A wellspring of ideas. . . . . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . but not much energy to get going on them!

Let's blame it on the weather. Again.

How can you 'take down' outdoor Christmas decor when it's constantly 

raining, unseasonably warm and humid, muddy and messy underfoot,

and just being out of the house is unwelcoming?

I have ideas for this year. They involve the garden, the part named

the back yard here in America. The front garden is not bad. Come 

Spring it might be just about manageable for two aging gardeners

who have time, tools, gloves by the dozens, and now kneeling pads!

 Energy, flexibility, and non-painful limbs are hoped for as I continue 

physiotherapy on my right shoulder.

Our back garden is a disaster and requires much TLC in the 

coming months. Much of the damage is due to that heavy, wet

snowfall just before Christmas, breaking boughs on many shrubs

 and small trees which I agree we should've pruned earlier.

 My 'Secret Garden' of the past years is no 

longer calming, it's become more of a nightmare!

 So this is what I'm doing too much of lately.

Watching old movies and Outlander on TV.
Hanging out with throws and pillows, heating pad on the bad shoulder
after stretching exercises. Going to PT twice weekly.

Making soups - new favorite is curried sweet potato - recipe from
of all places Better Homes & Gardens magazine.
Sipping a hot chocolate in my new big mug, eating chocolate,
nibbling snacks and leftover mince pies from the parties - then disliking
 the numbers on the bathroom scale. 
Re-reading a pile of last year's magazines before tossing or sharing.

 Thinking a lot about taking down the decorations, seriously
 sorting through them, downsizing, and then packing away just the
 ones to pull out again eleven months from now.
Oh, did go walking a few times on the drier days - the nearby school track
 and around the neighborhood - it felt good and made 
me forget how much my shoulder hurts!

Indoors, thoughts of projects to be addressed this year are overwhelming me. 

Most important -- big, messy and expensive -- will be replacing our entire

 heating/cooling system. The original system is now 34 years old and

is no longer happy running with band-aid fixes. I'm living on the edge with

 fingers crossed the heat or air conditioning will respond when I flip the switch,

 or will I be making the phone call and putting on another pot of coffee while

 awaiting our HVAC guy. . . . . . he's a very pleasant man but I don't want

 him visiting so often!

Then there's cleaning out the attic, painting walls, scraping ceilings, 

cleaning carpet, replacing furniture - all making me wish even more that

 we were instead selling up and moving to a brand new, or newish, easy to
 manage, one level condo, where just locking the doors behind us, and we
 can travel here, there and everywhere, whilst we're still able.
 Sounds like a good plan to me. . . . . . just need to get a certain other
 person on board!

What are you doing on these somewhat depressing 
January days?

Winter scenes from the porch. . . . . . . . . .

So, no words necessary. Hope you just enjoy the photos of my own 

garden these past few days taken at different times from early morning
 until dusk.  A snowfall of seven inches arrived on Wednesday - not 
usual here in southeast North Carolina.
It was beautiful.

Wildlife. . . . . . . . .

Yes, I'm responsible - I confess.

I'm often very cute but sometimes really naughty.

Especially when she forgets to refill the suet feeder. 

I try to chew and claw my way through the plastic hoping 

there's another morsel remaining.

Then I give up and swing back on to the heavy duty seed feeder and

 scoff a ton of sunflower seeds, and of course my favorite peanuts, before

the birds arrive.

Pair of Eastern bluebirds who seem to enjoy the suet too.

Also the Pine siskin and the handsome woodpecker.

Mr. Cardinal watching cautiously while awaiting a turn on the nearby feeder.

With the ice and snow gone after two days of 70+ temps. and lots 

of sunshine, the garden remains a playground, and restaurant, for 

our wildlife.

Misty Morning. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . . and I took a quick look around the garden early today. 

Thankfully the ice is melting now and today will be a time to catch up on

 outdoor errands. Perhaps I'll stop for a coffee out rather than here in the

 same old place looking at the same birds - whom I love but need a break from - 

how many bird photos do you really want to see!!!!!!!

Speaking of which (sorry!) I must just share these as many of you admit to loving

 the gentle Mourning Dove, as do I. Yesterday this pair spent a lot of time on the 

front porch once the sun came out. Standing in the frozen fountain didn't 

seem a problem, he was there for a long time definitely keeping an eye

on me at the window. We melted the ice with hot water several times early

 morning, then left the sun to work its magic.

 Those beautiful feathers always deserve a close-up, I think the pattern is amazing.

Bricks and mortar visible again - hopefully the icy streets are clear and driving 

less hazardous today. Anyway, I'm pulling my boots on, grabbing a coat and will be 

on my way out this morning. . . . . . cabin fever is ending today.

Snow and ice day outtakes. . . . . . .

. . . . . . . it wasn't all about the birds. I promise.

Front porch - jasmine still hanging on, old bird houses and lanterns rusting out,

 paint peeling. . . . . not much new or rearranged so the birds loving hanging out here.

Dried hydrangea heads dangle with a covering of ice crystals.

Potting shed awaits Spring - a cleaning and reorganizing chore ahead for me!

Garden plants take on a Winter disguise.

Fire wood being used each evening - gathering by a crackling fire on these cold nights

is so comforting.

Here's to the next snow day - hopefully with soft, fluffy white flakes

 for snowballs and snow people!