Take Three Thursday - Easter Colours

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in.     

What have you noticed this week? 

It's Easter weekend & what could be more fitting than to celebrate renewal with flowers & plants showing off their coats of many colours.

I really like the Easter Lily but cannot have them at home because everything about them are poisonous to cats.  I wanted to have one on my desk at work but the scent is far too strong for many of the patients.  Thankfully we have them as part of the display at church.

In this part of the world,  hydrangea at Easter at the second most common plant/flower.  The blue were my Mother's favourite.

Of course at this time of year are the multi coloured primroses, not hardy in the outside in our part of the world.  Such a cheerful lot.   

Wishing everyone all the blessings of the Easter season.  Good Friday is a holiday for us but other than schools & government run offices, Monday is not. 

Me On A Monday - April 15th

Tulips in my garden pushing through which gives rise to hope ...

I had such a wonderful moment last week.  The library called to say there was a book in for me - yeah.  When I got there to pick up the book, The Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes, I thought oh, OK, I don't remember requesting, but a need a read ... when I said to the lovely young librarian that I didn't remember requesting, she said "oh you didn't, I knew how much you liked the author's first book, The Keeper of Lost Things, so when I saw that she had a new book, I put you on the wait list."  How cool is that - they know me, they look after me at my library.  I am forever grateful for this kindness.  Wisdom of Sally Red Shoes has taken a few chapters to really get into, but I have now embraced the main character & her friends.

I also picked up a book I had requested, The Minimalist Home by Joshua Becker.  I read about 4 chapters & then got out of bed & started to de-clutter a table top 4 drawer bin of scrapping stuff.  Three of those drawers are now empty.  Next day I tackled the big 6 drawer storage bin - I cleared out two drawers before I started the "well maybe I'll keep, I may need"  When I hear myself say that, I know I'm done for that moment of de-cluttering & sorting.  I think my time limit is about 15-20 minutes of really productive sorting, after that I then start bargaining with myself. In the next couple of weeks I will tackle my closets - yes I said the plural, I have more than one & in there may lie the problem.  Mind you living in a 4 season multi climate place, it does require major differences in wardrobe needs & hence a need for multiply closets - there justified - BUT - they still need de-cluttering & sorting.

I made these cards at the last Sunday card workshop.  I now stamp all envelopes in the belief that there should be no naked envelopes going out into the postage system.

It's a go for starting the Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt May 1st.  I'll post the list before the end of this month.  I hope everyone joins in for the fun.  

Take Three Thursday - Patience Sees Red

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take 1 - 3 photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in.    What have you noticed this week? 

See what others have noticed this week:
Melissa at Daily Life - Bits & Pieces
Karen at Random Reflections

This week I have been most fortunate that my patience has paid off.  The very nervous male cardinal that visits my garden & feeder, finally has enough confidence in me not to fly too far if I'm in the garden.  Earlier this week I saw him in the garden, I quickly crept outside with camera & stood very still for the longest time so that he would return to the feeder.  


He first landed at the bottom of the garden on the fence & he sang a little. I thought oh aren't you gorgeous, but not a muscle moved nor a sound did I make.  

He bravely then landed on one of the big rocks, OK this is going well, be still be still.  

Next he flew the closest he has ever been while I'm in the garden - to the ground below the feeder.  I just about squealed with joy.  He enjoyed some of the past their sell by date cranberries I had thrown out earlier along with the nuts & seed of the blend I buy.  

Such a magnificent bird with one of the most beautiful songs.

 It is true, small joys are every where, we just have to be open to see them.
 

Me On A Monday - April 8th

I'm starting out the week with a question for everyone.  Summer Photo Scavenger Hunt (SPSH) - how is everyone feeling about having one?  I have a list ready to go.  Shall we start May & finish end of September?  I suggest May start because I've been reading that many of you have vacation/trips/holiday plans & what better time to find items as when exploring somewhere new.  It's a list with some easy, some put your thinking cap on & some with a bit of a challenge.  Your thoughts please?

I was catching up on FaceBook Posts & saw that congratulations are in order to Sian, formally of High In The Sky blog & originator of Me on Monday posts; she & her friend Linda have opened a yarn shop called Jolly Yarn.  Good luck, well done & yeah for you Sian!

April's Angel Thought is Freedom.   

Hope everyone has a wonderful week ahead of them & remember this is your Monday reminder that You are amazing & can handle anything.

Take Three Thursday - The Destroyers Have Come Home To Roost

In an effort to notice more of the ordinary in my life, I have decided to share what I have noticed this week in Take Three Thursday.   The idea is to take 1 - 3 photos that are linked some how; by theme, by colour, by date, by moment,  by points of view. There is no formal link in but please feel free to join in.    What have you noticed this week? 

See what others have noticed this week:
Melissa at Daily Life - Bits & Pieces
Karen at Random Reflections

This week what I've noticed is the destruction of two well built squirrel satellite nests.  Black squirrel(s) build several food storage nests; satellite nests, near but not in the same tree as their primary home nests.  We had two food nests in our trees.  All through winter's storms, these two nests stood up to what ever Mother Nature threw at them, but this week  neither Bob the builder squirrel(s) or Mother Nature took into account The Destroyers; Conan Grackle & Conan Blue Jay.  Both of these birds have taken turns in destroying the food nests, looking for food for themselves.  The materials for the nests, leaves, twigs were falling like rain.  Now, in a matter of a few hours,  there is nothing left of either of these food nests.  Nature is a harsh master.

The builder or as we call him "Bob"

T

 The food nests

The destroyers - Mr Man has named them both Conan

 Some of the fallout of the nest destruction

I know that this is all common in the animal world but it still makes me feel sad for the squirrels as they are now preparing for the arrival of the babies & food is still not plentiful in nature's buffet.  I guess it's time to throw out some more peanuts and/or fruit gone off a little too much.

Me On A Monday April 1st Is No Joke

Happy April 1st - I say welcome to a new month rich with promise & opportunity.

Source: Internet

This is what we woke up to Sunday morning:

I guess for us March truly went out like a lion

Before the Sunday snow from earlier last week, look who's back.  Front Chippy

Reading more of Louise Penny's murder mysteries in Three Pines ... it is starting to remind me very much of Midsomer - it's a wonder anyone is left alive!  I am trying to read in order; Book 2 Dead Cold & Book 3 The Cruellist Month.  I think I will take a little break from murder ... something a little more cheerful before I begin Book 4 The Murder Stone.



 The WPSH link in:  A Bracelet of Days  Do have a peek to see what everyone has found.

As the newly fallen snow melts, I will continue to remind myself
"No winter lasts forever; no spring skips its turn & April is a promise that May is bound to keep"

WPSH - My Final Enteries

Thank you to Eileen at A Bracelet of Days for organizing & hosting the Winter Photo Scavenger Hunt. Eileen will have the link in for  everyone, tomorrow, April 1st.  A Bracelet of Days

In the end I did get all the finds for the list - some I really like, some I'm just OK with, but that's the point, it was fun, it was interesting, it was challenging, some things need a think outside the box so to speak - all the things a scavenger hunt should be, in my opinion.

This is my entries for the 2018/2019 Winter SPH

1. At the end of the day - a week ago the flooding across the farmer's field

2. Pool of light - a wax pool of light - my annual New Year's Eve burning of the previous year, in candle light

3. Fastener - during the winter all the fire hydrants are fastened with tall orange markers so the fire department can find in the snow drifts.

4. Nail - one of my fur girls with her nails out!

5. A group activity - the entire village comes out for the Christmas Farmer's Parade of Lights

6. Water dispenser - for those that cannot get to the store before it closes, a through the wall water dispenser.

7. Horse - a new Christmas ornament for the horse tree

8. Chocolate - Christmas treat

9. Peel/peeling - originally to enhance, stone stuck on plain cement steps, peeling/falling off & now very dangerous

10. Holly -fake as the only live holly bush in the neighbourhood is buried under 2 feet of snow

11. Dressed for the season - shrubs get dressed for season to protect the drying winter winds & salt spray from the roads

12. Glitter - Mr Man's Christmas card, I made for him

13. An instruction - this still annoys & makes me laugh at the same time - "shooting children" isn't the best translation

14. A crossing place - the crosswalk marks along with the "braille" crossing indications.

15. Flight - The stamp, paper & diecuts from a recent workshop entitled "take flight"

16. A measurement - a total of 7 tapes found in the junk drawer clean out

17. Orange - nothing more to be said

18. A natural feature - the river through our village

19. A carved object - A Nativity Set

20. A method of communication - how the community is notified of upcoming workshops & events "The Community Board" at the library

Alt A. A keyring  - it's a hologram cat face

Alt B. Show and tell - something you made -bookmarks with a set of new to me diecuts

And that is as they say, a wrap ...