Today was a better day but still stressful. The overhead door guys came and my garage door is operational again. The poor barn swallows that used those few days to build their nest in the garage will have to find another spot. I go through this every year.
Then one of the turf companies showed up – after their receptionist was reluctant to even give them my request. When I say I have some spots in my yard that need reseeding, she thinks I mean a 20” x 30” spot – haha! No – the spots I’m talking about are as big as a lawn in town! A second company is coming to give me an estimate, too.
Then I needed to get groceries which is pretty discouraging – if the item is on the shelf, it’s much more expensive. And I’m not really complaining for the two of us – I can’t imagine how families are managing.
No dead rats today but….the 4 small poison cakes I left in the feed room last night were gone this morning and I put 4 more in there which were gone when I did chores tonight. I am mortified!
I’ve been just waiting to move this glass cabinet into the front room for my overflowing pincushion collection – I will take pictures as I unpack them and fill the shelves.
I do like that glass cabinet and the pincushions will look great in it. Four more poison cakes eaten. Those rats are reproducing🙀. Yikes.
W had a good speaker at Quilt Guild who loves flannel. Me, too😃
Get rested Mary, you do so much.
It is nice for a few days with rain tomorrow and 90* on Friday. Ugh.
My sister sprayed frabreeze on the wood above here door to the house last year. The barn swallows never came back to build.
Maybe plant native wildflowers in place of grass? Just an idea— we live in the country & are starting to replace lawn with prairie this year!
Can’t wait to see your pincushions!!!
I get birds building a nest in the grill every year. And their quick. They can have a nest built overnight!! Now the millers have invaded. Loretta will jump, catch, eat, then throw up. Yuck.
I can’t wait to see your pincushion in the cabinet. And I see you have 4 legged help too. Always good company.
I hated when my cat would catch the millers, eat them and then throw up. She would actually lay on her back in the middle of the room and then fly after the millers. Very hard on lamps, tables and stuff.
Betty in rapid city
Haha! Betty, I don’t even know what millers are but this made me laugh! Jan in MA
Jan,
They are like a moth, but not real big.
Mary, I went to Quilt Guild tonight, and once again (as always!) Was able to reset, be encouraged,, left rejuvenated. I truly empathize with your daily challenges. Find courage to take one by one,. We cannot eat an elephant in one gulp! Seek the company of those who sustain you, not drain you. Be well.
All your projects were accomplished—the garage door is fixed, the turf people showed up, you only had to get groceries for the 2 of you, and the rats are eating what you hope they’ll eat so they never come back to your buffet. I, too, don’t know how families are surviving these awful prices for food and almost everything else.
You are making progress. Grocery prices are awful but am grateful no one here needs to be on baby formula. Who would have ever guessed these companies would hold families hostage with their incompetence.
Mary I hope things will settle down a little for you. I know there is always something to do. Take time for yourself and read a book and have a beer.
I love Catherine’s prairie flowers idea. I helped my DIL establish a mini prairie when they set up house. All native flowers and very pretty. I wonder if Febreze deters all birds. Starlings are crazy by us. The robins aren’t far behind lol. And yes, Mary, everything is getting so expensive. It sure got expenive to take the weekly drive up to see my parents. I try to focus on how much I accomplished during the previous term. We’re prepping for hubby’s retirement in a few years and I’m just praying the gains we made aren’t canceled out by all these high prices. I do Not want to ever be a burden on my kids. Sometimes I have to force myself to Be Still!
My younger sister wanted to live out in the country, raise cows and chickens. Soon her barn became a drop off for stray cats and that upset her. She never knew what to expect daily when she returned home from work after seeing foxes running from her property. It bothered her with the coyotes at night when taking the dog out and she said the same words as you “ I can’t take this wildlife anymore” losing animals just as you commented in your last post. Needless to say it’s just her and her dog now as it was too overwhelming as she aged. It’s better for her to support the local Gardeners for her produce, she feels as her body isn’t as strong. But she tried exploring a new lifestyle to her and realized there were too many aspects sad to her. I am all for do what you can. But listen to your body and head too. You will find that happy medium getting things checked off your spring chore list.
Hi Kathy. Did you see Jeopardy last night? The question was name a country that is within a state. The answer was Cuba! I’ll bet there were some exited people in Cuba, NY. I saw the Bills players at the Tops in Buffalo. Nice of them.
Oh I missed that episode Diane, but would have known that answer too! Wasn’t that something seeing all the Bills players walking with bouquets of flowers to lay in front of the 10 white doves displays? And then hugging the folks and serving them food. The Sabres hockey team did too as it’s such a tight knit town as you know. We shop at the Tops in our village and hang around talking to people every time so I feel their pain thinking of the horror. Old folks did not deserve to lose their lives this way. It all makes me sick.
Kathy – the shooting at the grocery store was too much to imagine! I missed Jeopardy but it sounds like a lovely tribute.
Everyone is trying to help that community heal and stay strong together. It’s been sad to hear the victims stories of their dedication to others. Many were far more active than I ever will be at their ages and now gone by an automatic weapon pointed at them in America.
I like Catherine’s idea of making the bare spots in the lawn a prairie garden. We are having trouble with our lawn in the front yard, lots of bare spots and lots of weed growth. I’m thinking of making it an herb garden! I actually went to our local historic sites (The Parson Capon House in Topsfield and the Whipple House in Ipswich) to see how their herb gardens are set up. I hope I can convince my husband that something like this would work instead of fighting those weeds and bare ground. And Pat Smith, thank you for reminding us to be looking on the bright side of things! It’s hard when gas prices are through the roof and food prices are so high though, I admit. And I agree with you Carla, hopefully by the time your husband retires things will be better – it can’t get much worse! (I pray!) Beautiful weather here this week! Jan in MA
Your porch is coming together! I know you like to sew out there in the summer. I imagine a good cup of coffee in the morning quiet!
We have Miller moths here again, too. I hope they aren’t overwhelming this year!!
EEEK those rats. I’m not sure what the rat poison cakes look like but are you able to break them into two or 4 pieces? It would be interesting to see if you put out 8 small pieces, are all 8 gone the next time? I agree with everyone on the Miller Moths, I hate them, especially in the house. You try to kill them and end up with a splotch on the wall : (
A whole new list of chores come up in the spring but, I’m glad Spring finally came to Northern Wisconsin. Whole new set of bugs too😁! I took a Peace Pole class last week. I’m still working on finishing mine. I’m not an artist but, I found out you don’t have to be. Fun class.
Connie R – what’s a peace pole?
It’s a 4×4” post that you paint with sayings.Originally it started off with the word “PEACE “ in several languages but now, you can paint whatever saying or decoration you want. On mine I have Peace, Say a prayer, Be Kind, Today is a Gift. I still want to add flowers and bees. Pinterest shows hundreds of them. The more colorful the better. For the class we used 4×4 plastic pvc square pipe so that the are light.
Connie, my DIL has had one in her dining room that is a wooden post and very colorful. Always admired them as popular around here several years ago. Never have seen the pvc pipe so would be lightweight than hers standing up on the floor. I am glad you can express what you want on yours by taking the class.
Bonny,
I love your comment, “Seek the company of those who sustain you, not drain you.” I have been feeling this way for awhile; the pandemic isolation started me on this path. At first, I thought I was becoming very introverted, but I am just being selective. Thanks for clarifying.
Telly looks very relaxed. I have another mouse in my house. I should know if there is one there will be more! Our quilt guild had a fun class today on making crumb quilts. Those who attended made some very creative pieces. It’s a great way to use up scraps. I had a red-headed woodpecker at the oriole feeder enjoying the grape jelly.