May 4th.

I don't think we always appreciate how important certain parts of our bodies are to us. For instance our thumbs. Yesterday, with repeated pounding of nails into board with the hammer, I did such damage to my thumb that I haven't been able to move it since. Now I realize how important it is to have a working thumb. I can't lift a cup, can't turn a door knob, can't open a can with the can opener.....you get the picture! This has never happened to me before although I've been using a hammer for years at various times. Poor old thumbs, they just don't get the respect they deserve. I was awake half the night with hip pain from working in the garden and my shoulder was giving me some grief. I simply won't face the fact that I'm getting older and the old body can't take things the way it use to.

The Goldfinch put in a brief appearance once again yesterday. It was lovely to see him and he seems to be hanging around with the Purple Finches. We had a sunny day yesterday, the first in some time. How it changes ones mood after days of drizzle and rain not too mention the odd flurry. Today the rain is coming down in torrents. Apparently by Friday we may see a bit of sun again. What a month this has been weather wise. Dreadful!!

We went to Gander last Thursday to do some shopping. Himself bought me a "garden claw" which I was delighted with. It's suppose to loosen soil, break up clumps, etc. No bending over, just grab on to the handles, twist them and the claw does the rest. I've seen it demonstrated on TV with some little old lady working away with it. I'm here to say that it's the most useless piece of steel I've ever seen. With excitement I put it together, went to the garden, put it on soil and couldn't twist it. The only way I can see it working is if it's used on fluffy, dry soil that wouldn't need it anyway. A dissappointment for sure. It's going back to the store. I also bought a large frame for a piece of art that my daughter gave me. It's a pastel on paper so it needed a frame with a glass. I found a nice looking frame all done over with plastic and I bought it. I was quite excited about that as well as I'd been waiting to find the right size frame for this picture. Thankfully I didn't haul all the plastic wrap of it as it's going back to the store. There was no glass in it! My fault, because I didn't look to make sure. Seeing the plasic covering I just assumed that it had a glass.

I haven't taken any pictures this past few days. I don't know what takes up my time lately but I always seem to be busy. I have so many blogs to catch up on as well. I did get a few picture of this Grouse that was up in a tree by the back door. A lovely bird and quite large. She was just sitting there looking down at me and didn't mind getting a few pictures taken.