Happy Saturday!

This week saw the first garden disaster of 2026. We got rain on Tuesday night and Wednesday morning. There hasn’t been much rain this winter and the state I live in is once again back to extreme drought status. That’s not the disaster. I came home from the office on Wednesday afternoon, expecting to see the rain barrel overflowing as it did the day before but instead, I found it on its side at least 20 feet away.

The barrel was nearly drained of water. The rain water diverter was beside the barrel on the ground, ripped from its spot on the downspout. What happened? Could it had been the wind? It must had been a pretty strong gust. Where did the water go? There were almost 50 gallon in there, it would’ve been flooded the garden but there was no puddle, no sign of flooding or water at all. Could someone or something had rammed it over?

Meanwhile, my mom didn’t know anything, she said she heard a loud bang but didn’t bother to check. I don’t think she cared I lost all that water even though water is a precious commodity around these parts since we get so little of it. Thankfully, my other barrel is almost full and there’s rain coming in a few days, so hopefully, now that I got it fixed with a next part, I can get it filled again.

This week, more blooms have begun to emerge. It’s the earliest I’ve ever seen the flower bulbs bloom. Last weekend, I saw the first crocus bloom in the side yard and on Thursday, I noticed the daffodils in the front yard have begun to bloom. These typically bloom around mid to late March, not late February.

I went on my first day trip of 2026 this week. I took the day off work on Thursday and originally, I wanted to focus on the garden while another part of me wanted to go for a drive and test out the new camera lens I bought last month – the largest lens in the photo. Thankfully, my mom went to the office that day, leaving me with the day to myself.

I made a quick breakfast and then I was off. First, it was to the hardware store to pick up an order I placed earlier in the week as well as purchase the parts I needed to fix the rain barrel. Then it was time for day-tripping.

Ever since I learned of this place from Google Maps, I have longed to visit. This is Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Nature lovers and bird watchers come to this place to spot birds and wildlife and it’s the perfect place for me to try out my 150 – 600 mm lens. This is my favorite photo from the trip. It was shot from the window of my car. I drove leisurely along the auto tour and with no one on the road but me, I got to stop when I saw a good composition for a photo.

That night, when my mom asked where I went, I told her and she said, “why didn’t you take your aunt?”

In my mind, I could picture all the photo opportunities I would’ve lost if I’ve taken my aunt. I probably wouldn’t had been able to get this picture. I wouldn’t had been able to relax and enjoy the scenery. When I go on trips like this, I do not enjoy being in my family’s company because they don’t understand nature. The only thing they ever seem to be concerned about is their stomachs.

Besides, with my aunt around, I wouldn’t had been able to run my errands at the hardware store. After the trip, I went back to the store to buy what I originally wanted to buy for my upcoming project – PVC pipes to fix up the trellises.

After months of being cooped up in the house, I can’t tell you how happy I felt to be in nature, playing with my camera for the first time in 2026 (seriously!). I hope to go on another day trip in March. Here are a few more of my favorite photos from the trip, as always, thank you to Natalie for hosting Weekend Coffee Share. I hope you have a wonderful week ahead.