This is about the fourth little baby mouse that I've found in the garage. Mickey always leaves them on the side of the garage where my husband parks his car... Mickey's special gift to his favorite person in the world. But I'm the one who usually finds the mice in the garage, and I pick them up with that long clippy-thing and put them into a trash bag. This process isn't all that bad if I don't have my glasses on... without the glasses, I'm just seeing a blob of gray, which could be anything at all if you don't think about it being a mouse when you go to pick it up.
The second mouse-sighting was in the guest rooms over the barn..... I didn't find a mouse, but I found its droppings. There must be a barn-mouse up there in those guest rooms, because I've found the droppings before, always in the same place. Time for a sticky glue-trap up there, I'm sorry to say. I absolutely hate to do that to a mouse, but it's an effective way of catching them without snapping their necks in one of those traps. My husband insists that the instant-death is much easier on the mouse, but I just can't do it. (Nor do I want to handle those snap-traps, either pre-mouse or post-mouse.)
The third mouse of the day was out in grass by the back steps... another blob of gray. I put my glasses on and saw that it was a dead mouse that either Mickey or Gatsby left there for me to find. Time for the clippy-thing again, which keeps the mouse more than an arm's length away from me, and after taking off my glasses, I was just picking up a gray blob.
These pastures are filled with field mice........ and from what I understand, a mouse mama gives birth to a big litter of babies. All of which, it seems, find their way to either our garage or the guest rooms over the barn, and a few get into the house. You would think that with three adult cats on the property, the mice would find some place else to go. (Like DisneyWorld?)
But on the bright side........ today was a beautiful day. Absolutely gorgeous weather.... my husband spent most of the day cutting the grass.... I spent the day getting ready for our Halloween party tomorrow. Boo!... to you... and to all the mice out there that will soon end up at the end of my clippy-thing.
The first mouse today was very small, on the garage floor. Mickey Kitty must have found it sometime during the night and he killed it. This is about the fourth little baby mouse that I've found in the garage. Mickey always leaves them on the side of the garage where my husband parks his car... Mickey's special gift to his favorite person in the world. But I'm the one who usually finds the mice in the garage, and I pick them up with that long clippy-thing and put them into a trash bag. This process isn't all that bad if I don't have my glasses on... without the glasses, I'm just seeing a blob of gray, which could be anything at all if you don't think about it being a mouse when you go to pick it up.
The second mouse-sighting was in the guest rooms over the barn..... I didn't find a mouse, but I found its droppings. There must be a barn-mouse up there in those guest rooms, because I've found the droppings before, always in the same place. Time for a sticky glue-trap up there, I'm sorry to say. I absolutely hate to do that to a mouse, but it's an effective way of catching them without snapping their necks in one of those traps. My husband insists that the instant-death is much easier on the mouse, but I just can't do it. (Nor do I want to handle those snap-traps, either pre-mouse or post-mouse.)
The third mouse of the day was out in grass by the back steps... another blob of gray. I put my glasses on and saw that it was a dead mouse that either Mickey or Gatsby left there for me to find. Time for the clippy-thing again, which keeps the mouse more than an arm's length away from me, and after taking off my glasses, I was just picking up a gray blob.
These pastures are filled with field mice........ and from what I understand, a mouse mama gives birth to a big litter of babies. All of which, it seems, find their way to either our garage or the guest rooms over the barn, and a few get into the house. You would think that with three adult cats on the property, the mice would find some place else to go. (Like DisneyWorld?)
But on the bright side........ today was a beautiful day. Absolutely gorgeous weather.... my husband spent most of the day cutting the grass.... I spent the day getting ready for our Halloween party tomorrow. Boo!... to you... and to all the mice out there that will soon end up at the end of my clippy-thing.
Thursday, October 24, 2013
Small town innocence.
I had a dental appointment today, and the girls who work there were talking about their Halloween costumes. If Halloween falls on a week-day when the dental office is open, then everyone comes dressed up in costume, including the dentists.
They celebrate a 'happy' Halloween, not a gruesome one, because on any given day, they have school-age patients... and I would imagine that going to the dentist is not up there on a kid's hit parade, and having a dentist dressed up as Dracula just wouldn't be right if you're 9 years old and sitting in that chair.
One of the office girls is dressing up as Mother Goose, complete with a stuffed goose to hold in her arms all day long..... another one is dressing as a 1920s Flapper and she's still searching for an extra-long cigarette holder.
When we lived in Clear Lake, I would see so many costumed-people driving in their cars on Halloween, on their way to work in the morning.... everything from the most happiest of costumes (like Disney characters) to more gory ghouls dripping with fake blood and seemingly real scars. Most Texans take Halloween very seriously, and the front yard décor on October 31 is second only to the Christmas decorations that go up in December.
And living out here is no different. The thrift stores and consignment shops always have racks of Halloween possibilities for costumes. No need to really spend a small fortune on a costume from one of those Halloween Express stores that take over an empty storefront on Labor Day and then are all moved out two days after Halloween is over. All you need is one good idea with a spook-tacular piece of clothing, and your imagination takes over and with the right accessories, a simple long black skirt becomes part of a witch's ensemble.
My guess is that on the day of Halloween, just about everyone in this town will be in some sort of get-up for the holiday. The girls at the dental office told me to drop in on Halloween so they can see my costume. I don't know if I'll dress up again on the actual day of Halloween... this far out in the country, we don't get trick-or-treaters. I told the technician that we were having a Halloween party this weekend, so they asked about costume ideas. They usually go with Disney stars or Mother Goose characters, just to be on the safe side with the very young patients, but they're always open to new ideas for other parties.
Say what you want about small towns...... we may not have SteinMart and Macys here, but we surely do have a lot of heart.
They celebrate a 'happy' Halloween, not a gruesome one, because on any given day, they have school-age patients... and I would imagine that going to the dentist is not up there on a kid's hit parade, and having a dentist dressed up as Dracula just wouldn't be right if you're 9 years old and sitting in that chair.
One of the office girls is dressing up as Mother Goose, complete with a stuffed goose to hold in her arms all day long..... another one is dressing as a 1920s Flapper and she's still searching for an extra-long cigarette holder.
When we lived in Clear Lake, I would see so many costumed-people driving in their cars on Halloween, on their way to work in the morning.... everything from the most happiest of costumes (like Disney characters) to more gory ghouls dripping with fake blood and seemingly real scars. Most Texans take Halloween very seriously, and the front yard décor on October 31 is second only to the Christmas decorations that go up in December.
And living out here is no different. The thrift stores and consignment shops always have racks of Halloween possibilities for costumes. No need to really spend a small fortune on a costume from one of those Halloween Express stores that take over an empty storefront on Labor Day and then are all moved out two days after Halloween is over. All you need is one good idea with a spook-tacular piece of clothing, and your imagination takes over and with the right accessories, a simple long black skirt becomes part of a witch's ensemble.
My guess is that on the day of Halloween, just about everyone in this town will be in some sort of get-up for the holiday. The girls at the dental office told me to drop in on Halloween so they can see my costume. I don't know if I'll dress up again on the actual day of Halloween... this far out in the country, we don't get trick-or-treaters. I told the technician that we were having a Halloween party this weekend, so they asked about costume ideas. They usually go with Disney stars or Mother Goose characters, just to be on the safe side with the very young patients, but they're always open to new ideas for other parties.
Say what you want about small towns...... we may not have SteinMart and Macys here, but we surely do have a lot of heart.
Wednesday, October 23, 2013
Dove music.
There must have been a large flock of doves up in the pecan trees today. Those trees are very tall, very wide, and filled with zillions of leaves and pecan pods, so I couldn't see one dove, but I heard an entire symphony of them this morning. They were so loud that the coo-ing caught the attention of Mickey and Gatsby, our two outside cats. Both of them were sitting by the porch railing... four little cat eyes staring at those trees. Possibly, the cats were able to see the doves, but I never did find them. The coo-ing sounds were peaceful and very pretty... but then along came a wood-pecker and that broke up the little dove party.
Texas has a 'dove season,' meaning that big brave hunters can go off into the woods and shoot all the doves they can. Why they insist on doing this, I have no idea, but I think dove season is over now, so it's nice to know there are doves left up in the trees.
The 'downtown' area of our little town here is filled with scarecrows in all sorts of costumes.... most of them are sitting on small hay bales in front of the stores and shops along the main streets of town. They do this every year, and I believe there's some sort of contest where people can vote for the most creative displays. After the rains we had last week, most of the scarecrows look water-logged and sad, and some of the paint has washed away.
There's another town close by that has an annual Scarecrow Festival, which is one of the biggest events sponsored by that particular town. This year's festival was cancelled because of all the pouring-down rain that we had recently. Such a shame, really, because that town doesn't have all that much going for it all year long. Between their Scarecrow Festival and their July 4th Parade (featuring the Kids' Marching Kazoo Band), about the only other attraction there is the quiet and peacefulness of their very few main streets. And I do believe the residents of that town like it that way.
I've used up nearly two of the new cans of wasp spray that my husband recently bought. My aim is improving with those cans..... I don't waste so much of the spray when it first shoots out of the can, and I can usually destroy a wasp nest in the first 20 seconds. I've also learned that I don't really have to empty an entire can on one little nest.
Today, however, I wasn't after wasps...... the nests I found were filled with yellow-jackets, which may have been what stung me a couple of weeks ago. (And here I was, blaming it on a bee.) The yellow-jackets are smaller than the bees, and seem to be more aggressive in defending their territory. If you walk too close to a shrub or a bush that's home to a nest of yellow-jackets, then you're going to get stung just because you're walking there. And if you're pushing a lawn-mower, you're really going to get stung because I don't think the yellow-jackets like all of that noise.
There are days when I stand out in the driveway and look over at this house and I wonder if it would be possible to build a glass dome all around it... to keep out the scorpions, spiders, wasps, bees, yellow-jackets, and of course, the snakes.
We don't seem to have a problem anymore with the lizards and geckos because Mickey Kitty has been eating every one of those he finds. Now when I open up a can of what used to be Mickey's favorite Fancy Feast cat food, he looks down at the dish, then up at me, and I know damn well he's thinking "Don't they make this stuff with lizard meat?"
Texas has a 'dove season,' meaning that big brave hunters can go off into the woods and shoot all the doves they can. Why they insist on doing this, I have no idea, but I think dove season is over now, so it's nice to know there are doves left up in the trees.
The 'downtown' area of our little town here is filled with scarecrows in all sorts of costumes.... most of them are sitting on small hay bales in front of the stores and shops along the main streets of town. They do this every year, and I believe there's some sort of contest where people can vote for the most creative displays. After the rains we had last week, most of the scarecrows look water-logged and sad, and some of the paint has washed away.
There's another town close by that has an annual Scarecrow Festival, which is one of the biggest events sponsored by that particular town. This year's festival was cancelled because of all the pouring-down rain that we had recently. Such a shame, really, because that town doesn't have all that much going for it all year long. Between their Scarecrow Festival and their July 4th Parade (featuring the Kids' Marching Kazoo Band), about the only other attraction there is the quiet and peacefulness of their very few main streets. And I do believe the residents of that town like it that way.
I've used up nearly two of the new cans of wasp spray that my husband recently bought. My aim is improving with those cans..... I don't waste so much of the spray when it first shoots out of the can, and I can usually destroy a wasp nest in the first 20 seconds. I've also learned that I don't really have to empty an entire can on one little nest.
Today, however, I wasn't after wasps...... the nests I found were filled with yellow-jackets, which may have been what stung me a couple of weeks ago. (And here I was, blaming it on a bee.) The yellow-jackets are smaller than the bees, and seem to be more aggressive in defending their territory. If you walk too close to a shrub or a bush that's home to a nest of yellow-jackets, then you're going to get stung just because you're walking there. And if you're pushing a lawn-mower, you're really going to get stung because I don't think the yellow-jackets like all of that noise.
There are days when I stand out in the driveway and look over at this house and I wonder if it would be possible to build a glass dome all around it... to keep out the scorpions, spiders, wasps, bees, yellow-jackets, and of course, the snakes.
We don't seem to have a problem anymore with the lizards and geckos because Mickey Kitty has been eating every one of those he finds. Now when I open up a can of what used to be Mickey's favorite Fancy Feast cat food, he looks down at the dish, then up at me, and I know damn well he's thinking "Don't they make this stuff with lizard meat?"
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