Birds and Berries

We get so much enjoyment and education from feeding and watching the birds who visit us. Their varied colors, sizes, shapes, behaviors, songs and styles enrich our lives every day of the year. We spend a fair amount of money on food for the birds - seeds, fruit, sugar, the occasional package of dried worms and a bit of jelly now and then.

We have recently planted raspberries and blueberries and have had tame blackberry plants for a while now. We're excited at the prospect of fresh fruit from our own bushes - fruit for US to eat.

I think you may see the issue here. We love the birds. We love the berries. The birds love the berries.

I'll be spending a fair amount of money on bird feed AND on netting to keep the birds away from the berries.

Life can be complicated.

It's about time, eh?

It's time to start anew. A new year, nearly a month gone. So I begin again.

The last few months have been hard. My moods quixotic. My heart alternately light and heavy. G's status changing by the minute like rapid cycling manic/depressive. And dear Isabella or rather, Ella, as she's now known is herself in an early adolescence of oily hair and swift mood changes. In other words, it's been a long late fall and winter for the three of us. HURRY UP, SPRING.

The young women I spend time with are blessings to my soul, my mind and my heart. They each renew my faith in our world and in womankind. I love to listen to them but occasionally spend too much time telling them about the past. I'm determined to stop it. They experience the world from their places in it, not mine. The past isn't the present. If you feel you need to remind me at anytime then smack me, please. I beg you.

G's excited beyond words. We're celebrating his birthday a week early as Bella, er Ella, and I will be attending the Unschooling conference in Ohio on his actual birthday. Poor guy, alone on his birthday. Alone except for a small dog who'll keep him busy and snuggle with him in bed. But back to this weekend - the house will be full of his progeny. Several adults but the tiny girl, rowdy big boys, and lovely teen make the visit extra-special. What fun he'll have. What fun we'll all have. I predict many sets of Rock Band and lots of other nonsense.

Now I have to get busy. He's requested I prepare chili, pork tenderloin, chicken cacciatore, cornbread, cheese pies, chocolate peanut butter cookies, carrot cake...

I've warned Miss Ella to pull her nose out of that book and head to the kitchen so I had better get there, too.