I went into town and looked across the road by the bank of the river and the neighboring isle. Two hawks were in the air and alighting on the slivers of land. I really did not know what kind they were but they did not behave like the ubiquitous turkey hawk although they were about the same size. Their flight pattern was different. I hope to identify them in my hawk book.
“Sweetie” my golden retriever always likes having something in her mouth. She was outside gnawing on a large chunk of a branch. She brought it in the house and I put it outside. I did not want her to “mulch” it in making a big mess I would have to clean up.
I was coming home today and just to the right of me were, maybe, several hundred small blackbirds feeding on the ground separated from each other by several inches. Twice a year flocks of small blackbirds come through –the spring and fall. They must be migrating. These are a few quick “pictures”.
Tags: bird-watching, birds, blackbirds, dogs, Fall, flocks of small blackbirds, golden retriever, migrating birds, My golden retriever has to have something in her mouth all the time, pets, spring, Sweetie, The pair of hawks at the river, turkey hawk
Posted in animals, birds, knowledge&learning, local, nature, pets, seasons, time |
Tomorrow is Spring and it does not feel that way. I checked the ten day forecast–most of the next ten days are thirties and forties with only one day hitting fifty. It snowed a few inches yesterday and I checked the crocuses: one bud was peeking out of the snow. I know. Spring will finally come with the corresponding higher temperatures and then I will take the warmer weather for granted.
Tags: a crocus is peeking its head out of the snow, crocus, flowers, snow, spring, Spring snow, ten day forecast, warmer weather
Posted in flowers, local, nature, seasons, time |
I don’t see robins in my yard that often. Most of the grass was snow covered but there was a long V shaped bare spot with each end at least twenty-five feet long under that large white pine. Briefly there were five robins there hunting earth worms. It was unusual to see so many robins concentrated in such a small area. They simply did not have much area to hunt in. Most of the grass was snow covered. I never saw five robins in my yard at once. It was an unusual sight.
Tags: bird-watching, birds, earth worms, five robins in one spot, robins, snow covered grass, white pine tree
Posted in birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
How can you be “real” with your own “blood”–in this case my younger sister who does call me periodically? She called yesterday and I was extremely aware how superficial the conversation was. I asked my wife about that and her suggestion was to listen better. I think my sister has been on my blog periodically although she has never commented on one. In my blogs I write about my present concerns and observations. It is who I am. All she has to do is read it regularly. It is not that I am that prolific a writer. Most of the blogs are short. There is a reason I call my blog “Siggy’s Blurbs”.
I have another sister who I believe is stressed out with the responsibility of maintaining two households with almost no help from her husband. I could see why she might not have too much time although she is very prompt returning E Mails. There is part of me that resents that they won’t take the time to read my blogs. It is what is important to me at the time. I don’t know why it is so hard communicating with someone you have known your whole life. Maybe, there is just too much baggage accumulated over the years and it is very difficult breaking through that and truly being genuine with each other.
Tags: be "real", being genuine with me, family, I don't know why it is so hard communicating, my blog, my sisters and my blogs, my wife, One sister is preoccupied and stressed out, overcoming the "baggage" between my sisters, sisters, The other sister just retired, too much baggage
Posted in balance, life, love, mental health, relationships, time |
It was still white the view outside our kitchen window. I discovered yesterday that it did not snow in the adjoining county–just here. Our woods were still covered with snow although not all the land belonged to us. I do like looking at the white colored trees and ground. In three days spring will be here. It certainly does not feel that way. The forecast for tomorrow is snow and ice–the high for the day will be thirty two degrees. It is actually forecast to be warmer the next night than during the day–by two degrees. Meanwhile the daffodils continue to get taller awaiting the warmer weather as well as other plants like the tulips and lilies.
Tags: daffodils, flowers, lilies, prespring, snow, spring, the view from our back window, tulips, winter, woods
Posted in beauty, local, nature, seasons, time |
I am watching the snake ivy grow. There are three new leaves coming up from three separate stalks. One leaf particularly seem to grow so quickly that every day it seems to be a little bigger. This rapid growth seems to happen every year once a year. I enjoy watching my plants. The snake ivy is in my office where I watch TV and listen to music so I am there a lot. I just give the ivy plant a little attention. I give it a little water once a week when the soil is dry. That is all it needs. I have other plants in my office. They don’t grow as quickly. Right now I have my eyes on the ivy plant.
Tags: my office where I watch TV and listen to music, my plants in my office, plants, snake ivy, the ivy is growing quickly
Posted in local, nature, seasons, time |
‘With whom I can be what I want to be.’ This is a line from a song of a Ian Anderson album (“Benefit”–Jethro Tull). I understood this line perfectly. It is important what friends you surround yourself with: they can either bring you up or down. It is critical, also, whom you choose as your mate. He/she can help you be what you ought to be or get in the way. I could not do all the writing I do had it not been for my wife’s support. I would not have my web site (siggyscafe.com) or blog (siggyscafe.com/Blog) if it was not for her. No one can completely fulfill your needs but it is important to be around others as much as you can who support your most important endeavors. Another words, who let you be who you want to be. You will be happier in the long run.
Tags: "Benefit" album by Jethro Tull, be what I want to be, blog, fulfill your needs, fulfilling your mission, Ian Anderson, music, my wife, support from your mate, web site, writing, your friends, your mate
Posted in balance, life, local, love, marriage, mental health, relationships, time, your job/mission/profession |
Everything outside was white–the tree branches blanketed by snow. This will probably be the last time this year I will see this. This snow isn’t supposed to amount to anything. I checked the long range forecast–the next ten days. Thirties and forties will be the highs. It will get warmer after that. Next week is spring but we will not get spring-like weather for almost another two weeks. It will start to hit the fifties and later on the sixties. Spring will take its time getting here. Meanwhile the daffodils will continue to grow and then bloom despite the cold.
Tags: daffodils, everything outside was white, flowers, last snow of the winter, spring, the "spring" snow, the daffodils will continue to grow despite the cold and snow, winter
Posted in flowers, local, nature, seasons, time |
This is in praise of Bic pens. I don’t use expensive pens. I would only lose them. Bic pens are cheap. When one does not work, I simply throw it away. I just make sure the caps are on it when I put one in my pocket. I have ruined too many pants that way when they leaked. I store them all over my house. I don’t like being too far from a pen when the urge strikes to write so I keep my pens in strategic spots in my house. I get a little bit nervous when my supply of Bic pens dwindle. My wife, of course, thinks this is all ridiculous. And criticizes me when I feel compelled to replenish my supply in the nearest Office Max (or Wal Mart).
Tags: Bic pens, lots of pens, my wife, urge to write, Why I don't use expensive pens., writing
Posted in humor, local, marriage, money, time, your job/mission/profession |
I saw my first robin on someone’s lawn today–five days before the official entry of spring. A week ago I drove all over town looking for one–no luck. I will just record this for posterity. I did note the crocuses were completely open today. They will last awhile. The temperature has also risen slightly. We are occasionally getting days in the fifties. These are all signs spring is about to come.
Tags: bird-watching, birds, crocuses, crocuses are completely open, robin, spring, spring is around the corner, the first sighting of a robin
Posted in birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
I don’t know why having order of your possessions is so important. And of course your mate has a different idea what that means. We still have several hundred cassettes I don’t want or am not too interested in. I am happy they are hidden from sight in the garage. My wife considers them still valuable. To be fair to her we have gotten rid of some but cassettes are really dinosaurs. Almost no one wants them any longer. I have to admit I still use my cassette deck. Most of the time to play collections of music I put together. Someone I know has all his music stored somewhere on a hard drive. And he is not the only one. LP’s are also dinosaurs. They stopped making them in 1987 although vinyl is making a comeback. I still have, maybe, two thousand stored in my living room. As neatly and unobtrusively as I can.
Our living room has become neater. There used to be piles of papers and our books on the bookcases were doubled up–no longer so I don’t want to complain too much about this room. We have made progress in making it neater. Every couple’s idea of order is different. Some houses are less cluttered and some even look so clean you can eat off the floor. Cleanliness and order are two different discussions. They are not exactly the same thing. And cleanliness is, also, another issue you have to work out between couples. As order, usually each partner has a different idea what is acceptable. Somehow you have to find the middle ground.
Tags: bookcases, books, cassettes, cleanliness and order, clutter and order, collecting casettes and LP's, couples, LP's, making order in the house, music, my wife, the importance of order and cleanliness in the houseworking, vinyl records, your possessions
Posted in balance, beauty, knowledge&learning, life, local, marriage, music, relationships, time |
I now have my eyes open for the red-winged blackbirds when I pass that marsh. They return there every year and I keep my eyes open for them especially for the telltale red wings which could only be seen when they fly. I did pass a blackbird in that area. It was sitting in a tree and I did not get a good look at it. It would have color on its shoulder, which is harder to spot. I was not able to make a positive ID.
Tags: bird-watching, birds, blackbird, identifying red-winged blackbirds, marsh, red winged blackbirds, red wings, the color on their shoulders
Posted in birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
