Sisters, Springtime and Hummers...

Wild Bird Wednesday photo this week:

Note: I also painted this very same hummer, and framed it. SHOWN HERE

Wednesday Hodgepodge

Joyce has these questions for us to answer this week:

1. March 20th is the first day of spring...is she a lion or a lamb in your part of the world? It's lambing season here!!! In other words...We've had unbelievably warm temperatures. More like early Summer temperatures. The high's are in the mid to upper 80s [Fahrenheit], just a bit of humidity, cloudy in the morning and then the blanket of grayness thins out and the sky opens up to a deep blue with puffy cotton ball clouds drifting all too quickly to the northeast. I was talking to our son the other day and he told me they're getting rains [Houston]...from OUR drifting clouds. Figures.

2. What's the most dreaded task on your spring clean to-do list? Do you have a 'plan of attack'? Trimming. Most everything in our yard has thorns. Nasty, sometimes well-hidden thorns. That's the only reason the task is a dreaded task. Otherwise, I LOVE working in the yard, I love cleaning and gutting out the interior of the house...it's just a Spring ritual. I know I can ignore it all, but the idea of having a clean house/yard moves me to motion. As for 'plan of attack' ... it's the quicker I get it done [I should say "WE" 'cause Bud does his fair share of work], the quicker we have leisure time to go places and do things for pleasure.

3. Peas...love 'em or hate 'em? What's a favorite dish you make using peas? I really like peas. Fresh picked from the garden, right out of the pod...frozen, or even canned. Actually to be honest, I like the canned best. And pea salad is delicious. REAL mayonnaise, chopped onion, cubed cheddar cheese a dash of ground black pepper and a great side dish evolves. I also like snow peas in stir fry combos! Oh, and Split Pea Soup with Ham!! Yum. I drool.

photo courtesy of Google Search

4. Do you feel under appreciated? At my age, no. I don't linger on that emotion at all. Why bother? I know I'm doing my best, that is what counts.

5. Have you been using Google Reader? If so, what are you switching to now that GR has announced retirement? If not, how do you read your favorite blogs? I posted about this the other day just recently. I use Firefox as my default Browser, so I got the add-on extension, Feedly, and I actually like it better than Google Reader. At least for now.

6. Anne Bradstreet is credited with the following quote~ "If we had no winter, the spring would not be so pleasant; if we did not sometimes taste of adversity, prosperity would not be so welcome." Agree or Disagree? Why? I'm one who likes a change of seasons, but for the most part we don't have a heavy winter here. We do have trees that turn the golden autumn colors [later than most of the country] and we do have more or less a dormant season, but it's short lived and Spring comes in with vigor. But you ask if I agree or disagree...well, I think of Hawai'i where the mean temp is around 70 year long. All I know is, I love the islands, and I could live with that. Yes, Spring is a pleasant re-awakening of Earth, but do I need winter to enjoy Spring more? I don't think so.

7. When did you last 'spring for something'? What was it? Normally, I don't 'do' ice cream. But, when I do it's always the Texas Brand...Blue Bell. It's the most creamy, most tasty, most delicious ice cream I've ever consumed. In fact, years ago, when I first had some, I was totally hooked on it. When we lived in Tucson, Bud had some of my favorite flavor shipped to me for a special occasion. And I savored every spoonful. Trust me. Even down here in its 'native land', it's on the costly side. $6 plus for just a half gallon!!! In comparing to $3.50 for a gallon of gasoline for the car, gas is cheap!! LOL But, in my mind, it's worth every cent. So, the other day, while outdoors in the extreme heat of the day [too early for such hot temps], I said "I'd need some ice cream!" Naturally, we showered and went to the store in hopes they had some of my kind in the freezer department at the store...Bud found his favorite flavor Chocolate Chip Mint, and I was lucky enough to find mine also....

photo courtesy of Google Search

...the content is so full of HUGE pieces of Black Walnuts, in each spoonful you taste the sweetness of maple flavored ice cream with literally dozens of walnuts. They don't skimp on the nuts. Of which I am really, really grateful. Oh and if you're ever in the Hill Country of Texas, take a side trip to Brenham, Texas. That's where this heavenly concoction is produced. Tours are daily, except for holidays....well worth it. Oh and you get a free tasting on the tour. LOL

8. Insert your own random thought here? Another Sister's Day annual celebration came and went on the 18th. First thing in the morning, I opened the parcel that was on our doorstep. From Sharon, my sister. She knows me all too well.

This year her little gift to me was a beautiful windchime. With a Ruby Throated Hummingbird clapper. Now, this was new to me, I did not know you could register a windchime...but yes, this one can be registered. And for being such a beauty that it is, I hung it indoors by the vent....so when the A/C is on, it will tinkle delightfully for me and remind me of my big sister!!! [I don't want it outdoors because of the strong winds we get so very often...no breakage for this special chimer!!] We call each other and are on the phone as we open each other's gifts that were shipped, squeal and giggle with delight...then, continue to chit chat a while. And at 8 PM [in time zone sync, we use our special fluted champagne glasses and go outdoors no matter the weather...and salute sisterhood; facing each other [I raise my glass of champagne to the northwest] "Here's to Sisters"!!! If you're curious as to what I shipped her...a crystal pair of bunny rabbit candle holders, some special tea blend, imported chocolates, and a coral bead necklace from India that I found at World Market. [she left all her jewelry behind in a motel this past Christmas and some of her necklace collection needs replacing ...lol]