Z is for Zorro

I long ago gave up on the A-Z challenge, finding that I could not keep up with the pace. However, I cannot resist the opportunity to contribute to Z Day with a photo of my adorable and elusive Zorro. Immediately after this photo was taken, he scampered away to some quieter part of the house to resume his solitude. Getting a picture of him is always a challenge; he moves quickly, clearly not a kitty who enjoys the camera.

 Occasionally, I do catch him napping...as in this picture with his more social sibling, Ruby. Of course, he was up and away right after this sweet, lucky capture. You can see it in his eyes: I'm outta here.

So, farewell A to Z challenge. I wish I had been up to making a daily contribution. Maybe next year...

The Symphony of Spring

 Today is my first day of spring! I made it official: I raised the umbrella on the patio. 

 Though this season of renewal has been on the calendar for quite some time, it hasn't felt like spring to me due to the gray skies, heavy rain, and even hail. Today the sun is shining and the forecast is for 80s by the weekend. I say YES to that!

I love walking around the garden, checking out all the colorful buds and delicate new leaves, so marvelous this time of year.



A Fern Unfolds

Lemons-to-Be



Fuchsia



Hydrangea Buds



I think it is almost time to get the shorts out of the back of my closet.

Grandsons on the Go

Though the rain has been a threat and a reality all week, we managed a jolly park outing with clear skies and a bit of sunshine. The thermometer registered a cheery 71 degrees, perfect park weather. Good times.

D is for Done

Well, I gave it a shot. I have made a discovery: I am not cut out to be a daily blogger. Good luck to everyone else, however. I still love the A-Z concept!

C is for Collector

My name is Janice, and I am a collectaholic. Unfortunately, this is not a new condition; and, as a result, my home is bursting at the seams as I am unable to part with any of my carefully gathered treasures. My frog collection sits merrily in the yard, with this charming blue creature as its leader.

Why frogs? I have no idea; I certainly don't care for the real ones, though I know they are our friends. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to my choice of collectibles.

An even more mysterious choice is my Aunt Jemima collection. In another life, was I someone's Mammy? Or was I a southern belle a la Scarlett O'Hara, prancing around the plantation in a hoop skirt? I am a lover of folk art and Americana, so maybe that is the reason. My attraction to Aunt Jemima is a complete mystery to me. Perhaps it is simply because I have always loved pancakes. Who knows?

Whatever the reason, my politically incorrect Aunt Jemimas, sit atop my microwave adding a historical touch to the kitchen. Of all my collections, this is probably my favorite.  It continues to grow on a regular basis, thanks to gifts from friends who are avid antique hunters.

So, I proceed with my addiction and wonder where it will end. Will I graduate to becoming a hoarder and be featured on television? I hope I can put on the brakes before I reach that state. Meanwhile, I keep the feather duster handy and enjoy my bounty.

To visit other bloggers working through the alphabet, click here.



B is for Birds, Beginnings, and Bravo

One of the things I love most about spring is all feathered visitors, seeking nesting sites, that come to inspect my yard. I have many wonderful birdhouses scattered around my property, and every year I wonder which houses will be selected. Both the school house and the faucet house in the picture above have been very popular in past years. This year, however, not so much. A chickadee duo did begin to nest in the schoolhouse but changed their minds, leaving abandoned twigs sticking out of the round opening. Darn. Was it something I said?

The most popular house, hands down, is this little red job in the front yard. So much about its placement is wrong: It's on a  foot path that gets a fair amount of human traffic, and it's near a birdbath and feeder, so there are lots of other birds and squirrels around. Yet every year a Mr. and Mrs. Titmouse move in to start their family. I love that my kitchen window looks out on this nesting site, allowing me to watch the comings and goings. Every year I am delighted and amazed when this house, so cute with its antique doorknob, is chosen.

So, spring is finally here, full of renewal and new beginnings. Bravo.

To visit other bloggers working through the alphabet, click here.

A is for Adventure

I'm always up for a challenge, and this seems like a good one since I am one of those bloggers who can never think of what to write. Here's the deal: The month of April I will write once a day (except Sunday), following the alphabet. I am a bit worried about the time commitment due to the fact that I have serious couch potato tendencies, and joining A-Z will keep me in my much favored sedentary state, happily peering at my computer screen.

I am joining a very large blogging group as I meet this challenge and am looking forward to reading others' blogs and having new people visit mine, hopefully leaving comments. Thanks to Betsy at My Five Men for introducing me to A-Z.

Here goes!

Check out the other posts here and join us.