All Things Nice . . .

 

 

(source)

In a world where you can be anything you want to be   . . .  be nice.  This is Saturday nice.  A few of the nice things in my life a the moment. 

 

Watching my sister with the resident chipmunk, Chippie.  It waits in the back yard and then scoots over to some siding which is stacked in the back yard.  My sister goes and gets some seed, and puts it on one end of the pile of siding.  Chippie comes out and runs down to the seed and actually sits there feeding while my sister is but a foot away and talking to her. Its amazing. 

My sister is the animal whisperer. All animals love her.  Seriously, if I get a pet I won't be introducing it to my sister, lol, just kidding.  Whenever we go to my dad's my father's cat is all over her.  I've even seen birds eat from her hand. She is like Cinderella or Snow White in that respect. 

The last few days have been dry and really mild. I've been able to have my bedroom window open and I have really enjoyed listening to the birds.  Such beautiful melodies. Blue Jays, Chickadees, Cardinals, Song Sparrows.  I can hear a woodpecker pecking trees in the distance.  It is all such beautiful music to my ears.  I had not realized that Chickadees have so many songs to sing. And I have finally solved the mystery to a certain bird sound that I have heard over and over again through the years but not known which bird it was.  It goes "Hoo" "Hoo" but in two distinct different chords. One higher and one lower. Its the Chickadee.  But oddly enough I used to hear it in the UK also, so it must have been the Tits, who I think are very similar to Chickadees, both in size and they way they fly, etc.

I know that they are not everyone's favorite bird.  The Starling.  When a flock of them descends on your feeders they can strip it in minutes and they are such greedy birds, but if you get one on its own they are fascinating.  I was watching one yesterday afternoon from my bedroom window.  It was making the most beautiful noises.  

It was in this tree out back that is kind of leaning over a bit.  There are a few bird houses in the tree. One hanging from a branch and a taller one nestled right next to the trunk of the tree almost on a branch.  

At first I thought this bird was exhibiting fledgling behavior. The way it was dancing on the branch next to this house.  And then it would go into the house and it was dragging stuff out and dropping it on the ground.

I looked it up on YouTube (what did we do before the Internet!) and it was a male starling.  Typically the males find the place for the females to nest and prepare it.  That fledgling dance and song it was exhibiting was its attempt to attract a female.  We will have to watch what happens next.

 

 

 

 

I went with my sister to her friend Jane's for a paint afternoon on Wednesday.  I did two small paintings.  This one I called a gaggle of Geese.

 

And I am sure you know who this is.  Waiting on the Master.  

Just silly little things that I could paint without having to put much skill into them. Not a lot of work involved. 

This Jane is a very colorful woman. Seriously.  She lives in an old farmhouse and her hair is three different colors. Purple, pink and turquoise.  She is a living piece of art.  She had two huge canvases she was working on and they were very colorful and beautiful as well.  Very bright.  She also does belly dancing.  She is married to a very distant cousin of ours.  My sister could tell you what the relation is.  But we all descended from Abel Beals.

That's the Valley for you.  If your family has been here for anything over 200 years, everyone is related to you in some way. I guess that is what is called having roots. 

 

I was watching a program on my laptop yesterday afternoon with John Catucci. Big Food Bucket List.  I saw the most delicious looking pizza. Detroit Style Pizza. 

 

This was the roti one with an Indian topping, mango chutney and a lime cream.  (I need to watch it again to get it just right.)  Now I am craving this pizza.

Also there were these Chicken & Waffle Cones which had pimento mac and cheese in them, plus a topping of fried chicken and fried chicken skin.  Me want. I am making myself hungry just thinking about it.

I have always enjoyed him in You Gotta Eat Here, but am also really enjoying this show as well.  And I love it when he goes to a place I have eaten at myself.  Its like vindicating my own good taste. 

And with that I best leave you with a thought for today . . . the sun has broken through the window and is shining right in my face.

A thought to carry with you . . . 

° * 。 • ˚ ˚ ˛ ˚ ˛ •
•。★★ 。* 。
° 。 ° ˛˚˛ * _Π_____*。*˚
˚ ˛ •˛•˚ */______/~＼。˚ ˚ ˛
˚ ˛ •˛• ˚ ｜ 田田 ｜門 ★
 *People will throw 

stones at you.

Don't throw them back.

Collect them all,

and build an empire.

~Unknown 

•。★★ 。* 。 

 

In The English Kitchen today  . . .  Special K Breakfast Muffins.  These are everything a good muffin should be.  Loved them.  Plus the recipe only makes six so not too many. 

I hope you have a lovely Saturday.  Don't forget! 

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And I do too!