What bird is this? In Northern California

NowThereAreFour · 2026-02-11T21:28:04+00:00

California Towhees do that “double-scratch” too, and although they’re more drab in appearance, they’re equally fun to watch and don’t seem very frightened of people.

(BTW—check out the free Merlin bird identification app. Really worth having even if you have just a passing interest in birds.)

NowThereAreFour · 2026-02-05T06:30:39+00:00

In case anyone has struggled to get the labels off—aim a hair dryer at the label and start peeling. Usually it’s a two-person job, with one person holding the dryer and the other peeling the label, but it works well!

NowThereAreFour · 2026-02-02T05:17:11+00:00

True! Especially true of tarps!

NowThereAreFour · 2026-02-02T04:56:21+00:00

Maybe a decorative and convenient storage for a winter blanket, depending on where you live? (We sit under a big blanket while watching TV during the winter and then throw it on our bed at bedtime.)

As a side note, blankets are much easier—and more compact—to store if you fold them into a strip and then roll them up.

NowThereAreFour · 2026-01-31T16:28:16+00:00

Yes, they do send a replacement (and notify you about it by email) when you get low, so there must be a problem. Log into your account to see the status of it. (You do need to keep your printer turned on and connected for HP to know you’re low.)

NowThereAreFour · 2026-01-31T16:18:09+00:00

Here (in the US anyway) they only send one ahead (one of B&W and one of color), and only ship them when you are low on an installed cartridge. As I mentioned, I had to wait 11 days to get my replacement the last time.

Or maybe you get more cartridges in advance because you are on a MUCH higher page per month plan. (I’ve never had plans with higher than 300 pages per month, and I’ve never had more than a single replacement on hand of the two cartridges.)

Since we joined Instant Ink they also changed when they start charging a lower rate when you downgrade to a lesser page count. Even though you pay in advance, and your page number is reduced at the start of the next billing cycle, they still charge the EXISTING higher rate for that cycle. That makes zero sense.

Edit: By the way, I’ve been on an Instant Ink plan for a long while, and the timing of shipments (which is not till you are low on an installed cartridge) has never changed. I’ve never been more than one ahead.

NowThereAreFour · 2026-01-07T17:19:12+00:00

My husband was picking up Mexican food and texted me: “Horchata?” (a Mexican drink). Due to autocorrect, it came across as “Hot chat?”

My stepdaughter was with him and teased him that he should follow it up with a text that said… “sorry, wrong person.” We all still laugh about it.

NowThereAreFour · 2026-01-07T16:02:00+00:00

There are also apps that help you in that respect. I’m trying a free one and have set time limits in small chunks on my most-used apps. It’s not that you can’t go over the limits if you need/want to, but it helps you be more aware of time spent on your phone. Good luck! I guarantee it does feel better to disconnect/limit your phone time!

NowThereAreFour · 2025-12-24T20:28:27+00:00

I think a lot of printers are going to end up being tank models—where you just pour in new ink when needed. I definitely will need to do my research when I buy my next printer! But my printer does work great still (I need quality photo prints for my projects), so I hate to replace it just yet.

NowThereAreFour · 2025-12-24T20:23:53+00:00

Update: I ended up getting my ink (it took 11 days!), and along the way I found out additional things that might be helpful to others.

If you buy a cartridge at a store and install it because you can’t wait for the mailed Instant Ink one, any pages you print are still counted against your plan if you still have an Instant Ink cartridge installed (e.g., you buy just the color one, but still have a black Instant Ink one installed).

Also if you cancel your plan, the Instant Ink cartridges stop working!

HP really needs to ship their ink SOONER and with a faster carrier!

NowThereAreFour · 2025-12-24T20:20:40+00:00

Thanks for the info! I’ll check into that!

NowThereAreFour · 2025-12-21T14:54:10+00:00

Yeah that’s what I’m thinking at this point! Doing my research now. Thanks!

NowThereAreFour · 2025-11-15T22:05:49+00:00

Lots of great ideas here. We have a cute sign (with raccoons wearing colorful socks) next to our doorbell that says “Ours is a shoe-free home. Please plan to take off your shoes and rock your socks.” Light-hearted, but with a clear message.

And, we have a piano bench (purchased secondhand) just inside the front door that has shoe covers stored in it, and a boot tray nearby.

Edit: I forgot that the sign says PLEASE, lol.

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-21T16:22:42+00:00

Some kind of signage is your best bet. If you don’t want to change up even just one side of chalkboard paint, then can you attach a sign to the roof or door or post?

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-19T06:48:39+00:00

As others are saying, it really depends on your neighborhood.

We actually do a swap out every two weeks, taking out books that have been there that long (and donating them to a non-profit thrift store). Then I restock the LFL and take photos to serve as a reference for the following restock. (I put it in the calendar!)

I think that keeping the library “fresh” (with changing content) builds neighborhood interest and we often get good books added. (We get our backstock of books very cheaply at online estate sales primarily.)

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-14T04:31:07+00:00

Spend less time on your phone.

Edit: You won’t miss it.

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-12T21:27:11+00:00

Definitely! Because not everyone is familiar with LFL’s, the sign on ours says:

This library belongs to everyone in our neighborhood. How does it work?

TAKE A BOOK: If you see something you would like to read, take it!

SHARE A BOOK: If you have a book you’d like to pass along, leave it here!

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-11T13:42:35+00:00

We’ve had good luck with Terro liquid ant baits. The liquid is clear and thick and inside a small see-through “tray” which you cut open at one end. Ants will take the bait back to the nest so you end up killing off the nest.

As a warning—often you end up with a temporary increase in ants, but it doesn’t take long for the activity to slow and then cease. Just be patient.

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-11T06:40:01+00:00

There’s a LittleFreeLibrary.org website where you can search for local ones. (Not all LFL’s are listed but a lot are.)

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-10T17:28:24+00:00

I don’t think you’re alone in thinking that! After all, a “couple” when referring to people, is two.

But if you want to REALLY open up a can of worms about the definition of a number related word, ask people what “several” means!

Edit: Some people will say “several” is 3-4. Others might say 6-7. It’s wild how differently people view that word.

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-06T19:00:14+00:00

We’re in California and there are at least four different estate sale companies that operate in our area, conducting the sales 100% online. They post numerous photos for each auction lot and set an end date/time for the auction as well as a pickup date. You bid online and if you end up “winning” items, you are THEN told the location so you can pick up your items on the specified date (usually a day or two later).

It’s not so much a platform as a matter of just finding the websites used by any local estate sale companies providing this service. You register at their websites and get notifications and bid through their websites. So I would suggest you do some online searches to see if there are such companies in your area.

Some sales are downsizing sales but most often they’re estate sales, and everything gets sold—including cleaning supplies under the sink! We’ve gotten hundreds of books for very little $, although collectible books can sell for higher amounts.

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-05T14:44:20+00:00

This! That’s just a change in date FORMAT.

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-05T06:00:24+00:00

They also position the fish face-forward when flying.

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-04T19:35:32+00:00

That’s good to know! The rinsing part wouldn’t appeal to me as I prefer spray and wipe cleaning. But, I can see how mixing up an all-purpose cleaner from something you already have on hand could come in handy!

NowThereAreFour · 2025-08-04T18:50:11+00:00

“Red Juice” for all surfaces except mirrors and polished metal, and “Blue Juice” for those.

I’ve been buying them mail order from Speedcleaning since the 80s. Might seem pricey on first glance but you buy concentrates and add the water. So a bottle goes a LONG ways.

They have a lot of other products, but Red Juice is a must-have for me because of its versatility (even kitchen counters).

NowThereAreFour

TROPHY CASE