It's what my mom calls "leaf week" in the part of Alaska we live in. Each spring, in the space of about a week, all leaf producing trees go from bud to fully leafy trees in that amount of time. We appear to be at about the half way point. It's an amazing and beautiful transformation. 😊
Ooo sounds like we were only slightly ahead of you! That was about 2 weeks ago here. I almost feel like I missed it, at The Lighthouse. One day everything was just green!? Beautiful, indeed!
Our dog's best friend across the street is a rodent muncher, which his humans hate. When the cats would kill mice in the house, we used to just toss them into the bush for whoever was first to dinner, but we're trying to be thoughtful about our neighbors' predicament. So we started putting the dead mice on this platform in a tree out front to see if the magpies might like it, and OH DO THEY. Now there are magpies sitting on our deck railing like they're waiting for the hostess to seat them. Anyway, circle of life circling. That's all here.
Feels like a better solution than a dog eating them! Now for my next observation/question: I've found two dead baby birds in my garden this weekend... with no heads. Was that a cat? There are also magpies around here. I guess I've just found lots of dead baby birds over the years, but never headless. A strange new question.
No fox squirrels here, but the rest are possibilities! I'm finding 1/day right now, along with tiny babies no bigger than a grape, and my tender heart is mad at all the other animals lol.
My lilacs are blooming this week too, such a delicious smell, my favorite! And I've got an little mama bird in my barn who has decided that's the place to raise her babies. She's a European Starling, I think, a little black bird. Talking to them seems like the most natural things in the world to me :-)
Ahhh that's lovely, Terhi! I have lots of starlings here. Admittedly, I shoo them away sometimes, because they are SO MANY (20+) and I want Birdy's babies to get some food too, haha. But they have a beautiful shine in their feathers!
I totally get that. Here's it's the Robins that are many in number. I'm lucky to have lots of bird variety so it seems everyone has enough to eat, and I get to enjoy their songs :-)
Well, my friend, in reading your latest dispatch it sure looks like you've been having an event filled week just passed. Spring is a great time to get active outside, is it not? Not to mention how the weather seems to change on a dime - one day cool and sunny, the next day unseasonably warm, and then later it becomes rainy perhaps.
The birds and squirrels around here sure love it, along with the odd raccoon that we sometimes hear on our roof at night, stomping around, which is enough to make my wife wake up and wonder if somehow the the critter has managed to get into our attic!
To which I yawn in reply: "No dear, no worries, he'll go away soon. Now go back to sleep." 😴
Anyway, I've been busy with yardwork duties, having already mowed my lawn twice now.
Early lawn seeding, fertilizing and aeration sure have made a difference this year. And so it goes ...
Hope you enjoy another great week ahead Cait and that your health has returned.
It was fun to read you talk about the animals and happenings around your house, Rob! Thanks for painting a picture of what's happening over there ☺️ as for the neck, it's up and down. I see the specialist again this coming Friday (finally) and am curious what she'll have to say about my recent flare up/setback...
I continue to walk and explore different neighborhoods and one day last week walked ten freakin' miles.
Last week I went to a local bookstore and met writer Amanda Knox for the second time where she had a book reading and she talked to the audience about her time in an Italian prison. She now has two children and looks incredible.
I haven't driven my car since November and decided to start it up a few days ago and it was dead so called AAA to give me a jump start. It was so dusty I made an appointment to have it detailed on Monday. I plan to drive to small towns in WA state and explore and am so excited to get out of the city. I did spend a month in Ireland last fall but have stayed in Seattle since then and need to push myself to get out of the city again.
Ooo a bookstore event! I miss having easy access to those, Sandra! Sounds like a beautiful week, indeed. Enjoy planning your future adventures! I remember buying my first car in 2009, the story I told myself was "a good car = freedom." That still feels true.
My favorite thing to do is to attend book readings on an array of different subjects but it has to be non-fiction oriented. If you go on another book tour in the future, consider the Elliott Bay Book Store or if you have one in BC, I'll be there!
Sounds like a lovely week! I went shopping in person in a long time and it was interesting observing where the mirrors were (outside of the dressing room, probably to encourage sales associates to talk to you and maybe well you more stuff!). I also sprained my ankle so it was interesting trying to figure out how to sit comfortably while writing and not stressing my ankle out more lol
Very interesting observations, friend! And I'm sorry about the ankle! I totally relate to having to find good/comfortable positions to sit in... not always easy! Hopefully it doesn't take too long to heal up ☺️
Beautiful moments and writing. Loved your London Marathon section.
I had the joy of cheering on my best friend at the Manchester Marathon on that very same day. It's overwhelming but so wonderful. All the vocal support, the stories, the lives, the struggles, cheering on strangers. It's quite the life affirming experience.
We have been having hot summer like weather but at least the spring blooms are fragrant. A week ago I saw a bird I never saw before on a hike and looked it up (black and white warbler).
We have a few baby bunnies in the yard and watching them eat dandelions (chew chew the long stem like a strand of spaghetti and then poof they let the bloom drop)
It is such a great experience to see someone you know on the race route. That excitement that overwhelms you just a bit that brings water to your eyes. And you scream their name and your eyes meet. It is such a high. So glad you experienced it. Enjoy!
It's what my mom calls "leaf week" in the part of Alaska we live in. Each spring, in the space of about a week, all leaf producing trees go from bud to fully leafy trees in that amount of time. We appear to be at about the half way point. It's an amazing and beautiful transformation. 😊
Ooo sounds like we were only slightly ahead of you! That was about 2 weeks ago here. I almost feel like I missed it, at The Lighthouse. One day everything was just green!? Beautiful, indeed!
Our dog's best friend across the street is a rodent muncher, which his humans hate. When the cats would kill mice in the house, we used to just toss them into the bush for whoever was first to dinner, but we're trying to be thoughtful about our neighbors' predicament. So we started putting the dead mice on this platform in a tree out front to see if the magpies might like it, and OH DO THEY. Now there are magpies sitting on our deck railing like they're waiting for the hostess to seat them. Anyway, circle of life circling. That's all here.
Feels like a better solution than a dog eating them! Now for my next observation/question: I've found two dead baby birds in my garden this weekend... with no heads. Was that a cat? There are also magpies around here. I guess I've just found lots of dead baby birds over the years, but never headless. A strange new question.
Oh gosh I mean, cats, foxes, rats, do yall have fox squirrels? They’ll all do it
No fox squirrels here, but the rest are possibilities! I'm finding 1/day right now, along with tiny babies no bigger than a grape, and my tender heart is mad at all the other animals lol.
Ugh that is brutal 😫😫
My lilacs are blooming this week too, such a delicious smell, my favorite! And I've got an little mama bird in my barn who has decided that's the place to raise her babies. She's a European Starling, I think, a little black bird. Talking to them seems like the most natural things in the world to me :-)
Ahhh that's lovely, Terhi! I have lots of starlings here. Admittedly, I shoo them away sometimes, because they are SO MANY (20+) and I want Birdy's babies to get some food too, haha. But they have a beautiful shine in their feathers!
I totally get that. Here's it's the Robins that are many in number. I'm lucky to have lots of bird variety so it seems everyone has enough to eat, and I get to enjoy their songs :-)
Hi Cait!
Well, my friend, in reading your latest dispatch it sure looks like you've been having an event filled week just passed. Spring is a great time to get active outside, is it not? Not to mention how the weather seems to change on a dime - one day cool and sunny, the next day unseasonably warm, and then later it becomes rainy perhaps.
The birds and squirrels around here sure love it, along with the odd raccoon that we sometimes hear on our roof at night, stomping around, which is enough to make my wife wake up and wonder if somehow the the critter has managed to get into our attic!
To which I yawn in reply: "No dear, no worries, he'll go away soon. Now go back to sleep." 😴
Anyway, I've been busy with yardwork duties, having already mowed my lawn twice now.
Early lawn seeding, fertilizing and aeration sure have made a difference this year. And so it goes ...
Hope you enjoy another great week ahead Cait and that your health has returned.
It was fun to read you talk about the animals and happenings around your house, Rob! Thanks for painting a picture of what's happening over there ☺️ as for the neck, it's up and down. I see the specialist again this coming Friday (finally) and am curious what she'll have to say about my recent flare up/setback...
I sincerely hope that your specialist helps you get better soon Cait. My thoughts will be with you. Take care dispatch buddy.
It's been a beautiful week in Seattle.
I continue to walk and explore different neighborhoods and one day last week walked ten freakin' miles.
Last week I went to a local bookstore and met writer Amanda Knox for the second time where she had a book reading and she talked to the audience about her time in an Italian prison. She now has two children and looks incredible.
I haven't driven my car since November and decided to start it up a few days ago and it was dead so called AAA to give me a jump start. It was so dusty I made an appointment to have it detailed on Monday. I plan to drive to small towns in WA state and explore and am so excited to get out of the city. I did spend a month in Ireland last fall but have stayed in Seattle since then and need to push myself to get out of the city again.
Ooo a bookstore event! I miss having easy access to those, Sandra! Sounds like a beautiful week, indeed. Enjoy planning your future adventures! I remember buying my first car in 2009, the story I told myself was "a good car = freedom." That still feels true.
My favorite thing to do is to attend book readings on an array of different subjects but it has to be non-fiction oriented. If you go on another book tour in the future, consider the Elliott Bay Book Store or if you have one in BC, I'll be there!
Thank you for naming the store you love! And even your mention of a book tour made me feel excited. I hope I can do another one, one day ☺️
Sounds like a lovely week! I went shopping in person in a long time and it was interesting observing where the mirrors were (outside of the dressing room, probably to encourage sales associates to talk to you and maybe well you more stuff!). I also sprained my ankle so it was interesting trying to figure out how to sit comfortably while writing and not stressing my ankle out more lol
Very interesting observations, friend! And I'm sorry about the ankle! I totally relate to having to find good/comfortable positions to sit in... not always easy! Hopefully it doesn't take too long to heal up ☺️
Beautiful moments and writing. Loved your London Marathon section.
I had the joy of cheering on my best friend at the Manchester Marathon on that very same day. It's overwhelming but so wonderful. All the vocal support, the stories, the lives, the struggles, cheering on strangers. It's quite the life affirming experience.
Yes, to all of this, Janelle. And it really is!
We have been having hot summer like weather but at least the spring blooms are fragrant. A week ago I saw a bird I never saw before on a hike and looked it up (black and white warbler).
We have a few baby bunnies in the yard and watching them eat dandelions (chew chew the long stem like a strand of spaghetti and then poof they let the bloom drop)
Dying cradled in a tulip sounds beautiful to me.
Baby bunnies!!! Oh the joy of this! I'm so glad you're enjoying watching them, friend, and thanks for sharing too ☺️
It is such a great experience to see someone you know on the race route. That excitement that overwhelms you just a bit that brings water to your eyes. And you scream their name and your eyes meet. It is such a high. So glad you experienced it. Enjoy!
❤️👟👫🏼