Are All The Birds Crazy?

Or is it just the ones in Texas? We have this phenomenon here that occurs every night about sunset. The trees are filled with birds that seem to come alive all at once. It looks like something from that long ago Alfred Hitchcock movie that scared the crap out of all of us. I have heard it from a lot of people who visit Texas. I know I have seen it in Austin, and in Dallas. I am pretty observant when I travel, especially about the birds, but I don't recall having ever seen it in other places, to this extent. If I'm wrong, please tell me, does it happen where you live?
At 6:52 beautiful sunset


At 6:54 crazy birds

These photos are a bit blurry. I am constantly trying to get good "bird on a wire" photos. I'm not always prepared, and those birds move fast.

01-01-11 Another New Beginning

My first post of the new year. How cool is this date? I love new beginnings, winding up the clock and starting over with the same numbers, but falling on a different day. Simply because of my love of all things paper, I also love fondling the new calendar and choosing the one that goes on the wall, the one that goes inside the kitchen cabinet door, the date book for appointments, the journal to alter, I guess that's about it. I know most people keep track of it all online, on their computer or hand-held. Well, what can I say, I still love the paper one. Even if I ever do start keeping an electronic calendar, I will still have to have a nice Cavallini calendar to hang on the wall. But here it is the first day of the year, and I haven't chosen any!! By this time I have usually bought 3 or 4. Mister bought a cow one from Chick-fil-A, it has free food coupons every month. I guess I will have to use it if I need to look at one in the next few days. I may have to buy a $1.00 one at Michaels if I get over there today.

Resolutions? NO, I don't make 'em. It dawned on me years ago that most peoples, mine included, were the same every year. Lose weight, be more organized, quit this or that habit, save money, etc. etc. Whatever it was, it was gone in a few weeks or months, and you were left with a feeling of failure. Yes, I do set goals, which I choose to think are different. I can look back on the goals I set for myself last year, and some I did okay on, some could have been better. But no guilt or feeling of failure has crossed my mind, yet. Well, the day is young...also it may be a result of the new Anti-depressant!!! LOL I gave up awhile ago on thinking I could function without one, so I have accepted the miracles of modern pharmaceuticals as something I may always have to rely on. Anyone who suffers from the evils of melancholy knows exactly what I am talking about. So, on with it I say. Today is a good day, and I expect tomorrow to be the same.


Did we really buy all this STUFF to leave out for SANTA? I think not!

Fortunately, most of it is gone, with the help of a friend or two. We've been eating the Rio Grande Valley grapefuit we were gifted with...TWO boxes. So we are combatting the sugar rush with plenty of natural sugar and some Vitamin C.

Happy New Year to everyone, no matter how you spend the day. Did you watch the Rose Parade? How about a ton of football? I can only handle about one game a day. Will probably watch the Rose Bowl with hubby later. My sewing machine is still out, so I may sew some more of those goofy little garlands. Have a grand day/week-end.

Merry Christmas!

Well, everything that needed to be done has been done. Very simple Christmas around here this year. No travel, no company, just me and the Hub. A friend or two dropping in for a bite to eat or football watching. Lots of snacks and a little baking. I feel more relaxed than I can stand. I have been focused about 95% on Physical Therapy and just taking care of myself. Everything else has taken a back seat. Besides making a lot more rosettes, big and small, I've become addicted to sewing yards and yards of paper garlands, and hanging them everywhere. I've delivered both rosettes and garlands to the gals at Starbucks, the mail lady, the physical therapists, etc. I can't stop making them! And everyone thinks I'm so clever. LOL At least I'm doing something crafty and no pressure or deadlines. So I DO feel pretty clever!
This rosette is 6" in diameter.




Oh, and here is the card I would have sent some of you, if I'd actually gotten around to mailing cards. So I guess I have my cards for next year, if I can manage to pack them away in a place I can find them when the time is right. I totally fell for these Anna Griffin cards, they are all the colors I'm enjoying right now, silver, grey and sparkly. Plus add "deers" to anything and I am hooked.


Very best wishes to everyone, no matter what or how you celebrate.

It's Beginning To Look Like Christmas

Even though I love decorating for Christmas, it seems like I do less and less each year. I still enjoy getting out all the decorations and looking at them and remembering where and when we got them, etc. The whole memory lane thing. I just don't seem to have the energy to decorate the entire house like I used to. When there's only the two of us living here, and not a lot of entertaining, I do as little as I can get away with. Hubby wants to haul it ALL out and really deck the halls for just the two of us, so he does a lot of the work. Especially this year, with my shoulder surgery and continued rehab. After getting the tree up, I do feel more like getting into the spirit, so will probably still be putting stuff up for the next week or so.

Trees are really hard to photograph. I think my tree is much more beautiful in person. Using a flash totally washes it out, without flash it's blurry. I had to settle...just couldn't get it right. Hopefully I can get some better photos later.

Papier Mache' deer are about 30 years old.

Hubby and I buy at least one new ornament each year. We like acorns. Some years we buy a pear, some years a bird. The acorn is in the upper left corner, kind of hard to see. It is pretty large though.


Dear Sweet Hubby played golf all day yesterday, with the promise he would hang lights today. Of course it was cold both days, so here he is, getting started, 38 degrees and windy. He did the front yard today and will work on the back yard tomorrow.


I spent a big part of today making these Tim Holtz rosettes. They are NOT as easy as he makes them look. One needs 3 hands to hold and glue them. The perforations that you fold on are very easily torn apart. I am glad I don't have to make a living assembling these little things. Also, glad I have decided I won't be making enough for a garland! If I were, I'd have had to start in July!


We had a great Sunday, just hanging out together, doing stuff, went out for coffee and a newspaper. Weather forecast says we will get into the low 30's tonight.

Did Your Grandma Make Mincemeat?

Hubby and I are happily spending Thanksgiving alone, just the two of us. Like we have for the past few years. Both our families are in parts of the country where snow is flying right now. Fourteen degrees today where my parents are in Idaho, and they expect ice and snow in Portland tomorrow. It was 31 just a bit ago when HUB spoke to his Mom. My Sis texted me awhile ago, that it was snowing and blowing with ice already everywhere. We had 80+ here today, but expecting a cold front to blow down from up North tomorrow. We are supposed to see the 50's. Ah...Thanksgiving in Texas.

Not much cooking, we got our smoked turkey and Brisket from the B-B-Q joint just up the road. Also a double load of the dreaded Green Bean Casserole. Ugh We usually make a few desserts(weakness for both of us) and this year HUB requested Mince Meat Empanadas. So I had to run out to the store this morning in search of the stuff since I hadn't found it yet. Needless to say, the store was a madhouse, with gridlock in every aisle, especially the baking aisle. So everyone was calling out what they were searching for. I said "Anybody seen MINCEMEAT?" Well, at least 5 young people said, "I don't even know what that IS". The only peeps who knew were the old ones like me. Had to flag down an employee and even he didn't know where it was except he thought they got some in. We finally found it, and it was waaay more expensive than I thought it would be..but after all that I got it anyway. So he will get his empanadas. Anyhow, when I was a kid my Grandma made her own canned mincemeat, mainly for my Dad, it was his favorite. I wouldn't touch the stuff because it had MEAT in it. This new stuff may have some beef broth or something like that in it. It won't matter anyhow, since I still won't be eating any. So, I wonder if anybody's Granny makes mincemeat in this day and age. I seriously doubt it.

Here's my favorite vignette from the B-B-Q place.


Happy Thanksgiving! We are going to a movie tomorrow at noon, then Texas football tomorrow night, and a nice long week-end of football, more football.

One Month Since My Surgery

I can't believe it has been a whole month since my surgery. I've been in a slow-motion time warp. The biggest part of the day is spent doing exercises, then having to take a nap. Since I'm now down to two days a week at PT, I really have to focus on making sure I get all the exercises in at home. Emily(my therapist) showed hubby some things that he can do at home to help me....the massage part in particular. Although he doesn't do it quite like she does, it does help. I'm starting to get impatient with how long this recovery is taking. I've missed a lot of events and doing things I really want to do because I just don't have any energy. The weather is starting to cool off and I want to be out doing things. But if I do, I get so tired that I can't enjoy myself.

A friend of Hubbys gave us football tickets for tonight, and I would have liked to go, but I knew that I would be worn out just getting there, then hubby would worry about me. So I sent him off to the game and I will stay home and veg. on the sofa. Well, I may watch a bit of the game, and I did muster up the strength to make me a snack. Here it is, one of my favorite things. Crispbread with smoked turkey, Havarti with dill, and an ice cold beer. So I have that waiting for me as soon as I do a few more exercises!

Fall is Finally Here

41 Degrees This Morning! Yay! Slept with the window open last night and an extra comforter on the bed. I always feel better as soon as the cool weather arrives. I drove myself to Physical Therapy for the first time this morning. It was a little uncomfortable, but I have soooo much more movement than I had just last week. It seems to be improving a bit each day. After PT I went to Starbucks and Target. Guess what, all the Christmas "stuff" is up, out, and all over the place. Well, it is just around the corner after all. No new Christmas stuff for me, there is not a thing I want nor need for decorations...so these darn retailers better not be trying to tempt me with those little paper mache' forest creatures that I have been seeing in all the catalogs!
Oh, but I do love looking at all the new scarves, hats, and fall accessories. I have wanted some of those fingerless gloves for quite some time. They have them in many styles and colors. I succumbed to buying something that wasn't even ON SALE...and got these cute arm-warmers! I'm not quite sure what the point is, they are just cute, and maybe I really liked the way they look with my new nail polish.