Nothing lovelier on cold days . . . . . .

. . . . . than a beautiful bloom to admire in the house.

This is the second Apple Blossom amaryllis to bloom this year - and 

again it's really gorgeous .

I'll be taking a few days off from posting - have a mountain of odds 

and ends requiring attention this week. 

Have a good week - stay well - be happy.

Walking slowly with nature -

Natural art ~ rose petals on water.

We actually stepped out, away from hearth and home, and had a chilly

 yet sunny slow walk around part of the neighborhood Saturday afternoon.  

My return visit to the pain clinic on Friday - to chat with the doctor who gave

 me the spinal injection for my herniated disc a month ago - concluded

 with instructions to continue with gentle exercising at home, and to get 

out and walk slowly despite the nerve pain in my right leg!

The injection hasn't given me total relief by any means, however my

 pain seems to have lessened somewhat. Back surgery will be the last 

choice of treatment. Perhaps I'll try a second injection in a couple of

 months to see if that helps.

I took my camera with me to the pond hoping to get some photos of 

something interesting on such a cold winter day.

A couple had stopped by and thrown pretty rose petals into

the water - she told me they do that often as apparently Canada geese

eat them!  We are told not to feed them bread so perhaps recycling

 flower petals is a good idea.

I love the reflections of the bare trees in the pond water.

There were a few Canada geese on the pond and standing around on the banks.

Most surprising were this pair of the cutest diving birds ever. 

Not a great photo as they were quite a distance away. I've never seen them before, but with the help of my bird books I've identified them as Hooded Merganser ducks, a very interesting water bird.

Photos above via Carolina Birds

Not much color anywhere around the pond or woodland, did see

 plenty of Pyracantha though, their berries always a bright spark in winter.

This week started with a steady rain most of yesterday. The garden birds were sheltering in their favorite covered spots such as under the eaves of the potting shed, and of course here on the front porch. The Mockingbird has become quite a companion, often perching on the the outdoor furniture and looking in the dining room window for several minutes. . . . . . . 

. . . . . . and, surprise, yet another amaryllis (the second Apple Blossom), has opened two of four buds and will be another beauty brightening up my indoor garden for another week.

I hope your week is going well.

Another February Already!

"One month is past, another is begun,

Since merry bells rang out the dying year,

And buds of rarest green begin to peer,

As if impatient for a warmer sun;

And though the distant hills are bleak and dun,

The virgin snowdrop, like a lambent fire,

Pierces the cold earth with its green-streaked spire

And in dark woods, the wandering little one

May find a primrose."

February 1st. 1842 ~ Hartley Coleridge 

Mockingbird

Eastern Grey Squirrel

Male House finch

Today I enjoyed the birds, baked pistachio muffins (shared with my neighbor

 who shared his excellent seafood stew with us), and did some

 much-needed paperwork. I feel as if I'm in hibernation . . . . . . it would

 be so easy just to be lazy.  February is never my favorite month. 

Thank goodness for Valentine's Day in the middle. It does lift the spirit

 somewhat with all those red hearts popping up, and makes me want

to write pretty cards . . . . . . and eat a little chocolate!