MORE NOTHING...

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!

Well... things haven't changed much, have they?  We are still in a pandemic situation.  While some states have begun "reopening", can't really know whether that will continue... or whether it will create a "second round" that will shut things down again.  I am hopeful you are all intelligent enough (and I believe you are!) to remain safe.  Social distancing, masks, and just caution in daily life.  Don't get in a hurry.  It will all still be there later on.

Alrighty.  Enough of that.  This is another random selection of photos that have been collected along with comments.  As the post title indicates, it's "More Nothing!"

So... the early morning of April 19th, we started out with a little hailstorm!  Have become pretty accustomed to Spring hailstorms in Central Texas.  They show up from as early as February and can run through as late as May!!  In fact, Memorial Day in Austin nearly always brought either a hailstorm or a flood... or BOTH!  Whew!  Anyway... haven't had as many as I remember... and that's a good thing!

On April 20th, it was a pretty morning.  We headed to the Park for a walk.  As we moved along the lake, we spotted a couple of waterbirds ahead.  Wasn't close enough to determine if they were herons or egrets or ibises... but they were pretty.  As we got closer, one took off... followed by the second one shortly after.

So... what does one do when absolutely bored?  Hmmmmm.  Well... I guess my thing was to dig up my Daddy's scone recipe and give it a shot!  He used to make them every couple of weeks for breakfast.   Loved them!!  Had gotten the recipe from him back in 1991... but never tried making them.  I guess I figured it would be too much trouble.  I was wrong.  DOH!!  Oh well.  So... with his handwritten recipe alongside, I took a shot at them.  Raisin scones, anyone?  (The little "chunks" are the remnants after using the cookie cutter.)

The house next door has an enclosed, gazebo-shaped spa with a hot tub and sauna inside.  The new owners have either not noticed one of the "blocks" has fallen out from the top or they have not thought of what to do about it.  Don't know.  At any rate, we have been watching it, concerned that it is going to allow rain, etc., inside which will likely damage the ceiling of the spa area.  As I sat out back one day, I noticed movement.  I grabbed my phone, zoomed in, and caught this little critter hanging out up there!!!  It was absolutely relaxed!  Laid up on the area where the picture shows it for quite a while!  Apparently this structure is not a "people-only" spa!!  LOL!!

If you can't see it well, it is a squirrel.

Finally, we have had some crazy-high winds here for several days.  They haven't stopped yet.  They keep flipping back and forth between north and south.  Guess winter doesn't want to leave and summer is in a hurry to arrive!  At any rate... the park where we walk had some orange cones sitting out on the entry road the other day.  We went to the next park entry (there are 2 parks connected only by a trail... but the roads themselves are not connected), turned in there, and parked.  We walked back to our usual park and headed in.  After a couple of the big hills, we saw why the cones were up.  LOL!  In fact, it was quite funny.  A young male had pulled in around the cones in his vehicle (yeah... a little twit with no concept of rules).  He had passed us as we were walking in.  He was quite busy trying to get turned around (narrow road in and very little shoulder area!) in order to exit.  We just laughed out loud at him.  We gave him "the look" as he drove past us again, heading back toward the exit.  As we continued, we heard yet another vehicle coming!!  Really?!?  Do you think the cones are just decorative?!?  Geez.  Anyway... this was not a young male but an older one... with his dog which he brings to the park frequently.  We were still walking as he passed us.  We laughed out loud again... and gave him "the look" as he managed to get turned around and head back.  Oh.  Did I not mention it?  The massive Cottonwood tree in the creekbed along the road had blown down.  Guess those who believe they are "above the rules" may have had a moment of recognition?  Don't know.  Don't care.  It was funny to see them struggle to exit.

Okay.  Reckon that's enough.  I warned you!!  Just nothing!!

So... stay safe.

Until next post...

INTERESTING TIMES...

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!!

Yes... I know it has been FAR too long.  No... I have no real excuse.  Things have just been a little wonky in this world... and I have been doing things that needed to be done since leaving the house was not big on the list.

So... let me show you a few things that have happened over the past couple of months.  I once again warn my friends with Ophidiophobia there will be a couple of photos near the end they will NOT want to view.

So... on March 11th, the spousal-unit and I took a walk in the park.  The weather was reasonable and I had noticed the bluebonnets were beginning to pop up along the roads in town.  When we got there, I was able to see groupings up close... and caught a few pics of the bluebonnets beginning their big bloom!

On March 22nd, we experienced a heavy rain overnight.  When I went outside to check on plants, etc., I discovered a lot of little critters hanging out on "higher ground" (for them, at least!).  Had to catch a pic of them because it was just so funny!  Whole gang was there!  And, believe me... there were a whole lot more hanging around!

On March 25th, it was back to the park for a walk.  Took a few pics which lets me know how much bluebonnets can do in two weeks time!!

Now then... I am going to rant a bit.  Skip this paragraph if you don't want to hear it!  So... you can see how beautifully these flowers cover large areas of ground.  It was no more than two or three days, however, before there began to be big "holes" or "gaps" in the flowers.  Why?  Because people have NO CONSIDERATION for the flowers themselves.  AARRRGGGGHHHHH!!!  (Expletive here describing these people!)  Family members dress the kids in "cutesy" clothes... then drag them out to the public areas... then walk THROUGH the flowers to put the little rug-rats in the middle of them... which literally smashes the flowers into the ground.  There will be no seeds from those flowers.  The flowers now look horrible with these huge gaping areas that are bare.  Really?!?  I actually stopped and explained to two women (likely a grandmother and mother) that they could obtain an equally good photo by placing the kids (there were two or three of them) at the very edge of the flowers (NOT IN THEM!) and taking the photo from slightly below them while the camera was pointed slightly upward... which would give the appearance of the munchkins being in the flowers.  Sigh.  Did they change?  Nope.  Did I think they might?  Nope.  Just wanted to harass at least one family for the damage it was doing to the flowers.  So... if this is something you have done in your life, please do NOT let me know that.  I like to think my friends are all intellectually considerate!!  Okay.  I'm done.

Now then... final warning... following pics may be less-than-wanted by those who do not like slithering critters.

So... on March 28th, I was sitting on the couch looking out the French Doors onto the back patio... when I noticed something I wasn't expecting.  The movement was slow but there was movement.  I got up, went to the doors, viewed what was there... then grabbed my phone and stepped out onto the patio, hoping it would not blaze off before I got a photo!  It actually stopped completely and just remained without movement.  Thanks!!  So, I took a couple of shots... one distant in order to provide some level of scale... and another close-up to provide the coloration.  It was about 3 feet long and clearly non-poisonous (always check the head... oval is good... triangular is stay-away!).  So... left it there and returned into the house.  It hung out a few moments longer, then moved on out into the yard.  Don't know where it went after that... but it was quite the mellow fellow!  Have not seen it since.

So... I hope you are all doing well and staying safe during this interesting time.  This is definitely something quite different than many things we have encountered during our lives.  Covid 19 provides us with a rather new perspective on what is important, I think.  I am so incredibly sorry for those who find themselves without a job for now.  I am also so incredibly sorry for those who are "essential" and find themselves working with a higher possibility of exposure to the virus than they would have otherwise.  I applaud those who are continuing to support all of those needing support... whether it's picking up your meal curbside from your local restaurant or having a big meal delivered to the hospital for the medical folks to enjoy.

Stay safe.  Support those you can.  We will get past this just as we have made it past many other things.

Until next post...

WINTER IN WACO!!!

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!

So... Winter in Texas can be very diverse!  Why do I say that?  Well... when the high for the day goes from about 72 degrees to about 35 degrees... in 13 days time... yep, I'd call that diverse!!  So let's take a look at what can be seen over that period, shall we?

Returning from an area west of Waco recently, we drove through an area where a turbine farm exists.  Beautiful, sunny day... nice and warm.  Here are a few of the turbines off in the distance.

Pretty cool to see... and they look as though they are barely spinning... but they are actually blazing!  Size makes a big difference in perception.

Upon arriving back in Waco, we made the turn onto the main street from which we turn into our neighborhood.  There it was again!!!  The lovely hot-air balloon we had seen before... but it was MUCH closer and quite a bit lower.  Is it over our house?!?

Kept driving, turning onto our street.  Holy Cow!!!  We can hear the hot air being released from the propane tank in the basket!!!  It is NOT that far away!!  (Hope you can hear it!)

So... ended up at home and took a few more pics from the driveway as the balloon floated over a neighbor's house.

Oh... and while out on our run, we accidentally ran across the most wonderful piece of "yard art"... for which I have a very soft spot.  :)  The spinners spin in opposite directions when the breeze is good and it finds it "sweet spot" to sit after turning into it.  When the sun hits the metal circles, it shines beautifully with various colors.  Really felt lucky to run across it!

Wait!  I mentioned diverse weather, didn't I?  Well... let's take a peek at what we awoke to on the early morning of February 6th:

Before Daybreak

Sunrise

Morning Has Broken!!

Uh... yep.  We had snow on the ground.  Not my interest when it comes to weather.  Sigh.  Oh well... didn't stay... but the cold weather hung out for a while.  UGH!  That's alright.  March will bring warming temperatures here.  Until then... I will just stay inside!!

So... hope your Winter has been going well and you are looking forward to Spring, also!!

Until next post...

THE "PERFECT VISION" YEAR HAS ARRIVED!!!

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!!  And Happy New Year!!

Yes... I am quite late with that... but I still wish it for you all.

So... only a couple of pictures this round.  You will see them near the end.  Have a comment to make  about something first.

For the many years Facebook has been around, I had refused to set up an account.  I do NOT like a lot about it, especially the amount of information they wanted as well as the amount of information they were happy to hand out to places without a need for it!!  Yep.  I am a privacy freak.  FB did NOT meet the parameters required for me to become involved.

However, upon joining the real estate brokerage here in Waco, I discovered they wanted us to have an account for a business page.  Sigh.  Okay.  I had to get a young'un to help me set the darned thing up!!  I also did not include much information about me personally.  (If you ever wondered about the "other" Mary Condren's birthday, it's on there!  RIP, Momma.)  LOL!!  I used only my initials rather than my full name.  I just don't trust anything they do at FB.

Now then... after setting it up, I have a very good friend in my hometown who had an account.  We "friended" as a test for me to learn and see if it worked.  It did... and it was fine.  What I didn't realize was the rather large number of other FB friends this friend had!!  LOL!!  And... apparently your FB friends are available to the world to request as friends by others!  Yikes!!  I became slightly inundated with requests... and wasn't even sure whether I should respond.  I honestly do not really post a thing to FB.  I have found a site I love with lots of nature postings to share.  I have begun sharing those just because they are beautiful!!  But I will NOT be posting anything there I don't want the whole world to know (which is what my Mother told me about ANYthing I wrote down!)!!  So... with all that said, if you have sent me a friend request and it has not been confirmed, do not take it the wrong way, please?  I don't really even look through them very often and have not clicked on many at all.  I just don't have much to offer so I don't really track those requests.  Alright.  That's all about FB.

So... now that you have a little insight into my opinion of places that are out there in cyberspace, the spousal-unit called me out of the house on January 4th.  It was a beautiful, cool, crystal-clear day with literally NO wind at all (rare here in Waco!).  He pointed between the neighbor's trees and I saw what he wanted me to see.  I followed it so the pics are from the backyard then the front yard as it traveled.  So funny to see here!  Have not seen one here before.  Look closely in the first pic as it was done without Zooming!  Hard to see!

Alrighty.  I hope I have satisfied those who have shamed me for not posting frequently enough!  (You know who you are!)

Hope the "perfect vision" year is "perfect" for you, as well!!  :)

Until next post...

TIME GETS AWAY!!!

Heidy-Ho, Blogging Buddies!

Wow!  Again, time has just whipped by without my even noticing!  How does that happen?!?

Well, I do hope you have all had a VERY Merry Christmas and that the upcoming New Year will be Safe, Healthy, Prosperous, and Happy for you and yours!  It is the year of "perfect vision", after all!  LOL!!

Okay.  Just have some odds and ends to share with you... mostly pictures.  Nothing critical so you can go get a cup of coffee... or glass of wine... or whatever you want!!

Let's see.  Let's do a little nature run first.  During our walks in the park, we ran across this lone flower alongside the lake.  There was nothing anywhere nearby as it had been a portion of the land that had been underwater for quite some time during flooding!  Decided to follow it to see what it became.  Here is a series of pics with dates:

Oct 21st:

Oct 22nd:

Oct 29th:

Oct 30th:

Halloween overnight brought a really cold morning!  You can see the frost on the picture from Nov 1st:

I was a little concerned after the cold and it was not a surprise to see this on Nov 2nd:

The leaves and the petals looked a little better on Nov 3rd:

Nov 5th:

The next day, one could clearly see the tips of the petals had been damaged slightly by the cold... but this little gal was pushing on!  We had started calling her "Twoey" (Audrey II in Little Shop of Horrors) as she seemed a bit strange and out-of-place for the time of year and location.

The next morning brought sorrow.  "Twoey" was gone.  Completely.  Something (or someone) had completely stripped her from the ground.  It was so sad.  I had really looked forward to seeing her in full bloom.  Sigh.  Oh well.  She was fun while she lasted.

At the same park, after the flooding receded, there was an area of water that was cut off from the lake.  It was shallow and was along the path we walked.  I did not walk on this day... but the Spousal-Unit got a couple of shots for me that I enjoyed.  What is that little dot?  A mud pile?  Wait...

It's Mr. Turtle!!  He was hanging out in the isolated water area.  Check the top pic for the water bird footprints!!

Just before Halloween, there was a doctor's visit on the schedule.  When we arrived, we found the pumpkin "carving" contestants provided by the office staff!!

Rolling forward to December 1st, this was what greeted me as I prepared my coffee.

And, finally, a couple of "newbies" for the tree this year... and a couple of "old" favorites!!

Enjoy the rest of your holiday!!  Look out for 2020!!

Until next post...