January odds and ends

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This is our pear tree. The bitty pears were stripped by squirrels a month ago.

January is the downside of the holidays but we eat out socially more than in other months. Part of it is celebrations and part is sheer boredom. The grill is hibernating and the slow cooker is waving its lid. It’s also a slower time of the year for restaurants (and quieter) and I like that.

An awesome fantasy which I can never wear in real life. Those heels would kill me.

I have a very active fantasy life. It doesn’t take much to entertain me (in my head). If I see a pair of stilettos I am at a ball with a sweeping gown. If I go to a garden show, I can see my yard bursting with color. None of these things will happen. I know it and I’m OK with it. I’m satisfied with the fantasy. I wonder where this comes from.

One of my winter fantasies is sitting in front of a fireplace and reading a book with a mocha latte and a cat sleeping next to me. Reality is that I can’t read in the afternoon. I fall asleep. Like in ten minutes. When did that happen? Somehow reading in front of a fireplace at 8 a.m. doesn’t have the same appeal. Perhaps I should check with Walter Mitty!

Robins having a drink at the bar!

The robins haven’t migrated again. They stick around our area right through the winter. They come in large groups of at least 30 birds, flying in for food and water. I threw cranberries in the yard and they were very happy about that. I tried blueberries last year but they weren’t as popular. They have stripped our holly bushes and it’s only January!

We have two crab apple trees. Both are beautiful year round.  The blossoms are stunning and the red fruit in the fall is gorgeous. The squirrels have been hanging upside down eating them. They don’t eat them in the fall so it may not be high on their list of favorite foods but when other sources dry up, those crap apples can sure be tasty.

Nothing else going on here. Time to pull out another fantasy like a summer picnic. Where are my flip-flops…?

 

 

 

 

48 thoughts on “January odds and ends”

  3. Oh boy, can I relate to falling asleep in the afternoon. It seems to be more likely to happen lately, and I’m thinking it’s the lack of Vitamin D. IOW, no sun! In fact, I just drafted a blog about it (for tomorrow).

    Love those shoes. 😉

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    • Sometimes I have concentration issues too but my biggest one is falling asleep. It happens during the afternoon which for me would be prime reading time. As they say aging isn’t for sissies. We are awaiting our first snow storms of the new year. Two of them are coming through — bam bam. Boogers. No flip flops for sure.

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  5. I like your fantasy being at a ball wearing stilettos and a sweeping gown. (I gave away my last pair of high heels last week.)

    The robins are still here too.

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    • I have wedge heels that are higher than sneakers. I keep them just in case but I’m not even sure if I’d be stable in them anymore. I gave all my thin heels away a long time ago. It’s a good thing I’m not going to the Oscars! 🙂

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  6. That’s a great fantasy, Kate. I like those shoes. LOL! I read most afternoons at least for an hour or so. I love to read, and in the afternoon if I can swing it, I don’t fall asleep. Later in the evening I don’t always have the same success at staying awake. 🙂 On the other hand, if you read and fall asleep, maybe the nap is what you need. Go for it!

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    • I can read easily in the evening. I don’t know what it is about the afternoon. I crave a nap even if I’m not reading. During the summer I’ll often take a walk to get through the sleepy period but not in the cold.

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  7. I’ve not read a book or magazine in ages and I fall asleep reading as well – even when I was young, and no matter how good the book was, I could not read in bed. Two minutes, even sitting up straight, and I’d be out like a light. I often am proofreading my blog post and nod off – now that’s not saying much is it? Your birthday was a good reason for going out – hope you went somewhere special to celebrate YOU.

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  8. I always fell asleep reading magazines, but I could stay awake for a book. That is probably a thing of the past. I intentionally take naps now and hardly ever find time to read. I haven’t seen a robin in a long time. They aren’t interested in our bird feeder.

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  12. That’s interesting about the robins. For two years running we saw them outside our window when we lived in central Florida during their migratory visits. Each time it was only for one day, but it was always interesting. Now we never see them because apparently they’re all up at your place! – Marty

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  13. One of the best things about retirement is reading in the afternoon and napping. Some days reading wins sometimes a nap. Teddy is fine with either but Jack doesn’t like reading. We all like just sitting and daydreaming anytime.

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    • Reading in the afternoon almost always results in napping. I should walk in the afternoon but prefer to exercise in the morning. I need a longer morning and a shorter afternoon! It’s easier in the summer when it’s not so cold and dreary.

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  14. Our robins are very territorial. You usually only see one pair in the garden. We are lucky we have had a mild winter so far and I have the first signs of spring, snowdrops, circuses and primroses in flower in my garden.

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    • I haven’t seen any spring flowers yet. They are predicting our first snowstorm of the season this weekend although there is a lot of back and forth as to how much is snow and how much is rain. Our robins are much friendlier. It’s like something from The Birds when they come through.

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  16. Mornings are for reading important things that need your full attention as if you were at work. Afternoons are for reading things that are enjoyable. While I’d be inclined to take a nap, I stay awake because we have an espresso machine.

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  19. I did not know I could attract robins with cranberries. I will buy some today! I honestly thought they were only interested in worms. Thanks for the tip. My fantasy involves the Property Bros! Remodel, redecorate and relocate (to a one story house with no basement and heated floors)! Oh and I am thin… 🙂

    PS I will be wishing you Happy Birthday the whole rest of this month!

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    • They do eat berries but not seeds. I read that they will eat blueberries but that wasn’t so successful. I threw the cranberries out because I had them in a bowl and didn’t cook them so it was by accident. I googled it (before anyone goes out to buy them) and it’s more likely that squirrels will eat them before birds although birds will eat them too. I have house fantasies too. What I like best is that the fantasy doesn’t come with the work of selling and moving!

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  21. I like to read before bed, but 10 minutes is my max too. Luckily, Gracie likes to sit on the bed with me for about 10 minutes before heading to her crate to sleep, so we’ve got our system down pat.

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    • For some reason I can read better in the evening than the afternoon. It’s unfortunate as I usually have some in the afternoon for a few chapters but it’s not to be. My Gracie will sleep on my legs whenever I sit in the recliner whether I’m reading, watching TV or just sitting. I am her personal mattress.

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