Whistle while you work.....

Tax Freedom Day is almost here......no wait, it's 5 days later than it was last year!  That means the American taxpayer will have to work until April 18th and devote ALL of that income to  the government (federal, state and local) to cover all of your taxes...(of all kinds.)  They say this can be attributed to the fiscal cliff disaster (even though we remained teetering on the edge) and the Affordable Care Act.... (now there's an oxymoron if I ever heard one). Those two "incidents" are holding our economy in a sluggish pattern. (ya think?)  OK.. so that's the GOOD news...For all of us who have chosen to remain in good ole New York State, We get to celebrate Tax Freedom Day in MAY!  May 6th to be exact! That's 18 more days of whistling while you work for all of us living in the Empire State... Maybe it's time for the Empire to Strike Back! 

                             Notice how we start out in the black...and end up in the red:-(

April Showers

April Showers bring...............mud!  I guess these days we have to analyze almost everything.  The Farmer's Almanac enlightens us on the rainy weather terminology:

Weather Trivia What is a rain shower? Answer: Precipitation falling from convective, cumulus-type clouds that can be further identified by one of more of the following features: 1. Showers often (but not always) begin and end abruptly. 2. Showers usually occur in periods of short duration, perhaps 15 minutes or so, but they may last much longer.( so they're either 15 minute-ish....or not) 3. There are usually rapid fluctuations in the intensity of the precipitation. 4. There is usually a noticeable brightening of the sky between showers. What is drizzle? Answer: Small water droplets between 0.2 and 0.5 of a millimeter in diameter that fall slowly and reduce visibility more than light rain. (who measures theses?) What is rain? Answer: Precipitation in the form of liquid water drops that have diameters greater than those of drizzle droplets. (once again, who's measuring?) April Proverbs In April, each drop counts for a thousand. –Spanish proverb Moist April, clear June. Expect rain if hens spread and ruffle their tail feathers...I guess I'll have to depend on the local weathermen.  The majority of my hens have had their tail feathers "plucked" out by their pen-mates. April is abundant here with birthdays, yard work, eagle tracking and open windows.  Today, the windows remain open even though the temperatures are 20+ degrees less than yesterday.  The afternoon is bringing us some sunshine followed by tomorrow's lower temps once again.  At 4 a.m., (yes I was "up"), it was 65 here and 63 in Charlotte (go figure). The ground across the road has cracks..I guess the March snowfall really wasn't all it was cracked up to be. We picked up sticks yesterday and burned them last night.  Our first bon(d)fire of the season. Papa and Bailee had great fun collecting sticks, breaking them on their knees and burning the winter's collection of debris. It was April bonding at it's finest.  From what I can tell, April showers have magical powers! When April blows his horn, It’s good for hay and corn. –Almanac proverb             .

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The Following

Both eagles holding down the fort
 

Ruling the roost ( the mate is between the two branches)

"Back off you guys, I'm trying to figure out how to fly this to my nest!"

Photo by Laura Bowen

Yesterday was "eagle  day."  I finally drove down into the corn field and watched, photographed and marveled in my good fortune.  To have this eagle's nest so close, so visible and so active is a dream come true for an "new" old birdwatcher.  I have had so much fun this past 5 years just watching the wildlife whose habitat we invaded.  They have been so gracious to allow us to move in.  We took great pains in what we removed and where we placed our new nest.  When  downy, hairy and flicker woodpeckers showed up for meals, I was ecstatic.  The day the elusive pileated woodpecker decided to grace us with his presence was a big check mark off my bucket list.  I've seen a red tailed hawk snatch a tiny bird off our porch feeder, a murdered hawk's remains on our smoke house roof, bear tracks and the after effects of his visit, a wild boar, hundreds of deer, turkeys , raccoons. woodchucks and coyotes. So, when the eagles appeared last year, euphoria set in.  We now drag in road-kill for meals (for them, not us), we've purchased expensive binoculars, cameras and tripods and I have wasted (enjoyed) enumerable hours waiting, watching and following. 
I'm pretty sure there are eggs in the nest as one eagle appeared to be bobbing in and out of the nest while perched on the side.  One eagle always remains in the nest and last night I was able to video a determined parent trying valiantly to transport (fly) supper (woodchuck) home to the family. Now, that's "take-out!" I wish I were savvy enough to get the video on here....if I'm not successful, check out my Face Book page.
I know how addicted peeping Tom's must be. The voyeur in me is exploding. Thankfully, this is legal...so many fun things ..are not!

Are you kidding me?

As you know, I thoroughly enjoy Face Book......until dumb people start posting dumb statements.  There's this crazy group called "Moravia Dump" ( personally I think they should occasionally flip the p around and make it a b.)  Last night someone posted an obituary of a local fellow who had passed away (obviously...... it was an obituary....) He had grown up on a nearby farm and had been an acquaintance of Lee's. The information was appreciated as I no longer subscribe to the Citizen and  am not always privy to "comings and goings."  Anyway, most are aware there are three options under a Face Book post...you can like it, comment on it or share it.  Most of the time liking it means just that...you like it... you like the picture, the recipe, the joke, the cartoon....whatever.  It appears two people quickly liked the posting of the obituary.  Which in my small mind meant they had seen it and were appreciative of the information.....

Here's the part of Face Book that drives me crazy....(I need no GPS to get there!)

The next post read:

I'm confused. Do the two "likes" mean you're glad he's dead or something else?

March 31 at 2:43pm

Well, you know me.  I explained that this was the part of Face Book that is idiotic and that people really need to think before they post.  Get out the umbrellas......let the sh-- storm begin!  The group sure lived up to it's name as several began to dump...on me.... I have big shoulders (and everything else) and I can handle disagreement.....I just can't handle stupidity.  Needless to say, I'll be distancing myself from the Dump.....

Thanks for letting me dump on you today...I really "like" you all!

We did it...

Well, we finally did it.  Bailee stayed all night with me and no one had to make a midnight run to return her safely to her mother's arms.  Really!!  This child has spent more half  her life in my presence and hasn't been able to successfully have a sleepover (without her mother.)  It was definitely an "A-Ha" moment.  We headed to the movies, loaded up with sweet tarts, popcorn and soda, and ventured all the way to the very back row where we settled in to meet The Croods.  Next we headed to A.C. Moore for some craft shopping (birthday and tea party hat supplies) and then to the jewelry store to buy Mom a birthday gift ( and one for each of us..shhhh)  Next, it was supper out....Subway... (woo hoo) then back to EIEIO for crafting, TV and dessert in bed.  I'm not positive but I think the TV was on and Miss B was still wide awake as I drifted off about 11 p.m.  There's nothing better than waking to "Good Morning Grandma!!"  followed by a hug, a kiss and the sincerest "I love you Grandma!"  At that moment, if she'd asked for a trip to Disney World, we'd be on a plane now!


The Croods + 1

Gourmet supper @ Subway

Her mom's update on Face Book this morning was..... "Bailee survived her first sleepover at Grandma's....."...My reply, "It isn't a prison camp, you know!!"

Gotcha!

Last year you eluded me you big-footed, floppy eared, vest wearing , kinda creepy, extra large...rabbit!  This year, I gotcha! You think it's easy being a Grandma? I did most of your work for you and you got all the credit.  I think you, Santa and the Tooth Fairy have got it made! I will thank you (and Kay) for imparting some of your Easter wisdom on me though...

              

 

 

All I need to know (well maybe not ALL)

I learned from the Easter Bunny! 

Don't put all your eggs in one basket (lately, I'd have to have one (bfb). 

Everyone needs a friend who is all ears. Got 'em

All work and no play can make you a basket case.

A cute tail attracts a lot of attention.

Everyone is entitled to a bad hare day.

Let happy thoughts multiply like rabbits.

Some body parts should be floppy.

Keep your paws off of other people's jelly beans.

The grass is always greener in someone else's basket.

If you hunt in the grass for eggs 

you may find dog poop (or deer poop)!

To show your true colors, you have to come out 

of your shell.        

         

 

 

EGGSACTLY!   

 

 

61

Whew, made it another year... Who'd have ever thought I'd be 61?  I feel it in my bones and see it in my hands and face but my brain still can't quite accept it.  I always thought 60+ year olds wore orthopedic shoes, knitted sweaters and rocked a lot! How about sneakers, tee shirts and recliners?
I'm pretty fortunate indeed.  It's not even noon and I have had 92+ Face Book wishes, several texts, phone calls, cards, gifts and Bailee....life is good!

Birthday dinner @ A-1, followed by my favorite TV night (DWTS, The Voice, Dallas, The Following, Hawaii 5-0 and Castle.....)  Thank heavens for TiVo and extra TV's:-)