Six Gluten-free Grains to Add to Your Diet.  Interesting reading.  Personally, I’ve distanced myself from potatoes, bread, etc.  I’ve been delighted with a slight drop in weight and two less inches of belly fat!!  (But I haven’t lost enough “girth” to fit into yesteryear’s wardrobe.)

I think I have an aspiring candidate for The Flying Wallendas.  I saw one of my fine furry friends leap over six feet from the large branch (left) to the bird feeder.

Please read (1) Never-ending battle with the squirrels!!, (2) What’s the solution??, (3)  Slippery Solution and (4) Not a good day.

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Postscript, Sun. June 10th: Subsequent to my above reference to the Wallendas, I heard on the TV news that a member of the famous family will walk across Niagara Falls one day soon.  ~~  Newsflash, Thursday June 14th: The walk will be Friday June 15th and will be carried live on ABC-TV.

It has been a while since I stood on my soapbox and preached nutrition.  I just read Ten Harmful Food Additives to Avoid and want to share it with you.  Personally, I know… and avoid… but the pictures make this presentation really noteworthy.

Earlier today, I checked the Bluebird house and found there are five eggs.

I’ve spent the morning going through one closet (only one closet) deciding on things to give to a local thrift shop that supports a local battered-woman shelter.  I tried on each item of clothing and was shocked to see (in the mirror) that most don’t fit!!  Yes, I know I’ve gained weight but this is ridiculous!!  I can’t even get into pants I was wearing this time two years ago!!  (That’s the “bad news.”)  It was a “no brainer” decision that I would give away lovely jackets previously worn when I worked “in the public eye” several years ago (at Hallelujah Acres).  I also went through the dresser drawers and have a total of two dozen dress-length slips, half-slips, and camisoles to donate.  (Does anyone wear slips or camisoles any more??)  Furthermore, there must be two dozen pair of brand-new, still in the package, panty-hose, knee-length hose and trouser socks.  Yippes!!  Why do I have so many??  They may be so old that they have lost their elasticity!!  But I’ll let the manager of the shop (called Second Chance Boutique) make the decision about their usefulness.  (I can’t remember the last time I wore a pair of panty hose.)  ~~  So that explains my morning.  ~~  The weather is much cooler, and no humidity, so it would be a nice day (a nice weekend) to be sightseeing (or camping).  ~~  BUT, I have a “one track mind” and I’m focusing on “downsizing.”  Two weeks ago I attended a seminar regarding “downsizing” and the specific topic was “closets.”  This was my first opportunity to follow-up.  ~~  I’m NOT enjoying the process but it must be done!!  (And no little elves to help me.) ~~ Next weekend, another yard sale at my site in the RV Park. Lots to do this week to prepare!!

Postscript, 6/03/2012, 8:00PM: Ditto yesterday. I spent hours trying on clothes (from another closet). I’ve been able to create several new outfits for myself. (That’s good news!!)  There are clothing items I can’t imagine wearing (although they fit) so they have been packaged for delivery to Second Chance.  I documented the items for Income Tax purposes and there is a total of 85 .  ~~  In the near future, I will go through a large box with Red Hat Society outfits (and donate…).  Furthermore, there is a large heavy-duty plastic storage bag full of costumes crying for attention.

Postscript, 6/05/2012, 2:00 PM: This morning, I delivered the selected items to Second Chance Boutique.  They seemed thrilled with what they saw!!  I promised more… as I have time to process through….  They will even take winter clothing because they have a place to store them.  (Maybe they ascribe to that old addage: “A bird (coat) in hand is worth two in the bush” (two not in their possession.)

I don’t want this guy slithering up a pole to steal a Bluebird egg or a Bluebird baby.  I was surprised to find this serpent in my backyard.  It was under the base of a relocated Bluebird house.  I was “relocating” it again!!  Why??  Because I’m hoping a second Bluebird couple will adopt my backyard!!  (I’m a generous landlady!!)  I have multiples of everything: Cardinals, Crows, Doves, Finches, Hummingbirds, names unknown birds, Possums, Rabbits. Raccoons, Squirrels, and Woodpeckers.  Why not multiple Bluebirds??  (Interesting Bluebird information can be found by clicking this website.)  ~~~~  Field of Dreams: “If you build it [supply it] he [they] will come.”

My mischievous little furry friends broke the several components that support the bird feeder. I was taking a shower when the incident happened. I surmise that “the flying leap” put a lot of extra weight on the feeder.

Not a good day because (after the shower) I broke my glasses–and I am totally dependent upon them. Fortunately I have a pair of computer reading glasses. ~~ I’m still in major pain but will “tough it out” and go to work as scheduled. ~~ Free items that were advertised, and spoken for, are still sitting on my front porch because the woman never came to pick them up yesterday.  ~~  I wish I’d stayed in bed this morning (LOL)!!

Should I repair, and hang, the bird feeder??

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Postscript: Wed., May 30th, 8:00 PM: “Yes, I repaired… and rehung the feeder.”

It’s 3 o’clock and I am drenched!!  On Saturday I had a “yard sale” at the T@B trailer, at the JAARS RV Park.  The prior week everything was free.  This week I advertised  “everything $15.”  I sold a few things but, obviously, “free” brings out more visitors.  It was 110 degrees in the sun (mid-morning)–according to my sophisticated thermometer.  It was 90 degrees inside the T@B as I went through cupboards and storage areas looking for things I don’t use.  (That’s my current passion: jettison things I’m not using!!)  The weather report, official high temperature, was 91 degrees.  When I left the T@B, I left the roof vent open.  

Moments ago I drove to the trailer to double-check because I wasn’t certain whether I closed the vent.  I got soaked between the apartment and the car, and between the car and trailer.  We are experiencing some weather from “Tropical Depression Beryl.”   (Downgraded from Tropical Storm Beryl.)  More rain will arrive tomorrow.

Saturday afternoon, Sunday “part-time,” and all day today, I have shifted things around for another yard sale next Saturday.  This one will be “everything $10.” and I’ll display a lot more items, plus the $15. items that didn’t sell.  Guess what: The following Saturday will be “everything $5.”  By that time, things that haven’t sold will be loaded into the car and hauled to a thrift shop!!  

Right now I’m resting.  I’ve moved too many heavy boxes and I have a pain where I shouldn’t have a pain.

On another subject: I was afraid I might have caused the Bluebirds to abandon their nest (after I opened it yesterday).  I didn’t see them for many hours (maybe 24 hours).  About 2 o’clock (I think) I saw both Bluebirds at the mealworm feeder.  Both briefly entered the bird house (one at a time).

The rain just stopped and I heard a familiar sound.  A squirrel had just landed on the green bird feeder.  I went out to “shoo” him off.  The pint of seed that I put on the feeder this morning is almost gone!!  And it wasn’t consumed by my feathered friends!

So my Memorial Day holiday weekend has been very dull compared to other families’ activities!!

I’ve been hesitant to check the Bluebird house for eggs. I watched the Bluebird couple for an extended period of time (this afternoon) and observed that they were usually perched on a limb at the edge of the woods. Occasionally, one at a time, they would come to the mealworm feeder. A couple of times the female would enter the bird house. ~~ I got out a pair of garden gloves so I could open the bird house door and not leave the scent of my fingers. I didn’t linger…, I took three pictures (and only this one is good). What a thrill to see four little blue eggs in the nest!! What a thrill; what a thrill!!

Laugh at me (or laugh with me). In my whole life, I’ve never had bird feeders, bird houses, and a wide variety of birds in the yard. More than half my life was spent living on the Mojave Desert. Over the months I’ve lived in this apartment, I’ve had dozens (hundreds?) of Cardinals, dozens of yellow Finches, a Woodpecker or two, Doves and Crows. Never a Bluebird until March 11th. I was very disappointed when my first couple did not take up residency. As recently as May 18th, another Bluebird couple was “house hunting.” Obviously they moved in and started a family. Oh joy!!

Can you think of a better way to start the day?? I was enjoying green tea, homemade old-fashioned oatmeal, and a Bluebird feasting on mealworms. Yes, I supply rehydrated mealworms in the hanging blue dish and Bluebird Nuggets in the hanging, round metal ball.  ~~  However (during breakfast), I also had to shoo squirrels off the sunflower seeds feeders and dangling bird feeder.  ~~  Life in the slow lane!!

Little things make me very happy: Hummingbirds, Bluebirds, tomatoes….

To see the first little tomatoes, click on the picture to enlarge it.  To appreciate the three-month progress, click on each individual picture.

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