miscellaneous

there are still four ducklings.  now that four have made it this far, i find myself anxiously searching for them each morning and am relieved to find all still present and accounted for.

there were four hummingbirds at the feeder at the same time yesterday.  perhaps what i thought was two has actually been four.  the hummers aren't particularly distinctive from one another.  for some reason it's thrilling to have four hummingbirds visit instead of just two.

it's almost time for the grandchildren to visit!  

get ready.....

wednesday is the first day of august; the very midpoint of the dog days of summer! do something fun that will keep you cool amid the heat of the dog days this whimsical wednesday.  will you stay cool by yourself or share the fun with others?    

an old tree, a special feature at the central park zoo.

thoughtful thursday

my sister posted the recipe for sugar bread (sugar sandwiches) on her blog.  reading that brought back memories.  in the summer my siblings and i played outside all day long.  we were extremely hungry by late afternoon, especially after swimming in our little pool and running through the sprinkler.  to tide us over until dinner, mom made sugar sandwiches.  (a sugar sandwich is a slice of white bread spread with butter and sugar is sprinkled on the butter.)  we thought sugar sandwiches were the best taste sensation ever.

the four of us sat huddled on the backyard porch steps in wet swimsuits, wrapped in towels, munching away on sugar sandwiches.  it's doubtful if sugar sandwiches would have the same appeal today. however, this childhood snack will remain an ever wonderful memory.

whimsical wednesday

it was bird watching day for whimsical wednesday!  and a great bird watching day it was!  from the house, that is.  with temperatures soaring above 105 degrees, the birds were observed throughout the day from different windows around the house. there were the usual visitors to the farm; cardinals, crows, hummingbirds, ducks (male, female, ducklings), gold finches, doves, wrens, sparrows, indigo buntings, eastern bluebirds, wild turkeys.  bird watching was eagerly awaited for whimsical wednesday as i was informed by a neighbor yesterday that she spotted the herons with young at my lake over the weekend (while i was away).  there was hope that the heron family would reveal themselves for bird watching day.  even with watching all day, no heron family in sight.  no matter for, like license plates, the search will continue beyond whimsical wednesday!

miscellaneous

several license plates were spotted during travel over the past week; washington (state), oregon, wyoming, california, arkansas, missouri, iowa, kentucky, tennessee, texas, tennessee, maine, virginia, florida, georgia, mississippi, alabama. so many but not the final three needed.  the search continues. 

the highlight of the visit to chicago was attending the performance(s) of the luna troop, sarah's dance company.  sunday's performance was also sarah's birthday. when the troop was taking their bow with sarah, they presented her with flowers, encircled her and sang happy birthday while skipping around her, holding hands.  it was very sweet.  it was, as always, wonderful.  and, as always, it was good to be able to attend.

upon returning home, mama duck was spied on the lake with her ducklings.  it was good to see that there are still ducklings, which have grown significantly.  along with the ducklings, there were a pair of turkeys in the yard.  and all the kitties.  it's fun to return home and find everyone happy to have me here again.

get ready...

it'll be bird watching day for whimsical wednesday. check back tomorrow for full details!

photo friday

thoughtful thursday

"When you do a thing, do it with all your might. Put your whole soul into it. Stamp it with your own personality. Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."
--Ralph Waldo Emerson

whimsical wednesday

it's share houseplants day this whimsical wednesday!  my neighbors are houseplant persons like me so they received cuttings and starts from several of the houseplant varieties that grace my home.  the neighbors were  surprised and pleased to have the houseplant fairy appear on their doorsteps this morning!

miscellaneous

the wee kittens are growing and so are the ducklings.  both are cute and fun to watch.  they are playful and curious.  the wee kittens come to me now when i am outside or call, "here, kitty kitty".  of course that call usually means food so i have no illusions that they are interested in ME!  giggle......   the ducklings won't be coming when i call.  that's better for them as being wary of humans keeps them safer against predators.  mama duck has had them to the area in the lawn where they are fed their gourmet corn, however, so they know where their meals come from.

the evenings bring deer to the backyard, looking for food.  as they munch corn scattered on the ground for the birds, the kitties stop what they are doing to watch the deer.  it is as if the deer are putting on a performance and the kitties are the audience.  and this happens every day!

the food in the finch feeders hasn't been eaten as quickly as usual so i wondered if they had moved to another location.  imagine my surprise, when i just happened to peek out the window, to find the gold finches    nibbling seeds from the cone flowers! they hang, sideways, onto the flower stems and reach up and over the blossoms to eat.  creatures are very resourceful in their quest for food.  like the deer i observed last evening pulling low hanging leaves off a tree.

rain would be more than welcomed to our drought stricken area.

get ready.....

let's share houseplants this whimsical wednesday.  when you give one away, perhaps you'll get one in exchange!

photo friday

another page from libby's sketchbook.

thoughtful thursday

that quiet voice inside nudges us to pay attention to something.  pay attention!

whimsical wednesday

whimsical wednesday encouraged participation in the "cheer up the lonely" day. for my activity, happy notes were made and then taken to one of the local nursing homes for distribution.  the happy notes were given to the receptionist, who thanked me and said staff would give the residents my offering.  yay!  cheer up the lonely.  what did you do for whimsical wednesday?

miscellaneous

wild turkeys are so large that even at a distance they can be seen as more than black dots on the landscape! over the weekend there was a flock of them in the cow pasture across the road.  a few of the males were in full feather.  that display, tail fans, always reminds me of thanksgiving turkey decorations that children create; often in multiple colors.

one of the ducks on the lake seemed to have disappeared.  she reappeared over the weekend with several ducklings in tow.  they were on the lake, beginning to learn how to be a duck.  they are so cute.  what is the most enjoyable to watch is when they traverse the entire circumference of the lakefollowing mama duck, as close to water's edge as possible. they swim, run along the bank, hop back into the water. how whimsical!

the tote bag i won for the duct tape challenge sponsored by craftin' with suz arrived in monday's mail!  yay! it will be perfect for the art journaling supplies.  i will be able to show off the tote at the august class.

happy anniversary

today is the whimsey project's second anniversary!  it's been two years filled with, what else, whimsey!

please post a comment and wish the whimsey project a happy anniversary!

get ready.....

wednesday is national "cheer up the lonely" day.  for whimsical wednesday, we will cheer up someone in whatever way is appropriate to the person and situation.  the possibilities are endless!

photo friday

a favorite page from libby's sketchbook we viewed at chicago's hyde park art center in may.

o

thoughtful thursday

Desiderata   by max ehrmann

Part 3

be yourself.  especially do not feign affection.  neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment, it is perennial as the grass.

take kindly the course of the years, gracefully surrendering the things of youth. nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune.  but do not distress yourself with imaginings.  many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness.

beyond a wholesome discipline, be gentle with yourself.  you are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here.  and whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. therefore be at peace with god, whatever you conceive him to be and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace in your soul. with all its shame, drudgery and broken dreams, it is still a beautiful world.

be cheerful.  strive to be happy.

whimsical wednesday

happy fourth of july!  it's not every whimsical wednesday that is also a major national holiday but when it occurs,  we add whimsey to the day's celebration.

because my fourth of july was going to be spent at home, quietly enjoying the day to myself, i didn't quite know what i wanted to do differently today.  after some thought about the fourth of july, i decided i wanted to play with sparklers! sparklers were the best part of the fourth of july celebrations of my youth. i hadn't twirled a sparkler in years.  dilemma!  how to acquire sparklers without actually having to leave home to get them?  bright idea!  ask the neighbor, whose 12 year old boy would certainly want to do fireworks, to secure a box of sparklers for me when they did their fireworks shopping.  it was agreed, for a pan of my much loved brownies, that sparklers would be delivered to my door before dark.

the brownies were almost completely cooled when the doorbell rang about 8:30pm. amazingly tasty brownies and the most astounding box of sparklers were exchanged!  after goodbyes and happy fourth of julys to you, i was alone with my sparklers. the box only contained four sparklers, however, the sparklers were at least three feet long!  and "easy" to light at that.  as the remaining daylight waned, i was outside with the lighter and the box of sparklers.  as i was about to light the first sparkler, the neighbor's first firework exploded in the sky!  spectacular!  after watching their display for a few minutes, i lit the sparkler and relived what was, for me, the magic of july fourth.  the sparkler dipped and twirled and the flashes danced about without much assistance from me.  that huge sparkler lasted at least five minutes!  after that much excitement with a single sparkler, i decided to save the rest to share with the grandchildren. the three of us will have sparkler fun during their summer visit to the farm in august!

happy fourth of july!  did you include whimsey in your festivities?

miscellaneous

yes!  it rained yesterday for the first time in a very long time.  it didn't last very long but it was rain and i was both relieved and grateful.  as i write, another storm seems to be brewing!  come, rain, come!  you are very welcome!

last whimsical wednesday's activity was to participate in craftin' with suz's duct tape challenge.  my project was to create and send a post card.  three days after putting it in the mail, i received an email from the recipient telling me a post card made of duct tape was discovered in their mailbox!  the exciting part of the project was that the post office actually processed and delivered a post card made of duct tape!

as with most artists, there is an abundance of art and craft supplies in my house!  an overabundance, actually, that seems to be pushing me passed the ability to create. determined to undo that condition, my creativity has been focused on sorting, paring and organizing.  it is often more difficult than attempting to create a piece!

when in need of a break from the task of paying attention to supplies, i have been practicing the new skills i am learning in the art journaling classes.  thus far, i am very pleased with my efforts.  some of my pages will most likely be posted on photo friday(s).

get ready.....

whimsical wednesday is also the fourth of july!  as you celebrate on the fourth, do something very whimsical; whatever that may be; by yourself or with others!