Yearofhealth2023's Journal, 02 October 2023

You're so right with the "enchanting" adjective! I would never leave your back yard. Prayers for you to find your sweet spot! Happy Monday!  

Thanks slyone. I took the pic from inside my house and it’s a gray rainy day so what you cant tell is how orange their breasts are. So love wildlife (well non threatening wildlife to clarify—there was a bear wandering around this very residential neighborhood last winter. A little brown bear i think. There are wetlands sprinkled thruout so we do have coyote, cougar, bear etc and i would NOT want to see them taking a bath in my backyard waterfall😂) 

So pretty! I feed birds at my house. I've had to chase my next door neighbor's cat away 3 times already today. I have a bird bath on the landing of my front porch and there are always gold finches sitting on the edge, usually drinking water. Blue jays get in and splash around taking baths. I rarely see robins except in rainy season 

thank you for pointing out the birds I have a lot of vision problems and I probably wouldn't have noticed them it's a gorgeous picture. I really enjoy all the photos of wildlife on the site and I'm glad that everybody keeps including them. I grew up in the country and spent most of my life there, but now I'm in the what I call City. Due to my sun sensitivity I'm not able to get out and look at the wildlife in nature like I would prefer because it hurts so I enjoy looking at all the pictures. 

Beautiful picture! As for your weight, remember you are still healing and bound to fluctuate. What activities are you able to do now? I know you walk but when can you return to gym? Are you keeping your trainer? I think you are doing great considering what you’ve been through. Keep moving forward and keep pushing yourself as much as allowed.👍💜💪🏼 

Fritzy-i would love to see blue jays. I think I’ve only ever seen one once out here. We had a pair of gray doves this summer that came every day. They were so graceful and lovely to look at. 

Leah-i wish i had been outside so the color would have been captured instead of in the house thru a window with a screen on it. Their chests were so pretty and they were so large. The little guy in the pond i couldnt capture because the water level was down too low. Need to go fill that. Happy you got to see them! So sorry you are stuck inside. We do what we can right? 

Diana, a week from tomorrow i am cleared to go back to my trainer for two weeks of what surgeon deemed a light workout and then two weeks from then allegedly can go back to my full workouts. Im back to walking 4 miles or so a day super easily. My tummy feels awful. When i sneeze or cough it still hurts but guessing thats the internal stitches. Still wearing compression from waist down and that helps. I am keeping my trainer for now otherwise i would just get too lazy. Our gym at home has EVERYTHING except leg press and adductor/abductor which are the two i love the most. We have free weights, kettlebells, a universal, bench, fancy elliptical and i cant remember what else and yet i wont use it. I used to before i got this nasty pulmonary issue and gainied all that weight. Im just not in the headspace. Hubs asks me probably 5x a week to come work out with him. He does HIIT workouts up there and then mixes it up with kettlebells and weights. Im fine with my weight staying somewhere between 135 and 138 im just more concerned with being able to up my calories and maintain. Was really hoping i could go to 1800 one day or even 1500 but seems like maybe not. Damn adrenal gland failure. You, my friend, are the epitome of what it means to keep moving forward and pushing yourself. So proud of you!!!! Maybe, when i actually grow up, i will get that mojo back and can workout from home. Save myself near $500 a month which would be helpful given i never went back to work after new hip last July. Whew. Ive spewed a bunch replying to you😂.  

(Ps, we’ve talked about adding that leg equipment which would probably motivate me to workout from home but for now we are just in the “talk” phase..) 

I love watching happy birds!  

Beautiful...I Love My Birds..They Will Be Returning Soon ❤️ 

Bear me too. Right before i took this pic a 3rd robin took off flying up into the dogwood. It’s got berries on it right now and i guess they are eating them. 

RC-me too. I literally told my husband i want to be more diligent about taking care of them thru this winter when it gets so cold and ugly outside. I said, “im getting softer in my old age.” Probably because im not so exhausted and not working so i have time to appreciate nature more. Isn’t that a realization😂 

I get scrub jays at my house. Last year I had stellar jays during the winter. They aren't usually here, but I used to see lots of them at my sister's cabin at Tahoe. Jays are pretty aggressive. I sprinkle sunflower chips on my deck rails and get dozens of finches lined up eating. As soon as a jay comes to eat all the other birds fly away until the jay leaves. I also get mourning doves, often a dozen or more. They make a "coo" sound. Last year some new, bigger doves showed up. Very pretty and I had never seen them before. I looked them up and they aren't native to my area. I love birds and have always had feeders 

Beautiful yard! Wish I could sit there and chat with you yoh. 🩷🩷 Have coffee, go for a walk. 😁😁😁 

Wifey, that sounds so wonderful!  

Fritzy i have never once seen a dove out here in the wild and to have them here all summer was wonderful. Yep a cooing sound is the sound they made. They seem to have left a few weeks ago. 

Beautiful photo! I, too, tweak my calories accordingly. Sometimes, it takes some adjustments, especially on days I’m not burning as many calories. You got this! :) 

I watched a cardinal bathing in my bird bath last week. I see other birds in there, but first for the cardinal. I didn't have my phone, so couldn't get a photo 😒 Having a backyard water fall is cool! 

SHERRYE i love it!! It’s the deal i made with hubs—-if we ever move or build again waterfall with pond is a must. He hates it!!! It leaks and he has to fix it several times a year. But it makes me happy and the sound is so relaxing.