Thursday, March 1, 2012

Newsletter - 3/1/12


Hello Dear Friends!

February Snowfall - View of the Pond
We had some snow over a week ago.  It came down really fast and was blowing sideways and swirling a bit.  We ended up with 6.5 inches.  Fortunately we had above freezing temps the days after and it was all gone in two days.

Snow is pretty in ways, but it's not kind to young trees when it loads them down and bends them like it did the cedar outside the bathroom window that I've been enjoying as it grows up above the curtain line.  It still hasn't straightened back up, so we'll probably have to stake that somehow or rope it in through the window.  It's only a foot from the house planted as a foundation plant on an end of the house that isn't much viewed.

© Donna L. Watkins - Winter Day View of Trees
We're winding down on cold weather since the snow, so I've been enjoying some warm deck time.  The woods without leaves is still sad in many ways, but the trees have a beauty of their own even in their shape and growth.

It's sure been great getting to see the birds so much easier.  Randal and I did the Great Backyard Bird Count the weekend after Valentine's Day.  The final results we submitted were a lot different than last year, especially when you consider we didn't have the Bald Eagle and Red-shouldered Hawk during our count.

The Common Grackles are now arriving in flocks.  The feeders are raided methodically but we enjoy being a part of their migration sustenance.  I think they're beautiful birds.  The fact they travel in such large flocks makes them a nuisance to many people, but we only get them for a few weeks in Spring and again in Fall, so we have nothing to complain about.

© Donna L. Watkins - Hellebore in Bloom - February
During the snow the hellebores drooped their leaves and blossoms and I wondered if they would recover, but as soon as it began melting, they perked right up.  I think are a most beautiful flower.  Maybe because they bloom at the end of winter before much else is ready to peek out of the ground.

Thank you for your emails and cards relating to my health challenge with heart failure.  I'm finding ways to get the fluid off better and after over a month of not sleeping more than 3-4 hours a day, I am doing better.  Increasing the oxygen seems to be the key to getting more sleep.  I am greatly looking forward to a total healing and release from this bedroom lifestyle.

There's only so many things you can do while staying in bed.  Since I'm not fond of TV, that's not an option, and I don't play computer games.  So, I decided to take on a huge project that I can muddle through at any pace.  I have oodles of photo boxes with categorized and titled print photographs.  From 1955 to 2004.  So, I got a little photo scanner that you feed them through and they get put on one of those SD cards that goes in digital cameras.

© Donna L. Watkins - Orchids - Myriad Gardens, Okla. City, OK
The project has been going very well.  The scanner is only 2" x 7" and scans to 4x6 photos.  I'm pretty impressed for the low price I found.  I'm working backward from the most recent and am just about to finish up 2001.  I back them up on CDs and then upload them to my SmugMug Gallery.  It's going to be a slow process since the whole underside of the guest room bed is loaded with photos.

The orchids are from 2001.  I find orchids fascinating plants. They are so unique and beautiful.  I especially like seeing them in the wild, as I did when I went to Costa Rica.

One nice thing that happened is I finished the tax returns for Federal and State, so that's a huge load off the brain ... especially one that is sleep-deprived.  I normally like to get it done in January, but everything got a bit behind this year.  Seasons of life.  We make the best of the devil's attempts to kill, steal and destroy, as we glorify God that we already have the victory.  What a lousy loser he truly is.  He only has as much power as we give him and all he can work from is deceit.

© Donna L. Watkins - Squirrel on Bluebird House
We have such a well-balanced wildlife habitat here, that even our squirrels are service-oriented.  This squirrel in the photo is on this year's Welcoming Committee for the Bluebirds.  He's positioned on the roof of a bluebird house awaiting the arrival of the bluebird couple that will nest there.  He's a resident squirrel so he'll give them the grand tour of our habitat we call Bluebird Cove.  Okay, not really, but it's fun to imagine such things.

I pray life is going well for you and regardless of any circumstances, you always remember that Jesus never leaves us nor forsakes us.  He is always with us and share our troubles and being within us offers His faith and resurrection power to overcome all things.  

Love and Hugs,
Donna

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written by Donna

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The photo(s) and article are copyrighted. You may use either of them if you include the following credit and active link back to this website: © 2012 Donna L. Watkins - This article was reprinted with permission from TheNatureInUs.com. The link to use is: www.TheNatureInUs.com.

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