What a week its been coming into my first Friday Rambles for 2021..
Bloody @$^@&%* hell.. $^@&%@& it all anyway.. O my did that #$@&**$^*^* really just happen..
Yes, yes it really did just happen and I do not know about you but this week’s highlights have made my gut clench a few times, made me cry a few times, made me rant in my own house and at my kitchen table more then a few times..
My radio has had me flip it the bird at it more times this week then I want to own to.. I have been reading my friends thoughts and comments.
So the first thing I want to point out is that as Canadian we are not in any way immune to this kind of thing happening, so anyone who thinks.. o we are canada and we are better then that.. then your head is firmly stuck in the past or the sand or up you own.. well you know what..
Shake yourself out of your “eco chambers” and take a good hard look and do not think for a moment that kind of crazyness is only on one side.. O no, I got to read some of the most “liberal” folks using words like crush them. I find it very interesting to watch peaple who truly believe they are hard core C and hard Core L’s both spout the same thing at each other..
Anything like a middle ground where you can find common goals seems much further away these days then ever..
So what can we do about it at the moment.. for the average person.. pretty much nothing! We can work on our own homes, lives, relationships, our plans for how we will manage the coming year. These thing are in our control..
All “that” pretty much out of our control..
So what do we do with that stress that comes with it it.. For us in our home two of the things we both enjoy that helps us lower that stress down, down and down is Fish and feathers.
Upgrading our main fish tank to a bigger one was pretty much a big gift to me and to the whole household, I have always had fish tanks but most of the time I use them spring/fall for outdoor growing, we have a nice little 10 gallon that has a fish or two in house. The big second hand tank that we had and use for many years for raising up hundreds and hundreds of tadpoles turning into toads/frogs took a beating.
So when a big sale came on, we picked up a new tank and some new fish and moved the 10 gallon fish etc into the new tank, it has proven to be a big boon this winter.. both of us will take time to stop and just watch the fish.. you can just feel your heart rate slow down..
The second thing we enjoy in a crazy way is our big yard filled to the brim with fluttering feathers, we currently have 4 feeders in action, Mr Red is a young male that found the farm and has claimed it, as we had a young female pass though the year before but she moved on, he has settled and I have great faith that he will call in a female.
He adores our big spruce trees as one of his favorite sitting spots but he really enjoyed munching on the hawthorn berries.
The flashes of red are him or the three kinds of woodpeckers we have coming in or sometimes the red caps
When it comes to yellows, we have a flock of grosebeeks about 20 of them that are coming regular and man they are a fun bird to have around, so pretty indeed.
We also have about 40 finches..
plus all the wild zones that is providing natural eating for them.
of course we have lots of sparrows
and chickadee’s, I adore my little friends.. and they are for sure the most freindly of all the wild birds!
We often take the time to stop and just go to the window and watch the bird at the feeders, we have walking trails though the gardens and the food forest’s marked out and snow blown and as we walk the birds move from tree to tree and swooping over our heads and moving behind us or around us.
So what is your? Are you working on a puzzle? do you play a game of cards? Knitting? Writing (hubby does writing for sure) What are you using as short brief breaks to bring your stress down, or are you just turning everything off?
Just another Day on the Farm 
I’m about beyond words.
I believe it Blue, I believe it.. it was a day that we seemed glued to the radio.. I am not sure I heard so many “breaking news” in 12 hours before.
I so hear ya ….. I try to put my phone down and ignore my news feed- but then think I need to stay Uber up to date and away I go again. What an absolute cluster @&$& down there. I feel hard for my fellow bloggers and all those ‘regular’ people who must be scared witless. And you’re right – we’re not perfect north of the 49th either.
I write to distract myself (working on a book). My hubby heads out to the barn to spend time with the cows – sometimes I find him out there ‘napping’ by the wood stove with half dozen barn cats napping on him too. Whatever works. Mostly we close ranks and work harder at making sure that should everything go to hell in a handbag- we’ll be fine. We hope.
I know, It was impossable a few times to not be glued to the news as it was coming out.. congrats on your coming book and wood stove and farm cats within the barn and the cows sounds just lovely to me.. I hear you on the working hard for preparing for hell in a handbag.. o yes!
Turning everything off. I’m concentrating on my diet, exercise, especially yoga which I love, having a happy birthday, serving in my community. And I’ve lost 8# so YAY ME!!!
That is certainly a choice and not a bad one if you can do it.. Congrats on your 8 pounds my dear Happy Birthday! Happy Birthday.. yes I am saying it twice.. to you!!!
Thank you! Thank you! Have a great weekendđŸ˜˜
What beautiful pictures you’ve managed to take of the birds!
Husband totally agrees in regards to the fish tank, in fact, we read about a hotel in Belgium that allows its guests to rent a fishbowl with goldfish – they are very soothing to look at.
In terms of switching off, I decided quite early on that reading too much news (beyond staying informed) was impacting my mental health. So yes while I read to stay informed, I now don’t do doom-scrolling, especially not before bedtime.
I am making an effort to read more books. If the weather is nice at the weekend (read: not raining) I make a point of sitting in the front garden for at least an hour reading a book.
Thank you, the birds are so lovely to share space with.. O what a neat thing for the fishbowl with goldfish.. thank you for sharing that with me..
I can totally understand switching off, not sure I can do it regular, but I have taken hours or even a day here and there when it has me to pushed on needing that break. Doom Scrolling.. I like that term, can I please use it at in a post (I will give credit).. Books are a very good thing indeed. and any time we can spend in our gardens, outside is a very good thing indeed.
Oh that’s ok, doom-scrolling not a phrase coined by me, I read it in a post on Instagram, so please feel free to use it to your heart’s content đŸ˜€
thanks for letting me know đŸ™‚
Check out a company called SimpliSafe (yes…with an “i”…not a “y”). They will help you protect your property and you will not believe how inexpensive it is. I use it on my property and I am thrilled with it.
I really enjoy your emails. I live in Tennessee, USA.
Your info on people using drones to check for properties to steal from freaked me out. Ugh!!!!!
Thanks for what you do!
Donna
Thanks for the tip for something that works in your neck of the woods, and sorry about freaking you out on the drones.