It Gets Worse Every Week
Thank you to those who agreed with me that my red posies from John were some sort of begonia. Alas, we were wrong. Very. They are, in fact, New Guinea Impatiens, not impatience as I once thought; impatiens = the correct spelling. Depending on your source, they either do or don't like sunshine. Everyone seems to agree that they like a lot of water. Thank you for all the information! I appreciate
the help. ☺
You can see the flower baskets hanging outside in the header photo. It was a much warmer day. They are back inside these days because the weather has turned chilly again. Birds seem to be highly attracted to these orange red flowers, I have even had birds try to fly through the French doors. Silly things. Can't they see the mullions? Here's where I'll get you to agree or disagree with my identifications. I believe this bird is an oriole. If you only knew all that I went through to capture this terrible shot.
I am guessing that the bird above is a warbling vireo. I have a better picture...
Okay all this ID stuff is for the birds...
Let's see...what can I rattle on about? You'd think that, after a week goes by, I would have a lot to say. Nope. It gets worse every week.
Last week, when we had a few warm summer-like days, John and I enjoyed a picnic at the lake. Picnic is too fancy a description; we had a fast-food lunch at the lake. It was so pretty that day... the water was choppy, the breeze was refreshing, and the blues were beautiful.
(Speaking of blue, I was reading at Temple Grandin's site that some people find reading a stark white page very challenging. I am wondering how people find reading a blue page as I am having trouble finding just the right, light enough shade.)
Getting back to the lake, it was just the thing to do after a rather long, chilly spring. Where would you run off to for a quick, less than an hour, getaway?
Goodness. Am I already completely out of things to say? Wait, no, I'll add that last night for supper we had the most delicious
new-to-us salad. We had never eaten bok choy
before, but thanks to Susan at Savoring Time in the Kitchen, we tried it and loved that crunchy, mildly flavored bok choy. I like saying it. You can find the recipe for
Firefly Crunch Salad right here. (I have also pinned it on my Salads Folder.)
A happy week to you and a Happy Victoria Day weekend to my Canadian friends and family. (Memorial Day is the following weekend for us in the US.) Hope that the weather moderates for us all. ☺
P.S. Anyone ever had a pop-up with this message appear over your post while trying to edit it? I am documenting because sometimes groogle needs a screen shot. The pop-up won't stay put when I want to take a screen shot, but will not allow me to make an edit. Always something in Blogdom!
First of all, no, I have never seen that pop-up...how strange. Your lakeside getaway is a gorgeous place for a picnic, whether it be fast food or fried chicken legs and pickles! Bok choy is good stuff! My son has grown some in his garden and it is wonderful in stir-fry as well. I have not seen this salad but I'm sure I would love it.
ReplyDeleteYour header is lovely. I've never seen the pop up. We've enjoyed NG Impatiens over the years but I haven't seen them as much lately. They do lap up the water! And tolerate sun more than their cousins. I love your lake picnic spot--it must be nearby since you carried fast food there. Some weeks are blissfully uneventful!
ReplyDeleteChilly enough for snow here, Vee! At least today the sun is peeking through the grey clouds. I like your new header. I've been trying to get into PicMonky to make a new one and it won't let me in. It's supposed to be free but I can't get in it at all. That orange bird does look like an Oriole. My friend had two at her feeder. The poor hummers were scared yesterday in the cold. Thanks for the clarity of the holiday weekend you will have after ours. And I do hope the weather is perfectly summery for both of us! I have never tried bok choy. No pop ups on my computer but it sure doesn't surprise me. Have a great rest of the week Vee. xx Pam
ReplyDeleteI am not surprised at any thing that pops up on my computer but no I have not seen that one. I have never eaten bok choy. My daughter is a chef and she uses it a lot. I don't care what you chat about Vee I just love to read your blog. I stopped for awhile but not I blog every day. It seems I can only crochet, paint, makes beads for so long and then I need to write. It is so cold down here I am getting aggravated. Worrying about flowers and tomato plants. Have a good week.
ReplyDeleteNever seen the pop up....Yes, as you know I went on a picnic to the Biltmore Estates, which is about an hour from where I live now. We are heading starting today into a week of rain. I wouldn't mind, because we do need it, but a son is coming to visit for the next 4 days and we will be sort of rained in.
ReplyDeleteI think I was right which is a REAL shocker, lol, but I think I guessed Impatiens, but does it count if I spelled in wrong? Apparently I have always pronounced it wrong too, lol. I wished there was someplace CLOSE enough to go for an hour get away but that wouldn't be much of anything but the mall. Everything else it seems would be at least an hour to get there like the beach or the mountains. I guess there is one park I've gone to a couple of times though all I've done is sit in the car once I got there and rolled the windows down and enjoyed the breeze and the view. Never seen that pop up but nothing shocks me anymore. Enjoy your day Vee!
ReplyDeleteA picnic by the lake sounds wonderful, Vee. Fast food makes it faster to get there and enjoy the beauty of the water! No, I've never seen the pop up! Hope you have a great week!
ReplyDeleteI loved this post, Vee! I agree that the bird in the top photo is an oriole. Not sure about the vireo and no time to consult the bird book!
ReplyDeleteI wanted to ask about the red-rimmed plates on the fence. We had plates very similar to that when I was growing up -- also cups/saucers, salad plates, etc. Some of the rims were red and some were gray.
Oh, your picnic! It was so nice that you included the little clip so we could hear the sound of the water. The lake is so beautiful and yes, fast food absolutely counts as a picnic!
We will always choose a waterside place to run off to. We live just above the Lakes Region in our state and so we have a few nearby lakes to choose from. We have been known to drive to a nearby town just to walk the waterfront park and then just sit on a bench to soak up the tranquility for as long as we can -- even if that's only a half hour. We are also blessed that our little town park has picnic tables by a tiny pond, and sometimes we pack up our supper and take it there to eat. That one is only five minutes away!
Oh, that salad looks so good! Did you make it just as Susan did -- that is, did you fry the onion and everything, or did you adapt it? We've had bok choy a number of times, but always in a stir-fry, not raw. I'll have to try this although I am very likely to tweak it.
I have never had a pop-up message appear over a post when trying to edit it. How frustrating! I'm thankful it's never happened to me because I would have no idea what to do. Hope it never does happen!
How I love a rambling post! Hope I can find the time to put one together myself. Thanks for sharing this slice of life!
I love your picnic spot! That is more appealing to me than a park! I've always heard that NG impatiens could take more sun. I cannot tell about your Baltimore Oriole but that little wren is sweet!
ReplyDeleteYour header is beautiful and makes me want to visit Maine again, soon. Its beautiful there!
I've never had bok choy either, guess I'll have to try it sometime.
I miss you blogging regularly.
Once a week isn't regularly? 🙂
DeleteNope, never seen that message....I enjoyed your post....especially the lake visit. smiles. (say it ain't so about Memorial Day?)
ReplyDeleteThe first bird looks like an oriole to me.....The third perhaps some sort of Rail, but he looks very small and that is confusing me. Doesn't take much. That salad sounds very interesting and I think I may have to try it. I love your blog posts, whatever you say, Vee. So glad you and John had a picnic by the lake. I use wordpress so never had that pop up but there are other problems!
ReplyDeleteYour blog was very interesting and informing, Thanks
ReplyDeleteLove picnics! Looking forward to many this summer before it gets too hot! We have a Springs about 5 minutes from us that is lovely place for picnics, several beaches within an hour's drive and a beautiful new park with amphitheatre 20 minutes away!
ReplyDeleteI love your writing Vee - it's always entertaining and a place of escape!
ReplyDeleteI don't like pop ups in general. Sometimes I'd like to say "get out of my face". I don't use blogger and so I don't know anything about that particular pop up. Some blogs that have so many advertisements on them make reading a post slow and annoying. But let me find something positive to say now... Glad you could have a quick bite at the beautiful lake. Hope the rest of your week has some sunshine and more birds visiting!
ReplyDeleteWhat a lovely place for a picnic or fast food, its just nice to get away for a couple of hours. I have never come across that particular pop up but I having issues with lots of other ones at the moment, so very strange.
ReplyDeleteNo popups like that one here. I can relate to the "what am I going to say in this post?" as I've been in a blog fog myself for awhile now.
ReplyDeleteThe first bird does look like a Baltimore Oriole but I'm not sure about the other one. I plant impatiens in a couple of my pots that they do well in but I don't know if they are the same variety as yours. I like that they do well with minimal care.
Take care and enjoy the rest of the week!
Vee, I couldn't see the bird in your first photo. We love watching the birds and identifying them can be tricky. We keep a bird book handy. Your picnic spot is lovely. Grayden and I will sometimes take a sandwich or cheese and crackers down to the river for a change of scenery. It's only a mile away, so we can quickly hop in the car and go. We always see something interesting and it's a good place to connect. I love the sound of the wind at your lake.
ReplyDeleteI've never seen that pop up. It's always something, isn't it? Have a wonderful day. ♥
Oh yeah, I meant to tell you how lovely your new header is too :)
ReplyDeleteI just love birds but it can get tricky trying to identify them all :-) That salad looks delicious, I haven't tried Bok Choy yet though. Enjoy your day!
ReplyDeleteBlessings,
Jill
Vee, I love looking at bird pictures. I adore your bird"teacup" bath. I looked back at posts I have missed. I really like the hanging baskets you received. I love that you and your husband had a "picnic" by the lake..even if it's fast food, it's still special to have that time together. Blessings, xoxo, Susie
ReplyDeleteImpatiens not Bigonia. Huh, I'll be!
ReplyDeleteI love your ramblings - always makes me feel as though we're sitting together sipping a hot cuppa and just enjoying life together. : - )
And YES a fast food lunch by the water is a picnic, most definately, haha!
A picnic just sounds lovely to me today...wish my husband was at home..I would sure do it! I have never seen that popup before and seriously, it looks like someone is trying to edit the paragraph for you...how WEIRD!
ReplyDeleteFor someone who didn't have much to say, you covered a lot of ground -- and all of it interesting! I can't comment on bird stuff. I don't know much about them. But the Impatiens -- yeah, we all got the one wrong.
ReplyDeleteI had trouble with Blogger recently when it wouldn't let me post a photo. I followed the instructions in the "Complain" box in the lower right corner of the edit page and they fixed it pretty quickly. Never have had to do that before. No, I haven't got the pop-up you're experiencing. I hope it's resolved for you very soon.
Loved the lake video. Very nice!
A picnic by the lake sounds wonderful to me even If it's with fast food! I am itching to get away somewhere for a few days!!!! I finally saw my first red bird in my feeder this morning from my kitchen window! Made my morning actually! Hoping you are having a wonderful day sweet Vee. Hugs and blessings, Cindy
ReplyDeleteNo idea about the message I am afraid, but I am glad you now know what your plants are! Your day out at the lake looks and sounds lovely!!
ReplyDeleteSo glad you and John were able to have a little "celebrate spring" getaway at the lake!! If your weather has been as crazy as ours, you have to take the opportunity when it arises...and a bit of spring-y weather is something to celebrate.
ReplyDeleteI am not so great at identifying plants. My parents would have known immediately, but I didn't inherit the green thumb. They have planted New Guinea impatiens before, and they are beautiful! Good luck with yours!
I am intrigued by the idea that people would find a white page difficult to read as it is the easiest for me to read. (Your pale blue is also easy to read.) A black background is the most difficult. I have turned away from blogs with black backgrounds simply because I have such a hard time reading them.
Yup, that bright orange bird is an oriole! I had one in my yard too last week and wanted it to stay so badly. Aren't they beautiful!?
ReplyDeleteHey Vee, Yes it does seem to be getting harder to find things to blog about! I have been trying to enjoy reading and making myself walk some around the barns, snakes are out Yikes. Hubby and I also love feeding and watching the birds. We started having hummingbirds around. So we got a feeder for them!
ReplyDeleteI am now a no-reply blogger as trying to keep up with emails has been to much. But I know you have my email. It has been a very chilly spring, I have a fire in the wood stove going today! Take care of yourself and John!
Thinking of you! Roxy
I always loved having hanging baskets of Impatiens in NC. They do well there but we have to find more sun tolerant flowers here. I think I'll get some purple petunias tomorrow. The bird is so cute and the salad sounds yummy. Enjoy your week! Give John a hug for me...Diane
ReplyDeleteLoved that video snippet!!! I would LOVE to be able to get to such a place within an hour!!!
ReplyDeleteYou do seem to have problems with blogger!! I have never had a screen shot like that!
Bok Choy? We have never had that! Maybe we should try some!!!
And a picnic is a picnic!!! You eat and there is pretty scenery!
Enjoy the rest of your week!!!
Within an hour? Oh my! I am blessed. This is just four miles down the way. The entire getaway, going, being, and returning was all within an hour. Your gazebo must serve as your quick getaway.
DeleteI love impatiens, always planted them. Then they went missing from garden centers around here for a while, some bug or critter was messing with them. I think they may be back in the stores now. They do not like very hot weather and intense all day sun. I know that from experience. Always wondered about the spelling of the name. I tried bok choy a while back, I like it sauteed with garlic and oil as a side to chicken or fish. Never ate it raw,though. Enjoy the rest of the week.
ReplyDeleteI hope it won't be long until the flower baskets can remain outside. Our weather has been much cooler than usual for May. However, you won't here me complaining as I know what's coming.
ReplyDeleteYour getaway sounds delightful right down to the fast food. I thoroughly enjoyed the little snippet you shared. I think those little getaways can go a long way in providing a fresh perspective. Mine usually involve a drive in the country with a garden or some unique shops as the destination.
That salad sounds delicious. I used to make a salad with bok choy. It was good, but I somehow got away from making it. I recently read how good for us bok choy is supposed to be.
As for the pop up, I haven't seen that one. How strange and frustrating.
*hear* me complaining.
DeleteThank you for mentioning the salad, Vee, and so glad you liked it! It's nice when a new and unique salad comes along that tastes great too. I agree, the bird looks like a Baltimore Oriole to me. I think this is the time of year they migrate so seeing them is a real treat. I hate pop ups but have never seen that one. There's something that some of the WordPress bloggers use that keeps asking you to subscribe and it's so annoying! What a pretty place for a picnic. The water looks so blue.
ReplyDeleteThe salad sounds delicious. I've never eaten bok choy raw - just cooked. Never seen that pop up from Blogger either. Such a weird thing this technology can be.
ReplyDeleteIf I were going somewhere for a picnic (and eating fast food outdoors totally counts!) I'd probably head to a nearby beach and perch on a driftwood log.
Hi Vee, I love the impatiens. Here in Georgia, we have to grow them in deep shade and even then, give them lots of water. We are only a few minutes from several parks along Lake Lanier. We often pick up fast food and enjoy a "picnic" too. In the Autumn, we pick up apples from the orchard and enjoy one sitting by the water. Wishing you a pleasant evening.
ReplyDeleteIt's a great time of year for bok choy. We love it and this spring's gardens are providing abundantly. One of my modest goals in life is to persuade more people to try it. It's sad to take a lot of beautiful organic bok choy to the farmers market and end up feeding it to the chickens.
ReplyDeleteI've never received a pop-up when blog posting. I wouldn't like that! ~ We eat a lot of salads and we, too, like the flavor and crunchy-ness of bok-choy. I've got to go look at your salads. Thanks for sharing your finds.
ReplyDeleteThis post just made me smile, especially the picnic at the lake, which was fast food at a table. Well that qualifies for me, the point is to be out in nature! Have a great weekend.
ReplyDeleteI vote for the impatiens NOT needing a lot of sun -- I grew them in my Brooklyn garden for many years ;)
ReplyDeleteI've always loved my light blue blog background. I feel its soothing and goes well with nature photos.
I did receive a pop up like that once while my blog was in edit. It made me say:"What now?!!!!!!!?" I closed the blog, restarted my computer and it never happened again. I think it was something prompted by spell check, sort of a grammar check?
Love your shoreline picnic spot. I heard today that Maine's north woods may be named a National Monument! Good news for Maine and nature!
I like bok choy but never ate it raw in a salad--I'll have to try this!
Babysat 3 year old granddaughter all week--parents coming home from a anniversary trip this weekend. Now I am ready for a vacation---lol
Thank you for some blog fodder, Pat. I don't imagine that you'd be surprised to know that I am very much opposed to a National Monument in Maine's North Woods. I don't believe that it would be good for Maine in any capacity. Nature is already very well served there.
DeleteHope that you get a restful weekend after having a little girl for a week. Is she at the full of questions stage?
Vee, It's been a while since I've popped, so it was lovely to catch up with you and your doings. I've never had bok choy in salad, but that sounds like an interesting addition to a bowlful of greens. I like variety in salads.
ReplyDeleteWishing you a beautiful weekend...
Brenda
xox
Ooolala, a picnic with whatever you have is just such a delightful treat! How fun that you had one. I love the impatiens, they do so well for a friend in the shade and I can't do a thing with them!
ReplyDeleteVee - we are on the road travelling and I finally have a wifi connection and just want you to know that I am praying for your dear John. I can't tell you how sorry I am that this has happened. I pray that he is improving and that you are OK!!!
ReplyDeleteI am so thankful for that picnic....and for knowing you...and wanting you to know how my heart is so broken...God bless you, Vee...you know how much HE loves you....
ReplyDeleteVee,
ReplyDeleteI am just stopping by and reading the news about your dear John. I am just so sorry to hear about his passing. I will keep you in my prayers...Until we talk again...hugs sweet friend....
Mona