Saturday, March 13, 2010

Spring!

I know this picture is a bit dark, but it was taken as sunset time was nearing.  What kind of bird is it you ask?  No, its not one of those harbingers of Spring, the ubiquitous robin.  This is a red headed woodpecker!  We usually have a family of them every year and it is fun to listen to them pecking away at the dead trees and sometimes even the metal siding on one of the houses.  I'm not sure why they do that.
It does appear Spring is here because almost all the trees are budded out, the tulip trees have bloomed and dropped their petals already, the grass is greening and the weeds are overtaking because of all the rain and the days are warming up to 70 on occasion.
There is so much to do outside to clean up the flower beds.  And with the unusual freezing weather we had this winter, I fear I may have lost the Mexican petunias.  The stems are still pliable so we will wait and see a while yet, but they sure look ugly in their gray brown with frizzled gray leaves.  If they have gone I will pull them out and replace them with herbs as they are now in the only sunny part of the yard.  
I picked a lot that had lots of trees so as to have shade in the summer and save on the A/C bill, but it leaves less space for sun loving plants like tomatoes and such.  I have had 2 very bad years where the tomatoes and peppers and indeed anything else I planted in the way of food just did not grow and produce.  Weather and inattention from me caused it.  So this year I am not fighting it, I just don't have the time or energy.
I sit at a desk all day but when I come home all I want to do is sit in my chair and embroider while listening to the radio.  It is very peaceful and calming after a rather noisy and busy day at work.  Here it is Saturday and I have loads to do.  First is getting this post done and then getting dressed to take the recycling.  Then I will make my rounds of the thrift shops, always a fun morning.  
WE are lucky as we live near what is becoming known as resale row.  There are 5 charity thrift stores within a 5 mile radius and one more will be opening soon.  If I go into Humble, the nearest town where I work, 10 miles away, there are 2 more.  
Of the 5 shops nearest me, one is Goodwill and they tend to overprice the items I like to browse like books.  Why would I pay $2 for a book when I can get 10 for $1 down the road?  And unfortunately two of the others tend to price everything too high.  Guess they haven't realized that it is the poor folks who shop there.  One even prices stuff at antique shop prices when most of it is not antiques and the shop is located in the poorest section of this area.  Good luck to them but I see the same stuff sitting there for months in both those shops.  Why do I still go in them?  Well, occasionally I do find something I want that is a good price.  Like the big wooden dough bowl I got for $10 or the medieval looking woven bedspread (I have yet to figure out how to hang) I picked up for $20.  We live on the edge of an affluent neighborhood and one shop gets in some wonderful clothing in my size which is rare to find.  So I visit my 2 faves almost weekly and add a trip to the others every now and then, just in case.
Better go get some breakfast now so I can start my day!

post script:
I went to the new thrift shop and as I turned in and read the sign, my heart plummeted.  It read 'Resale Boutique".   Arrrgggghhhh, I just knew I was not going to be able to afford anything in there and I was right.  Slightly upscale items displayed like antiques, racks of better clothing at boutique prices and so on.  I ask you, who would pay $6.99 for a used necktie?  You can get them brand new for that price at Walmart!  I'm all for helping out charities but who exactly do they think shops there?  Not the pseudo rich who donate there, but you wouldn't know it by their prices.  Funny I didn't see anyone buying anything.
So onward to my 2 faves and one of the others I like.  Found some books, linen napkins, silk hankies (I'm a sucker for linens of all kinds) 2 summer shirts for the resident poet, wooden hangers and 2 new rolls of quilt batting.  Had my required Saturday lunch at Subway and came home to the most beautiful day of birds chattering and breezes blowing.  I opened all the windows in the house for a good airing!

8 comments:

June said...

I haven't been shopping, thrift shop or otherwise, for anything other than food in so long, I no longer know which nearby shops are good for deals. Only place I go on anything like a regular (biennial) basis is the used book store. Smells like an old-fashioned library, has creaky floors and boxes of books stacked everywhere...treasures waiting to be found and brought home by the armload.

Everything here is still gray and brown, so I envy your "already bloomed" anything!

Oh. And the woodpeckers do that...find the most reverberating surfaces they can find...to let potential mates know what good breeding stock they are, how big and strong their peckers are.

Von said...

Lovely Spring, lovely fresh air!
Thrift shopping or Op Shopping as we call it here is popular, we have one in our village I drop into when I pass, the best ones are 50kms away.The University my daughter goes to has a big one for clothes regularly, some amazing bargains to be had.She always looks so stylish.The fun of discovery!

Recycled Cottage & Garden said...

Thanks June for the info on the woodpecker, I didn't know that was why they pecked on strange things. Makes sense now.
I'm with you on used book stores, love the smell and I always spend too much money. I am planning to go through my stash of linens, doilies and such and when ever I get off dial up, listing them for sale in my etsy shop. I have 2 bins full now and I am planning to get faster internet very soon. yeah!!! dial up sucks :-(

Amy said...

I love the beautiful weather we have been having. Sure beats what we would have had back in Ohio.

I have seedlings and plants going crazy.

Have a wonderful day.

mo said...

Love the dream house....here's mine ;-)

http://wmmorrisfanclub.blogspot.com/2010/03/salve-regina-university-mecca-of.html

pining for spring...cheers, mo

Katrinshine said...

I like this story. I love spring, but now it's cold...

Lord Wellbourne said...

Lordy, lordy, how I miss our thrift store vagabonding days!! Let me know if you have any Battenburg doilies going to Etsy--I'll buy them direct.

It's gorgeous here, now. Beginning to green up and the daffodills are nearly 7 inches tall. Won't bloom for a while yet but they're getting there. Can't wait to get into the yard and have at it. After all the years of asphalt I think I'm ready for dirt!

kanishk said...

Everything here is still gray and brown, so I envy your "already bloomed" anything!
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