I am currently looking out my window, watching a Black-chinned Hummingbird at one of my feeders. These little guys are so cute to view, I only wish we had more of them around here.

Our backyard is again full of little, tiny fledglings. Some of them seem to be so clueless, that I wish I could go outside and teach them how to use the two bird feeders. I know that nature has a way of teaching them, but it is a little frustrating to see them try to feed from the plastic sides of the feeders.

This brings me to the real reason for this entry. I just want to make sure that all of you have a chance to watch some truly amazing birds grow up, before leaving their nests.

A few days ago, Denise posted a comment telling us about this site:

“… I know alot of us like birds and so I thought I would share this. http://www.allaboutbirds.org has a camera with a live feed on a pair of red tail hawks and their babies at Cornell . My first graders have been fascinated to see the parents nest sitting, seeing the little hatchlings, feeding time (dad brought a small mouse one day) etc.. Pretty cool.”

Thank you, AND you’re right, Denise, “Pretty cool.”

As I usually do, I have gone overboard watching all of these little nestlings. I am not only watching the Cornell Lab of Ornithology’s Red-tailed Hawk nest, but I am also watching their Great Blue Heron Nest, as well as their Eastern Bluebird Nest.

All four of these live cams are truly incredible, and if you want to spend some time with nature, in the comfort of your air-conditioned home, then you might want to give these wonderful sites a try.

A few days ago, Linda posted a comment that got me thinking about something that I have been debating (with myself!)

“… Since we are getting into the warmer sunny days I was looking for books that take place along some seashore. Anything that takes place on the American shore line or on an island appeals to me… “

I started writing my reply in the comment format, but decided this would probably make a good entry topic. My answer started out as this:

“Linda, I am having sort of the opposite problem. I have read myself up to a Christmas mystery by one of my favorite authors, and I don’t want to have to wait until December to read it. However, I have so few Christmas mysteries left by my favorite authors, that I don’t know whether to –

(A) Skip this Christmas theme mystery, read the next book in the series, and then go back to it this coming December.

(B) Put this author’s books away until this Christmas season, so you can read them in the order they are intended to be read, and enjoy the mystery during the appropriate holiday season.

(C) Read this Christmas book now, not during the holiday the book is set in.

What would you do if the next book (by one of your favorite authors) was a holiday mystery, and that particular holiday was several months away?

OK, I know this entry has absolutely NOTHING to do with Cozy Mystery books. BUT, I went into WalMart the other day, and as I browsed through the magazines targeted for women to buy, I was left wondering when we became a nation where the covers of women’s magazines look like… magazines featuring center-folds of women! I mean, who decided that women prefer buying women’s magazines with air-brushed young, voluptuous (yet skinny) women, with either low cut tops – or no tops at all. Hmmm…

But, not all companies are sending us these crazy messages about what we should be interested in. If you have a minute, here is an advertisement (On You Tube) that I absolutely LOVE. It’s message is terrific! Its the “Flawless” commercial for women’s Fruit of the Loom undergarments:

Sorry, I posted a video in 2012, and it no longer works. I hope you were able to see the ad when it was on. It was different than all the other adds that feature models who are unworldly thin.

And, if you would rather not watch this You Tube clip, then here are the words to the “jingle””

For all the places I want to see
These legs are a vehicle carrying me.
What more could I ask them to be?
They’re Flawless.

Flawless

Beauty magazines offer their tricks
Tell me: What are they trying to fix?
I can’t imagine how your embrace
would be any warmer on a twenty inch waist.
I’m Flawless.

Don’t you know you’re flawless.

Love it!

This afternoon I mentioned (in a comment) that my husband recently retired a little earlier than we had planned. The last (+/-) five years have brought on a few new “conditions” which are the impetus to his “early” retirement.

I know that I have recently written about a few hospital stays he has had. These hospitalizations played a large part in our decision. I kept telling him that I thought it was time for him to “take it easy”… although, in his case, it will just be “a little easier”>>> He’s not a “take it easy” type of guy.

These last two weeks (he started his retirement at the beginning of April) have been a time of adjustment for both of us. I am trying to get him to sleep in longer, but after so many years of 6:00 am wake-ups, he considers 8:30 to be late. Also, since I used to get up right after he left, I no longer have my early morning routine going by 7:00 am. I am finding that if I have errands or shopping to do, I don’t even get out the house until at least 10:30.

It is really nice having him home. However, it is a little “different”>>> I’m used to coming and going whenever I want. I mean, I used to say goodbye to Sprite, but now I actually have a dialogue before I leave the house. I don’t simply pat my husband’s head in the kitchen and assure him “I’ll be back soon.” as I walk out the door. Unlike Sprite, he actually talks back!

Luckily, he has a lot of interests, so I won’t need to entertain him. I have mentioned that it would be nice if we could do more things together… like clean the house. He actually said he would vacuum the house IF we get a self-propelled vacuum – which is currently at the top of my Wish List. (Of course, I do wonder how I was able to run our vacuum for so many years without even knowing there was such a thing as “self-propelled” vacuums.)

I’m glad he’s home. I just wish I could get him to sleep in longer AND take it a little easier.