Outside My Window - We have actually had some really warm weather . . . 40 degrees or warmer.  We've also had a little bit of rain, not enough to melt the snow, but just a drizzle every now and then, but the snow is disappearing quickly. 

We love to watch the birds, and Bob has been keeping the feeders full of their favorite food. He describes it as a feeding frenzy when he fills the feeders!  But soon, the earth will wake up, spring will come, and the little birds will find plenty of food to fill them up.

On My Playlist - 

Right Now I Am - It seems like I am just barely getting through winter.  Even though the temps have been mild this week, it's still gloomy outside... I need sunshine.  We're having a family dinner tomorrow, and I hope that cheers me up.

I'm Wearing - My normal mom uniform, jeans, comfy shirt or sweater, warm socks and tennis shoes.  

What I'm Reading - Besides, The Lost Bookshop, which I'm still working on, I'm reading, A Tour On the Prairies.  This was a recommendation from a book review I watched on YouTube.  I think I will love it!  I love anything historical, and Washington Irving is always a good read.  So far, so good!

In 1832, Washington Irving, America’s first literary superstar, returned to the United States after seventeen years abroad and swiftly set out to explore Pawnee country—the wild uncharted territory deep in the young nation’s interior. It was a part of the country few white men had set foot in and even fewer had written about it—and certainly none as famous as Irving.

Owing to a chance encounter on a steamboat with the newly appointed Indian Commissioner, and embracing an opportunity to silence critics who had begun to doubt his patriotism (after so much time abroad), Irving finds himself sleeping under the stars, traversing hostile plains, and venturing blindly into the unknown. He discovers a certain kind of tranquility in the open air and relishes the traditions and culture of the Pawnee. Irving kept a daily account of his excursion into what is now Oklahoma, and upon his return home, spun this fabulously entertaining and groundbreaking work. With unparalleled descriptions of the natural terrain—a land of giant flowing rivers and endless golden plains—and vivid depictions of the lives in Native Americans, A Tour on the Prairies stands as a classic portrait of what life was like out West before chronic warfare left the plains and the population decimated. Irving’s book became a huge success when it was originally published and quickly silenced critics who questioned his affection for his homeland.

From My Kitchen - My attempts at being intentional have been paying off!  I wish my attempts at blogging more often could be more intentional... ;0)  

Monday - Barbeque chicken pizza with red onions.

Tuesday - Beef stew with the leftover roast beef.

Wednesday - Meatloaf in muffin tins, mashed potatoes, green beans.

Thursday - Dinner out with friends.

Friday -  Leftovers.

Saturday - Air fryer chicken thighs, wild rice and green salad.

Sunday - Family dinner with my kids.  Smoked turkey with salads, rolls and dessert.

Thinking and Pondering - Bob went to the eye doctor on Tuesday, and they told him that he needed to wear scleral contact lenses to help correct one of his eyes and help him see better and correct a problem he has been having.  They are hard contacts with a soft edge to make them more comfortable.   We went for the fitting yesterday and it was a two hour event!  The contacts have to fit his eye exactly, or they won't work.  Finding the right fit was painful... I'm grateful for decent vision.  I wear glasses, but my eyes are normal for my age.  

How I Am Feeling - I went to my gastroenterologist and he told me I was doing exactly what I should be doing.  He did tell me to eat a little more frequently, maybe every three hours or so, and to not worry about my weight, because it  would stabilize in time, all was well.  I've been trying to do just that, I think I'm feeling better by eating a little something in between meals

I'm Creating -   I'm trying to challenge myself to do something different, something that will make me think - so I decided to try my hand at knitting.  Oh.My.Goodness . . . I'm not sure it's my thing :0/  I learned how to knit as a child, but I've apparently forgotten everything I learned.  I love knitted dishcloths, and so I tried my hand at it . . . oops, not so great, I think I missed a few stitches, not my best work.  I think I'll stick to crochet 😆😁😂

I'm  also working on a new sketch.  I just love all the character in those beautiful American Indian faces!  I'm excited to finish this one!

From My Camera - I haven't been out to look at the sunset lately, and so I dug way back into some of my sunset photos.  This one is from November 2021... what a show Mother Nature put on that night... so pretty!

Just Sayin' - 

Instead of comparing our lot with that of those who are more fortunate than we are, we should compare it with the lot of the great majority of our fellow men. It then appears that we are among the privileged.

Helen Keller

Be safe and have a wonderful Sunday.

Hugs and Love,

Barb