Siggy's Blurbs: Siggy's Edge of Country …

A tiny toad hopped right in front of me.  I was at the front of my garage.  I approached it and it disappeared in a crack I did not know existed on the right side of the garage door.  A little later I saw it near the front, again, and this time it disappeared into the garage.  It was one and an half inches long at the most.  This is the second toad I have spotted in my garage.  The other one was a big fat grey toad.  There must be insects for them to eat in the garage.  Let us see how much time goes by before I spot the next one.

Tags: big fat grey toad, garage, insects to eat, toad, toad in garage
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Yesterday my wife found a nest in the garage.  Some months ago I suspected a Carolina wren had a nest nearby.  Usually when I spot the bird singing perched on top of our fence several times she has a nest nearby.  I looked and could not find the nest.  Once I found a baby bird flying around the garage.  I made sure it found its way outside.  I then suspected there might be a nest in the garage but, again, I could not locate it.  Yesterday, my wife spotted a bird nest inside near the entrance of the garage.  This is the third year in a row a Carolina wren has nested in our immediate area.

Tags: baby bird, bird nest, bird signing, bird-watching, birds, Carolina wren, Carolina wren nesting nearby, garage, my wife
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This big fat grey toad hopped into my garage as I opened the door of it. I checked later and he was still in the same spot. There might be a lot of bugs for him to eat in my garage. Finally he disappeared and I closed the garage door for all I know he is in some corner of the garage seeing what he could find to eat. Maybe, I will spot him tomorrow in the garage. We will see.

Tags: big fat grey toad, bugs, garage
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A pair of catbirds were hanging around.  Usually that means they might have a nest nearby.  I looked and found a nest in a large bush.  I never did see one in it.  This is not the first time we have had a catbird nesting nearby.  Another time a half grown catbird found its way into our garage and I was thrilled when my son captured it and let it go in the bush they were nesting in.  Last year we had a Carolina wren nesting only feet from our door step.  It kept hopping on top of our fence nearby and then I found out what a lovely voice it has.  I did find the nest.  You never know what bird will have a nest nearby.

Tags: A Carolina wren has a beautiful song, A Carolina wren nested nearby again, bird nest, bird-watching, birds, Carolina wren, catbird nest, catbirds, garage, large bush, my son
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The Carolina wren hopped on the fence and sang so sweetly.  This was unusual behavior by this bird but there was a nest they planted ten feet away in a wandering Jew plant hanging from the middle of the garage.  Now I knew what they sounded like.  More than once we saw the birds fly from the nest.  Several times we saw one with a worm in his/her mouth.  I could not hear any babies.  It appeared as two birds were flying back and forth from the nest.  The nest was facing the door and my wife was careful not to disturb the birds when she watered the plant.  Now I know what they sound like.  It seems as if every year some bird nests nearby our front door.

Tags: baby bird, bird nest, bird nest in a flower pot, bird sang so sweetly, bird song, bird-watching, birds, Carolina wren, fence, garage, my wife, Wandering Jew plant, worm
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I used to keep my potatoes in the garage but last time some critter helped themselves to a few potatoes, gnawing all around several.  My wife immediately threw these in the trash.  Fortunately he left a few alone.

I used to keep bird seed in the garage, too, but I had the same problem.  Some animal probably a mouse took a liking to it, scattering the shells of the sunflower seeds, creating a real mess on the floor.

My cobs of corn which I put out for the squirrels hoping they would eat less birdseed were not safe there either.  There would be neat even rows of corn kernels gone.  This creature was winning.

I decided to keep my potatoes in the closet in the house hoping no creature could get at them there.  I will see.  I was running out of hiding places.  I was fighting a battle with an invisible enemy.  And I was losing.

Tags: bird seed, birds, closet, corn cobs, corn kernels, creatures, critters, garage, hiding spaces, house, mouse, my wife, potatoes, squirrel, sunflower seeds
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I just felt bad.  I had gone on a rant about the disorder in this house, all the things that I never wanted to come in this house especially the “stuff” we brought back from Austin when her Mom died.  It filled two rooms and a garage.  Our house was full of stuff.  There was also the “chaos” room.

Also months ago my wife had discovered a web site for people to exchange stuff they did not want.  It appeared that for every one thing that went out three things came in.

Her face had dropped after my ten minute rant.  I had a major hand in souring her mood.  I wish I could take my words back.  I just felt bad.  I discounted totally the effort she had made in getting rid of some of the stuff.  I just made her feel bad.

Tags: Austin, chaos room, clutter, disorder in the house, exchange stuff, face dropped, felt bad, garage, get rid of stuff, gone on a rant, house full of stuff, I just felt bad, made an effort, made her feel bad, Mom, sour mood, take my words back, things, too much stuff, web site
Posted in balance, death, God, knowledge&learning, life, local, love, marriage, relationships, time, wisdom | No Comments »

A Carolina wren had made its nest in a pansy pot hanging from the garage door.  The nest faced the inside of the garage.  I spied the birds repeatedly getting and bringing pieces of suet to their young.  I stood below the nest and still could not hear the young.  A while back I had shined a flashlight into the nest and spotted three eggs in it.

Today when I opened the garage door I flushed two young wrens out of the nest and they half flew, half ran into my very disordered, cluttered garage.  Their parents were squawking very excitedly nearby.  I left the door open so eventually the two birds would find their way out.

I did see one bird against the far wall, then flapping near the entrance of the garage door.  I assumed it got out.

Then I had another encounter with another local denizen later on.  I could not understand why all of a sudden six cats were congregating near the computer.  Suddenly I spied a small mouse trying to evade their grasp.  I quickly trapped it with two sneakers and released it outside near the woods.  It must have been terrified for I checked the sneaker an hour later and it still was in there.  I encouraged it to run into the woods.  These were my two encounters with the creatures around my house.

Tags: baby birds, bird's nest, birds, birds eggs, Carolina wren, cats, computer, creatures in my house, flower pot, garage, mouse, pansies, pets, six cats, small creatures, sneaker, suet, woods, wrens
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