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Tuesday, June 16, 2009

Yep, Retirement is NOT Bad.....

Today and yesterday, we finally had some gorgeous weather here...in the 70's and very sunny with a nice breeze.

I enjoyed the days doing some of my favorite hobbies!


First, a little bird watching!:



I saw this beautiful, peaceful dove sitting on my railing:

Then, I checked out what was blooming in my garden, and saw one of the last tulips in full blossom...and studied its gorgeous center:






And right next to that, were these twin columbines!:






Then I went outside to sniff the last of the apple blossoms and saw this Grackle on the branch, looking pretty cute!:



Then we went out for our first boat ride of the season on our Lake Michigamme!:




I was in such a good mood, I didn't even mind our Pesky Chipmunk, who I caught eating my birdseed on our table!:




But. Best of All......
Tonight, in 30 minutes, we caught THESE!!!!
Our first batch of Rock Bass, fresh from the lake.
Guess who's coming to dinner tomorrow?????:



I know its a rough life...this retirement business.

But, somebody has to do it............................................................................

26 comments:

grannyann said...

Beautiful flowers, great lake and I bet a delicious dinner of fish - you got it all. Have a great summer, you lucky duck. Oh to have a lake in my front yard.

Carol said...

What a great catch. Yumm. fresh fish are the best. Our day was wonderful to and now it is raining. But I live on yesterday. Great photos, even the birdfeed stealer. Smile

Catherine@AGardenerinProgress said...

It does look pretty tough :) What a great day! How will you cook your bass?
BTW how do you get your pictures so nice and big? I've tried figuring it out before but haven't been able to.

Joanna Jenkins said...

You have a good eye! GREAT pics. I especially like Lake michigan and the fish! Life is good :-)

rainfield61 said...

Hope that I'll enjoy like you when I reach my retirement age. I am counting, yet still far away.

Bernie said...

OMG Joan the picture of the lake is absolutely gorgeous. I love all your pictures of course but oh I so loved the lake. How blessed you are my friend to live in such a beautiful setting. I, too love being retired although it took me awhile to adjust I now can't imagine having the time to work nor do I want too. Your right, someone has to do it, arent't you glad it's us.....:-) Hugs

Lynn Kellan said...

After all the good work you did as a nurse, I'm so glad you are able to enjoy a lovely retirement!

I love the mourning dove. Whenever I see them at my house, I have to fight the urge to try to catch one; they look so round and cuddly. I'm sure they wouldn't like cuddling with me, but I still want to squeeze 'em.

Roshni said...

oh, you have no idea what you're missing....the wonderful time I have in my car for 45 mins, driving through all that friendly traffic; the smiley face of my computer when I switch it on and find out about all the projects I need to complete by the end of today; the scintillating office politics; the walk to the coffee machine to have some deep-fried coffee.....and you give it all up to make friends with the critters??? How COULD you??? :P :(

jessica said...

Wait for me! I am joining the Retired ranks next Thursday! Yahooooo....!!!

Sharon said...

You definitely live in a paradise, and thank you so much for capturing some of it on film for us. I'm with you, though, even though I don't live in such a gorgeous spot. I love love love retirement! Don't know who these people are who would be bored (can you imagine?), but fortunately I am not one of them nor do I hang out with them! There are not enough years left to even read the books I want to read, never mind everything else there is to see, hear, do, love, and believe.

The Retired One said...

Grannyann: I know. I am blessed!

Carol: It was funny, when I did my preview the entire chipmunk showed on the page, but when I see the blogpost today here, he is "cut off". Hmm...wonder why?

Gardener: write me an email at jhaara@sbcglobal.net and I will tell you how I enlarge my pictures. Also, change your template to Minima Stretch too, it gives you more room for your photos...you can think New England for that, she gave me this great tip!

Joanna: Thanks so much...that is Lake Michigamme, not Lake Michigan, although I live pretty close to Lake Michigan (within 3 hours) and about 30 minutes from Lake Superior!

Rainfield: It will come before you know it!

Bernie: Yes, I have not regretted retiring for a single moment...I could never go back to a job where I had to answer to a boss or someone else's deadlines. Been there, done that. ha
We live living right on the lake...often we take our coffee or pop and go and sit down on the deck of our pontoon boat overlooking the lake just to relax. The lake can have so many moods....from complete stillness to choppy angry waves..I love them all.

Lynn: Yes, those doves do seem cuddly and downright lovely. I just like to watch them they are so peaceful and calm birds.

Roshni: Oh, don't worry...I remember it well. I could never go back to it again and having to answer to a boss or having impossible deadlines and stress...yuk. We waste so much of our life with this kind of stress..it is not fair.

Jessica: WOW..I didn't know it was going to be so soon...I know you told me it was coming up, but time flew by and I didn't realize it was this week! Congrats!! Are you having a retirement party?

Shelley said...

You have a great life my friend!! I love seeing Michigan thru your eyes! Great photos!!

Rick (Ratty) said...

I really really really love the lake scene! That was no stutter. I also have been taking apple blossom pictures earlier today. I thought they were gone already.

Loree said...

Oh that lake just looks gorgeous and I have to say I think that the chipmunk is pretty cute.

Sue said...

My husband retired 3 years ago. We don't know where the time goes. I don't know how he ever fit WORK into the schedule.
Enjoy the summer!

The Retired One said...

Shellmo: I know, I can honestly say I love my life and am very happy.

Ratty: Thanks. I am behind in my blog reading..but I will get over to your site soon to look at your apple blossom pictures. I love them. They are almost gone now from your yard.

Loree: The lake we live on is really wonderful...has nine islands and 97 miles of shoreline..it is huge and has lots of areas to fish and explore!

Sue: you are right. We ask each other every day where the time went..especially in the summer up here.

retired-ed said...

Outstanding photos. What camera do you use? Do you use a macro lens for the flowers? I love these shots. I'm done working, and the official retirement date is July 3. The following day will give a whole new meaning to "Independence Day".
-Ed

Unknown said...

Gorgeous pics! I really love them.
What a wonderful time you're having. I'd say, live it and be happy!

Bernice the Housewife said...

Your photography is so wonderful!! Mine is kind of the out-of-focus, too-far-away sort. I've been retired for a year--don't you love it!?

The Retired One said...

Shellmo: Yes, I admit it, I have a great life. ha

Retired-Ed: You are SO gonna LOVE it.
People have asked me: "don't you get bored?" My answer: Heck, no, why would I? You have the time to explore all the things you "wished" you had time for before, all on your own schedule with no deadlines or bosses...what is there not to love?
Thanks for the nice compliment on my pics...I use a digital Panasonic Lumix with 18X optical zoom and 10 megapixels.....I love it. It is a point and shoot, but with some manual settings you can play with too..I used regular zoom on some of the closeups, other times I use the "flower" setting (macro). Actually, sometimes it is better for me NOT to use the macro and just use the zoom and adjust it a little..but I have loved this camera. I just won a local photography contest and got a picture of my bluejay in the flower blossoms (look back a few posts) on the front cover of an insert of the paper. I was so excited.

Keats: Hear! Hear! I completely agree. As long as my health stays good, I am going to do as much as I can during this blessed retirement.

Sheila T: Yes, I love it...we have been retired for about the same time then. I retired on June 6th of last year. It did not take me long to adjust, let me tell you!
You will have to get out there with a new camera and start taking pictures...ever since I got mine, I have been amazed at the wonderful quality and the fun I have been having..and they turn out so good, now I am entering photo contests...I just won one, and was so happy!

Unknown said...

Your pictures are awesome! I especially love the mourning dove shot. Perfect! I envy your laid back life and the great outdoors. I always have fun stopping by your blog.

The Retired One said...

DVM's Wife: Thanks..I love doves too.
Our life is laid back, but when summer comes we go nuts..we are renovating TWO old houses so we are extremely busy doing painting, etc. then in addition to our love of the lake and nature (and blogging!) HA

Ramblin Mama said...

I'm taking your word for it about the pleasantries of being a retired couple (not just a retired gal). I'm still a little leery of this 24/7 togetherness thing! You make it sound easy! I'll soon find out, though!!

The Retired One said...

Ramblin'Mama: You will find the groove that works for the two of you, you will see. I still arrange for a little "alone" time and for a few lunches out with my girlfriends...but we are together more than ever, and it is wonderful. You go back to like when you were first a couple..and find activities to do that you both like, or even new ones. Believe me, I would have NEVER believed 20 years ago that my husband would be willing to take a dance class with me to learn the salsa....but when I asked him, he surprised me and said "why not?" We had a ball! (Can't remember now any of the steps we learned but we giggled the whole time we were trying to learn and NOT getting it!)

Brittany said...

OK, I am going to sit here and stare at the picture of the lake and pretend that is where I am at.

The Retired One said...

Brittany: You are more than welcome to do that...AND to take a vacation to Upper Michigan to visit it in person with me. We will sit on the pontoon boat with some wine coolers!

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REMINDER: All photographs on this blog are COPYRIGHTED.
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I retired in June 2008 and started my blog in November 2008. I worked at several jobs as a Registered Nurse prior to retirement. I LOVE being retired! Blogging has offered me a whole new venue to start writing again and to share new hobbies such as gardening, birdwatching and sharing my nature photography. If you like my blog, PLEASE click on "follow this blog". Having a lot of followers reading my blog gives me incentive to continue to do photography and to continue to write. I also LOVE comments, so I encourage you to leave me a comment after you read my posts. Thanks everyone, for taking the time to read me!!

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