TREE TRIMMING

Gregg took all of these photos. He was very interested in the process. His first photo will give you an idea how high our fir tree has grown. Look for the young man standing on a branch. Our fir tree was about 10 foot high when we moved in, and then its root system hit the water table and it was Jack in the Beanstalk time. For the last 30 years plus, we have watched it grow and grow and grow. That young man, all of them, are very fit! They also have a good head for heights, and we are very grateful to them.

This all came about when a young man knocked on the door early this afternoon. Gregg talked to him for a while, and later a small group of young men, who have been very busy in our neighborhood, turned up with the equipment. All very hard working, very professional. They did a great job and cleaned every scrap up at the end. We talked to them last year when they were looking for work, but it was lower down on our priority list back then as it was manageable. Gregg and our son did some of the trimming in the lower branches. We bought a trimmer on a pole for the thinner ones.

Our trees will need to be taken down eventually, especially this fir tree that is reaching up to the sky. This is the one that showered us with a thousand pinecones in the winter. I love that tree, I love all our trees, but we are concerned that this one's roots are going to get into the foundation of the house and that would be dreadful. They are already growing out of the soil and along the ground. On reflection it was planted too close to the house, but when we moved in it was quite small.

Years ago (30+) before we moved in, one of our backyard trees fell onto our house. This information came from one of our neighbors when I mentioned how big the trees were getting, voicing some concern. One in particular was a favorite. Its branches used to overlap half our deck. It gave the feeling of being in a forest and the birds loved those lower branches. They always paid us back by putting on quite a show. I would sit underneath and watch them hop from branch to branch, squirrels too.

Sadly, the tree was dying and for safety reasons, not only for us but for our neighbors, we had it cut down. I still miss that tree and the refuge it gave to the birds! The tree that fell on the house was a dead one also. You can see the post I did about it at this link.

Today these young men are trimming the branches away from the house, and several others were only inches away. We had a small one resting on our bathroom window, and the other in the front, its branches were getting too close to our bedroom window. They took care of the fir tree first, getting rid of a lot of the lower branches. Then we have a crepe myrtle just behind the house. A job well done but, the writing is on the wall, and next year, maybe sooner I don't know, we will have to get them taken down.

Good news for these young men, our neighbors came home when they were cleaning up. They need a couple of trees taken down in their back yard, and gave them the job after Gregg recommended them. They could see the great job. 

As for those dogwood trees we wanted to plant in their place, we had to put those plans aside as we also had to have the deck replaced, again for safety reasons. Priorities! It's still a plan. You'll read about what we were planning in the link above that takes you to my other post about that first tree take-down.

Perhaps you have seen my dream cottages on my odds and bods posts? If I had my way, we would live in the middle of a forest, but that would be another story. Never going to happen but it's fun to conjure up the whimsical side of my personality at times.

I guess you can call me a tree hugger. This quote says it all.

"Alone with myself

The trees bend to caress me

The shade hugs my heart."

~Candy Polgar~

Thanks for looking and 

I wish you all a continued good week.

            

HAPPY THANKSGIVING

 for those who are celebrating…

and for everyone else, 

I hope you also have a wonderful day.

I am not back yet. I put these on here ahead of time as I wanted to let you know I am thinking of you all and miss you. Looking forward to catching up probably when December arrives. 

Comments are still off. 

(The top image is a jigsaw puzzle completed on my iPad) 

THIS MADE ME SMILE

I can relate and often tell myself this exact same thing. How about you? 

We had a lovely day and a busy one as we were out for several hours. There were errands to run in the morning, and for lunch we shared a pasty from our favorite pasty shop in Vienna, and we picked up a few goodies to take home. 

The afternoon was the best part as we picked up our son and daughter-in-law from the airport. They have been in San Diego, part business/part pleasure. They were also celebrating an anniversary. They wanted to do something special, so they drove across country, spending a week at their destination and then flew home. I have a lot of photos from their trip. They have said I can share on here, so I will be doing that off and on for a while.

We were early so my dear other half suggested we drive to the spot where we can watch the planes fly low coming in to land. He has an app on his phone that shows where they are coming from. Today, one was arriving from Jeddah in Saudi Arabia, and the other was flying in from Frankfurt, Germany. 

It was a gorgeous day for landing as you can see. 

Those skies made me feeling good looking at them...

but the best part of the day was greeting our son and daughter-in-law at the airport. 

The jeep and its stickers entertained me as they were on their way from the baggage claim.

I see Dolly there. I love this lady, she has the biggest heart, loves everyone and does so much good for people!

It didn't take them long and it was a fun drive to their place. We will be meeting up again soon and will find out more about their trip.

Enjoy your day everyone and 

thanks for stopping by.

(I found the Happy Thursday graphic in Pinterest. The signature airplane was from pixabay.com and I always add my name using Paint Shop Pro.)

HAPPY FIRST OF FEBRUARY - HAVE A GREAT DAY!

Look at all the sunshine!  I see several walks in our future.  Still a little chilly but we will wrap up properly.

This cute little bear is another picture from Pinterest.  It was made with AI.  I paired it with the poem below not for any other reason than that I liked the bear.  

For each new morning with its light, 

for rest and shelter of the 

night, for health and food, for 

love and friends, for everything 

thy goodness sends.  I awoke this

morning with devout 

thanksgiving for my friends, the 

old and new.

~Ralf Waldo Emerson~

Ralph Waldo Emerson (May 25, 1803 – April 27, 1882), who went by his middle name Waldo, was an American essayist, lecturer, philosopher, abolitionist and poet who led the transcendentalist movement of the mid-19th century. He was seen as a champion of individualism and critical thinking, as well as a prescient critic of the countervailing pressures of society and conformity. Friedrich Nietzsche considered him "the most gifted of the Americans.”

 

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE CHRISTMAS…

'Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the house

Not a creature was stirring, not even a mouse;

The stockings were hung by the chimney with care,

In hopes that St. Nicholas soon would be there;

The children were nestled all snug in their beds,

While visions of sugar-plums danced in their heads;

And mamma in her 'kerchief, and I in my cap,

Had just settled down for a long winter's nap,

When out on the lawn there arose such a clatter,

I sprang from the bed to see what was the matter.

Away to the window I flew like a flash,

Tore open the shutters and threw up the sash.

The moon on the breast of the new-fallen snow

Gave the lustre of mid-day to objects below,

When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,

But a miniature sleigh, and eight tiny reindeer,

With a little old driver, so lively and quick,

I knew in a moment it must be St. Nick.

More rapid than eagles his coursers they came,

And he whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;

"Now, DASHER! now, DANCER! now, PRANCER and VIXEN!

On, COMET! on CUPID! on, DONNER and BLITZEN!

To the top of the porch! to the top of the wall!

Now dash away! dash away! dash away all!"

As dry leaves that before the wild hurricane fly,

When they meet with an obstacle, mount to the sky,

So up to the house-top the coursers they flew,

With the sleigh full of toys, and St. Nicholas too.

And then, in a twinkling, I heard on the roof

The prancing and pawing of each little hoof.

As I drew in my head, and was turning around,

Down the chimney St. Nicholas came with a bound.

He was dressed all in fur, from his head to his foot,

And his clothes were all tarnished with ashes and soot;

A bundle of toys he had flung on his back,

And he looked like a peddler just opening his pack.

His eyes -- how they twinkled! his dimples how merry!

His cheeks were like roses, his nose like a cherry!

His droll little mouth was drawn up like a bow,

And the beard of his chin was as white as the snow;

The stump of a pipe he held tight in his teeth,

And the smoke it encircled his head like a wreath;

He had a broad face and a little round belly,

That shook, when he laughed like a bowlful of jelly.

He was chubby and plump, a right jolly old elf,

And I laughed when I saw him, in spite of myself;

A wink of his eye and a twist of his head,

Soon gave me to know I had nothing to dread;

He spoke not a word, but went straight to his work,

And filled all the stockings; then turned with a jerk,

And laying his finger aside of his nose,

And giving a nod, up the chimney he rose;

He sprang to his sleigh, to his team gave a whistle,

And away they all flew like the down of a thistle.

But I heard him exclaim, ere he drove out of sight,

HAPPY CHRISTMAS TO ALL, AND TO ALL A GOOD-NIGHT!

The Night Before Christmas 

by

Clement Clarke Moore

Thank you for the visit and for those who are celebrating, 

A Very Merry Christmas.

To my friends of other faiths, I wish you your own very special celebration and Happy Holidays.

For everyone everywhere, good health in 2024,

Peace on Earth

and a Joyous New Year!

The poem, originally titled A Visit or A Visit From St. Nicholas, was first published anonymously on Dec. 23, 1823, in a Troy, New York newspaper called The Sentinel.

It wasn't until 1837 that Clement Clarke Moore accepted credit for writing A Visit. He reportedly wanted to keep his authorship secret initially because he was a professor and the piece wasn't considered a scholarly work at the time of its initial writing. Moore is said to have based his vision of Santa Claus on both St. Nicholas and a local Dutch handyman where he lived in New York. Legend has it that the handyman operated the sleigh that took Moore home.

Click on his name after the poem and it will take you to a biography of this author.  There is another wonderful bio at this website.

Christmas graphics found on my two go-to favorites, Pinterest and Pixabay.

ANGEL QUOTE

How wonderful it must be to speak the language of angels, with no words for hate and a million words for love.

 

~Eileen Elias Freeman~

from 

The Angels' Little Instruction Book

Ms. Freeman, has a B.A. from Barnard College in the history of religion and an M.A. in theology from the University of Notre Dame.

THIS AND THAT

 He said..."Let's go get an ice cream"!  She of the weak will said nothing, just jumped up as fast as she could to get her shoes on, was out the door and into the car.  She was as fast as how our dear old dog used to be when we used to say "Walkies!"   Pavlov's Dogs and I are friends.

 Gregg had a Marshmallow Sundae and I, a Hot Fudge Sundae.  It was a welcome treat.

Fall and Halloween decorations are popping up in our neighborhood. 

When we got home I noticed a weed overtaking a spot it had decided to grow in.  I hadn't noticed it before. Its name is Rhomboid Mercury (thank you plant app), and its botanical name is Acalypha virginica var. rhomboidea.  It grows by easily self-seeding, which allows it to quickly spread and take over.  It grows from 6 to 24 inches tall.  I guess I know what I will be doing in the next day or so. 

I am putting together my final post on our new deck. Last night when I had gone upstairs, Gregg was still in the family room with the patio door open. It was a beautiful evening. He saw movement out of his side vision and when he looked, there was a fox staring at him, standing right next to the screen door.  I wonder if that little fox would have walked inside if it were not for the screen?  But then when Gregg made a movement to get a closer look, he quickly ran down the steps.  So, the new deck has not discouraged our local wildlife.

A European Robin from one of my online jigsaw puzzles, and next something that gave me a smile.

The kids didn't know what to make of Aunty Arabella.  She marches to the beat of her own drum. (You can look for the meaning of that at this link.)  I think Aunty Arabella and I would have gotten along just fine.  She and I hear the same drumbeats, says I smiling.  It's okay to be different.  If you have a good heart, those rays of sun will always shine through.  Starlight too!

(From Pinterest)

I am leaving you with a poem.

For what it's worth...

it's never too late,

or in my case too early,

to be whoever you want to be.

There's no time limit.

Start whenever you want.

You can change or

stay the same.

There are no rules 

to this thing.

We can make the best or 

the worst of it.

I hope you make

the best of it.

I hope you see things 

that startle you.

I hope you feel things

you've never felt before.

I hope you meet people with 

a different point of view.

I hope you live a life 

you are proud of.

and if you're not, I hope you 

have the courage to start again.

~F. Scott Fitzgerald~

Thanks for stopping by, may you have a great day, and may your drum beat loudly.  

 

TREETOPS

 

"I wish to you sunshine, my dear one, my dear one. And treetops for you to soar past. I wish to you innocence, my child, my child. I pray you don't grow up too fast. Never know pain, my dear one, my dear one. Nor hunger nor fear nor sorrow. Never know war, my child, my child. Remember your hope for tomorrow."

by

Amelia Atwater-Rhodes

DOG IN THE WINDOW

When our son came over a few days ago, he stopped at our local shopping center to pick up a coffee for his mum.  When he parked and got out of his car, he saw someone staring at him first, and then that someone looked towards the coffee shop.  I think his human was already getting their coffee and sweet dog was wondering how long they would be.  He was very calm and didn't get agitated when son said hello and took his photo. Maybe he recognized someone who loved dogs as much as we do.

I would say to his humans...

"You owe it to him to be worthy of such devotion."

~Author Unknown~

I'm sure his human knows that already, he looks well-loved.

What a sweetie-pie!  Thanks for taking those photos son!  I found a few frames for him.

"Properly trained, a man can be a dog's best friend."

~Corey Ford~

And a funny for you.

“Because of the dog's joyfulness, our own is increased. It is no small gift. It is not the least reason why we should honor as well as love the dog of our own life, and the dog down the street, and all the dogs not yet born. What would the world be like without music or rivers or the green and tender grass? What would this world be like without dogs?”

~Mary Oliver~

Dog Songs: Poems

My sunshine doesn't come from the skies,

It comes from the love in my dog's eyes.

~Author unknown~

"Everyone thinks they have the best dog, and none of them are wrong."

~W. R. Purche~