The sky is blue ...

...the sun has riz, I wonder where the birdies iz?
Here is the little film clip I took last year of our own little birdies. I couldn't remember how to add the music, so it's accompanied by the sound of the wind and some chirping instead (please feel free to turn down the volume if it becomes irritating!)

I love this time of year, everything is looking so springlike and fresh, while the hummingbirds are quenching their thirst on the sugar water, the blossoms are out and looking exceptionally pretty having opened up 10 days earlier than usual. Amber took a walk and snapped a few pics for this post.I am on the hunt for a couple of hanging baskets full of blue lobelia this week (as seen above), they have become a standard summertime fixture that works well and gives the hummingbirds a little nectar variety, which they seem to enjoy.Archie, such a typical puddy-tat took full advantage of a sunny spot on the front veranda this morning. I have decided to reduce my working hours at Wheaton's to just a couple of days a week for a while. This will give me the opportunity to keep busy at home through the summer, which I am relishing, especially being able to spend more time with the girls again when they come home from school and during the school holidays. A young student has taken on some of my shifts and is happy to get the hours in before going back to college in September.
Back on the familiar tractor mower it felt quite rewarding as I eradicated all the bright yellow dandelion heads that had shot up, neatly mulching them row by row. It didn't however take very long for the black flies to find me. Even wearing long sleeves and protective netting over my peeked cap they managed to find their way inside and give me no less than 8 little itchy bites on my first mowing session!! I have tried everything in the past from regular bug spray, to a diluted spray of Listerine mouthwash! The latter just gave me icky sticky fresh minty hair! This week I am going to try a new product called No-Bite-Me , a soap, which is a popular seller at work. I shall report on the outcome next week. The black fly frenzy should die down a little in a week or two as the weather gets warmer.

I also wanted to share this lovely blog with you, Daisy Pink Cupcake

I was thrilled and honoured to have some of my own home photos featured on one of her colourful posts a few weeks ago. Every week she manages to find some wonderfully diverse eye candy, which I enjoy browsing through when I have the time.

With Jemma's AP calculus exam out of the way, her thoughts have turned to the fast approaching graduation prom dance. She has decided to design and sew her own dress. I admire her determination and work ethic and look forward to seeing what she comes up with. Even Amber was spotted on the sewing machine recently, completing a home economics assignment, recycling a discarded top and turning it into a cute little bag.

Happy thoughts and wishes :)

Hazel x

First Summer BBQ

Feels like it really is Summertime this weekend! Saturday morning I took the girls for a little shopping and in the afternoon after washing all the bedding, storing the electric blankets in the attic (yay!) I did some ironing outside looking at this view, while sipping a mug of Tazo wild sweet orange tea with a lemon slice - bliss!

Craig busied himself in the garden planting more veggies and mowing with a contraption called an aerator attached to the tractor. I know that secretly he loves doing this ! This morning Craig and I were awake early enough to catch a few local yard sales and I spied another little wooden shelf unit for five dollars. A fun project to work on later in the week :) It most definitely needs a coat of paint and then the question is what shall I store in it? A BBQ of our own is something we haven't enjoyed for a long time, in fact not since leaving New Zealand in 2004, when we left behind a flashy red gas one. This weekend we unpacked a small, humble charcoal Weber BBQ! It worked a treat and after rustling up a quick salad and fresh bread to go with meat, it was a fun and memorable 'first' family BBQ of summer 2008.

Earlier in the day we assembled the gazebo, which has been stored in the barn during the winter. So nice to finally have a little haven outdoors where we will be protected from the black fly and mossies! Now I did promise myself that my hummingbird posts were finished, but after capturing a couple of feisty males today fighting over a drink! I thought I would share them with you....

They remind me of tiny fairies from a childhood storybook.

Hazel xx

Song: Balloons and Champagne by Ephemera