January Pleasures

Well, my camera is still broken. It's sad but true. I thought we'd rush that thing to the

camera ER and just hand over cash to make it all better. 

But January, just after Christmas, has always been a 

time of roosting. Staying home with chili and some free football as entertainment.

Did I mention free? Fixing the camera is unlikely to be free, or even near free.

And so I've been surprised to find what you can do with a mostly busted 

(yes, I'm using the word BUSTED) camera.

Even if only one-third of the viewfinder displays an image, 

and even if that image is upside down! 

 I am relieved to able to share a few January pleasures.

An after Christmas present found in Madison, Indiana, at a fun nature store called Cultivate.

This small birdfeeder attaches to the window - I should be able to spy on the birds 

UP CLOSE.  They just love that! Getting gawked at while eating - they must be used to it.

Sprouting things in January - doesn't everyone do it? 

I wanted to find out if some of the seeds I collected from the garden in November

would actually sprout before I sold them in the spring. On the right are shasta daisy sprouts

sharing space with ....  

Dang if I can remember things anymore! The most common knowledge just flies right

away and refuses to come back! It'll come to me if I stop trying - probably by the end of this post.

On the left are some pieces of a summer annual that seemed to nice to freeze. 

Since the leaves are succulent, they can just be cut and stuck into soil, and go right on blooming. 

How sweet is a lesson in character is that?

 Lastly, WE CLEANED THE ATTIC!

(snapdragons. and there you go - BAM! the thing you forgot plows you right in the face!)

We've lived here for eighteen years, friends, and we have only stuffed the attic --- never cleaned it.

But better late than never, right? Now I know what is in every box, tote and bag up there! I feel rich with knowledge! Powerful! And the joy of finding things thought long lost - well, let's just say it was a good time. 

Like a yardsale that I didn't have to go anywhere to attend and where everything was free.

I don't even remember where this blue bottle was found, but I love it all over again.

Now to get all that creepy white crud out of it.

The perfect project for a January day.