The Retirement Chronicles

When I visit The Retirement Chronicles, the first thing I see is a slide show. I could sit and watch it forever. The pictures have a wonderful variety. The colors are vivid and convey a real feeling for the subjects. I see birds, flowers, driftwood, trees, water, and so much more. And all that is before I get the joy of reading the blog.


The Retired One, as she likes to be known, is a retired Registered Nurse who is glorying in her retirement. Although she travels all over, she is especially fond of her home in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. For people who don't know, Michigan is divided into 2 parts. The Lower Peninsula is the mitten shape that most of us think of. The Upper Peninsula or UP is almost a separate state with it's own unique flora and fauna. The Retired One recommends that you visit the UP to see just what it has to offer.


When she retired, Retired One decided to start her blog to share her hobbies. She enjoys gardening, nature, and photography. I am personally grateful that she wants to share. An ongoing series that I really like doesn't have much to do with nature but I get a kick out of it. Check her archives for Dumb State Laws.

On a recent post, Retired One treated us to pictures and thoughts about birds and flowers. She has a patch of Vinca Minor that was growing wild when they built their house and she decided to keep it. They are lovely. Then there is a lesson about the Trillium being protected flowers in Michigan. She also has rose breasted groesbeaks, a suspected oriole, and an unidentified bird that she is looking for help to identify. All these beauties in just one post.

On a wintry day Retired One took pictures of several different kinds of birds out in the snow. She felt sorry for the Pine Siskins who had no food other than what she fed them. Cowbirds, red-winged blackbirds, and grackles all visited her bird feeder cafeteria. A hungry starling enjoyed the suet hanger. And there is a great picture of a lonely little duck bravely swimming in a snow filled river.

Then there is a trip into the world of frogs and toads. Talk about some great pictures! She has different sizes and colors of these creatures and are they fantastic. I can't believe they all posed so nicely for her.

The Retirement Chronicles is a friendly, chatty coffee break with Retired One. You can tell that she enjoys her time with nature. Who else would find a bird with a mohawk sitting in a dish on her deck having a snack? You will have a really good time going through her posts and you will make a life-long friend. Retired One is the girl-friend who is up for any adventure, as long as you let her take pictures of the whole thing. When you stop by to read her blog, leave a comment and tell her Emma sent you. You'll be glad you did. The link is below.

The Retirement Chronicles

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