Yard, Gardens, Birds and Critters

I had pumpkins grow in my yard this year. All volunteer from last Halloween. There must have been a couple of hundred of the plants growing. Maybe a slight exaggeration, but not much!  I decided to let three of them grow. Later another sprouted on the other side of the yard and I don't have a clue where that seed came from. It wasn't like any of the pumpkins I had the previous year. A bird, chipmunk or some other way. Who knows.  I had eleven pumpkins that made it to maturity. Two from the odd plant. I baked one of my original pumpkins from my plants, in the oven, took forever and when I finally did take it out, it was so difficult to peel and cut up and puree.  I almost gave up, but I didn't.  Since then, I found a recipe to cook the pumpkin in an Instant Pot. It was a dream. Took me the longest to separate all the seeds from the string. The baked pumpkin seeds are great! So, I have pureed pumpkin for whatever, pie, bread, cookies or something else.   I ha...

 About ten days ago, I quit feeding the birds on the deck. Had to get the deck power washed, dried out and then a sealer applied.  It's been well over a year since the deck was built and I was tired of waiting on the guy who built it.  My son, Chris, took the task on with the help of his son. Every thing was removed from the deck. The railings, floor and the spindles have since been sprayed with the sealer. Dried for a couple of days and yesterday, grandson brought all the things back that were on the deck. Missed a couple of items, but I took care of them today, along with filling the feeders and the birdbath. Of course, I wrote a poem! Finally, the Birds are Back By Mary J Williams © This morning the seed is back Where is the Chickadee? The water is on the deck now But no birds do I see I did work on the seed Had to get rid of mixed nuts They were wet and moldy Aren’t fit for birds, no buts! I watched out the window At my kitchen sink Making soup for supper No birds, do...