Followed by a trip to San Francisco. It’s difficult to go right now because of all that needs to be done in the garden.
Plus, look who showed up yesterday.
Our first bluebird of the season.
And look who I saw in the back yard.
We don’t often see the foxes in the daytime. Better keep my little dogs inside.
Never a dull moment around here.
Right Now at Bumblebee
Another Monday.
Harry and I spent the better part of the weekend painting the master bedroom. We traded off between rolling and detail work and we both made our fair share of messes. For a while Sophie perched on top of a chaise to supervise our work. Sarah was distraught. She does not like change.
Today we get back to normal. I will have to do something about my manicure. Speckled fingernails in Benjamin Moore Light Pewter is not really a good look.
Here’s wishing you a happy, calm and productive week.
Robin
If you’re in the neighborhood and just happen to have your paintbrush and paint clothes with you, stop on by. Harry and I are taking the day off from work to start painting the master bedroom. We figure it’ll take until Sunday. Harry does most of the rolling—no small chore with high ceilings—and I do all the tedious detail work. You, of course, can pitch in wherever you like.
We’re painting it a dove grey. So if you see some grey in my hair in the next few days, it’s paint. Got it? The grey is paint.
Robin
Happy Groundhog Day! What are you doing to celebrate?
We’ll have a special dinner of NOT groundhog. Dinner will be a special pasta (TBD) and some yummy homemade yeast rolls. Then we’ll pull out the photo album of past Groundhog Days and reminisce. We will toast Puxatawny Phil by opening the first bottle of my homemade apfelwein, which I hope is sparkly by now. If it’s any good, you’ll hear more about it.
Cheers!
Robin
Working from a home office is not always what it’s cracked up to be. I have a lousy IT department (me). Interruptions range from barking dogs to crowing roosters. I hear my business phone ring during non-business hours.
But there is a lot good about a 15 step commute. Such as today. It’s cloudy and a bit drizzly, but the temps will climb into the mid 60s for the second day in a row. I will turn off the heat, throw open the windows and give the house—and office—a good airing. Ahhh!
Robin
Click on photo for more details
To get the latest Bumblebee posts in your email box, just enter your email address.
April 4th, 2008 at 12:50 pm
We sure don’t get that kind of animal around here. I do have two families of bluebirds nesting though. I’m really enjoying them. I’m kept busy filling the birdfeeders.
Brenda
April 4th, 2008 at 3:02 pm
Looking forward to having you in Austin. Maybe we can spot a coyote to go with your fox.
April 4th, 2008 at 5:30 pm
Where can I see wild blue birds? I’m in Chula Vista, California, no blue birds here. Norine
April 4th, 2008 at 9:19 pm
Hi Norine,
Here’s a link to the San Diego County Audubon Society:
http://www.sandiegoaudubon.org/
Their county bird checklist includes both the Mountain and Western Bluebirds. Looks like they have some field trips coming up too and you could contact them about the possibility of seeing bluebirds on any of these field trips.
April 4th, 2008 at 9:20 pm
Hey Robin,
Any visits or reports of Purple Martins yet? Those gourds look pretty inviting. Just make sure the tree swallows don’t get in there first!
April 4th, 2008 at 9:47 pm
Nice to chat with you at dinner tonight! So glad you stopped on your way to SF!
April 4th, 2008 at 10:32 pm
Hope we have more time to talk tomorrow. Fancy our both having Spitfires in our youth.
April 5th, 2008 at 8:28 am
Do you get bluebrids every year? That is a great picture. We had a couple of bluebirds nest the first year we put up a bird house. It was so nice to have them around. We’ve seen a few “couples” check out the house this spring but don’t have ny takers yet.
April 6th, 2008 at 2:07 pm
My husband takes pictures and we know how hard it is to get a good picture of a fox. We did when we lived in a state park in Florida at night. I love your blog and sure will be back
Donna Godfrey
http://ramblingandstitching.blogspot.com
(you can see a few of his photos here)
April 6th, 2008 at 7:43 pm
Wow, what great pictures–although scary for your little dogs, for sure!
Hope you had a grand time in Austin, and an even better time in San Fran.
April 7th, 2008 at 12:40 pm
oooohhh I love your picture of the fox, we had a fox family last year living somewhere along the creek behind our property. Yesterday I saw some coyote chasing deer here in(Indiana).
Karen
April 7th, 2008 at 6:07 pm
we just saw a coyote, grazing in a nearby meadow. i would rather see them from the car!
while i love wildlife, it makes me nervous to think about falling asleep on the chaise in the gardens!
April 7th, 2008 at 8:31 pm
That fox is a bit scary. Hopefully you scared him. Your gourd houses look inviting. Do you get many different types of birds?
April 8th, 2008 at 6:38 am
I should send you our bad boy cat. He’ll chase that fox off your property. We feed a wild cat but had 3 foxes who also frequented the feed bowl. Our cat snuck up on one, attacked and raked his claws on the fox’s leg. Left bloodstains on our walk and driveway. Trouble is … he would probably attack your dogs too although he seems to get along fine with our shar pei terrier mix with a few fake feints thrown in.
We wanted to put up a purple martin house but was disappointed when I read you needed a large field or open space to attract the martins.
May 17th, 2008 at 8:05 pm
we have had a family of foxes living here this spring – the babies and mama were playing on the front lawn every morning while we had breakfast… it was delightful dancing on their hind legs – if we had a dog – we wouldnt see them.. our cat is a bit of a monster too tho and has left fox fur on the lawn.