Balcony Scenes & Other Things

Bulbuls continue to provide daily entertainment.

And bees are busy.

The volunteer tomato plant that I posted about earlier has now flowered.

Sunflower seeds I planted months ago have finally formed buds and I'm hoping they will bloom soon.  (I planted lots of seeds but only a few actually sprouted.)

My rescue tortoise, Tofu, is still with us.  It's been 2 years and 9 months since I found him wandering one of the streets in our neighborhood.

A disappointing sight on my evening walk was this tiered cake that was dumped and has been sitting for days .

I decided to take a closer look this afternoon and realized it's a styrofoam base covered in frosting.  The only thing I can figure is that someone used it for a photo shoot and then dumped it.  What a waste!  And now it pollutes the environment.  People think that when they throw something away, it magically disappears.  But there is no away, it has to go somewhere and something like this will just hang around forever and a day in a landfill.

A Starbucks message from the trash heap.  :)

Happy Friday!

Crochet, Baking and Another Book

 Early morning brought a thunderstorm and more windy conditions.

I crocheted six more of the ornaments started yesterday so now have an even dozen. I often give away my crocheted hearts whenever we go out on a Friday, but need something different since we basically go to the same places and see the same people.  Will try to package these up with chocolate and maybe a card and have a few on hand just in case I find someone to give one to whenever I'm out and about.

Picked this rock up from the beach the other day.

Before

and

after.

My husband keeps bringing me a handful of Indian jasmine that he plucks from the neighbors' bushes.

They smell so sweet.

Crocheted a few little flowers to go with them.

Was able to get out for my late afternoon walk to feed the kitties and noticed that the sky was like splotches of watercolor so looked up to take a picture at the same time that a jet just happened to be zooming by leaving contrail in its wake.

My walk isn't very long but I leave just before sunset and by the time I get home it's already dark.

Made a vegan vanilla cake this evening to go with strawberries my husband bought the other day (I've also been eating them on pancakes).

And this is yet another book I finished this past week.

The author is a religious historian and the steps she gives are not a simple to-do list, it's more about a lifetime commitment to broadening our thinking, expanding our hearts, becoming tolerant of differences and cultivating compassion for ourselves and others.  I really like that many different religious and spiritual practices are represented in the book.

My New York boy sent pictures of the snow piled up outside two of the doors where he lives.  If you were in the path of any storms, I hope all is well.  Stay safe.

Sending warm wishes your way,

Happenings at Home

 It was a very blustery day, so rather than be blown away, I chose to stay safe at home.

Attempted a thumbprint cookie recipe (replacing vegan butter with coconut oil) that was not much of a success, but that didn't stop my husband from eating them when he got home so guess they weren't too bad.

Made one of my favorite bowls of comfort food for lunch.

Did some birdwatching from my bedroom window.

This young dove was all puffed up, probably to protect itself from the wind.

There was also a lot of stretching.

Currently crocheting ornaments with double strands of colorful cotton.

And just finished reading this book which I really enjoyed.

I like the way the stories are laid out and the introduction that precedes each chapter; the refugee accounts are harrowing but hopeful and a reminder that we all must count our blessings and really, truly appreciate what it means to live in peace.

Have a wonderful day.

Things Collected

 A walk at the park should be a serene experience, an opportunity to commune with nature.

It's a shame that at two of the three entrances visitors are greeted with piles of garbage that no one seems to want to haul away.

Found a different kind of feather than what I normally come across.  Sometimes there's chickens next to the park, so maybe it's from one of them.

Also found these roses on the ground, perfectly wrapped and lovely, but I guess whoever got them was none too pleased with the gesture. 

Wonder if there was any meaning behind the choice of one black and one white rose?

Found a plastic bag, filled it up with garbage and took it to the nearest trashcan.

I love quotes (as you might have noticed) and am always trying to find pictures that portray their meaning.

Unclose your mind.  You are not a prisoner.

You are a bird in flight, searching the skies for dreams.

(Haruki Murakami)

Have a terrific Tuesday.

Plalking at the Beach

 In case you are wondering what plalking is ...

it's picking up litter while walking.

One of the reasons I don't go to the beach more often is because I hate seeing garbage strewn all over.  I can't just walk around it or ignore it or walk away, so I wind up finding a bag (there's always plenty) and start filling it up.

Pandemic pollution is everywhere.

I don't understand how people can be so careless and clueless.

If you happened to notice the green container in the photo above, it's a garbage can.  There's plenty along the boardwalk and yet people choose to leave their trash behind.

At first glance, you might think these are all rocks, but the upper right is styrofoam that's been hanging around awhile.

I hate styrofoam.

It breaks down into teeny-tiny balls of microcrap that can never be picked up.

Bottle caps, straws and cigarette butts are also difficult as there are just too many.

The world is always dying and always coming back to life.  Tide and pulse, and with the turn of the tide a touch of mystery.

(Henry Miller, The Wisdom of the Heart)

I remembered to turn my camera to the side for some video today and it looks like it might actually have loaded properly.

Have a good Monday.

Seek Every Day Magic

 This morning I got a bee in my bonnet and next thing you know I was tearing apart the t.v. room, taking down curtains for washing, rearranging, organizing, dusting, etc.  Of course, it turned into an all day affair.

Thankfully, I only have to step out on the balcony to experience a bit of every day magic.

Love how the coriander sprouts are starting to look like cilantro.

The cantaloupe is changing in appearance but not really getting any bigger.

Moss rose, pretty in pink.

Not just any old fly, but common just the same.

The common green bottle fly.

The single overriding objective in wellness is creating constant personal renewal where we recognize and act on the truth that each day is a miraculous gift, and our job is to untie the ribbons. That's the Law of Esprit: living life with joy.

(Greg Anderson)

Sunday blessings,