It’s hard to believe that we are already nine days into the new year. It started out for us with a snow and ice storm on New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day. It was beautiful and we enjoyed watching the birds and squirrels as we fed them. They provide entertainment for us and the cats. The cats know the word “squirrel” and will come running to the door if we say it. I tried to get pictures of the birds at the feeder but every time I opened the door they flew away. However, the squirrels were not so skittish and I could almost walk up to them to get a picture. Those guys will practically pose for you if you have food.
 |
| Mrs. Cardinal watching from the trees |
 |
| This fellow was happy to get a treat |
January 1st was my one-year blogging anniversary. I feel like such a blogging toddler compared
to my friends. I started following blogs
six years ago after I retired. I had not
planned on starting a blog myself but after a few years it just seemed to be
the right thing to do. When I look back
on my first year of posts it is clear to me that I have a long way to go to be
the kind of blogger I’d like to be. I
have lost some of my writing and grammar skills over the years and I am often
lacking in good subject matter. More
important to me though is the simple day to day sharing of activities and
thoughts that we all do through our blogs.
It’s the friendships we make and the caring for one another.
It’s difficult to realize that we will soon be in our second
year of this pandemic. I remember how at
first I thought it would just last a few months.
I guess that shows how little I knew about pandemics. In many ways it is worse now than it was back
then. But do you know what? I think we should all be proud of ourselves
for adapting as well as we have over this past year. Yes, it’s been challenging but it has also
shown us what we can do when we put our mind to it. We now have a couple of different vaccines and
that has to make a difference for us all.
The authorities here in the U.S. are still working out the best ways to
get the vaccines out to the people but I am confident we will get there. In fact, just a couple of days ago I was able
to get Tom and myself signed up on a list for the vaccine with the Health
Department. It may be months before we
get it but at least we are on a list for it and that is the first step. I think every state is handling the vaccinations
differently and if you have not heard anything about it in your state it might
be worth checking with the Health Department where you live.
I’ve not started this year very well as far as getting posts
out but I hope to improve on that. I
always enjoy reading everyone’s blogs.
There are some good people out here in blog world and I appreciate you
all! Take care my friends!
Congratulations on your first year of blogging.
ReplyDeleteI'm trying not to think about how long ago since things were normal, hopefully the vaccination programme will really help - although it will take a while
Thanks Sue. It is hard to think about how long it's been since things were normal. I never thought it would last this long and we still have a ways to go. It seems like the vaccinations will have to help once they start getting enough of them out.
DeleteAlteady a year of your blog posts, Bonnie - congratulations!
ReplyDeleteLike you, I never expected the pandemic to last that long, I was so naive. At first, I thought it would not even affect us, and I remember the exact moment when Imunderstoodnhow serious it was: When my hometown cancelled the Horse Market, a big event that has been going on for more than 250 years.
I love the idea of your cats running to the door when you say squirrel! 😊
Thank you Meike! I remember when you told us about the Horse Market getting canceled and how that usually never happens. It was kind of like that for me too when they started canceling big sporting events here in a city that never cancels anything sports related. Those things brought home the severity of the virus fairly quickly.
DeleteWe have a sliding glass door in the kitchen so the cats can see out it and they always watch for birds and squirrels. If we see one on the deck we will call out "squirrel" and both cats will be there immediately!
Our cat seems to know a few words but we can't make her understand when there are birds or other cats through the window, and she doesn't seem to have learnt to follow someone's gaze.
ReplyDeleteI know what you mean about trying to get them to see something. We've learned that you can't point to something either because they will just look at your finger. Our cats know if we say squirrel or even bird and they will look for it. Of course our male cat Zeus knows the word truck or trash truck and will run to the window to see but Sophie could care less about trucks. ; )
DeleteBlog land is a lovely place, we support each other from afar, I am in my 10th year of waffling on. I'm glad you are on the list and wait for your jab, here in UK we are waiting for instructions, hubby is older so he will get his weeks before me.
ReplyDeleteThere really are wonderful people in blog land. That is wonderful that you are in your 10th year! I would like to make it that long but I guess I'll have to wait and see. Right now I'm just glad I made it a year! I still have a lot to learn. I hope you and your hubby will learn about your jab soon. We have no idea when we will get ours yet, it could be months but we all have to just be patient I guess.
DeleteCongratulations on your first 'blog-aversary.' Think you have done a very nice job of finding things to muse about. Not a simple task. May you enjoy many more years of conversation on your blog. A nice, healthy outreach for you.
ReplyDeleteThank you Mary! I appreciate you visiting. I don't think you have a blog but if you ever decide to start one please let me know and I'll be there! I really enjoy the friendships we make through blogging.
DeleteWe never see squirrels here, which is a shame. You'd think that here in the country you'd see more wildlife. My son, who lives in a city, tells me he hears more animal noises in the night at home than does when he stayed here (pre-pandemic). Foxes, for one, have certain deserted the country for the city in the last few decades.
ReplyDeleteIt is sad to think of animals leaving their homes because of the growth of cities but a bit surprising to hear of them intentionally moving to the city. Maybe they find more food in a city? We hardly ever see foxes here and I would love to see them. Squirrels however have a very large population around us. They can be a nuisance but they are also entertaining.
DeleteI also started my blog last January. Can't say I've kept up much though... we'll see.
ReplyDeleteHi Sharon! I remember you and I started our blogs on the same day. It can be hard to keep up with making posts and once in awhile I'll go a couple of weeks between posting because I just don't think I have anything to write about. I am still learning and getting in the swing of things with blogging. You would think after a year I'd have it together but I guess I'm a slow blog learner! I enjoy your blog and I understand how sometimes you might just not be in the mood to write. I'll be there when you do post though!
DeleteCongratulations on one year of blogging. It's good to sit down and think about what you're doing on your blog...an evaluation. I enjoy following you and seeing what you have to say.
ReplyDeleteThank you Red! I really appreciate your kind words. Yes, I need to evaluate my blog once in awhile and try to improve it. I learn a lot from great bloggers like you!
DeleteIt seems much longer than one year Bonnie. Maybe that is because I have known you for a long time before you had your own blog. I like your daily life subjects xx
ReplyDeleteThanks Rachel. I know I have been following your blog for at least four or five years so we have known each other for a while. It took me some time to get up the nerve to start a blog and I still feel like I have a lot to learn. I enjoy when other people write about daily life subjects. xx
DeleteCongratulations on passing the one year mark. We have behaved well this year, haven't we! It's enough to write about.
ReplyDeleteThanks Joanne! One year isn't much but it's a lot for me because it took me forever to finally start a blog. Yes, we have behaved well!
DeleteCongratulations on your blogging Anniversary.
ReplyDeleteI love reading about peoples daily lives and feel like I have known most fellow bloggers for ages.
Great pictures of that squirrel. He looks fat and sassy for this time of year.
God bless.
Thanks Jackie! I enjoy reading about people's daily lives as well. I think it brings us closer together. The squirrels around here are fat and sassy and can get pretty brazen and come right up to the door. They are fun to watch though. Take care Jackie.
DeleteHappy one year blogoversary! I like the just daily life blogs the best. It's like sharing a cup of coffee over the kitchen table chatting about how your day or week went. And I loved your pictures today. So glad you decided to start blogging. :)
ReplyDeleteThank you Rita, I'm glad I started blogging too. I always enjoy your posts because they are so newsy about your days. I need to get more pictures for my blog. I am bad about forgetting to take pictures and then remember too late. I'm going to try and work on that this year. Take care Rita!
DeleteCongratulations, Bonnie, on your blog’s first anniversary! You will find, I think, that time flies in Blogworld.
ReplyDeleteAt our previous house we saw squirrels galore and Mrs. RWP was always trying new ways to keep them away from the bird feeders. Slathering Crisco on the poles seemed to work well. Since we moved to our present house in 2003 I have not seen one squirrel. We do have three or four rabbits that like our back yard and we also have heard coyotes howling in the distance. Every once in a while a bear wanders down from the mountains into civilization, thankfully none to our subdivision.
We will probably get the vaccine eventually but neither one of us is eager to be among the first. I will be 80 in two months and Mrs. RWP is 85 (cradle robber!).
Thank you, time does indeed fly. Even though we enjoy watching the squirrels I also spend time keeping them out of the birds' food. I have used the Crisco trick myself and it does work fairly well. We used to have rabbits and an occasional opossum but now just a very large extended family of squirrels. I think I can do without the bears!
DeleteI think by the time most of us will be able to get the vaccine we definitely won't be among the first to get it. Even though I got our names on a list with the Health Dept. I don't expect to get it anytime soon. You two take care!
Congratulations for two reasons Bonnie! Firstly - your first anniversary as a fully fledged blogger. Secondly - for not mentioning what happened in Washington D.C. last week!
ReplyDeleteYou are a good presence in the blogosphere - leaving a trail of pleasantness and positivity where ever you wander.
Thank you for your kind words. I try to avoid politics but with the current threats now in every state here it can be difficult to not say anything. However, that is all the more reason to look for other things to write about in order to give us all a more pleasant distraction.
DeleteSuch pretty birds! Congratulations on your one year anniversary. I will give you the same advice that was given to me years ago. Your blog is like your own personal room what you do here, how you write is for you...and if people don't like it they won't visit. I gave up caring about grammar years ago and I have an English teacher for a daughter. She has stopped giving me advice too or pointing out mistakes:)
ReplyDeleteHi Connie, thank you for the very wise blog advice! Goodness knows I can use it. You have done so well with your blog. I would be thrilled if I could have a fraction of your talent. I'm still learning and friends and bloggers like you really help!
DeleteHey there, Bonnie...2021 has been off to a rough and rugged start...let's hope it soon...very soon...gets its act together!
ReplyDeleteMy best wishes to you and Tom for 2021. I hope it treats you both, and your loved ones, kindly. Take good care. :)
Hey Lee, so good to hear from you. Yes, this new year is starting off a little rough between the virus increasing here and all the political problems. I am working on finding means of distraction to get by! Thank you for your kind wishes. I hope you and your adorable furry mates are doing well!
DeleteCongrats on the blogging anniversary. Glad you are part of the bloggosphere. I love your photos of the cardinals. I always enjoyed seeing them when we would visit family back in Illinois. Take care.
ReplyDeleteThanks Mr. Shife. I love cardinals too. Do you not have them in your area? Take care!
DeleteI apologize for being so late to congratulate on your first year of blogging. Right now I am really struggling with blogging...even on my photo blog. Partly because I don't get to go on rambling drives. Partly other stuff.
ReplyDeleteI totally understand Rose. I'm sorry that I just now found this. Thank you for your kind words!
Delete