Thanks, Laurie, birthdays went well and we’re happy to start another year. The Korean fried sprouts - had a difficult couple of days with them, but the problem was not the seasoning. They were quite large, and because they were delicious and I was really hungry I ate a lot of them without thinking that I should probably have cut them much smaller, chewed more, and not eaten so many! 

It’s a nice day - sunny, expecting high temperatures in the 60s Fahreinheit. The grass is greening up, and I can see some tiny buds on the trees. The robins seem to be having a good time. 

and the sun keeps on shining , 18C with clear blue skies

Well we had rain , a slight mist ,more forecast for tomorrow 😳  18 C today

Saturday: sunny and warm (over 20C).

Sunday (Happy Mother's Day to all the moms!): Sunny, but 11C and fairly chilly.

Thank you Eric! 

It poured rain here all night!  I avoided taking trash out in the evening bcuz of it. I was visiting the washroom a lot last night, Rose was over productive!!  The noise from the rain kept me awake too. It seemed like a hard rain & I tend to worry about mud slides & for all those involved, rescuers as well,   when it rains like that here. 

My last time up was 3 a.m.-ish. There was a short reprieve in rain so I hustled my trash bag to the can which was already curbside.   We've started a composting  program here & the regular trash only goes out once every 2 weeks now. Recycling the same, but yard waste with the compost in the same bin goes weekly. I ran out of compostable paper bags on Wednesday so I needed that trash at the curb! Its been warm in the daytime here. As much as I appreciate the compost system, I admit to finding it a huge bother in my life, but I'll do it for the planet and the kids & future kids. Every bit helps right?? 

another lovely day here today , got up to the mid 20's and its the same for the next week , I think someone moved Ireland a few hundred miles south , well we were due some nice weather after a couple of bad summers , and we will enjoy it while we have it .

Cloudy today, and might get a little rain. North of where I live three forest fires hae been burning all week, the biggest one caused by an unattended camp fire, the second likely by a cigarette butt tossed from a car window, the third from a hay bale that caught fire (not sure from what). 

On Monday I tripped and fell really hard into the end of a low bookcase and then onto the floor, and spent the day in the emergency room. I have a contusion inside on my chest wall, and a traumatic rib injury, but nothing seriously damaged. The right side of my torso is painful especially on the inside and I feel physically shaken and beat up, sore all over. How did I do this, they kept asking. I think it was a combination of very old worn out Birkenstocks, a scatter rug, carrying things in both hands, and being in a hurry. 

But no serious damage. Another lucky thing is I had just taken a shower and changed my ostomy bag before all this.

@llholiday Oh NO! I’m sorry that happened to you, but glad that it wasn’t a worse outcome. Maybe it’s time the Birkenstocks were retired. After a lifetime of no shoes indoors, I now have an indoor-only pair of slip on Skechers. They give my arches good support and have a good grip to prevent slipping on smooth surfaces. I am in denial in many ways about my own aging, but I recognize (sometimes) that I have to be more mindful about what my body can and can’t do. 

A high of 21C and sunny predicted here on Lake Huron today; a welcome reprieve from yesterday’s 26C and very high humidity. I spent the day gardening, and I am a bit achy today. Working in the garden is where my denial of aging is most apparent!

 Laurie 

@llholiday ... Oh Linda, OUCH!!  My goodness! I'm so sorry you fell hard like that!! Bruised ribs hurt like crazy! I hope you heal well, but as an experienced first grade clutz here, it's going to take a fair deal of time, so I prescribe... lol,  rest more, do some gentle Yoga stretches & ice, Ice, ICE!  I'm sure you were told that by the doc him/herself. 

Spoil yourself a little during this time. Epsom salts & a warm bath can help soothe your body & your soul. Read a few chapters of a good book every day too. And don't do that again! I'm sure the floors get harder each fall & our bodies further away from them! 

It's been warm & Rainey here.  I'm so glad we've had much rain this year! We certainly need it for helping mother nature fight fires & for our drinking water supply too. 

It's so fun to watch my garlic growing taller in the back garden & all my flowering plants in back & front performing so beautifully! 

Gwens pansey from our field trip is coming along nicely for her.  This little girl is a real Gem of a child! She's changing so much! Any ideas on how to slow that down would be appreciated.  Gwen never told us what she did at school in all day & when asked, she would say, "Oh, I don't remember, or I don't want to say it!"  I sensed we were on a bad pattern here as in higher grades she'd be expected to answer teachers when called upon. 

So, being Gramma, rather "Munga" as she calls me, I decided to try bribing her. One day,  I heard her telling my son about these "L.O.L Dolls", that she just "needed so badly Daddy!"  They come in a ball with several tiny accessories.   At a recent bday party for her friend, the friend rec'd 2 of them. I started asking questions about them  & she & I sat down & googled these dolls.  I let her choose one, but unbeknownst to Gwen I ordered 3 of them. When they came, I let her open the bubble envelope & the excitement level went to the moon over there being 3 of them!!  I sat with her to open the ONE ball she chose & as she reached for & asked to open the other two..  I knew this was my moment. 

Long story short bcuz setting a rule was important here as well as explaining the calendar & what a week at school meant. In the end, her little hands holding the other 2 balls snuggled in her grip, she agreed to tell me all about everything she did at school each day & then Friday she could choose one more ball to open & repeat the following week! 

Well! Who knew she had so much school information in her little brain! She talked for 20 min. straight while I listened intently.  Then the questions, which day are we on in our school week ?  She knew it was for  Friday, but waiting 7 more days for another ball was almost too much for her. But, I didn't cave!  Now when she comes thru my door, she is already saying, " I have so much to tell you about what I did at school today!"  Week 2,  she's now telling me about the playground recess time & who she plays with. Its a bit like opening a can of worms trying to escape the fishing hook. 

Needless to say, it's working & she's even telling her Dad & Mom about school now, and a neighbour friend whose dog plays with mine.  I have to chuckle bcuz my son asked how many dolls I planned to reward her with?! Lol!  I told him "As many as the year has school weeks left! "  

@llholiday Oh no! I'm glad it wasn't worse, but I'm sure you didn't need that fall in your life 😮

Posted by: @tigerlily

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After a lifetime of no shoes indoors, I now have an indoor-only pair of slip on Skechers

Yup, I also rarely go with socks only at home, and have a dedicated pair of "water shoes" I use. Non-slip socks also work great, but they are a bit of a pain when you're trying to put shoes on with them. 🤣 

Current temperature says 24C with clear, sunny skies!

@llholiday  ,

Glad you're OK Linda , its a horrible feeling and you feel really vulnerable afterwards , 

Feel better soon.

Wow! The rain here has been amazing to be getting it still this far into May, let alone any at all!  Early last evening,  we had a thunder & lightening storm that had to be right over our house. The noise of heavy rain on the roof & skylights was well outdone by the thunder & the claps of lightening were very bright.  I'm pretty sure the whole fire department were at the station holding a collective breath against  possible fires from the lightening.  The town siren was never heard...yay, so far anyways! 

We had a small 3.1 earth quake on Sunday night here.  On Monday morning I had told my Son that I was certain I had heard the grunts of a bear 🐻 out the back area!  My dog was on her toes & skaking, staring at my open bedroom window within seconds of it, fortunately holding a low soft sort of growl more like a deep purr, but amazinly, not barking.  I had moments before the grunts I'd heard, what sounded like the trash bins being moved along the pavement. Our bins, sit on the road, down from the side yard, sort of between the neighbour's house & ours.  Trash day was the following morning & trucks are here by 7:10 easily.  Many of us put our bins out the night before.  With the start of a new composting system,  others had voiced wildlife concerns. We make a point to freeze our composting bags due to temps & the unpleasant trash can critters that can visit... yuk!  

I was put off,  being told by him that I may have heard the earthquake many on social media had said was "heard" more then felt this time.  I told him that I was pretty certain by Missys reaction that what we heard was several bear grunts! But to avoid argument, I said, "I guess we'll find out..." leaving itcat that. 

Sure enough, the following day he sent me a "Bear Alert Notice!"  as it had been seen the same night  as the grunts ⚠️!!    It's not uncommon for me to sit out front late at night watching stars &  breathing in the fresh air & enjoying the chirping crickets.  My back area has a fenced in,  locked, gated area which I'm eternally grateful for!  We do live in the mountains, so we try to be extra, careful with trash bins here. When a  neighbour sees a notice of a forest fire or dangerous animal sighting, we all make sure the rest know about it as well. It's just a safety thing... but still, yikes! 

Sunny and cool today, expecting a high of 50 Fahrenheit (my favorite weather). My mother’s garage is on a hill that slants down to the woods. Every spring when the bears wake up we find that at least one has dug in under that back side of the garage to hibernate over the winter. My brothers put boards up to block it but the bears move them.

Oh, my, he was at my sister’s house this afternoon. She lives next door to our mother.

Linda ouch ! Wishing you a speedy recovery . And Wow looks like a big Bear dont see mant of those around here . Time to start spending half our time in the valley with temps today close to 100° F and half our time in the Mountains where I'm at now where its 36° F with a high of upper 60's today . Quite a temperature difference . 

@llholiday Yikes!!! 😳 Look both ways before opening your front door!

Temperatures have been cool this weekend - a holiday Monday to celebrate Queen Victoria’s birthday. She was famously “not amused” but apparently amused enough to give her Royal subjects a day off. There was roof frost this morning when I got up, so I’m glad I covered all my plants yesterday. A high of only 14C predicted along the lake today, so I will postpone planting my tomatoes for several days.

Laurie

@llholiday Oh, wow! I'm glad that the only visitors we get are the odd raccoon or opossum around here! 😧 

Decided to go on a bike right yesterday (Victoria Day holiday). Sunny and only around 14C... 100 km of riding in 20 km/h headwind with 40 km/h gusts. 

Let me tell you that it was not as enjoyable of a ride as it should have been! 😵 😵 

The Spanish are Invading ,

Beautiful Spanish Galleon spotted from our garden this morning

@tony-h Wow, is that something you guys normally see there?

As for today... rainy and cold 😵 

@veganostomy not normally something that unique,  but we have a good view of the harbour and its nice to even just look at normal.shipping coming and going .

Lovely day today 20 C and mostly sunny , changing from tomorrow on and some normal Irish weather on the way 🌦🌧🌩