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Jul. 22nd, 2013 11:28 amPeals of thunder rumbled through the valley yesterday afternoon, loud and close together. Sunshine cut through the dark clouds over our house and we saw no rain. The humidity settled in and the haze took over and for a moment it felt like Costa Rica. I remind myself that I learned in 3rd grade that (as far as the continental United States is concerned) Virginia is actually a deciduous rain forest of sorts and it makes me appreciate the lush, heavy trees and the thick, muggy air. I could never have imagined living in a place like this when I was in third grade.
Since we moved the finch feeder to the sunny patch in the yard, we’ve had more finches – red, yellow, blue – and also a baby woodpecker that has taken to eating the premium finch food, too. Our yard is a gathering place for birds of all types – junkos, sparrows, cardinals, bluebirds, starlings, mockingbirds, doves. And since the front yard is fenced we essentially have a baby bird nursery – a safe haven from neighborhood cats. I have LOVED sitting out on the porch and watching the flocks gather and sing.
Nicole’s mother went home today. While I am grateful she was here for a week and caring for our kids in the gap between summer camps, I am also grateful to return to some normalcy.
I’ve spent a LOT of time on the porch reading in the last week or so. I don’t cope well with the TV always being on (a Nicole’s mom thing) and the constant presence of media/noise/talking. Just me and the birds. It’s been too hot for the kids to even really be outside without overheating, but thankfully it also looks like the heat is leaving today for a while. We are soon going to slip into August and those dog-days. Maybe we should plan a trip to Cave Mountain Lake again soon.
My brother comes Wednesday night. I have Thursday and Friday off to go traipsing around Virginia to see the historical sites he wants to see and I get to enjoy being on the road with him like we were back in the day. It will be good for us to reconnect and Nicole is going to be on her own Thursday night. Monticello, Appomattox, Montpelier. This should be fun!
Since we moved the finch feeder to the sunny patch in the yard, we’ve had more finches – red, yellow, blue – and also a baby woodpecker that has taken to eating the premium finch food, too. Our yard is a gathering place for birds of all types – junkos, sparrows, cardinals, bluebirds, starlings, mockingbirds, doves. And since the front yard is fenced we essentially have a baby bird nursery – a safe haven from neighborhood cats. I have LOVED sitting out on the porch and watching the flocks gather and sing.
Nicole’s mother went home today. While I am grateful she was here for a week and caring for our kids in the gap between summer camps, I am also grateful to return to some normalcy.
I’ve spent a LOT of time on the porch reading in the last week or so. I don’t cope well with the TV always being on (a Nicole’s mom thing) and the constant presence of media/noise/talking. Just me and the birds. It’s been too hot for the kids to even really be outside without overheating, but thankfully it also looks like the heat is leaving today for a while. We are soon going to slip into August and those dog-days. Maybe we should plan a trip to Cave Mountain Lake again soon.
My brother comes Wednesday night. I have Thursday and Friday off to go traipsing around Virginia to see the historical sites he wants to see and I get to enjoy being on the road with him like we were back in the day. It will be good for us to reconnect and Nicole is going to be on her own Thursday night. Monticello, Appomattox, Montpelier. This should be fun!
