The Crow

I like watching crows.  I like watching them walk around.  They always walk around like they know what they’re doing and where they are going.  They are the bird to watch.

This evening we were eating dinner outside and a crow landed not far from where we were.  He was picking at some sunflower seeds.  They were such little seeds, but he was able to get them open for the treat inside.  We watched him for a bit and then we had the idea to throw him one of our peanut butter-filled pretzels to see what he would do.

Ken threw it toward him; he strutted out and pecked at it once.  He then looked around like, “Where did that come from?”  He was probably thinking that it was raining peanut butter pretzels and he was in the right place at the right time!  We thought that was pretty funny.  Then he picked up that pretzel and took it over into some bark-covered area and buried it.  It took him a minute or two to completely cover it with bark.

Ken tossed another one and he picked it up and flew away.  One for now – one for later.  Crows are pretty smart birds.

J

A Hero

“A hero is one who knows how to hang on one minute longer.”

~Novalis

J

Recipe Cards

As you may already know, I like recipes.  I like recipes online, in magazines, newspapers, shared among friends and on television.  I have so many recipes it’s really pretty ridiculous.  I will never make all the foods I have recipes for, but I still collect them.

One of my favorite things is recipe cards.  I was looking through my recipe box this morning, looking for a cake recipe to make for strawberry short cake.  As I was filing through, I came upon a recipe written in my mother’s hand, one in my niece’s hand, one in my hand from a very long time ago.  I found one in each of my sisters’ hands and several in my daughter’s hand – it was pretty amazing.  I never really looked at that box as a treasure trove of handwriting styles before, but today I realized that when I make those recipes, I think about the person who wrote it out.

Handwriting styles are unique.  Some have similar characteristics and some are very different.  I realized this morning how precious it is to have some of my family’s handwriting preserved for me in a way that means so much…recipes.

J

Birds on a Cage

Today I smiled because of two little yellow finches who were happily sitting on one of my tomato cages.  Seemed pretty sweet – two birds on a cage instead of in a cage.

They were holding on tight because the wind was really blowing and they had endured quite a downpour just a few hours before.  They were checking out the tomato plant, but thankfully, they really weren’t interested.

They are wild birds, but they are getting used to us puttering around the back yard or sitting on the deck.  I really don’t think they want us to interfere with their feeding, so they swoop in to get to the thistle sock – whether we are present or not.

They are lovely little birds and I love watching them!

J

New Job

First, I want to apologize for using way too many quotes to fill my smile blog.  Just so you know, the quotes made me smile, but they aren’t what I intended for the blog on a consistent basis. 

I wanted to write, and write every day.  What better way to write than to find things that made me smile and write about them? 

Well, I have another reason to smile, I have a new job.  I have taken a part-time job at Orchard Supply Hardware near our home.  I am in the nursery department – not working with children or babies this time – but with plants and flowers and all sorts of vegetables.  I’m not sure what to say, other than I am getting paid to: 1) work out and 2) putter around in the garden.  I’ve never been one to putter in the garden.  I like to work to get things looking nice and pull weeds, etc.  But now I’m getting paid to do it, so it’s fantastic!

This new job has been really fun and I am learning something new every day, however, my time has been limited for writing and I’m finding that the body I had when working in a nursery when I was a teenager has, well, aged.  I know I’ll get used to the physical nature of the job, but it will take some time.

So, thanks for continuing this journey with me, thank you for putting up with the quotes I post.  Maybe now when you see a quote, you will smile knowing that I’m working or recovering from working!  Ha Ha

J

Television

"I find television very educating. Every time somebody turns on the set, I go into the other room and read a book." 
       -- Groucho Marx

J

A Smile

"A smile of encouragement at the right moment may act like sunlight on a closed-up flower; it may be the turning point for a struggling life."

J