get ready.....

we are creating a happy flyer this whimsical wednesday.  the happy flyer can be whatever you want it to be in whatever form you wish.  make several copies and distribute them throughout the next several days; putting them on car windshields, on desks at the office or school, in grocery store carts.  be stealth so those who find your happy flyer will receive a surprise.

after several years of attempts to grow an avocado plant from a pit, success!

when life becomes filled with hectic distractions and hardship, the way is eased by caring people who come to the rescue.  my life is filled with many angels!  i am grateful.

it's plant something day for whimsical wednesday!  for me, there were two plantings; one indoors and one outdoors. inside:  the wee avocado pit, now with both root and sprout, was transplanted from the rooting medium to soil in a lovely flowerpot.  (if it continues to flourish, it will need to be replanted into a much larger pot!)  outside:  shasta daisy seeds were scattered in one of the smaller sections of the house foundation garden. daisies are one of my favorite flowers.  i am looking forward to watching them grow!  what did you plant this whimsical wednesday?

the baltimore oriole feeders are hanging in three separate trees around the house.
the strawberries are ripening.
the avocado pit not only produced roots but there's a wee sprout of a plant!
the flower beds are getting a thorough spring cleaning.  
the nesting wild turkey hen near the house has waif doggie barking nonstop!
the wee flowers' aroma on the bittersweet vines is lovely.
spring!

get ready.....

plant something green this whimsical wednesday!  be it a transplant, indoors or out, seeds, plant starts.  enjoy!

photo friday

the surprise of a spider web in the early morning grass!

thoughtful thursday

encounters along the way with others (or places/things) often reveal themselves to be unexpected and wonderful surprises; like the interior of the very plain, nondescript geode!  

whimsical wednesday!

happy national pet owner's day!  this whimsical wednesday's activity was all about pets and their owners.  here on the farm all the kitties got a special treat:  a dollop of whipped cream!  the doggie got a special treat:  a new chew toy!  and the new feeder for baltimore orioles was hung outside.  currently there are no baltimore orioles visiting, however, it is hoped that offering food will lure them.  (according to birding sources, baltimore orioles are due may first.  in order to attract them, a feeder filled with nectar should be in place at least a week prior.  i'm ready!).  did you do something special for national pet owner's day?

miscellaneous

the "gold" has returned to the gold finches.  they are so pretty.  several have been visiting the two finch feeders; counted eight (there are 12 feeding perches) at one feeding session.

the strawberry patch has received it's spring cleaning.  berries are ripening!  soon there will be berry munching!

the meadow has been shorn (it needs to be cut at least every other year to keep it healthy and the natural foliage fresh).  the bunnies and nesting hen turkey aren't very happy but the vegetation will return.  it disconcerts me as well since full, lush tall grasses and wildflowers are preferred to crew cut green.

before the meadow was cut, the dogs and i took a stroll.  for me the mission was to pick wildflowers.  for the dogs it was playtime.  the sweetest looking butterflies were spied resting on the yellow blossoms i was picking.  the butterflies were small and shaded with a subtle lavender gray color.  they reminded me of a seashell i once encountered.  

get ready.....

for whimsical wednesday we will participate in national pet owner's day!  have lots of fun with (and for) your pet.  if you don't have a pet, do something for homeless pets or make a "pet" of wildlife (birds?) by providing food!

photo friday

finished! 

thoughtful thursday

dad has the remarkable ability to stand amid clover, look down and find a four leafed clover! it's astonishing how effortless he manages to make this undertaking seem.  the last time he did this in my presence, he saw one after only a few minutes. a very short time later, he found another one!  others look and look and look and never find the seemingly rare stem of clover.  perhaps, sometimes, we look so hard we cannot see.  that is something to consider when we are engrossed in the urgency of seeking.  

whimsical wednesday!

today we created haiku poetry about spring.  my offering:


spring

the earth awakens
fresh, warm, new, joyous, alive
nature beckons me.

miscellaneous

just because, i dyed easter eggs.  a photo of the outcome of my easter playtime activity was posted on the blog easter sunday.  several were gifted.  the rest will become deviled eggs using my grandmother's recipe. yum!

a smile came when i noticed on easter sunday that all of the african violets in the house were in full bloom!

spring returned last last week with rain and cooler temperatures.  much improved. the first week of april is too  early for 90 degree weather.   it has been lovely to be outside in the fresh spring air amid all the nature that is the farm.

get ready.....

this whimsical wednesday we will write a poem in the form of HAIKU to celebrate spring!

haiku originated in japan and it's form is a bit different from the english form.  this is due to the differences in the languages.

haiku is typically about nature.

haiku doesn't rhyme.  instead it follows a pattern.

haiku pattern:
*line one:      five syllables
*line two:      seven syllables
*line three:    five syllables

haiku writing tips:
*write several words you like that describes nature/spring.
*select the words for the poem you most wish to use.
*count the syllables to ensure they will "fit" each line.
*write the haiku poem.
*one step further?  draw a picture to accompany the haiku poem.

(information about haiku poetry can be found on-line.  i did a search using the keywords "how to write a haiku poem".  the above information is from a few of these on-line sources.)

happy easter!

happy easter!

photo friday

the second amaryllis bloom unfurled as the first blossom faded.

thoughtful thursday

this was a day filled with a major problem that had to be solved.  most of the day was trying as i found myself on my own with the concern; it seemed that i was not being very helpful despite diligent effort.  part of the effort required spending time on-line.  at one point i found myself in a live on-line chat with a support technician. he was very helpful in assisting me and we worked through much of the problem. when we were finished, i thanked him with my sincere appreciation for how helpful he was.  he responded with the typical you are welcome but added a statement that made me smile.  he said, "i try to remember that the person on the other side is human just like me and i would want to be treated well myself."  oh, isn't that wonderful?  i wish (i told him this) that every interaction with every person, every day was predicated on that sentiment.  wouldn't it grand if we always remembered that the person on the other side is human? doing so would leave more energy for whimsey!

whimsical wednesday!

creating easter baskets from recycled materials was today's whimsical wednesday activity.  my baskets are comprised of plastic strawberry containers (made from recycled plastic) and shredded used paper bags.  before easter the baskets will be filled and shared.  photos to follow.....

miscellaneous

is it spring?  with temperatures in the high 80s and topping 90, it doesn't feel like spring at all!

having windows open to enjoy fresh air is lovely.

the hummingbird feeders have been up for almost a week now.  no hummer sightings as yet.

the first meadow flowers were picked over the weekend.  they grace the dining room table and are just as lovely as if they had come from a florist.

we found a four leaf clover!

get ready......

this whimsical wednesday we will make easter baskets out of recycled materials.  looking for and deciding what materials to use will be just as much fun as making the baskets!  i'm already thinking....