This and That

 I hate to say it but I really don't have much to report on. Maybe that old saying no news is good news would be fitting. I think most former Magnolia residents are either safely back home or will be shortly. I do know there has been some wild weather in Texas but as far as I know the Rio Grande Valley was not impacted. From what I understand there is still cleanup going on from the "Big Freeze" which occurred back in February. I think many of the big Norfolk Island Pines will end up having to be cut down as the freeze pretty much did many of them in. I had a Norfolk Island Pine as a houseplant many years ago but it reached the ceiling and I ran out of room. I don't remember what I did with it but I'm thinking I found some place that had lots more room height than we did.

We have mowed our lawn once although if the truth be told it needed mowing long before it actually got done. I hate to mow with a winter jacket and gloves on and last Saturday we had temps in the mid 80s and it was perfect lawn mowing weather.

The Baltimore Orioles and the Rose-breasted Grosbeaks came back yesterday and have found the grape jelly already. No hummers yet but I'm sure they will be here shortly. It is interesting that for many years the orioles, grosbeaks and hummingbirds all arrived on either May 7 or 8. Last year it was the 5th of May I think and this year two of the three arrived on May 2. It does get earlier and earlier every year which I would guess may be related to our changing climate. This week our central Wisconsin weather has returned to the cool temperatures that we have had all spring with a high today of around 60. I prefer what we had Saturday and also Sunday when it was about 75 - very pleasant!

I have been busy knitting and planning various quilting projects which keeps me occupied. Jim's three colonies of bees arrived today so he will have something to keep him busy this summer. Quite different from the years when he worked full time and had 200 colonies of bees to also take care of. 

Here are a couple of bird pictures I took yesterday, sitting on the couch and shooting through the window.