The Coffee House

[CherylL]

Looks like warmer days here finally. I plan on getting some walks in. Between the weekly 2 PTs and the twice daily exercises I feel like the days are going by fast. The ice afterwards helps a lot. I've been shluffing off a few spring time chores and will have to catch up later. I have a photo session at a friend's greenhouse this month. I tried on my camera set up and should not be a problem. Of course I wouldn't want to lug my camera all day. Good thing it isn't my dominate arm.

 

[terri33 4]

Looks like warmer days here finally. I plan on getting some walks in. Between the weekly 2 PTs and the twice daily exercises I feel like the days are going by fast. The ice afterwards helps a lot. I've been shluffing off a few spring time chores and will have to catch up later. I have a photo session at a friend's greenhouse this month. I tried on my camera set up and should not be a problem. Of course I wouldn't want to lug my camera all day. Good thing it isn't my dominate arm.

I'm glad it doesn't seem to be holding you back from photography too much. Here's wishing you continued progress with the PT.

 

[jeffashman9]

Hiya Folks! Hope everyone is doing well!! I'm trying to get myself out of the doldrums and back to my walks with my camera. Maybe this weekend, except that it is supposed to rain.

Unfortunatley, the dove chicks didn't make it. I went out one morning to find the nest abandoned, with one of the fledlings neatly decapitated. I'm suspecting rats, although there are other winged critters that might have been involved. There is evidence of rats on the patio, so the snap traps will come back out.

My Major Wheeler honeysuckle and Rebel Jasmine are both blooming, although not many blooms yet. The Rebel Jasmine smells heavenly. My clover lawn is also in bloom, as well as the purple salvia, and the butterflies and bees are visiting in force. Yes, it is warm here during the day, although it still drops into the 50's at night. Heavy rain is expected starting on Saturday and going through the rest of the weekend.

On the house and Swedish cleaning, we have decided that this is it, unless something happens that forces us to move again. The house itself is about 2400 sq ft on a single story, with four bedrooms, one of which has its own private bathroom in addition to the master bath and the hall bathroom. That is the guest room, of course. Both the back yard and master bedroom are starting to take shape. Since MLW does not like my CPAP, she sleeps elsewhere, so the MBR is now mine to decorate, and it is getting a beach makeover with light browns, beiges, and teals, and sea turtles and starfish as deco, including a new duvet and pillow shams. My wife had to roll her eyes when I put curtains that look like a window looking out on a white sand beach, but hey, if I can't live at the beach, at least I can pretend, right?

As far as photography goes, I've decided to sell my Canon 90D and the lenses, and stick with the Sony RX10M4 as my walkabout camera. It's a nice camera, and at the end of the day, its the photographer, not the equipment, that makes the shot... I think...

Anyway, that's it for now. Have a super freaking awesome weekend and stuff!

 

[cgw116 141]

Still waiting for steady-state Spring up here. Basement gro-op is alive with annual, perennial and veg shoots debuting this week. Winter came early and lasted too long!
Getting ready to experiment with some lime wash paint at the family ruin. 1840s-50s plaster walls are perfect for this after patching. They're the antithesis of baby-bum smooth drywall some try to camouflage with texture finishes. Texture? I've got it! Lots!

 

[terri33 4]

Hiya Folks! Hope everyone is doing well!! I'm trying to get myself out of the doldrums and back to my walks with my camera. Maybe this weekend, except that it is supposed to rain.

Unfortunatley, the dove chicks didn't make it. I went out one morning to find the nest abandoned, with one of the fledlings neatly decapitated. I'm suspecting rats, although there are other winged critters that might have been involved. There is evidence of rats on the patio, so the snap traps will come back out.

My Major Wheeler honeysuckle and Rebel Jasmine are both blooming, although not many blooms yet. The Rebel Jasmine smells heavenly. My clover lawn is also in bloom, as well as the purple salvia, and the butterflies and bees are visiting in force. Yes, it is warm here during the day, although it still drops into the 50's at night. Heavy rain is expected starting on Saturday and going through the rest of the weekend.

On the house and Swedish cleaning, we have decided that this is it, unless something happens that forces us to move again. The house itself is about 2400 sq ft on a single story, with four bedrooms, one of which has its own private bathroom in addition to the master bath and the hall bathroom. That is the guest room, of course. Both the back yard and master bedroom are starting to take shape. Since MLW does not like my CPAP, she sleeps elsewhere, so the MBR is now mine to decorate, and it is getting a beach makeover with light browns, beiges, and teals, and sea turtles and starfish as deco, including a new duvet and pillow shams. My wife had to roll her eyes when I put curtains that look like a window looking out on a white sand beach, but hey, if I can't live at the beach, at least I can pretend, right?

As far as photography goes, I've decided to sell my Canon 90D and the lenses, and stick with the Sony RX10M4 as my walkabout camera. It's a nice camera, and at the end of the day, its the photographer, not the equipment, that makes the shot... I think...

Anyway, that's it for now. Have a super freaking awesome weekend and stuff!

I'm sorry to hear about the dove chicks. Nature is cruel.

My Major Wheeler is way behind yours! It's still in the budding stage due to chilly nights. Next week will be in the upper 70sF to near 80°F for a few days in a row, so that ought to juice everything up.

I've spied a White Cabbage butterfly over the last few days - happy to see them! Still too early to expect anything else.

I put curtains that look like a window looking out on a white sand beach, but hey, if I can't live at the beach, at least I can pretend, right?

I've seen curtains with similar patterns, and they're really pretty cool! Yes, pretend away!

 

[jeffashman9]

I've spied a White Cabbage butterfly over the last few days - happy to see them! Still too early to expect anything else.

Yes they are all over the place right now. They were the first to emerge, but the bees and wasps are out in force as well now.

 

[terri33 4]

Yes they are all over the place right now. They were the first to emerge, but the bees and wasps are out in force as well now.

Too early for bees around here - so far! I expect this to change within the next couple of weeks.

Hosers - it's 81°F right now! We topped out yesterday at 80°F.

I'm enjoying it immensely today, since it's going to turn rainy and icky tomorrow - but the temps will still be in the 70sF.

This is definitely a warmer April than last year - and, after back to back Polar vortex episodes this winter where it got down to -7°F (that's minus 7!), I'm very happy.

 

[CherylL]

Yes they are all over the place right now. They were the first to emerge, but the bees and wasps are out in force as well now.

The wasps are out in force here. I did see one bee on the porch camera.

 

[PhotoHobbyist115 141]

Just got this shot of a Carpenter Bee in my backyard. They can't bite or sting.
They joust with other male bees and wasps for their territory. Five or six buzzing around constantly.
Darn hard to get a pic working manual focus and zoom at the same time.

 

[Rickbb64 2]

Just got this shot of a Carpenter Bee in my backyard. They can't bite or sting.
They joust with other male bees and wasps for their territory. Five or six buzzing around constantly.
Darn hard to get a pic working manual focus and zoom at the same time.

View attachment 295989

Only the males can’t sting, but the females pack one hella punch.

 

[PhotoHobbyist115 141]

Only the males can’t sting, but the females pack one hella punch.

I read the males have a yellow spot on their forehead. All the ones buzzing around me have that. Females must have better things to do in the nest. I'd like to get a pick of a "cow killer" wasp as I've seen them on two occasions. Extraordinary bright red with no wings so looks like a giant ant. Sting hurts so bad you would think it could kill a cow.

 

[snowbear115 46]

No bees, yet, and no blossoms but there are buds on the trees.

We are at full ice-out and the pond is only a couple feet low. A few boats have been out so I should try to get the kayak ready.

We have had birds coming back: Canadian geese, mallards, what I think is a common merganser and maybe a black scoter. I hear the cardinal every morning, the crows are back and forth, and a robin hung out on the deck for a while. I'm waiting for the herons to show up.

 

[MartinCrabtree107 1]

Converted tractor over for summertime duties and cut the grass yesterday. Man I'm paying for that today. Getting old is cruel. Especially when you forget you're old and act like you're not.

Eye Dr appointment this afternoon. Not looking forward to diagnosis.

 

[snowbear115 46]

Yesterday I walked down to the pond and the back yard is like a sponge in places, and the grass hasn't grown since the last cut in Fall. It will be a couple weeks.

I started going through a couple boxes of books. Some will be kept, mainly those about woodworking, art and geography/cartography; the rest are being donated.

 

[MartinCrabtree107 1]

Well the Eye Doctor appointment was a pleasant surprise. Scar tissue from cataract surgery. Few minutes with a lazer and all is good. Left eye next week.

Why is health care is the only business we allow to provide service without telling us the cost? Would you buy a car like that?