Settling In To Winter ~ December 12, 2016

It looks as though Winter is here to stay. For a while anyways. (You never know with this crazy weather that's been happening all across the country.) And before we know it, Christmas will be upon us!

I finally took the time to decorate our tree. I didn't pull out the big tree this year, but our medium sized one will do. I also have two smaller trees on display this year - one in the dining room, and one in the kitchen.

Here's the main tree in our living room. It's strung with both colored and white lights. In this picture I only had on the colored lights.

And here it is with just the white lights. 

Lastly, here it is with a mixture of both.......

I really enjoy just the glow of the colored lights in the morning and evening. Sometimes the white lights are pretty by themselves. I guess it depends on the day and my mood! 

During the day, I like to see a more festive look to the tree, so I usually have it lit with both the white and colored lights. This year my ornaments are lots of birds and gold, silver and white globes.... This often attracts the more mischievous one of all my kitties - Ziva. She is a sly one, that precious little girl! The birds, and globes, and oh, those pretty, twinkling lights are just too tempting to bear....She can't seem to keep her paws off of them! :) 

"Is she looking? 'Cause if she is, I can't steal a darn thing from the tree!"

~ * ~

A Week In My Life

IN PICTURES.....

The week started out cold and snowy

And although the large snowflakes painted a rather beautiful picture, just let me say, "I'm done with winter!"

I think even this little guy agrees....

 I gave in to the desire of sinking my fingers deep into some soil, and replanted my Ivy plant, which I know feels much happier now.

The new pot gives it so much more room to grow! Joanna was interested at first, but then decided it felt much nicer laying down to take a nap. 

 

As you can see, she doesn't get excited about too much! She's just an easy going girl. ☺

I have no idea why she looks so guilty here....maybe she knew something I didn't!

Ummm, maybe she knew Ziva was up on the kitchen counter, which I generally do not ever allow!

Though in all fairness to poor Ziva, these last several months have been quite upsetting to her once peaceful existence...A new home, loud sounds (because of all the hardwood floors), strange smells, and a BIG BLACK DOG NAMED JOANNA! The first time Ziva realized a strange, new intruder had entered our domain, she nearly jumped out of her skin! Down into the basement she bolted, and claimed it as her own NO DOGS ALLOWED zone. She has stayed down there for weeks on end, only surfacing to the upstairs once she's sure the big, black dog is asleep for the night in "brudder's" room!

However, I still scolded her for being on the counter nonetheless....And would you believe she had the audacity to sass me back?! Yepper, she did. And I actually caught it in digital format ~ Lol!

See? She really is sassing me back, telling me all about why she thinks she should be able to stay up on that counter where it's safe.... Darn! How can I resist such a cute face?!

On one of the nicer days, I took a walk through the back yard.

Our Chestnut tree looked pretty with the blue sky as its backdrop...

And the sun that day looked like a pretty pink bubble when I took a picture of it...

A pair of birds are taking up residence in the birdhouse. I think they're Bluebirds, but I've not been fortunate to be up close enough to see who exactly the new family is. Can't wait to find out, and watch the activity as the season progresses!

When I came back inside, I found Checkers enjoying the sunshine, too.

 and Miss Ziva was back into a different kind of mischief!! 

"Hello, birdies! Wanna play?"

"NO, Ziva!! Get down!!

So she gave one last, longing look before hopping down into a nearby chair.....but not without keeping her eye on those interesting little birds! Lol!!

~ ♥~

 

Oh, dear.....I'm not sure what we're going to do with this girl now that she's gotten her courage back!

Two Cuties = Too Cute

I guess there are some "ruff" (no pun intended!) days in a dog's life....

And I guess Romeo just really needs to hit the "massage parlor",

a.k.a grooming session, once in a while

for a little R & R....

Which I find absolutely hysterical.

And so does Dean. 

I mean, come on, how hard can a dog's life really be??!!

But, alas, this is what I came upon while puttering around upstairs, finally ending up in our room to put some clothes away.

And....the session continued....

While Romeo just laid there, relishing in all the attention.

Whenever Ziva isn't monopolizing Romeo's time, Missie is waiting there for session #2!!

The dog just does not know how good he has it!!

And one day, Ziva's tongue is going to fall out from all that grooming.

Lessons Learned From A Hummingbird

Tinkerbell is an Allen's Hummingbird, featured on the cam at World of Hummingbirds (Emma's Nest).

Oh, my gosh! It's a hummingbird, Mom

Tinkerbell has not only provided me (and precious kitty, Ziva) with hours of enjoyable entertainment as I've watched her on her nest that has gently cradled 2 tiny, jellybean sized eggs, 

but she's told a beautiful story. 

 You see, Tinkerbell is only around 3 1/2" long, and weighs about as much as a penny in the palm of your hand.

Yet, in spite of her delicate frailty, she has shown me what endurance, commitment and perseverance really is, and how to go about it with such beauty and grace ~ naturally.

From the moment her babies hatched from their eggs, her tireless efforts have been to care for them day and night, and keep them fed whether it be rainy, sunny, gusty winds or calm. It has been an impressive sight to watch. And she does this single-handedly, for the male does nothing to help in raising their young! 

The babies waiting patiently for mom to return with food.

They hear mom on a nearby branch and are prepared to eat!

Tinkerbell feeding her babies.

 

I'm in awe of her determination and strength. Yes, strength.....for surely it takes that to go back and forth, back and forth, from flower to flower to flower over 1,000 times a day!!

Her amazing qualities are not only admirable, but something worth learning a valuable lesson from. When I become discouraged, when I feel like  life has thrown me a curve ball, when I feel as though maybe I cannot keep moving forward, I'll remember tiny Tinkerbell ~ determined, strong, committed, persevering Tinkerbell ~ and know in my heart that if she can do it, then so can I. 

Somehow, someway, within me Jesus has provided all that I need, to do what has to be done.... beautifully and gracefully.... Yes, I can do it!

"Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, that you may abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."
~ Romans 15:13

"HIS EYE IS ON THE SPARROW"

Why should I feel discouraged,

Why should the shadows come,

Why should my heart be lonely,

And long for heaven and home,

When Jesus is my portion?

My constant friend is He:

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

I sing because I'm happy,

I sing because I'm free,

For His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

"Let not your heart be troubled," 

His tender word I hear,

And resting on His goodness,

I lose my doubts and fears;

Though by the path He leadeth,

But one step I may see;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

Whenever I am tempted,

Whenever clouds arise,

When songs give place to sighing,

When hope within me dies,

I draw the closer to Him,

From care He sets me free;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me;

His eye is on the sparrow,

And I know He watches me.

~ Civilla Martin - 1905

Buongiorno ~ "Good Morning" in Italian

Good Morning, tea time. You help me to start my day in a nice way.

Good Morning, Romeo. Yes, it's time to play again!

Good Morning, Checkers. Yes, it's morning already! 

Good Morning to you, too, Melissa! Yes, you're still my most cheerful greeter!

Good Morning, Ziva. Yes, you're safe ~ there's nothing to startle you just yet! 

Good Morning, sweet finches. Yes, your welcome singing is as lovely as ever!

~ It's a been a beautiful start to the morning, but now it's time to get on with my day ~

GOOD MORNING TO YOU, MY FRIENDS. 

Yes, I'm so glad you stopped by! 

Have a meaningful and special day. ❤️

Kitty TV

As you may have seen in my post Watching Birds last month, I've been enjoying watching a few bird feeder cams. Over the last several days, the feeders have been very busy, and the birds have been quite active! Evening Grosbeaks, Tufted Titmouse, Chickadees, Downy and Hairy Woodpeckers, Goldfinches, Purple Finches, Pine Grosbeaks, Blue Jays, Mourning Doves and Robins (Yes, Robins in Manhattan!) have all been spotted at the various feeders I've been tuning in to. How exciting! 

I've gotten to where I"ll leave the laptop or iPad nearby as I'm watching for the birds, yet I can still keep busy getting things done around the house. :)

Lately, the cats have been perking their ears to the sounds of the bird calls, and have even begun spotting the birds at the feeders from across the room on the computer screen! Can you imagine what they must be thinking in those cute little heads of theirs? My, but they must be guessing that Spring most certainly has arrived, yet how can it still be so snowy outside? How funny! And I find it absolutely comical at what I caught them doing them doing next. I thought you just might enjoy a little chuckle over it yourself.

Checkers has had enough of sitting idly by. He's ready to get up close and personal with the Grosbeaks that have been so tempting to him! Notice Ziva swinging her head in from the side to have a look at the birds herself while doing acrobatics on the chair! Lol.

A while later, Missie had decided she needed to have a better look at just what was going on at the window ledge feeder in Manhattan! I'm thinking that she was trying to sweet talk the Mourning Dove into coming just a wee bit closer! Lol!

Gee, can you imagine how they would behave if I suddenly hooked the computer up to the TV so we could watch the "Bird Show" on the big screen?! ;)

Our Ziva Girl

She's just so cute, so curious and so entertaining!

Nothing escapes her attention!

Like this shiny ornament, for example, that she became fascinated with when I began taking down the small Christmas tree.

Oooo, I must bat at it....I must!

My, how pretty you are!

And how fun to play with!

I want you for my very own toy....

Hmmm, but Mom secured you too well to the branch. She must be on to me!

We love her to pieces....

our little Ziva girl!

Full Of Cuteness

Ziva ~ displaying her usual, adorable inquisitiveness

Pictures Of This n' That

I enjoy taking pictures of all different sorts of subjects whether it be my family, my animal children, family life and events, food, flowers, birds, or nature. Photography is just a hobby I really like! So, on that note, here's a few pictures for a view into my world.....

My hydrangeas were beautiful this year. I planted this bush a couple of years ago, but it's only begun to look really good this blooming season.

Becca, my daughter, seems to be obsessed with fish! This Betta is her newest addition. He's a dark blue, and is very pretty when his fins flow as he swims.

Um, Checkers, animal child...how can Mommy I help you?

Ziva, you precious little scaredy cat! She is a perfect example of how that saying came into being!

One of the many splendid clouds in the sky on a day not too long ago.

These flowers were given to me by a friend who told me to let them dry, remove the leaves, then use the flowers in arrangements around the house.

As much as she is a scaredy cat, Ziva's also a very curious cat! She always knows when something new is in the house.

My morning glories growing up the front porch post. I just LOVE to see them bloom and fill in so beautifully as they are now!

How beautiful is that?! This color is both mine and Becca's favorite. I started planting morning glories when my father told me the story of how popular they were when he was a boy.

One day I spotted this dragon fly resting on my dusty miller. I was so thrilled that I ran to get my camera, and he stayed posed perfectly for me!

Much to my surprise, the dragon fly was back again the very next day. Just look at those intricately made wings!

He hath made every thing beautiful in his time:

Ecclesiastes 3:11