Outside My Window ~ 9.13.09

Outside My Window…is bright and sunny, a very nice 73F, light winds ~ enough to make my wind chimes sing to me ~ and 77% humidity.  Last week we were experiencing fall type weather, which included lots of rain.  I heard one day we got almost 5 inches of rain in a relatively short period of time.  It just poured……and poured.  We had two separate non-tropical systems park off the coast for a period.  Winds weren’t too bad either time….or the ones I experienced anyway.  It is forecasted to be in the lowers 80’s today….by mid week, in the upper 80’s and then we will cool down again.  It appears for a few days we will welcome back summer. 

I am thinking…actually more like wondering what this winter will be like.  We have had relatively mild winters for at least the last two.  If the two systems recently are any indicator of what winter will be like, we will get lots of rain, and wind …. And if we experience one of these storms while the temps are cold, we will get lots of snow.  It doesn’t happen often…….which is probably a good thing because people around here are not accustomed to driving in lots of snow.  We may get a small amount each winter, but not so much.

I am thankful for…Fresh Market Peppered Bacon…….maybe not so good for you, but oh my so very tasty.

From the kitchen…a cup of hazelnut cinnamon coffee.  Mmm good.  The girls want me to make breakfast this morning……diner’s request…..so I have no idea what I will be cooking later. I’m trying to come up with another creative way to serve chicken.   🙂  

I am creating…a place for birds in my backyard.  I have discovered that watching and photographing birds is very relaxing ~ and makes me feel good.  The photographing part is still a work in progress.  I’m limited by my camera’s ability for one…..and two, they are always jumping around when they aren’t flying away.   🙂     I have a bird bath and recently added a few small bird feeders and a hummingbird feeder.  I confirmed I had hummingbirds prior to purchasing this feeder, but to date I haven’t seen them using it.  Maybe it is not the time for hummingbirds in this area?  I’m still hopeful so I keep the feeder up with fresh nectar water for them.  I have put a feeder in my side flower bed by the living room window as well.  There is one or more of this one type of bird in particular that stays around ~ one of them perches and poses for you….I’m going to break the pattern and insert a photo of “Posing Bird”.  I took this from my front porch while it was sprinkling rain.  I haven’t gone online to see what type of bird it is so I can’t say.  This bird sits atop a lone branch that is sticking up about six inches above the rest of the holly bush.  Notice the seed in his/her mouth?

I am going…to be cleaning house, watering plants, cooking meals and doing laundry.  Now I bet each and every one of you is thinking “Gee, I wish I could go to Debbie’s house and have that much fun too”.  😀 

I am reading…my new Runner’s World Magazine, still working on the H. G. Wells book of seven novels.

I am hoping…for less rain this week than last week.  I will not wish for a rain free week because I actually like the rain.  But maybe not a month’s worth in a day’s time would be good.

I am hearing…the ticking of my clocks…and quiet.  Still relatively early so not much going on outside yet.

Around the house…see above list of chores…..leaves starting to turn…..and two gardenia flowers.  They were on a very small bush I purchased this past summer and put on the side of house.  I wasn’t expecting a thing this year….I was happy it grew in the area where I had planted it.  I was hoping for something next year so I was surprised to see them while I was filling the bird feeder on the side of the house. 

Plans for the week include…celebrating my mother’s birthday on Thursday……and work work work the rest of the week.   🙂 

One of my favorite things…is the changing seasons.  There is beauty in both the ending and the beginning of each one.

A picture I’d like to share with you…I mentioned we were experiencing cooler weather recently.  I went down to the boat dock on the Warwick River near my mother’s house and took a few photos.  I love how the sky looks when the temps cool down and the humidity is low……this first one is a silhouette image…..

And this one is looking to my left…..