Dylan arrives today!

I am very happy. Dylan arrives today, this evening, for a week's visit. It will be his first time meeting Bella :-)

Five-minute turkey chilli is cooking:

Ingredients (added in this order and then stir before putting the lid on for the rest of day):
- one large slow cooker
- one large jar of medium salsa
- two 1 lb packs of minced (ground) turkey
- one large can of diced tomatoes (drained)
- one large can of red kidney beans (drained and rinsed)
- two small cans of tomato puree
- copious amounts of cumin and chilli plus a teensy bit of cinnamon.

Must go and buy sour cream on the way back from airport because I forgot it yesterday.

Warming the bathrooms

The challenge was how to warm the two upstairs bathrooms. While hot-water pipes run under the floors to the radiators, there are no radiators in the bathrooms themselves.

Looked at many options, and found these really cool towel warmers/bathroom heaters. They are effective, stylish, and they only draw 60w--the same as a light bulb! And it is really nice to have a warm towel when you step out of the shower.

You can buy them in many different sizes and shapes. They have to be wired in by an electrician, either with an on-off switch or with a timer. I found them online: took about three weeks for delivery. I am happy with them!

Friday morning is orange

I was never one for orange. Not for clothes, not for flowers, not for decorating. But living here has changed me. The morning sky, the flowers that arrived as volunteers in the garden... I Love Orange!

A few more odd jobs done, more to go...

Eric from Aries Electric in Shirley did a great job of installing two wall heaters/towel warmers (not only do they do the warm-bathroom thing, they also look good), replacing the heating thermostats, and climbing way up to replace the smoke detectors. Jack removed all the old stuff that was hanging around the yard waiting too-long to be useful. I scared the voles away (with a little help from Muffin). Now I just need to find some time to put everything back where it should be, fill little holes in walls and paint a bit more, and find the number of the person who wanted to buy the sideboard... and clean the garage and put up pegboard and paint it and make a workbench and deal with the pond and and and and and... is it spring yet?

Winter beauty

Yesterday was a gem of a winter's day: cold, clear, bright, sunny; still and calm. Even managed to work up a sweat in the garden, moving things around, tidying. Well below freezing, but without the knife of a wind that keeps you locked up indoors.

The cut reeds make a clacking, musical sound as they rub together. But my big windchimes have all broken, their cords cut by earlier storms. I need to find something to repair them; fishing line doesn't work, because I can't tie them tight enough. Or maybe I bought too strong/thick line?

Back from Sac

Refuse to jostle with bigrigs on I80 and I5. Took the scenic route through Elverta and down Powerline. Pink-breasted hawks, wide wet flatlands, Telegraph Road... A nest of pylons, a herd of yellow earth movers, and the only traffic on mist-covered 99 which traversed my quiet route. See you again soon.


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Location:Airport Blvd,Sacramento,United States

A few mild days

We had rain, and temperatures a few degrees above freezing... and all the birds and beasts have come out to play. Raccoons in the garbage. A team of about twenty young deer hanging out on street corners and getting into trouble. Squirrels running on roofs and finding ways inside.

We startled a blue heron this morning: he was fishing in the water by the side of Forest Road. He flew a little further up the street, eyed the ditch there, then scooted off, legs trailing.

The swans are grazing the wetlands: we have about ten of them this year who are staying close. Juveniles, as big as their parents, but still dirty-grey; the ugly ducklings ready to be beautiful.

Monday morning in Mastic Beach...

... and it's cold, and it's winter, and it's the start of yet-another work week... and then I look out of the window and see this. And think... wow.