Birds

It's pretty foggy today but that doesn't seem to bother the birds. For the last few days mostly smaller birds have been feeding. This picture from Matthew's window shows lots of birds on the three feeders. There are often more than this.


As always, you can click on the picture for a larger view. Notice birds in the small trees awaiting their turn. I've also placed four wrought iron plant holders nearby for landing spots for the queue.

You can also see where the earth has been pushed toward the building. We have been cutting and digging grape vines, wild roses and other brambles in the disturbed area also.

What a wake up call!

Just after 5:30 this morning we awoke to the sound of the building rumbling and furniture shaking. It was a strong earthquake centered in southern Illinois, just under 100 miles from us. Here's a link to the details.

This isn't my first earthquake. I've felt a few in the San Francisco area. The only other one I've felt in Indiana was at a little league baseball game about 30 years ago while coaching third base. This one was quite a bit stronger at 5.2 on the Richter scale. That is in the "moderate" category.

There are lots of earthquakes in the Midwest, more than 1 a week, but most are sensed only by seismographs. You can have a notice of each one sent to you by the USGS. To sign up, go to https://sslearthquake.usgs.gov/ens/.

Big yellow cat in the yard

For the last few days there has been a large yellow cat outside the building. Fortunately it hasn't tried to get in. Our cat Stubby hasn't noticed it yet, but we have. At night it has just sat there being quiet, but during the day it can be rather noisy and, some might say, destructive. But we don't mind.

Here's why. It's been moving soil and crushed limestone to reconstruct the driveway and add some real parking spaces.

   

The job was finished today, including the addition of a patio of sorts outside the downstairs room. Now we can roll a wheelchair out the door onto a level area in the sun. Since the side of the building is almost white, it is usually warmer there than everywhere else, sometimes more than 10 degrees warmer.

We moved some large rocks from around the property to provide support for the stone. After nature adds some wild plants to it it should start looking nice. We can also add some plants that will appreciate the warmth of the rocks.



The area is actually level though the irregular edge gives a different impression. The supporting rocks will eventually give a more natural appearance after plants fill in the voids.

Springtime surprise

All winter long we have kept the temperature in the new apartment above freezing to try to save as many of our house plants and outdoor tropical plants as possible. There have been some casualties but most have survived.

Two plants in particular seem to have gone into suspended animation through the darker months. They were kept in the unfinished bedroom, the only room we could close off and keep warm, but it is on the north side and the window was kept covered most of the winter to retain warmth.

Here is one of them, a bird-of-paradise plant that I grew from seeds Sandy's son brought home from his honeymoon in Hawaii about 8 years ago.

The seeds sprouted soon after they were planted, and the plant seemed healthy all this time, but it wasn't until spring last year that I realized it needed full sun. I put it in the front yard of the house in Indianapolis until it was moved to Greene View Springs in July last year.

In the fall I noticed the flower stalks, but by then it was time to bring them in from the possible frost and freezing, and the hibernation began. A few weeks ago they were moved to the south-facing room in the sunny windows and the rest you can see.

There are a few more buds. I'll try to remember to get a picture when they are all blooming.

The Clampets return to the hills

Saturday was the big day. With help from Brian and Ed III, and a borrowed truck, we got all the big things moved from the rented apartment to the new apartment on the property.

There are still plenty of things to finish, but we are now living at Greene View Springs. The trash in the picture will be going away soon, and with warm weather's return, we will finish the panels at the top of the east and, pictured, west wall.

Tomorrow satellite TV is being installed, and sometime this week if it doesn't get too wet again our driveway and multiple parking places will be built/regraded.

Stay tuned, there has been tons of progress, just not enough time to take and post pictures.

A telephone land line should be installed this week and I'll have effective access to the internet to post more pictures. Right now I'm only able to use the laptop and steal service from a neighbor who has wi-fi, but it is spotty at best. This post so far has taken 40 minutes to enter, again and again until it finally worked.