The Story About Birds in the Trees

You hear a bird.

You look in the song’s direction.

The bird is spotted.

Camera ready, you position to take a picture of the bird.

There is no bird in the frame because it flew away, moved to another branch or behind a branch.

A downy woodpecker was spotted in a tree. I end up photographing a starling behind a branch. No woodpecker in sight. Sigh. 

Starling 

Dependable Things & a Discovery

Today’s weather forecast has possible snow flurries predicted. I have seen snowflakes falling on this day. In the distant clouds, many have signs of falling snow. Seeing Nature being busy creates in me a sense of well being. Well being that there are elements on Earth that are dependable. 

Pot hole season is such an element of Spring.*

Parking next to a puddle or patch of ice outside my driver’s side door is another.

Sticking to my to rule not to buy sandals in the Spring because I do not need them is a dependable fail for me. (New to me sandals arrived today. ❤️ them)

Finding at the grocery store another packaged food item had shrunk is an increasingly dependable discovery. Three minis make up for one normal size ice cream sandwich.

New to me mini size
ice cream sandwiches

* I prefer to capitalize Spring because I don't consider the seasons as common nouns.

Timberland Earthkeepers

Reflection Monday April 2026

Every nice Spring day this year feels like a gift.

Enjoy the gifts of Nature

 

What do you do when you feel like blogging but don’t have a subject?

Easy answer for if you publish:  

You either select a subject, post a nice photo,  post a stirring quote, or ramble on about stuff. 

Things that bug me:

Viewers going back reading multiple old blog posts because it looks like (nefarious) snooping. It could be. It could also be that a reader finds my blog interesting. ☺️

Social media videos that build suspense and then don’t deliver. What is it!? Who was there!? What happened!? Tease headlines like that. Some will post to see the next video or part two. I see Block as a big part for no thanks. 

When I forget something and/or do something stupid. While it makes sense that as we age, we change, it makes no sense being distracted takes on a less than stylish flare. In depression, feeling things is difficult. Add aging and already I’m creating a guidelines to explore dementia or Alzheimers. I’m distracted by other thoughts. There are things that don’t enthuse me. No big deal. I’m old. Have a cannoli. 

And a lovely photo or two or more

Day 93 of Week 14 April 2026

 

As the days of disbelief continue to happen, adjusting to the reality that none of us are safe is difficult. Prices are so high, there is a fear not easy to explain shadowing our lives with increasing frustrating. 

Prayer. 

Being with love ones. 

Being good to yourself. 

Stay informed.

May the Lord bless all y’all

Humor Too Close To Reality

An Instagram video is suppose to be posted here but, I had to delete it because Google something or other changed the link from the reposted video to my Instagram account. 😱

I confirmed the link directs to the copied and pasted video. Next I check the link, the video is replaced. It might have to do with how apps work. Whatever it is, that snafu is on my top ten utterly dumb Google glitches. 

Anyway, the video is from the laughingsnchor on Instagram. Hilarious! 🤣 About: a wife asks husband to take her to an expensive place for her birthday. He takes her to a gas station.

April Fool’s Day

 What a fun day!

Think back when you were a young adult laughing at a clever April Fool’s Day prank. Those opportunities for a good laugh are as good as candy.

Humor nowadays is much needed. In the news the causes to feel outrage and heartache keeps piling up. 

Find places to be your sources for laughter. Visit them daily. Laugh daily.

🤣🥳😂

Happy April Fool’s Day!  

If Mother Nature Says So

First Crocus Spring 2026

A planter was removed last week to reveal bulbs had pushed through the soil. Today the first crocus have bloomed.

Note: Only Crocus sativus produces saffron. It blooms in the fall. Spring blooming crocus don’t produce saffron.

This morning my last cataract removal  procedure went well. Doctor Gregory and her team at the Porter Surgical unit and the staff there are the best! I am amazed how smoothly my visit was. Everyone is friendly and professional. 

Feeling safe and cared for at a hospital, I feel, is an important element of healing. 

This morning, I napped until lunch time. Last night I slept about 2 hours. It was one of those shut the light off and the alarm rings seconds later kind of sleep. 

Taking it easy this week with spring in the air will be nice. 

Wishing y’all a pleasant week!

Resemblings

Not a cross

Many things in Nature resemble other things that jog our memory. Tree branches are particularly good for resembling symbols. I often look for branches crossing to form a phi symbol, π. 

A group of trees (photo) forms what looks like a type of cross. A Saint Andrew’s cross it isn’t nor is it a Constantine cross. There are no cross types that I’ve found to match.

It is, however, a graphic symbol for the asterisk , * better known as the star symbol. 

Yet, my mind won’t give up that those branches are not a Christian cross variant. 

Nature wants what Nature wants.

A group of tressπ¥

What happens during a blog pause

It is possible to lose track of time. Blogging can serve as a date anchor that when active, acts as your schedule reminder. 

This week I forgot the Salty Pumpkin Road travel blog had a scheduled post for today that was going to be filled in (unpublished now). I have another date planned.

Problem is a week before a medical procedure, in order to manage anxiety, I go on slow stay at home mode. So, when the travel blog shows up today published, I go all what is this!? Ah, not blogging, I traveled to forgetful city. 😢🥴😳

Other than that, this week has been slow mode for me. I know cataract removal is an easy procedure to get through. My anxiety reservoir  doesn’t care. Ironically, it takes more assurance from me to calm than it does when facing high anxiety events. My mind is not used to my not having more intense anxiety to deal with. 

Anxiety management isn’t a clear do this when that happens to create this result. Learning how takes time with every tense situation. The logistics of anxiety can be very complex. 

I have safety zones to access: sounds, surfaces, thoughts, places, objects. When used, they signal my brain with I am safe waves. It works for me to have that structure, to depend on it. I don’t suffer alone when I have safety zones.

Day 86 of Week 13 March 2026

Next week when April 2026 begins, I think it will be nice to start the first day with a moment of thanks that Winter 2026 is really over. A long cold and snowy Winter is comforting in that it is a winter being winter.  

However, the brain wants the warmth, the sunshine, blue skies. That sounds poetic. April is Poetry Month.  

Have a poetic weekend

Draw a houseplant

Arrange a vase of flowers

Bake herbed veggies

Read about pollen

Browse Steampunk art online

Design your logo 

Make parsley pesto

Spider Plant in Basket