Much Needed Moisture

Tuesday, June 17, 2014, was a beautiful morning.  While going for an early walk, the sun was shining brightly on the tops of the mountains and with all the snow from the night before, it made a magnificent picture.  The snow on the mountains was beautiful and the rain in the valley was much needed!  Even the cactus plant was beautiful.

Baked Garlic Asparagus

I went over to a friends home a week ago just as they had finished eating.  She had some asparagus sitting there and she told me how she cooked it then gave me a piece to try.  I kid you not, I will never boil asparagus again, ever.  I just made me some today and, well, oh my was it good.  As I was scarfing it down, I decided I’d better put a little on a plate, get a picture of it and blog it.  I even took it outside on the grass to get good lighting.  On the way in the house I started eating it cold and it’s not too bad that way, either.  But, I do prefer it hot.

Here's how I made it per my friends instructions.

Note:  For legal purposes, I made the recipe card using a graphic from the following site and needed to link back to the site if using the graphic on the internet…. http://www.foodclipart.com/food_clipart_images/two_pea_pods_with_nice_fresh_green_peas_0515-1006-1906-3443.html

Cleaning Up The Driveway/Walkway

I’ve spent the past two days working in the driveway/walkway out our back door.  It was a weed and quack grass party out there.  I forgot to take a before picture but I found a picture that I had taken last May that shows what it looked like.

The driveway and walkway is hard gravel rock and my body is really telling me that I am much, much older than I thought I was.  But old-er, or not, it’s a happy dance when I look out the door.  It makes our place look so much better. 

There’s a lot more work to do but as the old saying goes…….. “Rome Wasn’t Built In A Day”.  I’m thinking that I will need to get a new garden spade (got a little bent out of shape) and more gloves (went through one pair and the other pair is in pretty rough shape) before I move on to other areas. 

 

I’ll also need to let this old body recoup a bit before tackling everything else that needs to be done.

Bird Migration and Morning Walk

Last night I’m thinking I was in the pathway of a bird migration – ha.  I was sitting outside in my swing and I had several different kinds of birds all over the place.  I had robins, magpies, king horns, western tanagers, woodpeckers, swallows, and cedar waxwings.  I’m sure I’m missing a few.  They were everywhere around me.  Some of them in flocks……lots of flocks.  It was amazing. 

These two swallows always sit on the wire above me and quietly guard their mud nest that they built in the top peak, under the eave of our home.  There little mud nest sure makes a messy area under the eave but I can’t bring myself to get rid of it.  I’ve seen this pair attack and chase off several magpies…funny.  I hope they never get that agitated with me watching them.

 

Now Gus…that’s a different story.  Last week my husband and I were out sitting in the swing when Gus came and lit on the ground right in front of us.  I guess he was expecting his bread feast but I didn’t have any bread so he flew off.  Last night I took him out his bread and he was happy.  I still can’t believe I’m becoming friends with a squawking magpie….of all birds.

This morning along a two-mile walk a friend and I were taking, I saw a meadow lark.  I’ve heard many meadow larks but this is the first time I can remember seeing one.  Their song is just beautiful and I was expecting to see a very different bird than the one I saw.  I looked it up on the internet and I guess this one was a female because the males had a bright yellow color on their throat and chest.

We usually head up this road, go 1.5 miles then turn around and come back, making it a 3-mile walk.  It’s quite a pretty walk.  We didn’t go the 3 miles today so after walking I got in my car to see how far we had walked and it clocked out as 2 miles, round trip.  We start out on level ground and then it gradually starts to incline.  After reaching the top of the hill, it drops down and there's an entirely different piece of scenery.  Love this walk.

When I went up to clock the miles, I saw some cows walking a fence line.  In the many walks we’ve taken on this route, I’ve never seen the cows.

 

At the end of our walk there were some Iris/Flags along the side of the road.  They were there last weekend, too and I was surprised that they were still there.  I didn’t think that they usually bloomed that long.  Sure are pretty flowers.

 

The next few pictures are just some sights I spotted along my drive home.  I’m telling you, I live in a very pretty area…..a photographers dream spot.

As I was getting out of my car, I heard a bunch of squawking in the trees by me.  I identified the sound immediately – magpies!  I walked over to the tree and there were lots of baby magpies hopping from branch to branch…….except one was being totally lazy and not moving an inch.  Maybe he thought if he didn’t move, I wouldn’t see him.  Another one was squawking, wildly.  He did not seem to like the fact that I was invading his territory.

Whether it be from scenery, wildlife or just about anything, this type of living is my happy place.