Sunrises and Seasons Saturday

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

There was a brief discussion earlier this week about being a Night Owl or Morning Lark.

As well we talked about watching the sun rise.

I ended up doing so this morning and it really is special.

Pretty soon, for me it will be rising way too early for me to see and will be intrusive. I still recall waking up the first or second Sunday we lived here because my feet were too hot. The sun was pouring into our uncovered window and by 5 was hot enough to wake me.

Seasonally, I go from having the blinds mostly open in the winter (to help with the buildup of moisture/ice on the windows) and having a light turn on in the bedroom a minute or two before my alarm is to go off, to balancing keeping the blinds as shut as possible while still getting air flow and sleeping in an eye mask to help offset the light waking me at 5 a.m. and robbing me of an hour or more of sleep.

Inside your home what changes in the sun's patterns do the seasons signal for you, and how are your routines affected by the lengthening days?

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

Obviously my SAD light is part of my seasonal changes. It is getting to the point where I don't need to do it anymore. But if the day starts too overcast or if I didn't get a good sleep, then I do use it while having tea and chocolate and working on Wordle.

Another seasonal change, pretty soon, I'll switch to tea and chocolate out on the balcony and do the puzzle on my phone or tablet. That was a pattern I worked on after Hay Lake last September and I found it was worthwhile. Just stepping out onto the balcony each morning to feel the fresh air is worthwhile so once the deep cold of winter passed, I'd step out each morning while my tea steeped. Some days I can be out there for 3 minutes and I do some stretches; some days I just lean out the door a bit and take a couple of breaths, depending on how cold or windy it is! Today it was windy so I wasn't out there more than a minute.

Obviously, a big seasonal switch is the front hall closet. Ours is a mess right now and never seems to have what I need when I head out the door. Too many winter hats, not enough light jackets. My winter boots need cleaning and polishing before they are put away as well.

I'm up early today because I woke naturally at 5:55, not because of the sun or dh, just the end of a sleep cycle. At first I couldn't figure out why my 6:45 alarm had not gone off, then I realized I had rounded 5:55 up to 6 and then was looking at the :55 and adding it to the 6. So dh and I listened to the news, he said he wanted more time in bed so I got up and have finished light, tea and chocolate, and the puzzle (plus emptied the dish rack.) He's just waking up now.

I guess I'm finally getting enough rest between overnight sleeps and a nap-time (where I don't really sleep but deeply relax). Dh isn't waking me as often as he was in the night so I'm getting 5+ hour stretches without waking enough to look at the clock or reset my sleep podcast.

That is a good thing.

Today is wide open. I haven't scheduled the time slots yet but I will because I'm making progress, even if it is less than that first day. At least it isn't a great day followed by 2 days of nothing. But I will schedule in more breaks. I forgot to do that yesterday so when I started to fall behind there wasn't even the option of taking only 15 minutes instead of 30. Plus, my mind would just rebel as well and I'd find myself stretching out the planned breaks (breakfast, walk, and nap time) too long.

The main goal for the day is to finish reconciling all the accounts in Quicken and then getting a good start on the taxes (ours are due on the 30th) and also to firmly sketch out the children's story for church tomorrow. It is all done in my head but I should put it on paper to make sure it flows as well as I think it will, rather than winging it, since this is the first of the one's I'll be doing (I have another on May 7.) I might also look up the lessons for May 14 so I can start thinking about my service then. The key is to be thinking about it but not drop all the more important stuff that happens (at least 10 events, including taxes and finishing our corporate year-end bookkeeping) before I should sit down and write the service.

[CathyS]

Hi everybody!

It's another gorgeous day here. Dh has gone fishing. I have been puttering around. Just put away a load of stuff from the dryer. The washer should be ready to unload shortly.

Our bedroom is on the west side of the house. The living room gets the morning sun, which helps me see ALL the dust and whether the floor needs to be swept or mopped.

Because it's a relaxing morning for me, and nice and quiet... I have actually been going through a pile of recipes from my recipe collection and I have tossed most of them. I have some hand written ones that I dated from 1982. I've moved those from house to house to house... I've never made them and now they are in the burn bag.

It's so quiet in the house this morning. I can hear the clock ticking behind me.

Later...

Went to local grocery store for a bag of kitty litter. Switched laundry over to the dryer before I left.

[Twins' Mom]

I'm working on our tax return today while ds is here working on his.

[Lady Maverick]

~~~waving Hello to all~~~~

Thinking of Dee and her DD on the road today.

I have a free day today. My version of free day means that I have no appointments. I am still in charge of making sure everyone gets fed, the house doesn't turn into a hoarder's delight, and the furkids are cared for.

I've been to the garden twice this morning. The first time to check if anything happened during the night & to water a few plants. The second trip was to harvest asparagus.

I had morning smoothie and will be making a Mexican casserole for lunch.

[Nancy]

I am looking out at colorful pink blooms in the two yards behind me and in my own yard as spring bloom happens.
I was up on time and doing my qt at 6 today listening on yt instead of waiting till 7 bc I was awake enough to listen to them.
I had already been in the basement for the a m walk about yesterday I saw some things I could take up and declutter that I thought I might
need some day that had been there for years. I am using my gazelle in an interesting way when I do my rounds I walking around it three times in one direction then when I go back across it to the other side of the half house room I go around it three times in the opposite direction for some more steps bc it is frosting outside still. So I am sort of using my gazelle!

I have found my tea kettle is a great blessing for my sinuses with more moisture in the air and for cooking tea etc.

So today took one of the items up. I am trying to work on the table doing one area at a time
it is becoming the staging area aka catch all place of odds and ends writing stuff note papers... you get the idea. While it is cool out I can do these some of in the a m.

I have a letter to write and thoughts I am considering for it will put em in the journeying thread.
I have some things out for bread, yesterdays was SO yummy I want to get one ahead for the basement freezer as it needs a restock.

Robins found the area I took leaves off of last evening and were having dinner last nite, this morning the squirrel fell from the height of the roof missed his grip in the branch got up and went back up the tree and shook it off. They are doing that all seasons.

On my mind taking the big bed out front when it warms up and doing a section or 15 min. session aka round on it ever day or two till it is done last one in the front yard ~ then the back yard leaf removal begins. Might burn in the fire pit today if it stays calm.

[Harriet]

Thinking of Dee and dd, safely traveling.

Elizabeth! Glad you are back.

Since I'm hoping for a home improvement/nursery trip out with dd24 tomorrow afternoon, I'm not joining LadyM and Nancy in much planting/gardening today, but waiting just in case a couple favorite plants come into my sights for purchase. I'd not had a chance to water the other day and we had a rainstorm in the night, so things are going well out there.

LadyM, your new garden walkway sounds great - love the idea of edge plantings.

Seasonal thinking - We have had guttering put on now, so for plantings at the house I will need to monitor for watering more often. Six inches more overhang, plus no more rain from the roof. Grateful to dstepson and dd43 for getting gutter "guards" on, as well. I'm sure that will serve us well. In general, these improvements will give us more comfortable access and help preserve the porch at the front.

We got a morning visit from grandferret Felix, who had just had a very good follow-up doctor's appt. He is significantly furrier, happier, and expecting a longer life even with his facial tumor (now about age 70 in ferret years, but dd24 is a vigilant carer). His little face looks like a youthful ferret again. HRH is and always has been his favorite, because he gives sturdier-surface shoulder rides beside the comforting beard (and, I think, it's also the deep voice). Dd stopped on "their" way home and brought takeout for the three of us.

I have enough of Mount Washmore to fill this day. But I'd also like to do more work in the sewing room. We'll see.

[Kathryn-in-Canada]

I feel like I'm wasting the day. I'm not. I've

* completed two loads of laundry

* cleaned my bathroom

* cleaned out my bathroom cabinet and cupboard

* plunged the sink and tub (routine maintenance)

* gone for a 41 minute walk with dh (oops it took longer than I thought to take that route!)

* touched up the paint in my bathroom sink

* sent an email

I still have lots to do and I think the reason I think I've done nothing is that none of my time on the computer (except for the email) was accomplishing the computer tasks I have on my list.

Time for my breakfast now. I won't eat at my computer so I don't get sucked into more mindless surfing.

[Lady Maverick]

DD11 hair cut yesterday resulted in a big boost to her mental health and confidence that had me fascinated to watch it play out. I am so very happy for her self-confidence to increase and watch the change it makes in so many ways. She noticed and commented that her eyes are sparkling now. I noticed that DD11 was smiling about twice as much, and her walk was different. I'm not sure I can describe the difference, but it was such a change that it caught my attention.

The Mexican casserole was made with a vague plan (no recipe) but I changed my mind while I was assembling the ingredients. I'm pleased with how it turned out. However, now I have a package of corn tortillas that I need to find something to do with them.

I am making sure I stay up with my hourly step goal but I'm not pushing myself to complete all the other hourly tasks. I am enjoying the decision process of deciding what I want to do each hour. Sometimes my mind can't handle all those decisions and I need to just have a detailed plan laid out for me. But today I want to make those decisions, so it feels good to change things up a bit.

I'm a Ramsey podcast fan but haven't listened in a while. Most days, my mind is overloaded, and I can't handle the extra incoming words. However today I'm enjoying listening while doing other things.

[Ramblinrose]

Waving….

Thinking about Dee and hope all goes well for her

Love seeing Elizabeth when she shows up!

I’ve had an easy day. Worked on my sunnies and am doing laundry as well.

My gut seems to have finally settled down. Pretzels seem to work better than crackers … not sure why. Must be whatever they are made of and the salt. Still eating easy, but at least it doesn’t hurt to drink water. This morning I was able to eat some cereal. Yesterday I drank fruit juice watered down with water. And ate chicken noodle soup which I added some baked chicken that I had. Will eat the rest of it for dinner.

Not the healthiest but it is what it is. The salt on the pretzels make me thirsty which is good.