Not much has happened since Christmas, a few days ago. I have a few pictures and, since nothing very exciting is likely to happen for the rest of the year, I thought I'd do another post.
It's due to rain tomorrow and New Year's Eve. The temperatures are in the "chilly" range, although we were able to sit outside (with sweatshirts and socks on) for second cup this morning. The birds seem to know when we come out and they flock to the suet feeder and whatever piece of fruit I have to offer. They don't seem to care whether it's an orange or a pomegranate...They all take their turns - thrashers, white crowned sparrows, abert's tohees, cactus wrens, ladder-backed woodpeckers, gilded flickers, gila woodpeckers, house sparrows, house finches, northern cardinals, pyrrhuloxias, mockingbirds and even the quail.
While we chatted and dunked our biscotti, we noticed something different in the sky. Normally the blue is criss crossed by numerous contrails, high above. Today there were none, but we saw this, what we called a reverse contrail!
Our eyes are on the sky always. We watch planes and birds and clouds as part of the enjoyment of being outdoors. Never have we seen this. I've since found out that it has a name - a distrail. I guess you're never too old to learn something new!
Dave continues to make the new fireplace feel like it belongs. Today he used a new to him technique - a knock down finish. All the walls and ceilings in this house have this "textured" finish so he had to learn how to make the new wall match the others.
It's turning out pretty good, although we had to make a quick trip to the lumberyard today for more product. While I was waiting outside in the Jeep, a prairie schooner wanna be clip clopped by, probably taking tourists on cowboy town tour.
Tomorrow he'll put on a coat of paint on the new wall and see how it looks. If all is well, the heavy stone surround will be attached and it's finally done! What will we do then?
Lewis has been pestering us for attention lately. Either he's bored with this static life or he's reverting to his puppyhood. I finally revived the old "keep the puppy busy" trick of filling a "Kong" with goodies, sealing it closed with peanut butter and freezing it. When I can take his poking and woofing no more, I pull out the Kong and he's happily occupied for at least an hour trying to free the goodies.
nom nom nom, slurp slurp slurp |
That's about all from here for now. See you next year!
Love the textured walls. They seem so “western” to me as we didn’t have them in GA. They are a bugger to paint whether brushing or rolling, but so worth the effort. Can’t wait to see the stone! I love the soft color on your walls. I’ve never heard of or noticed a distrail either…pretty cool! And what a nice list of birds to enjoy! I don’t know why, but we haven’t used the Kong you fill with goodies. What a great way to keep hem busy. Are they hard to clean?
ReplyDeleteHappy Nw Year to you, Dave and Lewis! Hugs!
The "stuffing" possibilities are endless. I don't bother with the expensive, high salt Kong "cheese" that is sold. I just put a few of his biscuits or cookies inside, or a piece of carrot, string cheese or other desirable (something to make it rattle) then a heaping teaspoon of peanut butter to close the hole. A stop in the freezer firms it all up for a good time working to get the goodies out. I usually just let it be tongue cleaned before freezing it again. He doesn't really leave a speck inside before giving it back! Lately, I keet one in the freezer at all times!
DeleteGay...one big caveat regarding the use of peanut butter in Kongs....make sure yours does not contain XYLITOL. It is a deadly poison for animals.
DeleteYeah, those cans of knock down don't go very far! But the end result is pretty decent. Happy New Year to you all!
ReplyDeleteYou're very right, they don't last long at all and boy, they aren't cheap!
DeleteHappy New Year to you and Hans!
Ohhh--the Cowboy knows all about learning to do "texture!" YouTube was his friend when he was doing all the walls and ceilings in our house! And like yours, it turned out great! I fill a Kong for Emmi but had never thought of peanut butter and freezing it--thanks!
ReplyDeleteThe Kong hole blocked with frozen peanut butter keeps the process exciting!
DeleteOne caveat....an important one that I'm sure you know about but...make sure your peanut butter does not contain XYLITOL! It's deadly poison for animals.....
DeleteInteresting division in the clouds, it does look like a plane flew thru. The house is looking great!
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year!
It's always fun to see something new to us isn't it? Life is never boring!
DeleteHappy New Year to you two!
I enjoyed reading the list of birds that visit your feeders. Makes me miss Cactus Wrens! I love all of the wrens and their chatty, happy natures. We have textured walls in our house, too. The technique we inherited is called Mediterranean (as near as I can figure) and it's a PIA to try to match it.
ReplyDeleteHappy New Year, dear friends! And hugs to Lew (when he takes a break from his peanut butter treat, haha!).
Oh my! I just looked up your wall texture detail and it looks most difficult to reproduce, non-professonally speaking! All this new "stuff" keeps our brains young, right? (that's what I find myself saying regularly) Lewis's festive choice of eau de toilette this season is called Beurre d'arachide! Happy New Year to you and dear Eric...
DeleteI really like that wall texture, our Tucson house had it. It does require a bit of extra care in painting though. Love your "reverse contrail". Those are caused by the wake turbulence of the a/c that flew through that cloud layer. Great picture.
ReplyDeleteI knew you'd know.....
DeleteThe Tucson house walls were very textured. It was good, it covered a multitude of sins when a ding got knocked in the was. Will Dave be putting up a mantel over the fireplace?
ReplyDeleteLewis looks happy with the stuffed Kong.
Yes, it does cover up old nail holes beautifully! Yes, we have a stone mantel, hearth and surround for the fireplace and as soon as the painting is done it will be installed, puff puff puff! Lew is very happy with his Kong, although he's mostly always a happy boy!
DeleteWe have the same walls. Glad the house was painted prior to our purchase. I am getting very excited to see the finished fireplace. But you certainly got the actual fire box in time for our much too cool weather. Glad Lew has a newer activity to keep him occupied. PB and hidden treats sounds just like the answer.
ReplyDeleteMuch too cool weather indeed! The fireplace has been coming in handy and now I'm hoping to be able to have our New Year's eve fondue in front of the finished fireplace! Happy New Year dear friends!
DeleteYour post sent me down memory lane and an internet rabbit hole of wall textures, which are coming up again soon enough for us, but which I really shouldn't be spending time on just yet :D Yours looks great! I'm sure Lew thinks so, too, or he will once he's done worrying on his Kong treat and can give it proper attention.
ReplyDeleteYour list of feeder birds looks a lot like mine (well, natch!) except I've not seen a Pyrrhuloxia yet this year. I was very please to finally see a Gilded Flicker for the first time. This chilly weather makes me feel even more obligated to keep their bellies full; I'm sure you get the same feeling.
I know an expert already explained the weird reverse contrail, but I'm pretty sure he's just repeating the prescribed narrative -- everyone knows it's really caused by unearthly visitors ;)
HAPPY NEW YEAR!!
We even have a male and female Phrrhuloxia and a pair of "regular" Cardinals to boot! We're keeping them full in this inclement weather, for sure! Unearthly visitors! or perhaps some new sort of invisible chemtrail ;) Happy New Year - stay warm and dry tonight!
DeleteHow cool is that distrail?! Looks like a crack in the sky. Thanks for sharing the info, it is indeed wonderful to keep learning new things! I need to move some feeders to the sunny side of the house so we can enjoy them from the porch - right now we catch a glimpse through the front window. Love the vast variety we get here! That texture is what we had in our desert house when I was a kid when of course I never thought about how it was "made". This house has a flat float which was much easier to duplicate. Good thing you have a Dave!! I should have gotten Rizer a Kong for his visit - he would have loved that challenge.
ReplyDeleteI just saw your recent post but....no pictures of Rizer? I know he would have enjoyed a stuffed kong, they're invaluable toys. Keep one in your freezer for his next visit!
ReplyDeleteIt's always a good thing that I have a Dave!!!