A Little Change Inside & Outside Activity

The other day I had this idea!  That could be a good thing or a bad thing!  I really like the change!  It is such a little change and to me it made a big impact.  I have this hallway, I don't like hallways, that I turned into a family photo gallery many years ago.  I keep adding to it or changing it, as my family grows.  It is white and all the frames are black.  I painted a lot of frames that I had to save money recycle them.  I had put a trim up a few years ago, white.  This is a before the little change.

Big oak mirror at the end of the hallway, lots of white.


This is the after little change picture.

Black trim, smaller mirror at end of hallway.  I LOVE it, it really gives it a different look, I think.  And what I think is important, since I have to live here.


I didn't take a before picture of the next part.  It is around the left corner of the hallway.  It had two Thomas Kincade pictures hanging there; I'm tired of Thomas Kincade, have been for a long time.  Recently I and my sister came across some really old pictures of our parents and family.  They are priceless and beautiful.  So, I have decided to add to my 'hall of fame' by hanging them in the a fore mentioned Thomas Kincade space.  It is a work in progress, I still need to get some of the pictures hung, but here is a preview.

I think this part is going to be a really fun one.  


It is interesting how a little change in color can cause a person to make changes in other places.  I have moved and removed and added and changed and put away so many things in the last couple of weeks; I don't know where things are now, I'm surprised when I walk in a room and see the different items that I'm not used to being there.  I'm telling myself how much I like the changes I have made.  I live in a strange world with myself.  Yes I'm weird, but, *said in a whisper* lets keep it a secret.


The next pictures are my token bird and flower pictures.


When I opened up the blinds one morning, this beautiful Morning Glory was saying, "good morning."  The original plant is no longer.....this is from one of the 'many' vines that have taken root in my yard.

The next two pictures are of the Blue Birds and friends having breakfast.  They flew away before I could get a good picture of them.  There was 3 Blue Birds at one time with some Purple Finch and a bunch of the little yellow guys.  I counted a zillon birds, well maybe 10. But there were a lot.

What I saw on my Walk

Took my camera on a walk this morning.  We have a lot of the things I love up here in my neighborhood.  Lots of Oak trees, birds, wild flowers (read weeds), and sometimes a view of the Sierra's with snow.  I just went on the short walk, next time I'll do the long walk and go into the group of homes next to mine.  They could be said to be the 'other side of the tracks', meaning the homes are way more 'bigger' and expensive than mine and they have moats (okay, it's a ditch, but a big one, my imagination says moat).

As I was starting on my walk the man and dog was passing by.  They walk every day.  We exchange good mornings and a thought or two.   As the man walks, he cleans up.  He picks up trash and puts it in the nearest trash can.  Picks up branches and tosses them out of the street, things like that.  Reminds me of my dad.  He was always picking up things out of the street or gutter, if they didn't belong there.  One time when I was very little he stopped the car on the side of the road, without saying anything to us, and got out and went back a ways to pick something he saw in the middle of the road.  It was a tool.  He just gets back into the car with his treasure.  He did things like that often.    Anyway, I like this man and his dog.   Sometimes his wife is with him.

 This is a sidewalk that doesn't go anywhere....it is strange.  There must have been a plan but who knows what it was.  There are two of these and one is very curvy so I call it the crooked mile, even if it is just a few yards long, little kids think it is fun for about 1 minute....

 That is my home with the red bushes.  I'm by a nature area *read drainage ditch and trees and berry bushes and of course weeds*.

 This stand of Oak trees is just down the street from my home.  I really want to go sit on that branch, but I don't want to scare the neighbors, or worry them that I'm strange.  I'm trying to keep that from them.

 Just some wild flower, weeds and of course California Poppy's.

 It is hard to see, but there is a lake in the distance.  I'm standing on a hill looking down into the fancy homes and the lake is in the background.  It's  Bass Lake ( reservoir), it is large enough to be home to Canadian geese and ducks of all kind.  About 7 years ago there was a pair of swans living there.  They had babies.  They came two years in a row but have not been back.  I'm positive they were swans!

 There are Blue Jays all over these here hills.  This one was the lookout I think.  Can you see him on the rock?

 This home has one of my favorite Oak trees in their yard.

 This is the point where I get see the Sierra's toward Lake Tahoe and when the clouds aren't low, I can see the snow.  They had more snow last week.  Crazy!!

 Just more of the trees.

 This is my all time favorite home site.  This development, as you can see, has no set yard structure.  Each lot is odd shaped because of the hills.  This home was built back on the lot to accommodate the Oak tree.  I love it..

 The next picture was also taken on a bit of a rise.  The odd shaped home in the distance, on the right, was the only home  on that hill when I moved into this development.  The cypress tree on the left, stood all by itself.  The building went crazy after I moved in.

 The stand of Oak trees by my home.

Little of This-Little of That

There is a new craft shop in town!  It is Craft Castle!!  We have been needing a place like this and I will probably be spending way too much time there.  They have it set up where you can just drop in and paint whenever you want.  I love it!  You pay a small studio fee of $8 and that covers your paint and the time, however long, to paint your item.  They are also going to have classes in glass work.  I am so there. We were even served coffee!  Anyway, the following projects are my first two projects.  The coffee mug is not great; I didn't have a plan.  But, it was fun to do.  I'm happier with the bowl.  I had a bit of a plan.  Now it is time to try something and really be serious about it.  

The Santa in the next picture is a project that I am too ashamed to say how long it has been sitting, waiting to be finished.  So, I won't.  The last two days of doing nothing but painting, has resulted in the top finally being completed!  The base it fits on will only take another day to complete and then what shall I do?  Maybe the sewing project that has been sitting for, lets see, a month? 

This little critter spend a day trying to tear my hanging basket apart to use for her nest.  She was fun to watch and since I hadn't put new flowers in it yet, I didn't mind.  She and her mate have built a nest in the same bush for the last 3 years or so.  I can watch mom and dad feed the baby's from inside my sun room.  

I had posted a picture of my first Blue Bird of the season in an earlier post; the next day he brought his lady with him for a drink at the fountain.

That's all I've been doing...........

Birds and Blooms + critter

This is a warning........if you do not like pictures of critters and flowers, stop here and retreat! If you are curious, continue. Most of the critter pictures were taken from inside my sunroom, through glass and screen. For some reason the birds and squirrels will not sit still for me to go outside to get better pictures of them. I don't know why, it is a mystery. Anyway, you will probably think I have nothing better to do, but, I do! I just get distracted easily. And I do love the outside drama that these critters provide.
This first picture is not great, but there is a good reason it is here. You really have to look close at the top of the fence. I've never seen this little one before. He is tiny and at first I thought maybe I had a Painted Bunting, but I don't know. It looks like a Bluebird. The second picture is a bit clearer. He only stayed for a second and has not been back.
I tried to enlarge it so I could see it better....

Flowers

Flowers

More flowers. These are really a beautiful color, doesn't show up well here. Okay, it's really my pictures taking! Too much sun, too little sun!

I got so excited thinking I was going to have grandbaby birds, but, no, they were just checking it out...

Now, this little guy comes around pretty often. He is so pretty and I like him.

I like him alot....

Really!

And here is my prize bird, a for real Birdbird. He doesn't come around much at all. There is usually a couple of them. This picture was taken through my kitchen window, no screen so it came out really well. His tummy is more red than it shows in the picture and when he flies, the blue on his wings almost glitter. I really really love him.....

The Blue Jay comes to eat too. He is loud but he is welcome.

This bird is a new one to my yard. He started coming around about 3 weeks ago. I think he is a Black Headed Grosbeak. There are a couple of them, maybe more, it is hard to get them to sit still long enough for me to check them out. I try!

I thought you needed to see more of him.

Just in case you didn't see him the first time...

Last one, I promise.

I took the next three of the front of my house (in case you couldn't figure that out) it was a beautiful day, the sky so blue and clouds so white.

And just a few more flowers.

Sorry, I didn't realize I had downloaded so many.....well, okay I did, I'm just saying I didn't.

Isn't he cute!!!! He thinks he is a bird...

He use's my fence as his freeway to the oak trees across the road.

Okay, we are coming to the end. This is a hummer.

The birds have their own fountain to play in, but they like to sneak over to this one to play in. Can you see the bird on the top?

How about this picture? He is on the side.

This one is better. He's "sitting on top of the world..just singing a song".....Sorry for you youngin's that is from an 'old' song.

Here is one of the little bitty ones.

Okay, thats it folks.........................Aren't you glad!?!?!