Positively Hot Chocolate and Zebras!

 by Mauverneen

Well here we are on the last day of January. My goodness that month went fast! My weather app says the temp is 1. Yes, just l. BUT - the sun is shining. It really doesn't help make it any warmer when it's this cold but it sure helps my attitude. We've had far too many cloudy, gloomy days this past month. I don't know if we actually set a record or not for the most sunless days in a row, but even if they weren't in a row, there were far too many. (This just in: IT'S OFFICIAL--DESPITE TODAY'S SUN, JANUARY, 2023 WILL GO DOWN ON THE BOOKS AS THE CLOUDIEST JANUARY SINCE SUNSHINE RECORDS WERE TAKEN STARTING 129 YEARS AGO IN 1894.)

My birds have been flocking to the feeder and the suet no matter the weather. So they always brighten up a portion of my day. 

According to the National Holiday Calendar, it is National Zebra Day. It's also National Hot Chocolate Day, among others. I guess we can just pick and choose what to celebrate. I think I'll go with the Hot Chocolate, it's certainly the weather for it. And here are some Zebras, just because it's National Zebra Day. Only comes once a year, after all. And they are pretty cool, aren't they.

Look at those ears!

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

Available at Amazon.com,

 Anderson's Bookstore in Naperville, 

Bookshop.org

https://www.threestorieslemont.com/

https://bookmarketjoliet.com/

Ugly Ducklings by Kathleen

or request it at your favorite bookstore!

Positively Biding My Time

 by Mauverneen

My planned trip was called off. I was supposed to be in sunny Arizona this past week, but instead, I was home. I live just southwest of Chicago, and we've had no sun for days and days. Yesterday afternoon though, the sun did come out! I swear there were people dancing in their yards. (Well, I'm sure I wasn't the only one.) It was great reassurance to know that the sun was still up there, and the sky was still blue. It had been so long, we weren't really sure. 

As I write this, the sun is back out - perhaps as a bit of an apology, as we are supposed to get snow tomorrow!

Since the trip was off, I did get a little work done around here, played with my camera, invited friends over for coffee, and watched some online courses. So I learned something new, which is always a good thing!  

But, I still feel in need of a trip, in need of some sunshine, so I'm looking at the map. I know it will have to be south if I want warmth.  But, where to go, where to go? I'd like to go somewhere I haven't been before. After all, there are soooo many options. And I want it to be soon!    

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

Available at Amazon.com,

 Anderson's Bookstore in Naperville, 

Bookshop.org

https://www.threestorieslemont.com/

https://bookmarketjoliet.com/

Ugly Ducklings by Kathleen

or request it at your favorite bookstore!

Another Year

 by Mauverneen

I just had a birthday! 

One daughter gifted me a theater ticket for Christmas to Sound of Music, that just so happened to be on my actual birthday! That was a double treat. Another daughter gifted me a spa day - which is now booked for a day in February. On Sunday night, we all went to dinner at the Maple Tree Inn - a lively, fun venture into Cajun Food. We tried appetizers, desserts, and sampled each others dinners. So we got to try LOTS of different things. 

I love it when the celebration gets to be spread out like that! Not just a couple hours of partying, but a true celebration of life with family and friends, over multiple days. 

My daughters had asked me what I would like for my birthday. I honestly said I don't need a thing. Just spending time with them is the greatest gift of all. 

Not much else to say. I'm another year older, but heck, I don't feel any older this week than I did last week. I feel blessed for that! I'm just sort of taking it easy, comfortable in my daily routine, and feeling - content. 

So here's to another trip around the sun. I hope we all have a good one!

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

Available at Amazon.com, Anderson's Bookstore in Naperville, or request it at your favorite bookstore!

Positively Biting Off More Than I ....

 by Mauverneen

The saying goes ...more than I can chew. In other words more than I should. At one time. 

I was going to post a short video of some birds at my feeder. They are always so fun to watch, I thought you might enjoy it too. But of course, the video file was too large. So I opened up the video program I have thinking I would just resize it. Well, I've never used that program before, so of course there is a learning curve. Which means I have to watch a couple of videos before I can work on my own video. Now, I'm sure there is a quick and easy way to resize a video, just like I can with photos. But of course I am used to doing that and know how to make my way around in Photoshop. Silly me, thinking it would be that simple. Which it probably will be once I learn how. But it isn't going to be today.

What else have I bitten off? Well, I'm trying to write an article for a newsletter that I am editing. I need to do that before I can finish the newsletter. I need to finish this newsletter before I leave for a short trip next week. I have to do laundry before I can pack for said trip. And generally, once I pack I then unpack and repack at least once, changing my mind several times about what to take, taking too much and never wearing half of what I take. I need to shower, take the dogs out, go to the grocery store. Today. (I'm out of toilet paper, garbage bags, coffee and dog food!) Oh and a meeting Wednesday evening. It's also my birthday week so there is a play I'm going to and a dinner with family. And I'm still trying to get my Christmas trees put away, so I take off a few ornaments as I pass by. I think I've got them all, now I just have to cart it all to the basement.

And as I was walking by my kitchen window just a few minutes ago I came across this lovely couple, so of course I had to run and get the camera in order to capture this! Eastern Bluebirds! 

So, maybe next week you'll get that video, and I think I'll share that article with you too at some point, but for today, I hope it's a Positively Relaxing Tuesday! At least for some people. 

As always, words and photos are my own, and require permission to reprint.

However, feel free to share the blog in it's entirety. In fact, I encourage it!

Interested in photo prints? Contact me! maureenblevins@yahoo.com

See more photos at http://fineartamerica.com/profiles/1-mauverneen-blevins.html

Available at Amazon.com, Anderson's Bookstore in Naperville, or request it at your favorite bookstore!