Sunday Safari

I put my apron on this morning and did not take it off until supper.

I worked all day cleaning the house and decorating for February.

I am finished! The house is lovely in her February dress.

We went to a Chinese New Year celebration
on Friday. Lots of fun!

The Lion dance is always exciting.

The art gallery had all sorts of fine dragons.

February is a short month with lots going on.

We have stories to read

and delicious treatments to enjoy.

These are our sitar and Turkish coffee days.

My butterflies are doing fine.
I help them each day at the nectar pot.
Making sure they get plenty of food is important.

I am tired tonight.
It is a good sort of tired.
It is to be 65 degrees tomorrow.
I think we will dry the sheets on the line.
January is going out like a lamb.
Happy Sunday Safari.

Sunday Safari

Another Black Swallowtail emerged this morning.

I watched her dry her wings.

I was so pleased our older Black was able to feed
in the nectar pot. Raising Butterflies is new for me.

Temperatures warmed this afternoon.
We walked at the park.

I took my afternoon coffee to the deck.
Spending time with the birds is always a delight.

The female Red Bellied Woodpecker

is so pretty with her gray cap.

Lots of Cardinals come and go.

The wind was a strong breeze out of the south.
It ruffled feathers and blew stray leaves about.

I have left lots of morning glory seeds.
I hope they will self sow.

Daffodils are emerging.
Way too early for this sign of spring.

The coral berries are ripe.

We are keeping water in the bird baths.
I hope we get snow soon.

It has been a week of thawing and freezing.

Happy Chinese New Year.
Happy Year of the Dragon.

I am home caring for butterflies.
I am home tending the birds.
I am home dreaming of Dragons.

Sunday Safari

Roller coaster temperatures once again had me outside

with the birds thinking about seeds.

I watched three Chick-a-dees chase each other about.

It is early for choosing mates.

The Cardinals continue to come to the deck for seed
and fresh water.
It was 60 degrees this afternoon.
The wind is to shift once again and a strong cold front is coming in,
by Wednesday it will be in the teens.

Our albinistic female Cardinal is a regular.

I also have more white on my head this winter than last.

I am involved in a serious study.
I want to understand the different religions
in my world. Shinto has elements I understand.
Nature is where I find awe.

I do need breaks from my studies so I am playing with paper

and hunting for dragons.

I was so pleased to find this teapot!
It matches my steeping mugs.

I have dragons all over my house.

Paper and silk dragons charm me.

My baskets are empty.

I am thinking Spring.
Happy Sunday safari.

Sunday Safari

The first week of January 2012, was unseasonably warm
with highs into the 60's.

My indoor gardens are blooming nicely.
The mums

and geraniums are cheerful.

I have returned to my housework.
I learned January 7th is called "St. Distaff Day".
It is the day after the Epiphany, the day after the twelve days of
Christmas. It was the day the ladies returned to their spinning.

I have returned to my distaff and my spinning.
I have returned to my writing.

I have returned to my reading.

We are refining our home and gardens.
We are working room by room and flowerbed by flowerbed.
We are embracing simplicity.
We are letting go of items we no longer need.
We are creating harmony.
We are finding our place of ease.

Our celebration of Chinese New Year has begun.

I am very excited that 2012 is the year of the Dragon.

We are Dragons.

We are Rain Dragons.

Our January decorations are up.

Chinese and Japanese motif

find peace in my home.

I find serenity in all my activities.

My rose hips make wonderful healing tea.

They are full of vitamin c.

I have made a note to gather more for next winter.

Kuan Yin
watches over my day.

The more I learn the more I understand.
She is lovely.

My dear friend is an artist.

Years ago she painted a watercolor for me.

It is framed and hanging in my January kitchen.

I do hope we receive some rain.
I do hope for gentle showers.

The Full Wolf Moon rises tonight.

I will make a wish.
Happy Sunday Safari.