Yes, there's a whole lot of decorating going on at my house -- but there's life happening too! They're not-fa-la-la moments but pretty good nonetheless, as we count down these days of Advent.
I've been having my ear-igation treatments and they are so exhausting, I have taken to stopping on the way home just to sit or walk and chill, seeing a bit of nature's work. This bucolic scene called me after the last one.
I adore sheep and they were out in force on this crisp, blue-sky day. And they were quite curious about who this interloper watching them eat might be!
I've tried painting sheep many times. It never works. I'll take these photos any day.
Another morning, I attended a video shoot for our university's summer theatre's year-end giving effort. It almost felt normal, seeing my friend Matt and our new department chair, Stephen, even though we were outside and masked!
I had to do a curbside pick-up close to downtown on the rainiest day imaginable, so I thought I'd check out the capitol Christmas tree.
Considering the weather, it looked pretty good -- the only bit of bright at 8:30 on a Saturday morning downtown!
The big balls that someone drove into last year are back, too.
And I made a quick drive down the main street. Not much to share but one spot had a fabulous window.
On the home front, Lizzie and I have been doing our own bit of bird watching between naps (for her) and decorating (for me!) I especially love it when I see the blue jay come. He's very quick and doesn't pose well, but I think I got him, though through the glass.
And of course, the cardinals are always a welcome addition.
I leave you with a sneak preview.
Christmas is coming!
47 comments:
I love the birds and your decorating makes me think Christmas is just around the corner!
Wonderful photos, thanks for sharing, glad you were able to get out.Hugs, Valerie
That first picture of the capitol tree is beautiful!! I'm really glad that you've been able to get the fresh air that we all need. It's hard for me not to be envious of your bird sightings. They are always heartening!
It looks like nice Christmas outdoor decor where you live. I haven't even been anywhere to see anything Christmas-ey at all. Only what I see in blogs :-) I'm doing okay though. I am a bit behind on my long list of 'to do's but hope to get a bit of Christmas decorations up this week. I better do it or it won't be done in time for enjoying a few days before Christmas. Enjoy and please take care as you go out and about.
Good to learn life is good, if not fa-la-la...
Also great you find the good even in being exhausted from such a treatment!
Big sheep lover here, too, such nice animals!
Wonderful tree. Braunschweig did not put up the big one this crazy year.
The balls are BIIIG and so beautiful!
That blue bird, oh!!! And of them... all beautiful!
Hello Jeanie,
I hope you and your ear feel better, it is nice that nature brings you some peace. I love the Christmas tree at the Capitol building. The sheep are cute critters. Great captures of your yard birds. I can tell you have fun decorating, the Santa is pretty. Take care, have a great day and a happy week!
We didn't get to share the shoot, Jeanie, but we did share Blue Jays, Downy Woodpeckers and Northern Cardinals. That seems like perfect sharing to me. And you got outside for a while and that's good. Masks are here to stay for a while yet, I'm afraid, but the end will come. Take good care of Rick. Say hello from me.
I've had that ear-igation before and it is not fun. It's like being under water and getting a wave through at you....sideways. Your out and about photos are a fun consolation though! Love the sheep...perhaps you could felt them? Enjoy the week and all the trimmings!
Your capital tree is beautiful, and looks even prettier in the foggy rain! I spotted a cardinal by my front door yesterday and always consider a cardinal sighting as very good luck! I hope you and Lizzy keep doing what makes you happy this week, and I'm so glad you are getting better!
Jenna
Those sheep! The Christmas tree and the huge ornaments are lovely.
You've given me the idea to get in the car and check out the Kalamazoo outside decorations. I'm not decorating a lot this year; but, I did spend yesterday baking three batches of Christmas cookies (gingerbread, sugar, and oatmeal with chocolate chips and butterscotch chips) and got some lights up on my front porch. The sheep pictures are delightful.
That's some Christmas tree. I do so love your Advent calendar of mice. Hope your ear problems will soon be over.
Deb in Wales
All such beautiful photos, it's definitely beginning to look at like Christmas!
You've been being festive Jeanie. I love it. I want to get out and do an evening light drive. Maybe this weekend. Last weekend the weather did not cooperate at all. The giant state Christmas tree is gorgeous and I can't believe someone drove into those giants ornaments. I like them. Stay festive and enjoy! Hugs-Erika
The Capitol tree is beautiful and so are the red Christmas balls.
Great that you managed to catch the various birds through your window.
Take care Jeanie.
Well girl, you have been out and about. I am so happy for you. The big tree is beautiful. Love the nature scenes also. Blessings to you and yours, xoxo, Susie
Your ears must be really impacted. Usually, my ear doctor just uses a tool to take out the wax. It is easier than irrigating the canal. Hope it clears up soon. Your photos are lovely.
Darling sheep photos, Jeanie. Thank you for sharing your area all decorated for Christmas. Your capitol looks lovely with its beautiful tree. I do hope your ear issues will soon be in the rear view mirror.
Great pix!!
Oh Jeanie, I sure hope the ear-igation woes are soon behind you. The treatment sounds unpleasant enough, but ear problems are even worse. Glad you've been able to get out for walks and limited socially-distanced socializing. Love the sheep!
It's a joy to see your Christmas decorations, Jeanie, cause I didn't go all out this year. Oh, that Capitol Christmas tree is beautiful, I love that photo! And the red balls, how grand they are! It's always fun to window shop downtown. Sometimes I think it's just as fun as going inside the shop. I'm glad you got out and about and saw a few things. That's always uplifting. Those sheep are sweet, aren't they?
~Sheri
Jeanie, it looks like a pretty Christmas too! The birds are so pretty. You have such a variety where you are. Our blue jays are not nearly as colorful as yours. The town Christmas tree is gorgeous. Ear-gration doesn't sound like fun. I have been bad about getting around to everyone but I have been reading your blogs. I just don't know where the time is going..I hope you are feeling better otherwise..Stay well..xxoJudy
Love your advent calendar.
Hope your ear issues are cleared up soon.. an ear irrigation can't be fun.
Love the sneak peek and looking forward to more. Bird photos I always enjoy. My unle Billie use to raise sheep and I enjoyed watching them too! Janice
I like your out and about photos. That Capitol tree is lovely. We had a blue jay visiting every day for awhile and now we haven't seen it for over a week. In fact, all the birds that stay all winter seem to be hiding from us. We don't feed because in winter the seed draws coyotes and in other seasons bears.Occasionally if I see a bird, I'll sneak out with a crust of bread as a treat for it.
Love sheep too. Your town's tree is gorgeous, plus big red balls too. Birds are always special to watch. What a tease of your last picture too.
I love you how creative you were in finding holiday spirit to photograph.
And the sheep! I love them almost as much as I love seeing cows in the fields.
Great pictures Jeannie and wow, I love your Capitol Christmas tree, it's gorgeous! And those big balls!!!!---I've never seen any decorations like that, would be so fun to pose with those for Christmas photos. Love your bird pictures too, they are active here too---eating up all the seed about as quick as we fill the feeders up, LOL. Take care of yourself and keep us posted, OK?--hope you're feeling alot better soon.
Loved your photo journey . . .
Is it called a “flock of sheep” or
would it be “a field of sheep?”
Beautiful tree at the capital.
Thank you for your Christmas decorating teaser . . .
Looking forward to your finales!
Wow the capital building looks so pretty! I don't know if I have ever seen it in person, although I have been to Lansing. Something to remember for the future!
And I am enjoying the birds outside as well - we love the loud crazy Blue Jays!
We are planning to drive around and look at lights one of these nights. There are some beautiful displays in our neighborhood that I’ve read about online and I think Paul will love them. We admired decorations on a walk home from the park on Saturday. The biggest hit is a house that has a blow up T. rex with a Santa on his back. Paul is obsessed with Dinos so he loves it. I am sure some find it tacky but it sure makes our toddler happy. They had one for Halloween, too.
Lovely photo series!
Good morning, Jeanie. You are so busy. I wish you were here to take pictures of our Blue Jays. They enjoy their peanuts on our wall around the garden ever morning. Love the tree downtown, it is so pretty even in the rain. And, now to the sheep. I love them too. We had a small flock when we lived in Virginia. We had them, because I am a weaver. I sent their wool to a small family run woolen mill in Wisconsin and they would spin it into yarn for me to us in my weaving.
A great post, one I enjoyed. I never know what you are going to post next and I love that. Happy days to you, Christmas is coming too soon!
Thanks for sharing those beautiful photos especially of the Christmas tree at the Capital.
I enjoy seeing all the birds also. We have a lot of Bluejays here.
I had tubes inserted in my right ear last month to drain liquid behind the eardrum caused by sinus.
It all went well and I hear better now.
Hope your ear problem is over soon.
Merry Christmas
Thelma xo
What a fun post, Jeanie. I also love sheep and that bucolic scene was perfect. Blue jays and cardinals are so bright on these gray days. The Capitol tree is beautiful and the window display looks like a NYC window! I hope you are improving!
Nothing as pretty as sheep scenery, love them. Pretty nature shots Jeanie. Nice to enjoy after your treatments. Enjoy this beautiful Christmas season.......
Christmas is coming and almost here....LOVE that beautiful tree. Wow, loving all those lights. Bet those sheep are warm with all that wool on them. Great pics.
Glad to see the photos, Jeanie, and that downtown tree did add color to a dreary day. Thanks for the tease on your holiday decorations and will look forward to seeing more in future posts.
It was great to see how your city decorates for Christmas. It's all so beautiful, especially that tree. And those balls are amazing, too. Gotta love the cardinal and other birds that you attract. Such a great post that felt almost like a normal Christmas that isn't going to happen.
I love your sheep scenes. So calming to me. Your community's decorations are delightful. Nice tree! I enjoy the blue jays' fly-by peanut pick-ups. The cardinals stay longer and tend to come in pairs. The woodpeckers are fun, I agree. I enjoy bird-watching, and you got such good shots!
Oh my what a lovely lot of photographs for us here.
I do like the tree at the Capitol building.
So nice to see the sheep.
Some beautiful looking birds.
Hoping your ear feels better soon.
Take care of yourself, and Rick.
My good wishes.
All the best Jan
It must have been nice to get out of the house. Looks like the streets were kind of empty.
Your birds are lovely. They are a joy to see. I rarely see blue jays, regularly I see stellar jays, they are beauties too.
The capital tree certainly brightens up a gray day, it is lovely.
Terrific photos ~ I love all the birds and sheep ~ That giant tree is lovely and so is your door top Santa ~ Blessings!
Hello Jeanie!
I love all the birds and the cute sheep too. I've been seeing a lot of Blue Jays lately. The Christmas tree looks beautiful. I hope your ear is doing better! Thank you for linking up and sharing your post. Take care, have a happy weekend! Merry Christmas to you and your family!
I hope you are feeling better my friend. Love your photos...so nice to get out with our cameras! holiday hugs!
Glad you are enjoying decorating for Christmas. The downtown Christmas decorations are beautiful, and I love your bird photos near the window.
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