Lawn Ornaments?

On our way home from eating out tonight, we took a side trip by the golf course that's on the edge of town.  Usually, there are several groups of deer out on the course - along with the golfers.

Tonight, these were relaxing in a yard across from the golf course.

 

The deer in Texas are quite a bit smaller than those in Minnesota.  Not everything is bigger in Texas.

Good Pickin'

This has been an unusual year for pecans and picking.  First, it seems like it was a very good year for growing; second, Sandy and I happened across a lady who has been letting us pick pecans in her yard.  Not only does she let us pick, but she's been picking and saving them for us.  Most of these pecans are from her yard but we did come across a couple other "hot spots" that had very nice ones too.

We've been getting our exercise not only from walking and picking but carrying the sack full back to the condo.  The Texas oranges are good this year too for fresh-squeezed juice.  The orange bags come in handy for storing the pecans.  The sacks hold 18 lbs. of oranges - and pecans.

Hopefully, the Target shopping bag can hold out for a few more pecan picking trips. 

The weather is suppose to be turning a little colder next week - good time to do some cracking.

What senior citizens don't do for entertainment!

The Sun Rises Again

It has been cloudy for most of the time since we have been here.  These were the dark gray clouds that made you just want to go back to bed and stay there until spring.  It has also been chilly and rainy.  Not the kind of weather we came down here for.  But, yesterday afternoon the sun came out and it warmed up some.  The coming week is suppose to be sunny with highs in the 60's.  I can get out on the deck and get my tan started with that kind of weather.  The picture below is taken from our condo.  The sun is just coming up.  All of the trees in the picture are Pecan trees.  The squirrels were out this morning picking pecans.  There are still some on the trees.  It looks like it will be a great day!

There was some frost this morning, but it will be warming up quickly.  Hope you have a great day!

Patrick

MERRY CHRISTMAS

To all the folks that read our blog, we want to wish you a very Merry Christmas and a terrific year  for 2013.

The following picture is a sunrise shot that I took in 2008.  It is still a very good depiction of what our backyard looks like this year.  Glad to say we will soon be away from all this and where it is warm and sunny.

Patrick and Pat

Anderson Day

The annual Anderson get together for Christmas was held today and we had a very good crowd of 33 people.  Twelve of these were teenagers or younger including two babies.  It was a very nice group that had a good time and plenty to eat.

This first picture is part of the group watching the Viking football game before dinner.

The next two pictures are of the layout of food and the start of the crowd to fill their plates.

The next two pictures are of niece Lynda and her husband, Herb and Pat's brother, Jerry. The second one is Jerry from the front.

The next picture is an after dinner shot of niece, Deb, and her husband, Jim (a/k/a J.B.), Pat's sister, Joanne, Pat, and sister-in-law, Elva, having coffee.

It was a good day!

Patrick

Just a Day

It's hard to believe that yesterday our yard was green and the streets were dry.  Today is a different story. 

The birds were having a hard time finding food in the feeders as the feeders were full of snow.  I went out with the broom and cleaned them off but it's only been a couple hours and they're covered again.

 

I don't think we'll be using our gazebo any time soon either.

 

It's a good day to watch football.  I hope the Vikings win too!

Ish!

That's what Patrick says whenever it snows.  This is what we saw this morning out the front and back of our house.

 The birds don't mind a little snow on their roof tops.

 There were a few crab apples left on the tree.

 This is out the loft window - looks more like a cotton tree than snow.

The river is still open.

We're feeling optimistic that it will warm up enough this afternoon to melt all of this. 

 

Passing Through

We thought the migrating birds were all gone but this morning there were several different ones getting some "fuel" for their voyage.

 

 

Patrick created this feeder by adding a platform for the finches to stand on instead of balancing on the small pegs.  We didn't think it would get used until next year, but it got broken in early.

Evidently, it works for birds other than finches.

That Time of Year

It's that time of year where the birds are migrating south and stopping here along their way for something to eat.  There have been a few of the Pileated Woodpeckers lately.

But yesterday before we left for breakfast, Patrick looked out the kitchen window just to see what was happening.  He wasn't expecting to see this wild turkey.  I guess they need to eat too!

Now, we just need to keep the other birds from hitting our windows; so far no casualties.

New Normal

As we mature, the term "new normal" keeps cropping up.  I think it pertains to adapting to changes in our way of living.  That's what I have to learn now with our new flooring that was completed yesterday.  These are my new tools that I have to "adapt" to using now for cleaning: 

We were told by the flooring company that steam mops should not be used on laminate floors.  That wasn't what I wanted to hear but can understand their reasoning.  My steam mop has been retired to the basement but I can't quite give it up completely yet.

 

It's all worth whatever changes I have to go through to have the new floors done and looking like this now.

 

In place of this:

We're hoping there aren't any more unexpected surprises, we've had enough excitement for one year.  I think we've adapted to our new normal too.