Today, I want to let you in on a little secret . I recently bought a new four-pack of  Bounty paper towels - full sheets. I am not a select-a-size fan at all, for the record. Anyway, the newer package didn't look as thick as the last several packages I had bought over the last several years. I happened to have an older package in storage (and I actually noticed not long ago that the rolls seemed to be smaller in more recent packages, as well, based on the way they fit more loosely in my paper towel holder; not too long ago, they were very snug in my holder until I had used four or five paper towels), so I compared the two when I brought the newer package home. Lo and behold, I was correct. So, I think the decrease in sheets actually started happening gradually over the last year or so. But this time, the reduction was very noticeable. And I hope Bounty won't decrease the size anymore. As you can see in the pictures below, the older package of paper towels shows 58 sheets per r...

This summer, I increased the numbers of containers and the types of things I'm growing, as you saw in my previous backyard post  in April. It has been very relaxing to watch everything grow. Lots of my flowers had to be moved into larger pots, which I also purchased from the Dollar Tree .  We have already eaten several of the tomatoes and cherry tomatoes. The corn is just now starting to come onto the stalks.  We have also had lots of our normal backyard visitors. And a few new ones! First, is the Great Spangled Fritillary that visits the butterfly bush and occasionally the roses. This is the first time I have seen one of these. Next, everyone's favorite backyard visitor and pollinator - the adored honeybee. I actually hadn't seen a honeybee in our yard for a few years, so I hope this is a sign that their population is recovering. Next is the tiger bee fly that had landed on one of the gnome's beard. New to our backyard. It is about three times larger than the housefly ...

Recently, as you know, I’ve transitioned from a career in transcription and data entry to one focused on generating passive income . Throughout this shift, I’ve realized that I still rely on AI transcription services for the writing component of my new business. In previous posts, I mentioned several AI transcription options, and today, I want to highlight Tomedes’ free Transcribing (up to a 10 MB video file) and Translation services.  Tomedes Transcribing and Translation Services Like other free offerings, these services come with certain limitations and may incur additional charges once those limits are exceeded. However, I find their free offers to be comparable to other AI transcription and translation platforms available online. Offering free services showcases Tomedes' confidence in their products. Additionally, providing these free options helps build trust between the company and users, while also giving individuals the opportunity to explore and experience the features o...

I've been waiting and waiting for spring temps to arrive for more than a couple of days without rain. And this is the week! We finally have some color in the yard and on our deck. So, I want to share what my husband, son, and I have been up to for the last few days. First of all, we had our first cookout on Sunday, April 28 to celebrate our younger son's birthday. That officially kicks off spring. I mixed the first batch of hummingbird nectar a couple of weeks ago, hoping the males would take advantage while the females were tending to their nests. As far as we can tell, 1 male has visited twice. Of course, we can't look out the window all of the time. But we do look out frequently. And we hang them in 2 locations that we can see directly from the kitchen windows. The rose bushes started blooming about a week ago, and I finally had time to take pictures of them. I pulled out the grass and weeds that were growing around them a couple of hours after I took the front-facing ...