Nancy, so glad to hear Dan is enjoying the good weather. I'm in the same boat with you, look around, you'll see me waving! So much yard work, so many dirty dishes... dirty everything. My biggest annoyance is I can't JUST cut the grass, I first have to dig out the mole hills and then I transfer the dirt to low areas. Also, there is the continual pick up of dead wood falling from trees - it took me 3 days to do that for just the back yard, so I could mow - front not done yet. It will be high in the back (Bella fertilizes it) but if it is TOO high, I can use my lightweight weedwacker to bring the height down.

How is your blood problem treating you? I'm having some blood sugar problems and it's not doing me any good at all.

Nancy: yes it is wonderful. I am much better at doing yardwork than housework and happier. But yes, it is as much work as the inside, especially during Spring.

I do wish Bruce would get out with me more. He'll sit at the deck door but that is it. Still another two weeks and he has to do his deck flower boxes. Hopefully that will help. We have Contractor coming Tuesday to try to make a permanent ramp from the deck door to the deck (emergency exit as well). So if that works and Bruce can get out and in by himself (and the insects, I am sure - LOL) maybe that will help. Can only hope.

Wonderful news Ericka is home visiting. You must be totally enjoying spending time with her. Hugs to my Dan, of course. Glad he is getting out. Debbie

Nancy, it is so good to see nice weather here too. It really does help restore our good feelings/moods. Just to get outdoors and see the green grass and flowering trees and shrubs is great! I also am expecting my daughter next week so I will rejoice like you in her homecoming.

Take care,

Julie

Sandy, paper plates and clear plastic forks from Sams or Walmart saves the Dawn and water when it comes to dirty dishes in the sink!!!! Works for me with one hand. I don't need a knife I just pick it up and bite it, I can't cut with one hand anyway...More time for your yard work!!!

Nancy, hope you get your garden in and growing real soon or the weather will change quickly in ND where you are!!!!!

My yard work consist of spraying Round Up on the weeds without killing the grass but the St Augustine grass grows real fast anyway. Then spraying for the ants as they move around the yard to higher ground as it rains!!!!! I use my scooter so I cover back and front yards pretty fast not having to lug that heavy Round Up container in my hand when I can only use my right hand anyway!!!

Lots of yard work for me too these last few weeks. So far three tick bites, so I have an appointment Friday morning at my new doctor. Guess I'll be on penicillin for a week or two. Meanwhile I am calling around for prices of exterminators, this is ridiculous!

I wear veterinarian prescribed tick collars on each ankle, I have gloves and socks tucked in and wear a windbreaker despite the discomfort of heating up, spray Deep Woods Off on every overlapping layer of cloth but bingo, a few hours later a fat juicy bug is sucking up my blood. Ray NEVER had this problem, meanwhile they seem to generate themselves spontaneously on my body. Not my worst problem right now I guess, but it sure is frustrating....and creepy.

colleen do get some guineas -- they would just live in our trees and grass and they would really clean it up -- they re smaller than a chicken even and except for a source of water would be maintenance free, for the most part-- i would get about 10 -- just do it -- it will make for a good story ..

I could probably steal a few from the farmer down the road, he'd never even miss them. Just kidding, he'd probably give me a couple for free! They're blocking the entire road every morning just when the sun comes up. They even have a warning sign.

They want over $500 for each spray treatment, and only guarantee if you get two, so what the heck! Just gotta watch out for my next door neighbor's hungry dog.

Please that you are able to get out and get fresh air, I live in Florida, and go walking early in the morning. I love it , puts you in a good mood. I hear you about the baby been fun, enjoy every movement, they grow up to quick!

So your daughter soon be home, that is great, my son is not coming home,for spring break. He asked me to follow him to Washinton DC. That is where he is thinking of moving too. I said yes, and it is now hitting me that he is not coming back home! He is turning into a man!

Yvonne

in your trees colleen a dog probably wouldn't bother them to much - note i said probably --- either way it will be the dog owners problem not yours - he will have to keep the dog from wondering… but nature is nature..and most dogs are bred to hunt birds --- but hey there are still birds in this world so , they can survive usually and if you give them a shelter small enough for the bird but not the dog they have a place to run… even a tupperware( the big box kind) with a small hole cut out secured into the ground would work - nothing fancy to begin with...

I am going to research further, when I was looking on the internet yesterday the subject of guinea hens did come up. I'm sure they need a house and a nest in the winter but I have months to worry about that!

hey you could either buy a small hen house about 120.00 at a TSC - i think you have those…. or a insulated dog house ( the igloo) brand on a simple pedestal would do …. they generally don't poop where they live so after you have stocked them up with hay or straw they would just "roost " there but they would LIVE in those trees and they would LOVE it… craigslist for items to -- they would need a "runner " board to get up to their roosting spot… i know you ---- you probably already already know all this and i am preaching to a choir --lol...

I was looking into it a little, but have a doctor appt early tomorrow about the tick bites, and Ray his podiatrist in the afternoon. I decided that I won't start the meds until Monday (going to Ray's sister for bday dinner Sunday,and don't want to push my stomach ;-). Meanwhile the pills will remind me to go talk to some farmers, or the neighbor down the block that took care of the stray a few years ago. Or Agway, or the Cauliflower Association (the farmer's club) or the Cornell Extention. Lots of info to gather. The birds will definitely need some kind of house by next winter, and if it snows like this year it could be scary. They say you do have to feed them wild bird feed after the bugs die too. And you need heaters like a hen house. In the summer they might never come home. I wanted to get full grown ones, seemed easier, but apparently they might just run away? On the bright side, supposedly their eggs taste good.

Don't know what TSC is, is it like Agway or Home Depot? I'm on Craigslist selling stuff right now and did look at guinea hens and shelters, but most of Long Island is totally suburban, unlike here. Not much to see so far.

the farmers club would be a good place to start--- they might even have a "program" here in ND pheasent hunting is popular but us idiot humans almost killed off the population now there are clubs that raise and release and are always looking for land to release them on.. might be true about the needing heat - but that is a simple heating lamp.. insulation will be the key to a good hen house… and bird feed is cheep - again talking to a farmers association would really be helpful, never know why options they might have..?? either way at least for the summer it is a relatively cheap thing to give it whirl…. and hey - bad decisions make for good stories..lol

My new motto! I don't think getting birds would be a totally bad decision though, the neighborhood loved the one that used to live here. I have a flyer from the Cauliflower Assoc, I was thinking of checking them out for plants in a couple of weeks rather than the high end herb farm I usually go to, so I will start a list of things to ask. Guessing they're cheaper than Agway. And they probably know the guy with the thousand guinea hens over by the hospital, who knows?