It took another week for a woodpecker to find the new suet cage I filled and placed outside our bathroom window. Our neighbor gave us two wrought iron plant hangers and I stuck one in the ground now visible from the window by looking down. The bathroom is on the second floor. Today she noticed a woodpecker was feeding on the suet. I now have two suet cages which were early Christmas presents. The other one has been up for months. When I realized one suet cake can last for months, I was not hesitant to put up another. It was the squirrels who were eating most of the suet. Now they can’t do that so easily.
Tags: arrival of first woodpecker, bird feeding, bird-watching, birds, Christmas presents, God, my new suet cage, squirrels, suet cages, woodpecker
Posted in animals, birds, knowledge&learning, local, time |
The squirrel found a way to outwit me. I have a “squirrel proof” bird feeder now damaged after squirrels managed at least twice to dump it on the ground. Finally I hung it attached by wire at the top of a nail. It was partially exposed to the elements and I was concerned when it rained moisture would get into the feeder and the sunflower seed would mold. A squirrel was on it this morning totally extended from the top eagerly feeding through the hole. If he put his whole weight on the rest of the feeder, the carriage would go down and shut the openings and he could no longer get at the birdseed. I realized that was the only way he could outwit me and my squirrel proof feeder was no longer squirrel proof. Outwitted by a squirrel. How disgusting.
Tags: bird feeder, bird feeding, birds, birdseed, my squirrel proof bird feeder, outwitted by a squirrel, squirrels, sunflower seed
Posted in animals, humor, local, nature, time |
Maybe, the bluebirds will come back. My wife saw a pair of bluebirds check out a bird box placed on a tree on the perimeter of our backyard from her kitchen window two springs ago. I had never seen a bluebird in my backyard. The box fell off the tree the next day. The birds never came back. This time I made sure the bluebird house would not fall down. Let us see if any bluebirds use it this year.
Tags: bird house, bird-watching, birds, bluebirds in our backyard, my wife, pair of bluebirds, the bluebird house, tree
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature |
Tilla, my favorite dog, was only on loan. This was brought to the forefront when I found another lump on his neck. It felt like a cyst like the larger mass on his back. I realized suddenly he was not going to be around forever so I needed to appreciate him now. Humans most of the time outlive their pets. I had to enjoy him now. Not tomorrow but today.
Tags: brevity of pets lives, cyst, dogs, enjoy your pets, my favorite dog, pets, pets are on loan to us, Tilla
Posted in animals, balance, death, local, pets, relationships, time, wisdom |
What do I know for certainty? My wife loves me. So does my favorite dog–Tilla. Probably Coco, his sister. Maybe, that needs to be enough. Two dogs and my wife. Maybe, that should be sufficient. Let me bask in that love. I did nothing to earn that. Of course, I did not mention Jesus. He loves me, too. I don’t know why you can feel so separated and so alone sometimes?
Tags: Coco, dogs, feeling separated and alone, God, Jesus, love, pets, the love of my dogs, the love of my wife, Tilla
Posted in animals, God, life, marriage, pets, relationships, wisdom |
It was only a week ago our yard was completely snow covered. The temperature then rose. A week ago we would have dozens of birds feeding on the ground, sometimes, at one time several cardinals, and flocks of slate covered juncos among others. Now we don’t see so many. Since most of the snow melted the birds must have more opportunities to find food. We do see many goldfinch come to our feeders. It is that time of year for them. About the beginning of spring they come in flocks. They love sunflower seeds and are now coming to the sock I hung up filled with suet.
Tags: bird feeding, birds, cardinal, cardinals, many goldfinch, melting of the snow, slate covered juncos, snow covered yard, spring, suet, sunflower seeds
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
Cool Hand Luke has her favorite spot. She sits on a pillow in the left hand corner of our bed. We make sure the pillow case is flannel, which she likes. My wife does not like black cat hairs on the pillows she sleeps on. The pillow Cool Hand Luke sleeps on is to the left of her head. Cool Hand Luke is a black cat I’ve had for thirteen years, longer than I have ever had a cat. In fact, I brought this cat into our marriage. The cat, for some reason, does not get along too well with our other cats. Some of them torment her. She is an affectionate cat and often can be found sitting on that particular spot in the bedroom.
Tags: black cat, cat sleeps in bed, cats, Cool hand Luke and her spot, flannel pillow case, one of our oldest cats, pets, pillow
Posted in animals, local, pets |
I saw my first robin of the year. Spring is almost here. There were times the last few days I thought I saw one but this time its red breast was unmistakable. Yesterday, I saw a pileated woodpecker cross the road and alight on a branch. Across from my house across the street is a tree with many holes it it and I have, also, seen one there. I have also seen red bellied and downy woodpeckers on the same tree. I always keep my eyes open on it expecting to see another pileated woodpecker on it. But not yet.
Tags: bird-watching, birds, downy woodpecker, first robin of spring, Pileated Woodpecker, red bellied woodpecker, robin, spring, tree with many holes in it
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
The birds stop feeding and disappear about an hour before dusk. They must roost somewhere for the night. That has been my observation. Even if there is birdseed on the ground they disappear till the next day. I notice that in the winter some of them seem to have more feathers, perhaps, for insulation from the cold temperatures. I just love watching birds. And if you can identify a new species, that is even better. Usually, though, I see the same birds. You never know. A bird I saw only a few times was the red breasted grosbeak and last year all a sudden I saw a flock of three outside my window feeding on the ground. In less than two months I will be seeing ruby-throated hummingbirds who have traveled a long distance to come to my nectar I have prepared for them-several thousand miles. I always await their arrival.
Tags: a seldom visitor, bird-watching, birds, birds roost, birdseed, nectar, pleasure identifying new birds, red breasted grosbeak, ruby throated hummingbirds, spring, the arrival of the first hummingbirds, winter
Posted in animals, birds, local, nature, seasons, time |
Tilla jumped into our bed after were were both in it. We changed our routine last night: we both retired at the same time. Usually I go to bed first and read an half an hour and Tilla jumps on the bed then and leaves after my wife gets in bed. This time Tilla jumped on the bed and snuggled between the two of us. His head was right next to mine. I fell asleep and he must have jumped off at some point and went to his usual spot on the Lazy Boy in my den. Coco, my other black dog–his sister–was in her usual spot where she disturbs no one: asleep on the left side of the bed.
Tags: bedtime, Coco, Coco asleep in usual spot next to bed, dogs, my wife, pets, Tilla, Tilla jumped on bed after we were in it, Tilla snuggled between the two of us
Posted in animals, local, pets, relationships |
My cats took over our bedroom. All seven are there–most of them on our cushy bed. It is not unusual to see Jasmine and her four grown up kitties there but seven cats is another story. That is unusual. I was about to make our bed but I will do it later. I don’t want to disturb the cats–at least, right now.
Tags: All our seven cats are in our bedroom, cats, cats on the bed, Even Buttons and Cool Hand Luke, Jasmine and her four "kittens", pets, seven cats
Posted in animals, local, pets, relationships |
Some of our cats (we have seven) hang out during the day on our bed. It is usually Jasmine and three of her grown up kittens. China, another grown up kitten of hers, sometimes joins them on the bed. The four cats often cuddle up to each other. Oddly enough all her kittens were male. Our bedroom is their hangout. They reluctantly leave when we go to bed.
Tags: cats, cats hang out on the bed, China, Jasmine and her grown up kittens, Jasmine had four male kittens, pets
Posted in animals, local, pets, relationships |
