Got stress??

From two sweet friends, who thought I was feeling a wee bit
of stress this week... (Thanks F and K!)

Who knew you could do it virtually?

Enjoy yourself!

And if you are really feeling stressed, hit the "manic" mode and zoom your mouse around.

Have fun!

The Mrs. arrives!

I looked out the window yesterday afternoon and saw her!
Welcome back to Chickadee Mrs. Rose-breasted Grosbeak!
Hubby can't be too far behind.
We got a glimpse of an Indigo Bunting yesterday
but have not seen him back at the feeders yet.
Yay!!
I love that it takes so little to excite me.

Is it just me???

Seriously. Do I look like a suspicious character or something? Here are two of the ridiculous word verification thingies I got just yesterday. Now, I am normally an intelligent person, but don't you think this is a bit much to decipher, especially by the thirtith blog read? Is Blogger running out of letter combos? Who dropped some acid and created these? And yes, I got them both wrong on the first attempt.... of course, they were much smaller than this... ahem...!

**Update: I am going to disable my word verification for now and see how it goes. I know most people hate this extra step to comment, and maybe Blogger will fix this issue to make it simpler. If you have ever been hijacked by unwanted and sometimes very inappropriate spam in your comments, you know how that feels, and it's even more annoying than taking that extra step. Like I said, we'll see how it goes. :c)

The journey back

Back in March, I wrote about my experience of going back to my home church after two long years away. It's been so good to be back there, and though the first few weeks always ended in tears for me, I knew it was so needed. I've held in so many hurt feeling and emotions when it came to my spiritual life, and what I was missing. Weeks went by, and it seemed as if I had not been gone at all.

On April 13th, the church held a pivotal meeting, and I am pleased to say that the parish hall was packed out. There was not an empty seat at any of the tables set up with a family style served meal. The goal of the meeting, led by the new priest-in-charge, was to look back at where we'd been as a parish. They put up long sheets of paper on the back wall with the names of all the priests who'd been there since 1961, and we all signed on the paper under the priest's name who was there when we joined the parish. Then, two questions were discussed with the people who were there under that priest: What were the pivotal events in the church at that time and what, if any, conflicts existed? It was so interesting, not only to know that there are people still there from those early days, but to hear about the leadership and styles of each of the priests who led the parish. A clear trend emerged. The parish seemed to go from priests who were more "academic" and low key in leadership, to those who were "back door" priests (meaning they were very extroverted and social) and were dynamic leaders. It was an interesting flux. And, the consensus was that those who were too low key became a problem, and yet the "I'll do everything" priests were as well. Never a happy medium.

One of the things the priest-in-charge brought to the forefront is the role of the parish in accepting responsibility for the dysfunction. Also, he made the point that in most cases, just as in a marriage, there are unresolved issues, which get passed on to the next priest, consciously or unconsciously. When we got to the discussion about our most recent dysfunctional and depressed priest, raw emotion flowed. There was so much hurt and anger voiced. I think everyone was able to say how they felt about the 12 years he was there. I stood and cried as I told them all that I never thought I would walk away from there, but that I could no longer be spiritually fed by him, and that I wanted to thank them all for the warm welcome back home. Many tears flowed.

At the end of the exercise, which started at 11:45 and did not end until almost 3:30, we all were handed pieces of paper. We were told to think about all that had been discussed during this time, and to come up with one thing each of us needed to release in order to move forward as a healthier parish. We all wrote down our main pain or issue that needed to be released, and then met out in the courtyard. A prayer for resurrection was said, as each person put their "issue" in a pot, and then they were lit on fire. We stood in silence around the circle as we watched our pain and past go up in smoke. It was powerful and cathartic. There were more tears. It's all a part of our journey back to health as a church. Thanks be to God.

Opening to the sun

Each morning, I see them.
Tightly closed, asleep.
Waiting patiently
for the light and the warmth.
Hoping it comes
so they can slowly open
and show the world their beauty.

Buggy ID?

OK, so I admit it... I am not a bug girl.
So, I am very curious as to what these things are
that are currently outside, seemingly in the millions?
Some species of dragonfly?
They especially scatter as I walk through the grass.
All the knowledgeable bug people??

Swap and Shop

OK, so here's the deal.

I'll swap one Summer Tanager for one Baltimore Oriole, or heck, even an Orchard Oriole.

I am trying again this year. I purchased a cute feeder from the Tractor Supply Co. store, which, by the way, is a surprising place to find all things bird related. They have a huge selection of feeders and seeds. I get my sunflower hearts by the 20 pound bag there.

So... who wants to enjoy a Tanager? ;c)
FedEX delivery overnight of course.

Needed: One Crystal Ball

This past weekend, we had told Sam we'd go to Outback Steakhouse, one of his favorite places to eat. He was excited, as he loves their Bloomin' Onion and we'd not been there in some time. I looked on the website and saw that the location we were going to opened at noon. The one in a neighboring town does not open until 4PM on the weekend, and so we were happy that we could go earlier. It was going to be a fun outing, or so we thought.

He came down the stairs with his Thomas the Tank Big Book in tow as he carries it with him both as a security blanket and so he'll have something to do as we wait. We loaded into the car, and arrived at our destination by 12:15. As we walked into the restaurant, we were greeted with tentative looks from the kitchen manager who apologized and told us that they did not open until 1PM.

Gulp. Oh. OK. I could see the crestfallen look on Sam's face. One o'clock... uh, well there was an outlet mall strip adjacent to the restaurant and husband wanted to get a new belt and some shirts at the Nautica store, and so off we walked. I got the great idea that it would be a great time to get Sam some new shorts as well since we had 45 minutes to kill. He was putting up a good front that he understood why we were not already sitting at the table with our onion, but I could tell he was frustrated. Any time his expectations are changed, it's difficult. But, he was a trooper and tried on some shorts, all the while listening to me tell him that in just a bit, we'd walk back up to the Outback. OK, so I told him more than once as he complained about wanting to go eat.

By the time we got back up to the restaurant, I knew as soon as we were seated that he was out of sorts. He immediately started fixating on the fact that there were some flies in the vicinity and went as far to say that he'd like to leave (after we'd already ordered of course) as the "pesky flies" were bothering him. He was getting louder and as husband told him to "shhhhh" he started repeating, "SHHHHHH" more loudly. Oh boy. I put on my "I know you can calm down" voice and demeanor and he did finally calm down, but once our food came, he ate with anxiety, fast and furious. He complained that my Tilapia which was served with asparagus was "smelly" and remained just generally disagreeable, and echolalic, the entire meal.

I looked across the table and could see the deflated look on husband's face. The deep sadness and resignation that comes when we deal with the autism reality of our lives. Nothing is easy. Nothing is as you hope it might or could be. There is no guarantee that things will go smoothly. Just a simple meal out can sometimes go south for no reason. At times we've had to get take-out containers to take the food home where at least we don't have to endure the stares of others. A fun planned lunch out. A 45 minute delay, and poof. The balloon is burst. We finished eating and headed home where everything is easier. Back to our bubble we live in and have been in for the past 12 years.

Once home, the conversation ensued about what the future will bring. He's almost 16 now, and I can't see that much changing by the time he's 20 or so. Yes, the easy thing to do would be to resign ourselves to the fact that he'll always be with us, but more and more I can't see that. We hardly go anywhere, unless his ability to cope is factored in. He can't yet be trusted to be here by himself. I simply can't live the rest of my life like that. I don't think it will be good for him or for us. I envision a type of group home where he has responsibilities and a sense of community. His own life. Separate from us. After all, we won't always be around, and he needs to learn to be independent to the extent that he can be. It's hard and it's painful. But it is reality. Oh to have that crystal ball....

Color on Chickadee

Saturday dawned and I just could not stand it any longer. By that afternoon, I was at the local garden store happily traipsing along with my huge cart. I loaded up two humongo red geranium ivy to put in the front porch pots. I love geraniums. So hearty and happy! The New Guinea Impatiens are so pretty, but you could not pay me to bring them home. Way too thirsty for my taste.

I also found this cute new wreath for the front door with white dogwood flowers. Nice addition with the red geraniums.

I loaded up 1 1/2 flats of Dianthus as well. Deep red for the mailbox bed and the bed beside the driveway, and white to put around more red geraniums in the back deck planters. Sunday brought yet another trip, this time to the Big K which had the beautiful hibiscus trees and the pot of mini-petunias, also for the back deck.

Finally, it *is* spring, and there is color on Chickadee once again! Yay!!!!

Fledge Day!!!

Yesterday was so beautiful. Husband and I were out on the deck enjoying the sunshine and breeze, when I noticed some little heads starting to poke out of the bluebird house. Before we could say, "Wait!" three of them fledged and clumsily flew up into the trees. Three. There were four babies. I ran for the camera and watched. The last baby seemed much more reluctant to fly. Many times, he just went back down to the nest to rest and contemplate again.

This went on for probably two hours. Mom and Dad were busy feeding the other three, and they really wanted him out. Dad kept getting meal worms and taking them to the house. He'd show them to the reluctant baby, but not give them to him. Then he'd fly nearby with the mouth full of worms... waiting... and waiting. Along with me, camera hoisted.

Whew... my light was starting to fade, but FINALLY! He worked his way back up to the hole, mustered all the confidence he could and .... and.... out he went!!

He promptly landed on my swing and stood there with an expression on his face as if to say, "Are you happy now? Here I am. Now where are those worms?"

He heard the calls of his mom and dad tending to brothers and sisters up in the trees and figured he'd better go find them, but first he had to get his sea legs under him. It was so precious watching him wobble and tilt those first few steps. But fly he did. Up into the trees to learn the joy in being free and eating all the worms you can find.

Posing pretty

The male Bluebird has been very territorial lately with his four babies in the house, and runs off anything he considers a threat, including the Summer Tanager. He ran off the Blue Grosbeak, and I've not seen him since.

The Tanager has stayed around though, and will still come to the feeder to eat sunflower hearts when the bluebird is busy carrying off fecal sacs. Yesterday he swooped in and stayed a good while devouring the sunflower seed hearts and posed pretty for some photos. Oh, and he finally found the cup with the Zick dough and took a big chuck just before he left. Now I know he'll be back for there are few birds who can resist it. Though, he'd better hurry as this is the last batch before it gets too warm outside.

I keep looking for the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks and the Indigo Buntings... maybe next week. I think it was around the 23rd-25th of April when they were hear last year. I can't wait to see them. Such a magical time of year on Chickadee...

Good parents

No doubt about it.
Bluebirds are such good parents.
They tirelessly feed all day long.
Husband caught these images of them with
juicy morsels to give some hungry mouths.
Won't be too long now, we'll have four fledglings.

The World's Shortest Fairy Tale

A little levity on this TGIF... This funny was emailed to me from my mom... lol!

------------------------------

Once upon a time, a guy asked a girl "Will you marry me?"

The girl said: "NO!"

And the girl lived happily ever-after and went shopping, dancing, drank martinis, always had a clean house, never had to cook, did whatever she wanted, never argued, didn't get fat, traveled more, had many lovers, didn't save money, and had all the hot water to herself.

She went to the theater, never watched sports, never wore friggin' lacy lingerie that went up her butt, had high self-esteem, never cried or yelled, felt and looked fabulous in sweat pants, and was pleasant all of time.

The End.

Happy Chipper

I just love these happy little guys and their chipping!

There has been Goldfinchapalooza here in the past few days.
They are coming out of the woodwork.
Anyone else seeing huge numbers?

It's a house cleaning day for me... bleh.
Any and all are welcome to the party.

Coincidence?

Last night at around 7:30PM, I walked into the kitchen and glanced out the window. I could have sworn I saw what looked like an Indigo Bunting at the big tube feeder. I grabbed my binocs and looked out towards the feeder, and saw the male Bluebird at the top. "Hmmmm," I thought. I must have seen the back of him and thought it was a Bunting. Just then, I saw a flash of dark blue again on the ground and I looked more closely. Could it be? Oh. My. Goodness. It was a Blue Grosbeak!!!!! ACK! As I grabbed the camera, the male Bluebird starting swooping in on him, and away he flew.

Same scenario as last year... drats. I saw one only one day last year before the male Bluebird, who had babies in a nest then too, ran him off. But at least, I got a quick photo before he retreated. I never saw him again.


I wondered when it was that I saw him (pictured above) last year and opened the little pad I keep near the kitchen table of my yard birds on Chickadee. There it was... recorded. "Blue Grosbeak."

And the date?

April 14, 2007. (It is a leap year, you know.) ;c)

Just a few more

Just a few more images to share of the North Carolina
Auboretum as I smile and tuck the memory
away of a lovely trip to Asheville...

And one favorite at the WNC Nature Center...

Oh my! Lookie who's back!!

Not a great shot as it was late afternoon, the light was failing
and my shutter speed was too low (not to mention I was
shaking with excitement), but....
EEEK!! I was sitting at the kitchen table, glanced out
and promptly did the "happy birder dance!"

The Summer Tanager has come back, and he's
as lovely as he was last year (assuming it's the same one?)

So, of course, I made an emergency batch
of Zick dough. I have a feeling he'll love it. :c)

A female arrives

Yesterday, husband finally saw this sweet female
Hummer arrive to enjoy some nectar!
I had three males the day before, so things
should start getting interesting on Chickadee.

Finally... not just another LBJ!

Another first in Asheville...
my very first sighting of a Fox Sparrow.
His coloring is just so beautiful.

Bonsai Beauty

Another one of the cool features at the North Carolina Arboretum was the Bonsai Collection which is on display most of the year. Some of the bonsai were already out, but many were still in the greenhouse as it was too cool yet for them to be on display.

I've always been so intrigued by the craft of Bonsai, and it always amazes me to see the teeny tiny version of those trees which we commonly see so huge in scale. Here are a few that were in the garden on display.





** Update to a previous post: Mother Mallard hatched all 14 (I was told there were 13) eggs while I was in Asheville, and she and the baby ducklings were placed in a box by the ED staff and taken down to a marshy inlet on the river. :c)
I knew inquiring minds had to know, and yes, I am sad I did not get a photo of it.

Song Sparrow loverboy

Last week, we visited the North Carolina Aboretum at the foot of the Blue Ridge Parkway. In the center garden area, they had many bird feeders and since it was early in the morning, the birds were very active. I especially noted lots of Song Sparrows in the trees singing as loudly as they could. I captured this photo of a male in the middle of his long and varied song. Suddenly, I noticed movement on the ground by one of the beds, and when I turned my lens to focus on the bird there, it was a female Song Sparrow, shaking her tail feathers and singing back. Ahhhhh....

So, that's why he was singing such a lovely song!
Ahem, we'll leave these two lovebirds alone
to do their bidness. :c)

It's Quads!

Mr. and Mrs. Bluebird of Chickadee
are proud to announce the arrival of
four new baby bluebirds!

In lieu of shower gifts, due to their early arrival,
please send mealworms... lots of mealworms.

In the greenhouse at Biltmore

We walked into this room, and I saw the tables like the one
above and gasped aloud. Oh. My. Sweet heaven.
Orchids. Orchids everywhere. In every corner.
Julie Zickefoose would be in heaven, and so was I.
I only have one at home, a sweet
Nobby's Amy, and these were all so exquisite.
I'll just let the photos do the talking...

Welcome back to Chickadee!

I'd been watching the migration map with much interest and wondered when we'd see our first hummer of the season. Finally, I looked out the window on Saturday afternoon and saw him sitting in the Crepe Myrtle. He did not come to the feeder initially. Sunday morning, this skittish little male came to drink some nectar and husband caught this image of my first hummer back on Chickadee for 2008.

The Biltmore beckoned

We are back from our trip to Asheville, and had a wonderful time! Thanks for all the good wishes for a relaxing, restorative trip. It was so lovely to sleep until... gasp... 7:30, and eat huge omelets for breakfast every morning. We stayed in the heart of downtown which had to be the most eclectic, vibrant, and energetic block in Asheville. So many surrounding restaurants, cafes, bistros, art galleries and such. A really neat place!

But, of course, no trip to Asheville is complete without a trip to the Biltmore home and gardens. It was an overcast, chilly day, but we arrived before all the crowds and had a great time. For those not familiar with Biltmore, a bit from the web site:

Building Biltmore was, at the time, one of the largest undertakings in the history of American residential architecture and the results were astounding. Over a six-year period, an entire community of craftsmen worked to build the country's premier home. The estate boasted its own brick factory, woodworking shop, and a three-mile railway spur for transporting materials to the site.

The celebrated architect Richard Morris Hunt modeled the house on three châteaux built in 16th-century France. It would feature 4 acres of floor space, 250 rooms, 34 bedrooms, 43 bathrooms, and 65 fireplaces. The basement alone would house a swimming pool, gymnasium and changing rooms, bowling alley, servants' quarters, kitchens, and more.

The grounds of the 125,000-acre estate were designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, the creator of New York's Central Park and the father of American landscape architecture. He not only developed acres of gardens and parkland, but in his efforts to protect the environment and reclaim over-farmed land, Olmsted established America's first managed forest.

George Vanderbilt officially opened the home to friends and family on Christmas Eve in 1895. He had created a country retreat where he could pursue his passion for art, literature, and horticulture. After marrying the American Edith Stuyvesant Dresser (1873–1958) in Paris during the summer of 1898, George and his new bride came to live at the estate. Their only child, Cornelia (1900–1976), was born and grew up at Biltmore.

~~~~~~~~

The details of the construction are simply
fascinating in their workmanship.
Here is a close up of the spires above the main entrance door.

This guy holds up the overhang over a huge column.

And of course, the family crest was included within the stone work
on the front of the house as well.

The beautiful view going down into the gardens beside the house.

This gorgeous statue was at the entrance to the gardens.

Here is a sampling of how beautiful the gardens are.
It was early in the season, and so mainly the spring bulbs
were in bloom along with beautiful pansies.
The building to the back left was the greenhouse.
Oh. My. Just wait and see what was in there.

I hope you enjoyed this glimpse of a
spectacular house I know I am happy to say
I'll never have to clean.

It's fun to go, but I am glad to be home.
My home.