Yard, Gardens, Birds and Critters

I bring in the nut feeder now, every single night. The first time, the raccoon tried to get in the locked can full of nuts. He hasn't messed with the can since then but he has come on the deck and searched around.  You are probably asking, "How do I know for sure?". Some things you just "know". Last night, right about 10 p.m., I went into the kitchen. I decided to take in the nuts. Husband did it for a couple of nights but then he didn't do it again so, my job again! I looked out the window of the door and turned on the light! I was so shocked, and surprised, to see a raccoon take off at that time of night!  Never had been up there that early. He quickly waddled down the steps out into the dark where I couldn't see him any longer.   I went out on the deck, checked things out and grabbed the feeder with the nuts and back in the house I went.  There isn't any other food out on the deck. The Grackles ate all of the suet I put out that morning. The Downy

I walked out on the deck to see how my plants did during the storm yesterday evening. My mouth fell open! OMG slipped passed my lips! I stared at the empty roller where the galvanized can used to sit. I started to laugh! I was simply amazed that the can was gone! I looked around on the deck. Nope it wasn't anywhere near by.  I looked down the steps and there it was down the steps and to the third level of the lower deck.  Close your eyes, just for a moment, envision a raccoon carrying this as he walks down the steps! Better yet, imagine him carrying it in his mouth!  Why, oh why, didn't I hear this thumping down the steps!  That's how it must have gone unless one of the above two options were the way it happened!  Now I am imagining the raccoon sitting on the steps and pulling on the lid of that can!  I would like to thank, whoever told me to get one of those cans! A galvanized can with the locking lid!  I still am laughing! Here is a close up of the can. I th

I have been bird watching since I was a kid, so, I am going to say at least 65 years.  My first real "find" was at Torch Lake in Michigan. Our neighbors had a cottage up there and invited our family. Mom and I took off down the road with a pair of binoculars. We heard a song. Quite a lovely song. We searched and searched and finally at the top of one of the tallest trees was an Indigo Bunting.  I was hooked for life. Life happened, school, trip to California, marriage, children, moving to Missouri. In all of this, I still held on to looking at birds. Not birding trips, but seeing the occasional, "I wonder what that bird was?", and then looking it up. In the 1970's sometime, hubby and I purchased 16 acres of land in Osage County, Missouri.  I think the first remarkable bird I saw was the Summer Tanager.  I found it from the song.  We lived over on East Miller, in Jefferson City, MO.  One of my thrills for there was hearing this lovely song and searching and fi

Story Time: I have a Squirrel Buster bird feeder. They have figured out if they shake it some of the nuts fall to the openings but only one. I think it's too much work so it's not done often. I did realize a couple of days ago that the same feeder would be totally empty in the morning and I knew it was at least half full when I went to bed. Last night I decided I would bring it in. I had quite a surprise this morning when I looked out on the deck. Whatever critter (raccoon, I think) got ticked off because no nuts. S/he tried to pry open the can. S/he wasn't able to get the lid off. S/he went looking for other stuff, or there was another critter because I found a begonia dug up in one planter and a begonia dug up in the other planter, the small little broccoli, I have been nursing, is all torn up, and a hole in the onions. I did find a teeny tiny flower in a hanging basket that sat on the deck all winter. Going to watch and see what happens to it. I guess, seeing as

Today is the day that I started my whining about the critters and my plants.  I could have started earlier, but I didn't want to.  I had planted some broccoli and they were doing amazing. Came out one morning and found two of them dug up, so I replanted them. A few days later the same thing, so I replanted again. They now are smaller and under the shade of the three larger plants, so not growing quite as fast, but hopefully they will make it. On the 14th of May I planted some peppers in the flower boxes at the end of my deck. The boxes fit over the the railing.  I planted a paprika pepper and some very small Cubanella peppers. I started the Cubanella from seeds and they aren't very large. In the other box, I got an unknown typed of pepper from the ones grown at the greenhouse by Master Gardeners. Didn't have a tag, so have no clue. I also planted a couple of Poblano peppers that I started from seed. Those are pretty small too. This morning, the 16th, I noticed the unknown

Spring is here and I love the flowers, the trees all greening out, the smell of my lilac outside my window.  Watching the birds in their hurry to find food for new clutches soon to be hatched. The migratory Baltimore Orioles that stop by my feeders to eat some grape jelly I put out for them. I know the Rose Breated Grosbeak is around, I can hear them but just haven't seen one. One of my friends has seen the Flycatcher, which I got to see last year.  It's a time of rebirth. That's what I call Spring. It's my favorite time of the year!  I will share just a few of my pictures with you!  All of them have been posted on Facebook but if you aren't on Facebook you can still see these.  Hmm, think I will post some to my Flckr account also. I love sharing these Spring photos. Enjoy! Male Baltimore Oriole  This one probably a first year male Baltimore Oriole Male Baltimore Oriole There are three male Baltimore Orioles on this feeder T Bleeding Heart or Dut