Fall Update

I can't believe how quickly the time flies. Tomorrow is October 1...where did the first part of this year go? I guess I have done a lot this year. Earlier in the year took my folks down to Louisiana to see my brother and go to a family reunion. Then in late September went on a bus tour with 3 other girlfriends to a Cranberry Festival in Warrens, WI. We had a great time with the exception of me having a gall bladder attack (didn't know it at the time that was what was happening). So now I get the pleasure of having my gall bladder removed in the next few weeks.

Later in October I'm taking my folks down to Louisiana again. I'm looking forward to a restful week down there. As a rule we don't do a whole lot..but still have a great time. Then the next thing you know it's Thanksgiving...and then Christmas and before you know it....It's 2012!!!

We have had some awesome fall days around here with LOTS of sunshine. I love days like these. So I'm going to enjoy each one and soak up as much sunshine as I can...cuz I know what's around the corner. I'm not even going to mention it yet. But it's Iowa and we know what that means.

Well, not much of an update but it's something anyway.

Bird Sanctuary

I can't believe the different kinds of birds that have been showing up this spring at our feeders and suet feeder! Here are what I can remember:
red headed woodpecker

• red bellied woodpecker
• baltimore orioles (these just showed up this weekend)
• gold finches - male and female
• ladder back woodpeckers
• thrasher
• rose-breasted grosbeak
• indigo buntings
• bluebirds
• male and female cardinal
• nuthatches
• downy woodpeckers
• juncos

It's been so fun the past few weeks to watch the comings and goings of all the different birds. I really don't do anything super special. We have two hanging bird feeders and one suet feeder. I try to keep the bird bath full of water for them. But other than that...nothing fancy...just a good buffet I guess.

I will try to get some snapshots through the window if I can. It's been interesting to see which ones will be on the feeders at the same time. Some share much better than others.

Hurry up spring!

Our winter has not been as bad as last year..but never the less I am ready for spring. We've had some teaser days with today being one of them. I was out running errands at lunch time and had my car window down. What a treat to breath in fresh air.

Pretty uneventful winter at our house. Russ probably had the worst truck driving winter on record. It got to be funny (probably not so much to him), but where ever there was bad weather out east, that was usually where Russ was either headed, there, or trying to get out of. He got to Atlanta right before their ice storm and sat for 2 days. Got to Chicago in the middle of that blizzard. He was the only one that made it to the loading dock that day. All employees didn't make it. So he sat there for a couple of days. So needless to say he's had a rough winter and I've heard all about it. So I'm cheering for spring to make his driving days easier.

Had our annual scrapbook retreat at a Bed and Breakfast in Valley Junction the first weekend in February. We always have so much fun. We've lost a few of our regulars and gained one or two along the way. But there is always an abundance of laughs and good times. I worked on my Washington DC album and got over 30 pages done. Not quite done with all of them but have a night of cropping coming up this Friday, so will continue to work on the album then.

Planning on taking my folks to Louisiana again this spring. We are hoping to leave on Good Friday and get down there on Saturday. Then we can all celebrate Easter together. Mom's birthday is May 6, so we'll celebrate early while down there. The Albritton reunion is the last Saturday in April, so we'll go to that and then head home on Sunday. We'll stay with Dan while we are down there. It's always so nice to spend some time with him. They should be having nice weather by then..hopefully in the 70's.

Well, I'm sure we're all anxious for spring to arrive so we can see those fresh new flowers pop up out of the ground and watch the grass grow. I'm even missing my lawn mowing chore. I don't listen to my MP3 player much unless I'm mowing the yard, so I'll have to get it out and charged up and get my Glee music loaded onto it so I'm ready to go.

Since March is coming in like a lamb, I guess that means it is going to go out like a Lion. I hope that doesn't mean some kind of storm...especially not a snow storm.