The countdown continues....

Just four short weeks until I'm retired. I'm beginning to believe it will really happen.

Sparrows and finches and woodpeckers, oh my!

We woke up to a heavy, wet snowfall and a symphony of chirping in the back yard. Apparently our bird feeders are on the map. As we watched, dozens of birds were gathering in nearby trees and swooping in for a snack. They swarmed around all day, now and then scattering because of a passing vehicle or a sudden plop of show from the upper branches.

We had lots of finches and sparrows all day. The juncos put in an appearance for an hour or two. A couple of chickadees stopped by.

A downy woodpecker and a nuthatch took turns at the suet feeder.

A female cardinal graced us with her presence.

And our first-ever red-bellied woodpecker visited twice!

We introduced our feeders sometime last winter, and it takes a while for birds to find them, so today was an all-time high in popularity. Our feathered friends are definitely brightening up an otherwise blustery winter day!

And P.S., I want to thank Abe Lincoln for his advice about feeders and about creating a welcoming spot for birds. His photos take your breath away. I'm just taking snapshots through a snow-streaked window, but it's fun anyway.

One last picnic lunch

"You know what, Pa?" said Augie last Monday, "It's a great day for a picnic!" It was in the 60s and sunny, and he was right. Tuesday was equally nice, and we did it again. The sun is low in the sky even at noon, and every few minutes another flock of geese flew over, announcing the end of summer. It turned colder Wednesday, and tonight it has begun to snow.

It was a fabulous October, and November opened without its usual bluster. I'm glad we celebrated the turning of the seasons. Any picnics will have to be indoors for the next six months or so.

Countdown to retirement

WEEKS LEFT!

Five weeks left! That means ten more trips to the office  before I'm officially done. I don't feel sad; it's a very positive change. But even positive change can be difficult. I'm finding it hard to focus, so writing anything - for work or my blog or any other purpose - takes much longer than it normally would. (That's why I've hardly written anything here for several weeks.)

I have three big projects to finish at work, and I keep encountering problems. It's as if I get all the buttons buttoned and then they begin to pop open, one after another.It gets more and more difficult to find the grit and determination to close them up again...and glue and nail them shut.

The fact that I'm doing some of my work from home, and that home is filled with grandkids so much of the time, certainly complicates things. But my colleagues are being extremely patient and understanding. After 28 years on the job, people are willing to cut me a little slack. Bless 'em. And me. I've earned it.