It's all about HOME. . . . . . . .

I thought today I would chat a bit about home. 

This is a garden house for the birds, and probably my favorite with the tiny china bird 

on a nest perched on top. Birds have yet to nest in this home, maybe this will be the 

year, who knows.

It's a holiday for some, Presidents' Day, the day on the calendar now honoring

all American Presidents. It used to be a celebration of George Washington's birthday,

 things change! As this is not and never will be a political blog, I rest my case.

Staying home today is just like many other winter days. It's dreary, cool, raining off

 and on, but tomorrow and the rest of this week promises to be warm and sunny again. 

The weekend was fabulous and I did some required garden chores in hot sunshine

 under a cloudless deep blue sky.

Yesterday, early evening, we enjoyed a glass of wine of the front porch with a

 neighbor - sharing travel stories - until the coolness of dusk arrived and I had to

 reach for a sweater.

Yesterday I actually saw a pair of wrens flying around the gazebo with dried leaves

 in their bills - goodness it's much too early to be picking home sites and building nests! 

This winter I hung some of my bird houses in the fig tree out front - along with

 feeders and a few lanterns with battery operated candles which light up at

 dusk - and fortunately they've held up well through the drastic weather changes

 this season brought.

So, off to do some Monday kitchen chores - making leek and potato soup

 (a good day for soup of any kind), and trying a recipe I recently found for

 mushrooms and polenta. I'll share later if it turns out to be as tasty as promised.

Tonight is my Tai Chi class. It continues to be very interesting. . . . . and difficult!

 Practicing alone between classes is hard but I'm enjoying the class and will continue.

 I'll miss three March classes whilst in Patagonia so will have a lot to catch up with

 on my return!

Yes, going away again soon. Always fun, but thoughts of home will

accompany me on this exciting expedition adventure. . . . . . .as always.

Motivation. . . . . . . . . .

This morning:  I watched this sweet female Eastern bluebird searching the

 feeders for breakfast on yet another below freezing morning in the garden.

Her mate soon joined her, always delightful to see.

The sun is bright but the air bitter cold.

Snow is forecast for tomorrow, starting around 5:00 am which will cause

 early morning traffic havoc. Yellow school buses are likely to remain

in their parking lots, kids will don parkas and boots, fashion makeshift sleds,

 then search for a hill - which around here is usually no more than a slope.

Tonight will see a rush to the grocery stores to 'stock up' on bread,

milk, and perhaps wine and beer! Although the snowfall is expected to be light, 

and on Thursday it will warm up again and surely melt, people in the south get 

nervous at the thought of being snowbound without a stockpile of essentials. 

This is the roller coaster winter weather of the southeast states.

~ Female Eastern bluebird ~

While outside checking the firewood supply for tonight and tomorrow - we'll be

 staying close to home - filling bird feeders and melting icy bird baths, I also chased

 off five squirrels gobbling down seed and suet. This one refused to leave, playing

 'catch me if you can' on the tree branches - I gave up yelling and hand clapping

 allowing it to return to nibble for a while.

Oh, why the title of Motivation for today?

Last night I went to my first Tai Chi class!  

I roped in daughter, granddaughter, and two neighbors to join me.

 We had two hours of verbal instruction and learning the beginning

 position of this ancient Chinese exercise.

I'm planning to continue and hope the others will also. The group was

an interesting mix and the instructor pleasant. I've always wanted

to try this gentle, excellent way to get the body and mind moving.

I'm now having to admit that at this age 'gym rat' is not listed in my

 personal profile!  This way of exercising (although great for all age

 groups, and the younger you start the better) seems to be the way to go.

I need more balance and less stress so hopefully this will work for me.

Have you ever tried Tai Chi?

P.S. Don't forget, if you haven't entered my

 travel contest yet, do check yesterday's post.

  Many of you have already submitted some awesome guesses. 

There will be a little prize later for the winner when

 I return from the trip!