These are random musings of my life journey, the people, animals, places, and events which have woven, and continue to weave, a tapestry that is me. We all know there is no real destination, only the ongoing experiences which blend together, creating the trail. Each step gives a glimpse of what is to come, without allowing me to see the end result. It is exciting. I have a home base that is mine, that gives me a place to rest. This is it. This is where my heart is, no matter where I journey...................

Monday, May 26, 2008

Feathered, Furred, and Potted

My wee finches are very happy in their new home ... the cage and their home here with me, too. Know how I can tell?

This is one of them sitting in the seed dish!!




Why does that tell me that they are happy?



Look carefully in this next picture. I could not make it any more clear. Taking a pic through the wires and trying to get close enough to see the object was a task. I also couldn't edit it to be any better, sorry. Can you tell what it is?

Yep, the little goofballs laid an egg in the food dish!! Clearly they are happy since they would rather make eggs than eat!!

So I put another food dish in the cage, and I shredded some yard and thread and made it available to them for nesting material. I can't believe they have done this. Usually finches don't lay eggs unless they have a nesting box or materials. I don't really want baby finches, at least not yet. But I guess I'm not making the choices here, am I?

It is possible that this egg will be an infertile one and not hatch. I had that happen when I had finches before. Time will tell.

The rest of my menagerie got groomed last week. So I wanted cute little pictures of them to post here. Ali, as usual, avoided the camera.....


China did well, however!


What a sweet doll she is!


It was only later when I looked at the pictures in the computer, that I saw how much the tumor shows at certain angles.

Damn, I hate that thing.

She is still doing very well. She scampers around like a puppy, but I have to watch so she doesn't over-do it. She tires more easily now. But she is still happy and prances around, shows no signs of pain, so we are enjoying life every possible moment.

Both the dogs are enjoying being out on the deck these days. I prop the door open and they come and go at will. This beautiful weather is making a lot of good times for them and for me, too.

Last night I had a couple friends over. I actually invited some others, but people had plans. There is a lot going on in the are this weekend, art shows and fairs, etc. The three of us really enjoyed the afternoon and evening. We sat on the deck for a couple hours, visiting and relaxing. After that I cooked hamburgers and hotdogs, Polish sausage and brats. Gail brought potato salad, and Linda brought watermelon. Everything was very good, and we were so stuffed when we got through. I sent food home with Linda for her boyfriend. He decided to stay home since "it looked like a chick evening" to him!! Smart man!

I'm not doing much today. I had thought I would drive to Alamogordo and clean up Glenn's family plot, but I decided that I don't want to be on the road on the holiday. I will probably go down this week and take care of it. Today, I will kick back and take it easy. I might plant five potted plants I bought last week. Three red blooming yuccas and two Mexican brooms. In this rocky terrain, it could be a full days job!

I actually have a plan to plant them in a "raised" bed, of sorts. I don't want a raised bed in the traditional sense, because I want a natural look, so I will dig down as far as possible without having to move big rocks, then put the plants, still in their containers, sans the bottoms, in the holes,build up around the outside of the container with soil. This will hold them in place until they take root. Plant roots do an amazing job of finding their way through the maze of rocks, and next summer I will simply cut away the container, and the plants will (hopefully!!) look as if they grew there for the past several years.

OK, I'm going to go read a few blogs and then assist mother nature. Hope y'all have a great holiday!!


Life is beautiful!!!!

14 comments:

  1. Sounds like you are having a great weekend. I have had a couple work related issues to deal with, but other then that I have done nothing and it feels wonderful. It's been rainy all weekend, so it is the perfect weather to stay in bed or watch movies.

    Looking at those picture of China make me so sad. :( Sometimes life just isn't fair.

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  2. Caroline, I am. It is low key, but that's definitely not bad. I still haven't gotten to the potted plants. Sigh. Guess I'd better get off my lazy duff and go out there!

    I know. It is still rather surreal to me that she has cancer. Even when I look at that damned lump, it seems like I'm going to just wake up from this bad dream. Sometimes life is absolutely not fair.

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  3. Aww, how cute...you might be having some grandbirdies soon! HAHAHA :-).

    Your doggies are adorable. I love how disgusted dogs look when they get groomed,lol.

    Happy gardening.

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  4. Lyn you are always planning something fun. I planted all my plants this weekend now that the risk of frost is gone. The kids look so sweet and disgusted at the same time with Mom trying to get that perfect Kodak moment. BTW didnt you instruct the finches about the "birds and the bees". Guess the deed was done before they moved in lol. Geesh you may have the beginning of your own personal aviary. Hope it hatches lol

    Ruth

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  5. Dawn, Grandbirdies??? LOL!! Well, an update .... I called the lady I got them from, and I found out they are siblings, so I removed the egg and the cover to the feeder (made it look somewhat like a nest), and all is back to normal again. I noticed this afternoon that the "couple" who had the egg were picking on the other female and pulling out all her feathers! Since I removed the egg, they are all four behaving friendly again. What problems it is to have pets!! LOL!!

    Ruth, I got 4 of the 5 plants planted, and I'll do the last on in the morning. I'll be glad to have it done, 'cause making a planting bed in these rocks is HARD WORK!!!

    Those birds! (See above note) I guess I'd have to get some "foreign" birds if I want to have babies. But since I don't .... they'd better remember the "birds and bees" discussion I had today!!

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  6. Cowboy's son's dog has cancer and she's a wonderful dog. Doesn't seem right that dogs get it. Have fun with your China while you can!

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  7. MJ, oh, I'm sorry to hear that. Yeah, it just sucks that cancer exists at all, but especially our sweet 4-leggers. Give Cowboy a hug for me. And yes, we are trying to enjoy every minute we have. :')

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  8. Lyn I heard that birds like the lint from the dryer for making their nests. I form it in to a ball and tie it with string and hang it on the tree by the bird house. They pull pieces off and take it inside, maybe making a duvet, who knows what goes on behind closed doors lol Dont know much about finches though.

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  9. Greetings Lynilu, I would like to do what I can for you during this difficult time. I am hopeful this post I have just put up (http://benevolentmagic.blogspot
    .com/2008/05/benevolent-magic-for
    -you-and-your-pet.html) would be of some comfort and perhaps may help.

    Goodlife my friend.

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  10. Dear little China! She is ever in my thoughts.
    Wow I love that the finches laid an egg. We shall see what we shall see!

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  11. Cute pictures of your puppies. I am so sorry Your dog has that big ole tumor. Poor baby.

    You'll have to take a picture of your garden when you're finished.

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  12. Anon, that is Ruth, isn't it? A duvet?? LOL! That could be possible!!

    I took the nesting materials away. Look above at my earlier reply to you and Dawn. I had to stop the horseplay!!!

    Robert, I'll be over and read it soon. Thank you, so sincerely. :)

    MQ, thank you. She and I both appreciate it.

    Daisy, thanks! Me, too. Nasty ol' thing. :(

    I will, but it's not exactly a "garden." I'm more or less adding to the natural landscape in a way that is in keeping with xeriscaping. What I've planted is scattered around to bounce up the whole effect. And many of the plants are small, not likely to bloom until next year or even after that.

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  13. Glad you had an enjoyable long weekend.

    Birds laying eggs in their food tray -- it's life, it's nature -- they are obviously making themselves "at home". I just read though that you've removed the egg and life seems to be more "in balance" in the home.

    So sad to see the evidence of what's happening to China but my goodness, she sounds like she's still loving life -- that's a good thing. A very good thing.

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  14. Sherry, LOL!, Nature progresses whether we eill it so or not, doesn't it? The birds are, indeed, happy in their home, even without the egg!

    China is in a good life, for sure. She amazes me with her "roll with the punches" way of living. It makes me think about my own life and just how much we both, she and I, have to be thankful for.

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If you have something to say about it, just stick out your thumb, and I'll slow down so you can hop aboard! But hang on, 'cause I'm movin' on down the road!!! No time to waste!!!