Saturday

 Lots of talk about the coming storm today.  We'll see how big and long.  It could be both.  

I spent a lot of time watching the birds this morning.  There were times when the feeders were full and then empty.  That was repeated many times all morning long. 

There were many Finch birds all morning long.  I would say they were the biggest groupie group. Mr. Carolina Wren showed up.  The Junco birds were doing their ground feeding as usual picking up after the other birds. 

            Three different blue birds were early birds this morning eating black sunflower seeds. They usually only eat suet. I wonder if the birds can sense there is a weather change coming.  Can they feel barometric pressures. There were robins, cardinals, nuthatches, chickadees, starlings, woodpeckers, sparrows added to those already mentioned.  I probably missed a few more.

This little critter got a big surprise when jumping from the ground to the bird bath.  This time the water was thawed, and he took a dunking with a huge splash.  On his other jumps he managed to hang on to the edge staying out of the water.  

I fixed two pinecones for the two squirrels.  Their mother is AWOL.  She forgot to teach them anything about sharing.  I think it's too late to start now.

Yum, Yum.  I'm beginning to think the only good thing about peanut butter and squirrels is that the peanut butter is an excellent seed holder. 

                    The whole succulent collection now takes up all three shelves.  I guess I'm done buying.                                There is no room at the inn. Oops...another story.  But there really is no room.

And as planned yesterday, succulents were on my mind. I received a check a couple of weeks ago, so it was off to the bank and then back to Habig's.  I retrieved some succulent soil, and 3 more small plants.

          Today's big addition.  Some new ones and some old ones.  I'll use all of them. After I took this         picture, the deer contribution was added. More about that later.  

The larger round pot a birthday gift from the neighbors was once filled with more plants.  They have moved to the larger long pot.  The two Jade plants now have the pot to themselves.  I must admit that I loved having my hands back in the soil.  It was wonderful. 

I found packets of Benary zinnia seeds at Habig's. Can you tell I'm thinking spring?  One has to buy them when one sees them.  I've saved seeds from last summer but this purchase is my insurance policy. 

Lunch came and went.  I asked Doug if he wanted to try the Y and it was a yes answer.  So off we went.  I spent 30 minutes on the treadmill with a slow walk and 15 minutes on the bike.  Doug was ready to go home.  I would have stayed longer.  I wonder how many Y folks listen to Bach as they walk or the B Minor Mass as they ride. I suspect I might not need two hands for the tally. One would do and the pointy finger might be only one needed for a count.

On the way home, we stopped at Aldi's just like everyone else.  When there is a diminished number of carts waiting for their quarter, you know what the store will look like.  We were not disappointed.  As usual the checkout folks were fast, so the wait wasn't long at all.  Other people were restocking the shelves as fast as they emptied.  That's Aldi's just before a snowstorm is predicted. And once again, we found a friend to visit with during the Aldi's wait.  

I checked one of the flowerbeds after arriving home and found hens and chicks pulled from the ground.  I suspect a deer had pulled them out with one big HEN chewed up.  And besides there were tracks in that bed.  Now that wasn't too hard to decide who the culprit was.  So, I brought the broken chick clump in and stuck the remains in among what I planted this morning.  That's my way of making a silk purse out of a sow's ear. The only thing I'll add is that they, the deer were here before us.  

All that activity led to football time in America.  Woo, woo.  There is both a big Saturday and Sunday for entertainment.  Before that happened, I watched a little of the Carter doings eating...yes...peanuts.  I visited the Carter Center with North's conformation kids years ago.  It's such a pleasant place with many good memories.  During one of our Georgia visits one summer, we drove to Plains just to see the town. That brought more memories.  

So, the day was a busy one.  Not overdone, just busy.  I'm feeling pretty good at least 90% or more of the time having a few added aches and pains now and then.  I think that's great.  I'm seeing an older lady in the mirror with sagging skin and thinning hair who puts her eyes and ears on the nightstand.  Her teeth stay in her mouth, thank goodness.  All of this was expected, some things resulting from the medication and some because she is getting old.  Life is good.  I am blessed and I'm excited about the coming storm knowing the brown season will be leaving for a little while. I saw Anna at the grocery today.  She's ready for snowman making.  That includes me as well. Now that's easier with wet snow.  Crossing my fingers.  All of them.