Fields of flowers...

Today is the start of the Skagit Valley Tulip festival. It is located just west of I-5 and just South of Hiway 20. It is early this year, or maybe the tulips are late. I was over there last weekend, and only the Daffodils were out. And as I mentioned before, only a few fields.

When the tulips bloom, the valley is a riot of color. The fields are staggered with different colored flowers, and from a distance they look like a Patchwork quilt.

I wonder how much longer they will be there before the heirs sell out to the developers.

I actually got out and mowed the front yard yesterday. It is really small, but pushing and pulling the mower did a number on my poor back! I am going to try to get the back yard in pieces. Poor Sadie cant pee without tickling her butt on the tall grass.

As I was mowing yesterday, I noticed that my tulips are starting to bloom! I planted a few 13 years ago, and now there are quite a few more. I planted pink ones and I am getting Orange and red and yellow ones. They must have been hybrids, and when they multiplied they reverted back again to their parent color. Hummmmm!

The peach tree, or what is left of it after the wind storm last year, is sending out flowers, so maybe I will have some fruit after all this year.

I have to go in to the Playhouse tomorrow and set the lights for CAINE MUTINY COURT MARTIAL. It is going to be pretty good. The guys are really fighting to learn their lines, and the retired Capt that is playing Cdr Queeg is really good. I think I am going to stay with the Playhouse, but I will not be as active as I was. Just keep my hand in until I get really tired of it. If I don't I will have nothing else to do, and I know I would become very agorophobic. I feel myself getting that way more and more. Not wanting to go out, not wanting to get dressed, putting off doing things, just sitting and crocheting or watching old movies. I need to win the lotto, so I can buy a motor home and travel all over the western hemisphere. I would love to drive from BArrow, AK to Patagonia, Can you imagine the photo gallery I would have? MAN!! From Polar Bears, to Penquins!!

Saturday part DOS...

this is the South west side of the overlook, looking right down Whidbey Island's north west coast line. The Island is 70 miles long, so you can only see the top half, as the rest is lost in the haze. Coupeville is around the bend to the left, and you cant see that either. The Olympic Mountains are on the top right.
Off to the right is the Strait of Juan de Fuca, and it empties into the North Pacific, Vancouver Island is unseen but off to the right too.

I do have to say that I do live in God's country! I have always been in love with this part of the country.


Last night I went to bed early as I was all achy and cold. I fell right to sleep and woke up about an hour later with the most awful racket coming from the alders. It was those really cute little owlets that I kept seeing last fall...They have all grown up and now are looking for mates. Their normal call is a fairly loud "who-cooks-for-you?Who-cooks-for-you-AWE" But last night I got to hear their mating calls! whowhowhowhowhoWHAWHAWHAWHA!!!!! Getting louder as it went on. Almost sounded like monkeys in the zoo. Suddenly there were about 6-8 of them in all various stages of calling and hooting, and yelling, and waking up Sadie, and keeping me awake. I will say things are never dull living in the boonies!

I woke up at 630 this morning, and it was all gray and cold, and I was still achy so I just stayed curled up under the electric blanket and watched TV and the birds.

I anticipate an early night tonight too.

AHHH Spring at LAST...

Last Saturday, Barb and I got together and went sight seeing. It gave us a chance to talk, and it gave her a chance to see some places she had not been in quite a while.

I had never made it over to the Skagit Valley to see the Daffodils, so we drove over there, and found two fields in full flower. There used to be many more fields, but they are all being turned over to contractors and real estate developers. It is a real shame, as this is one of the prime fertile farm land in the Northwest, that continuously is farmed. THe younger generation is opting not to follow their fathers and grandfathers footsteps and are selling off the farm land. It is so sad to see.

THe daffodils that we did see are gorgeous. The Tulip fields are popping up green stzlks, and they should be ready along about Mid April. There used to be fields and fields of yellow daffodils, and red tulips and pink, and black, and orange and yellow tulips and then blue Iris's but there are just a few now.





After we toured the valley, Barb wanted to see Mt Erie, so up we drove. It is what they call an erratic. A giant rock/mountain left by glacial melt, right in the middle of the flat lands. this humongous hunk of rock and trees is about 1000 feet high, and the road up winds around trees and gulleys to get to the top. Once up on the top, the views are spectacular, a wide view from Canada to Seattle. This is looking down to the South, at Campbell Lake, and then on to Whidbey Island, and Camano Island, and across the sound to the Olympic mountains. THe day was the BEST we could have asked for. Just a slight breeze and the clouds wer staying over the mountains, so we had the full effect of the sun. Unfortunately the sun was right in my eyes, so the pictures may seem a bit hazy. The little island you see in the lake is according to Ripley, on of the only islands in a lake on an island. Hard to believe, but he surely would not lie...

From little seeds, mighty ELK grow...

Remember back last Spring when I went to the coast to see my friend Barb? I posted quite a few pictures of her place, and one of them was a picture of "Elk Seed". Several of you scoffed at me then, well here is a picture Barb sent to me, in the same spot, and as you can see the Elk seed grew into a herd of 12 Elk, of various sizes, right off her deck!

Barb is living in Seattle, working, and she and her Husband had JUST finished their home, and she was commuting on weekends while Butch stayed and got the land in order, and the orchard planted, and the greenhouse built. Then tragedy hit and Butch died of a sudden heart attack, leaving Barb all alone to keep the place up and work her job in Seattle.

BArb has been going back to the homestead every other weekend to keep the yard in order and the wildlife out of the house. She finally put it on the market this spring and sold it right away for more than she asked.

Last weekend she was back there, packing up some things and getting ready for the big move, when she saw something out the window. There was a herd of 12 Elk, cows and yearlings, and they just stayed ther while she snapped away. In all the time she has been there, she has never seen the herd, Butch has often, but he has been dead now for over a year, and there they were on one of her very last weekends there.

I dont know what you believe, but I think it was Butch coming back to say goodbye.
His ashes are scatered there, just off the land in the national forest. Beautiful!!

Fibber McGee and Molly...

Tonight on the way to rehearsal for The Caine Mutiny court Martial, I tuned into our local radio station to see if I could hear the commercial that they are playing for the show. The usual old boring songs that they play were not on, and instead there was a mystery theater. You know, the ones where they made all those sound effects, coconut shells for horses, corn starch for walking on snow etc...I cant remember what the story line was as It was almost finished when I turned it on.

Soon on came Fibber McGee and Molly. I had not heard that show in over 1/2 a century! It brought back a lot of memories of when I was a child.

We did not have TV because Dad was in the Navy, and we moved too much. We were not allowed a lot of stuff, and all we had was a console radio. Mom was very proud of that AM radio, and played it all the time.

I remember listening to the Soaps on the radio, while Mom would have her ironing board out and be ironing the laundry from the sprinkling bag that she had the clothes in. (yes Phyllis, She actually DID ironing at one time!) Mom's favorite was THE EDGE of NIGHT, and then it was something with a storm in the title.

I would play with my little Ginny doll and my paper dolls, hidden behind the big overstuffed chair in the livingroom. The walls were paneled with Knotty pine wood, and had built in bookcases, and the chair was in front of them. I would crawl behind there, and move the books off the bottom two shelves and play along with the radio shows. There was Mr. Gildersleeve, and The Lone Ranger, and then there was The Shadow Knows and Mickey Spillane. I remember listening to Amos and Andy, and other such shows by the hour. I had to use my imagination to play with my dolls to those shows, but I loved it!

Driving in to Oak harbor tonight and listening to the radio and the long dead actors who made the stories come to life brought back that childhood. It isn't often that you are actually encouraged these days to use your imagination, but once in awhile it is tested, and it is so nice to know that it is still there, tucked into a dark corner, and playing paperdolls just like I used to when I was a little girl.

Stuff...

I wonder if the medical world knows the therapeudic effect of taking a good book, a can of frosting and a pack of graham crackers to bed with you?

Works wonders!!

Emotions running rampant...

I had my heart broken Saturday night. I got an email from someone who should have known better, and it broke my heart! I will not go into to the details here, but I was so hurt, and I spent the whole night crying my eyes out.

Sunday brought a new perspective to the whole situation and I am feeling lots better. The one who sent the email still has no clue what s/he did to me, but others do and others have made me feel very worthy.

As Reese Witherspoon said at the Academy Awards "June Carter Cash said she only wanted to matter. I just want to matter"

Well these few wonderful people did make me feel like what I did really mattered.

Isn't that what life is all about anyway. TO MATTER to someone!




I think Im better now. I spent the last 2 hours staring out the window and watching the birds and the squirrels and the two healthy does slip through Lea's fence and graze there all safe and content. THeir white tails flipping in the beautiful spring afternoon, as they kept their noses to the bright green grass. There was not a hint of a breeze, but it was so relaxing. just me and the deer and the birds, with Sadie beside me with her paws on the windowsill and her chin on her paws, relaxed just like her momma.

To hell with assholes!! There are other people that are worth crying over. Not this one.

Blech....

Still not feeling as perky as I want to be, but I am not as hurting as I was! it appears that the mass that was passing the sore spot, passed on out, and now I feel somewhat better.

I woke up yesterday with a headache that scared the HELL out of me. I woke up around 745 to let Sadie out, ANd I was hurting so bad, I was almost sick to my stomach. It started on the left side of my neck, ran up behind my left ear, and across the left side of my head and felt like there was an AXE in it. I was afraid I was having a stroke! I buried my head under my pillow and hung on tight, and felt much better, fell asleep and woke up 4 hours later with Sadie outside wanting IN!

I felt much better as the day wore on, so I was able to cook Bob the corned beef and cabbage he brought over for me to fix. Then we took inventory on the side of beef he put in my freezer last year. we had about 15 pkgs labeled OS and had no clue what it was. (Him and his friend butchered and wrapped it) SO I took a pkg and thawed it out and said that is what I am fixing for dinner Saturday night. It was a piece of meat 40 inches long, by 8 inches wide, and 1/2 inch thick! it was ROUND STEAK! So why would I ever question what OS was sposed to be? (sheesh) So I cut it into cubes and made stew tonight. GOOD STUFF!! I think next week I am sposed to make him chicken and dumplings. I mentioned that I liked them but had never made it.

My Mom would make dumplings, and Dad and I would run in and lift the lid off the pot and make the dumplings sink, 'cause we liked them chewey. Mom was always so upset that her dumplings were never light and fluffy like they should be. I dont think we ever told her we did it either. (TEE HEE)

As you have probably heard by now if you read Phyllis' blog, the Frogs are out! They started chirping tonight around 600! SHe had a neighbor calling her to tell her they were BAAACKK!! They are late this year. SHe says it is always March 8 that they start. TOday was our first truely Spring day, and I think we have turned the corner.

I saw the first female hummer yesterday, so It is time to KICK IT UP A NOTCH, and hang a few more feeders out for them.

I have a carrot cake in the oven right now, so must run and tend to the kitchen fires!! Ya'll take care! ;)

Fun Quiz...

What form of art are you?

You are Poetry.You are often the most emotional of the arts. You are introverted, in that you tend to let people come to you rather than trying to get their attention. You get along well with Music and Literature.
Take this quiz!








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I stole this from Wanda's site ;) It really fits!

More to come....Maybe!

Spring? Ya THink?

It did not freeze again last night. Came real close though. I woke up this morning to a cloudy sky, and just laid there watching all the birds come to the platform feeders. I hear a loud whistle like gargle and knew that the red wings were back! I looked out and sure enough, there was a flock of about 50 blackbirds, mostly females and yearlings, at the feeders, they would eat then as if on cue, they all took flight at once and went on to the next house. They would be gone about 15 minutes and then hit the feeders again. I love to listen to their call, it is so musical, almost like a meadowlark. Below the communitee, there is a huge shallow lake filled with cattails and reeds, and this is where the blackbirds nest and breed. THe reeds are not ready yet, so the birds are eating from feeders until they match up and get their nests built.

Along with the blackbirds, the flocks of siskins came back. I have had them year round before, but not this year, and last week there were a few, but this time there were about 30 and they were hitting the Niger feeder with a vengeance. Soon the finches will start pairing up and the black headed grosbeaks will come back. ALthough they were not in the numbers last year as they were the year before. But year before last was the dreaded YEAR OF THE CATERPILLARS...which they feasted on. So I may not see the grosbeaks this year. I will gladly trade them for no caterpillars! (shudder)

I looked out front and the front yard was covered with robins!! so as you can tell, the birds are all back, so Spring CAN'T be that far away. We are expecting another winter storm to hit his weekend, but if the temperatures stay above freezing, then we can relax!

I am sooo ready for spring.

The Tummy Bug...

Not really a bug, I don't think. What I have is diverticulosis that turns into huge PAIN every once in awhile. Right now I have the PAIN! It has turned into diverticulitis. Feels like apendicitis, but it isn't. AS my daughter says, "Ya mean they left something in there to take out?" (I have had just about everything expendable, removed. still have apendix (sp) and tonsils! go figure) Whatever, it HURTS!! I wont go into the details here, because I just know that Barf and Special K will jump right on that piece of information, unless John gets there first.

Just suffice it to say that every once in awhile the air inside, wants out, and when it goes by the sore part....OUCH!!!

I have no fever, so I am sure it is just a flare up. My appetite is fine, but I am watching what I eat. I have had peritonitis before, and it is nothing like that pain was, so I think I will be fine.

I have spent most of today sleeping, I can not stay awake! I try to crochet, and my eyes close. ZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZZ You should see some of the stitches I did in my sleep. I had to laugh.

I think that Spring is finally here. It did not freeze last night, and the sun was out nice and warm today. The Moon is out bright and full, So when I took the trash out to the curb, I could actually see. If I felt better I would sit out on the deck and look up at the stars. I love a clear bright night. (Yes JimBob I know, the moon out full makes for lousy starwatching, but it is over the strait, and I would be looking towards the Cascades.)Unfortunately I am also afraid of the dark. I do not like to be out there alone. Now if someone was with me, I would be fine. I guess I am still afraid of the boogey man crawling out from under the deck and grabbing my ankles. I can thnak my dear Father for that. He thought it was funny to scare us when we were little.

Hope you all made it through all the nasty weather down SOuth. I need to catch up on my blogwalking. See you in the morning.

Bits and pieces..

I just spent the past 2 1/2 hours drinking in the morning. I woke up at 630 'cause little Miss Sadie had to go pee. I got up took her out, and it was frozen solid out there. 26 F and getting warmer. The sun was just about to peek over the horizon, and the sky was gorgeous. Mauve and Pink and Purple, with the Alder trees still in silhouette against it. I crawled back into my nice cozy bed and lay there watching the day get brighter. Soon the sun was peeking through the trees, around the trunks, and playing peek-a-boo with me. As I moved my head up, it went behind a tree, then when I moved it, the sun would pop out bright and orange and say BOO! We played this little game for a bit. I had not turned on the TV yet, and I just lay there listening.

As the sun went higher, I started hearing the fog horns down on the Strait hooting, and then the one on the Point at Fort Warden answered Toot! Then the one at Fort Flagler answered Boop, Boop! So all morning long it was HOOT, Toot, boop-boop. Then a pause of about 30 seconds, and then they would start all over again. You get so used to hearing them, that when you don't, it seems like something is missing. It is like a heart beat. Hoot, toot, boop-boop, Hoot, toot, boop-boop. It is so comforting.

AS I lay there, I rolled onto my tummy and rested my chin on the window sill, opened the window wider so I could hear the birds and the squirrels, and watched my breath billow out the window like mini-clouds. Ever tried to blow breath rings in the cold air? Ya oughta try it...but then I could never blow smoke rings like my sister could. (She would blow smoke rings, then stick her fingers through them and say "can't die a virgin")

I watched as the Juncos came to the feeder, with their little chippy calls, so cute. My Mom used to call them snow birds. Then the Chickadees with there chick-a-dee-dee-dee call. Soon the Northern flickers found the suet blocks and then the finches woke up and Mr. Robin Red-breast too. It was so comforting laying there with Sadie on my legs, chitters on my back, lint all cozied up to my side, Ethel in the window, and Loki down on the other side. All cozy and warm under the wonderful electric blanket.

Doesn't get much better than that!

I finally got out of bed, and came in to make a pot of coffee, and post. I stopped by the desk and grabbed my address book to look up a phone number, and out fell everything that over the past 35 years, I have stuffed into it. As I was picking everything up, I found this poem, that I had cut out many years ago, I have no clue where it came from, but I think it is from the inside of a book I was reading at the time. Maybe Nora Roberts, or Roseanne Bittner cant remember, but I know that when I read this, I absolutely felt that it said everything about where I belong. I have a note on it that I want it read when My ashes are scattered over the mountains.
(and hopefully no time soon!)


The Mountains rise to protect me,
To hold me fast.
They surround me like a fortress;
Their valleys and canyon floors cradle me.
Their bright colors comfort me, and
Their wildlife sings to me.
I belong here.
My soul comes from these mountains;
And someday, when death claims me,
I will become part of their glory---
Howling with the wolves,
Singing with the birds,
Smiling with the wildflowers.
I belong here.

BRRRRRRR....

Just when we thought the winter was just about over, an Arctic Clipper hit with us with a one-two punch!! The wind hit with a fury, knocking down trees, and power lines, and blowing down old barns, and scattering anything that was not tied down all over the place.

We had winds sustained at over 50 MPH in Oak Harbor, and the Olympic peninsula got hit even harder. Right behind that came the rain, and the snow and the COLD. Then it cleared up and the wind hit again, just as hard!

I got out of the playhouse last night around 900 and headed to the base to get gas, as I was running on fumes. I knew I was in trouble as I headed down the hill from the playhouse to the water, and looked across the marina and saw BLACK! Shoulda been all lit up! The Citgo Gas station Mini mart on Base is usually all lit, and shining over the water. Not last night.

When You approach a Base Gate, you are to turn your headlights down, and roll down your windows, and turn on your dome light so the sentrys can see inside. Well, I turned off my headlights, and could see NOTHING!! Soon there was a teeny tiny little flash light coming from the guard shack. SO I put the done light on and crawled up. Sure enough, I was told that all electricity on base was out, and they could not pump gas. AAAACCCKKKK!!!

I turned around,and headed to the Farm Store, where I was hoping the power was on. Not all of the city was out, and thank GOD it was still on at CENEX. I got out to get my gas, and the wind was whipping so hard that it slammed the gas door shut on the car. SO I had to stop everything and go back to the front and flip the lever again, so I could put the gas in. It was blowing so hard that my hair was blowing straight back from head, and it was so cold that my ears, nose and face turned NUMB, then my hands got so cold that I could not finish pumping the gas. It had to be a wind chill of 50 below zero! (ok JimBob, maybe not,) But it was COLD!! Just as I turned the corner on the highway to head home, the lights across the water along Scenic Heights Road went out. Totally black! It kinda gives you a funny feeling to look over where you normally see lights, and see nothing!

I get on home, fighting the wind the whole way, and made it to my house to see that the trash cans I had just filled, were blown across the street, and all of my old correspondence and bills, and trash were now papering the entire cul-de-sac!! So here I am at 1100 at night in a hurricane, and being pounded with frozen sleet, tip toeing around my neighbors houses and gathering up as much of my garbage as I could find without a flash light. I am toting the trash can, and hurting like hell, but I can not make a noise, as I know that I would wake up everyone, or get shot one or the other.

Finally at midnight, I gave up and came in and took a hot shower hoping to thaw my frost bitten hands. I crawled into bed, after rubbing Icy Hot or Ben Gay all over my back and hips and then relaxed. I just LOVE STORMS!! I really do!! They keep boredom at bay!

Once again I survived with no trees down on the house. WHEW!!

Pollyanna...childrens version.

One of the reasons I have been so sparce lately is that I have been helping out with the kids production of POLLYANNA. It is not my show, but my Firend Rusty was asked to take over directing it and she asked me (ok, I butted in!) to help with the show.




Kids are NOT my thing, because they really bug me when they continually butt in and ask all kinds of questions while I am trying to talk to someone. Drives me CRAZY!

These kids are CUTE!!! I sat through the shows (two different casts) to take candid pictures, and let me tell you, I wanted to giggle! If someone forgot their lines, their eyes got really big and panic took over, until one of the other kids would stage whisper the lines to them. FUNNY!!! And these are all tiny little kids playing adult roles. So Old TOm is sposed to be an old grouchy man and he is played by a 3' high 5 year old. But I mean to tell ya, THey know their lines! And dont stop them for anything, because they will start over and recitethemallatonceagainandnotstopforanything. LOLOLOLOLOL





It is really hard NOT to love working with them. and with only 1 exception they were all really good little kids, and hare having a ton of fun. I forgot how cute Kids plays were! If it has been a long time since you have been to one, do yourself a favor and go to a grade school play! It does your heart good!

He's BAAAAAAACCCKK!!!

This morning about 8:00, cat ran right over the top of me to get to the window in a hurry!! I woke up and said WHAT? There at the feeder was my first Rufous Hummingbird!! He was late!! The males show up first on their very long migration, followed by the females 2-3 weeks later, and then the juveniles a week or so later. They nest from April-July, then start their migration back to southern Mexico/Costa Rica.

I have one feeder up right now, but by next week they will have drained it and I will have to put up the other 6 feeders, and fill them daily, and some twice daily!!
They are hungry little buggers!! We only get two kinds, The Rufous and the Allen's, and the females are indistinguishable from each other. The males however are easy. The rufous has a rufous back and side, and a red irridescent head and throat. The Allen's is the same size and color except that he has a green back.

During the breeding period, there can be 8-10 birds flying around the feeders at a time. They are so much fun to watch. They are VERY territorial over their feeders, and while the males are fighting each other off, the females sneak in and eat their fill.

We are in the midst of another wind storm! The sun is out but the wind is coming in off the Strait/Sound/Inlet about 40 MPH! It is still a cold bitey wind too, and the weather just said possibly snow this weekend!

Damn it, the birds are back, It is supposed to be SPRING!!!! At least it will be in two more weeks.

I have a full days work ahead of me for the playhouse. I am doing the lobby wall for the kids' Show Pollyanna, and I have to get their Bio's and head shots printed out and arranged on the lobby wall for the patrons to read at intermission.
I screwed up taking the re-do's on head shots and forgot to change the setting on the camera so Now I have to get them all AGAIN!!!! Arrgghhh!! And tonight I have to go in to MY show The Caine Mutiny COurt Martial and measure the men for their uniforms. Dottie will be busy blocking the 2nd act so I said I would help her measure!

BUSY BUSY BUSY....

POST SCRIPT:

I just got this in an email and could not resist educating the rest of my readers! You all know I love to educate....

Manure: In the 16th and 17th centuries, everything had to be
transported by ship and it was also before commercial fertilizer's
invention, so large shipments of manure were common.

It was shipped dry, because in dry form it weighed a lot less than when
wet, but once water (at sea) hit it, it not only became heavier, but the
process of fermenta tion began again, of which a by product is methane
gas. As the stuff was stored below decks in bundles you can see what
could (and did) happen.

Methane began to build up below decks and the first time someone came
below at night with a lantern, BOOOOM!

Several ships were destroyed in this manner before it was determined
just what was happening.

After that, the bundles of manure were always stamped with the term
"Ship High In Transit" on them, which meant for the sailor s to stow it
high enough off the lower decks so that any water that came into the
hold would not touch this volatile cargo and start the production of
methane.

Thus evolved the term "S.H.I.T " , (Ship High In Transport) which has
come down through the centuries and is in use to this very day.

You probably did not know the true history of this word.

Saturday afternoon...

I was awake all night long with a spasm running down my left side, and to my knee! My back needed to pop, and just would not. I have a pinched sciatic nerve, and MAN it hurts when it wants to. Needless to say I did not get much sleep. I finally fell asleep around 615 and crawled out of ben around 830 when Sadie wanted out to pee. Then I stumbled back to bed, and slept until noon!! I dont like doing this, as I dont get to see much of the day that way.

Last night before I went to bed, I stood out on the back deck, looking at the alder trees. The sky was dark, no moon, but yet was putting out enough starlight I guess that the ALder trees were silouhetted against the dark background. I thought as I stood and looked at them that they looked like giant fish skeletons standing upright on their tails. you could see every branch and they were beautiful. THey are also starting to send out their catkins, which will mean pollen will start flying any day now.

I still have seen no Hummingbirds. ANd no Black headed grosbeaks yet. I did however have a young SEAGULL sit at the feeder and stare down at the peanuts in there. COcking his head and staring down with one eye down and one eye up. Seagulls have webbed feet, so it had to be hard for him to sit on the top of the deck post and perch there. I thought that was rather odd, as I am far enough up the hill away from the water that there is really no reason for him to want to come up there.

Right now the sun is out bright and warm, but the wind has a definate chill to it yet. I had planned to work in the front yard this weekend, but not with my back like it is. NOPE, dont need a chill to settle in back there and really give me fits.

On to other things now...ya'll have fun.

Where are my Hummers?

My Hummingbirds are late! For the past five years I have been keeping tab on when I first see the Hummingbirds at my feeder, and the latest they have been was 4 years ago when they arrived on the 2nd of March. I have had the feeder up for three weeks, because Blogeois said she had them buzzing around and Fran at Northwest notes said She had them in Seattle, so I figured they could be here any day.

I have had the flickers, and the woodpeckers eating the suet like mad, The finches are back in force, the House sparrows and the Red wing Blackbirds are back, but no Hummers!!

We have finally turned the corner to Spring. THe sun has been shining for the past two days, and it is finally warming up!! The Plum tree next door is busting out all over with blossoms, and the crocus are FINALLY coming up through all of the maple leaves that have blown over and covered them up. (hey Free Mulch, ok?)

I am heading over to the Skagit Valley next week and see if the Daffodil Fields have finally popped open. I need me a big big batch of daffodils sitting in my big blue vase on the dining room table!! That always makes me feel like spring has sprung.

What's it like in your neck of the woods?

And on to a lighter note...

I am helping out with the Children's program, Pollyanna, that opens next week. OHMIGAWD!! what a hoot!! The poor little kids are trying very hard, and they just are not ready. I sat through Cast A's rehearsal on Monday night, and "Aunt Polly" could not remember her lines. SHe kept freezing and looking over at the prompter. Meanwhile, there is this teeny tiny little person playing "Old Tom" that has her lines NAILED. unfortunately she says them in monotone and reallyfastcauseifyoustopmeiwillforgetwhatiwassupposedtosay! I laughed and laughed. They are so cute!!! Their costumes have to fit the Cast 1 also, so needless to say, they all fit rather loosely. And watching a 10 yr old try and walk in heels is hysterical! CLOMP CLOMP CLOMP TRIP!

My friend Rusty, got hoodwinked into taking over the show as the former Director was too busy to do it. Rusty is used to working with kids, but not with a show half done already. She will get there, but it is a long reach. I know they will forget their lines...They should have a prompter behind the curtain feeding lines to them. They are going to need it!

Our next Season presentation is The Caine Mutiny COurt Martial which is under way right now. I am producing that, and it is in the first week of rehearsal. This should be an easy one, as the set is simple, and the lighting is all the same except for scene blackouts. Piece of CAKE!! We have several military men playing the roles of the Lawyers, and the defendant and Queeg. It should be a sell out. I HOPE!!

I just finished DOnna's crocheted Bag, and it is really cute!! I may make one for myself!! I tried to post a picture but blogger says NO so I will have to get bloggerbot to do it.


donnas bag

Next on the Agenda is an afghan for Tim. And the picture for that is on it's way too. Then Bill (SIL) wants one too, and then Sherry (SIS IN LAW) wants one, so I will be busy for awhile. I am enjoying this. I did nto think I would, but I am. And then I am going to break out my Cross stitch and try to finish projects there.


Tim's

Meanwhile I am packing my bag to go drag Leslie to the Dr!! (that oughta get her moving huh?) ;)