Monday

Thank you, everyone, for your kind comments about the back garden.  I really appreciate them.  I have been making it a point to take a stroll around the garden, daily, and I am noticing all the little changes that take place.  Some of the roses I had photographed just a couple of days ago have now faded and others, photographed earlier, have dropped their petals and are waiting to be deadheaded, while new buds are forming to bloom later.  My mother was an avid gardener and she used to spend hours tending to the garden before her health began to deteriorate.  Whenever I am in the garden, I feel that she is also there, with me.

Today, when I was in the garden, I saw a very colorful bird that I don't recall seeing before.  It had a yellow body, black wings and, most striking of all, a reddish orange head!  I didn't have time to take a photo before it flew away, but, I looked it up and identified it as an adult male Western Tanager (Piranga ludoviciana)!

I used to feed birds in my yard and I used to have a bird bath, but, now, with the cats, I don't actively feed birds.  But, some birds come to eat the cat food and they find other things to eat, as well, including grass seeds and insects.  Today, there were several small birds feeding on the pineapple guava flowers (they like to eat the base of the petals), seemingly unconcerned by the fact that there was a cat (Snowball) curled up in the tree while Snowball slept, ignoring the birds completely!  I told my daughter about that and she said, "Only in your garden".  LOL. 

Today, I took photos of the front garden, but, that will be another post.  In the meantime, this is a photo of the side yard - a narrow strip, five feet wide, between my house and the wall between my property and my neighbor's.  I am calling it The Meadow! 

Side Yard!

The Meadow

The weeds are taller than the succulents I planted along the wall! 

Yesterday (Sunday), I watered the back garden, did a couple of loads of laundry, and cleaned the bathroom.  Today, (Monday), I started the car, cleaned the fridge, cleaned the litter box, took the trash cans to the curb, changed the bed sheets, and did another load of laundry (the sheets that were on the bed).  Today's high temperature was in the mid 60s (65F), but the forecast says we will be in the 70s tomorrow, 80s on Wednesday, and 90s on Thursday and Friday!  Yay!  My kind of temperature!  LOL.  So, in anticipation of the warmer temperatures, I didn't put the flannel sheets back on the bed.  But, I will still keep the blanket and two quilts.

Of course, I had help with the bed making:

First, make sure the quilt is smoothed out

Then, stretch out and zzz

Today, I am grateful for:
- The garden
- Seeing a new-to-me bird
- Working appliances
- Help with making the bed
- Video chatting with my daughter

My joyful activity today was being in the garden and seeing the western tanager.

Monday's To Do List:

- Change bed sheets - DONE

- Load of laundry (bed sheets/towels) - DONE

- Dust living room & dining area

- Clean the fridge - DONE

- Take trash cans to the curb for Tuesday trash pick up - DONE

Tuesday's To Do List:

- Dust: Living room, dining area, family room, and my bedroom

- Errands, if any (grocery shopping, etc.)
- Water the garden, front and back  (Back was done on Sunday)

- Water the house plants

How was your Monday?  What are your plans for Tuesday?