Yard, Gardens, Birds and Critters

I am so thrilled!  I just took my shower. Had on my bermuda type shorts and a t-shirt, sitting at my computer, when the phone rang.  My neighbor called to tell me there was a large owl sitting on the lines in front of her porch.  It was a cable line.  I grabbed my camera and headed out the door. Did I grab a jacket, no. It was 47°F at the time.  I was nice and warm from my hot shower but my head was still wet!  When there is a bird or critter involved, makes no difference!!! I went down to see if I could see the owl. It's quite dark but they had their porch light on.  I got a picture just as the owl turned to look over at me.  My neighbor's hubby came out with his flashlight and put some light on the owl.  The owl didn't fly.  I got some more pictures!  I then came home. A little chilly but absolutely thrilled to death that I saw this owl. Wasn't quite sure which one it was but knew a couple it wasn't.  I uploaded the picture...

Looking out my window this morning and saw the squirrel in the feeder swing. I really fill it for them! LOL! I walked out on the deck with three dogs chasing squirrels down in the yard and caught a movement out of the corner of my eye. Chippy Chipmunk was visiting also. Probably putting in complaints because I stuffed that hole! I looked out and saw red and decided I would go get my camera and get a couple of pictures! Mr Cardinal moved around in this flowering crab tree a lot but I managed to get a couple of pictures. Great way to continue my morning and it's not even 8 a.m. yet! Have a great day! This is the squirrel swing feeder  This is the hole in the foundation of the house just above the steps. I filled the hole with with the excavated sand a few times Close up of the hole A friend suggested putting in steel wool, which I did and 2 days later, hadn't been removed ...

This morning I was watching the squirrels and I believe this one is trying out for Gymnastics in the Olympics.  The movements were very graceful and the tail was used, on occasion, for balance.  I took some pictures so I would be able to show this squirrel if he has improved through time!  I believe he is getting the "hang" of it. He left once and then came back for more exercise training. I believe it's like the high bar.  He then jumps to the side rail and back. Lovely moves!  He just has to be able to stick the landing a little better! Below are all the practice moves.  great move and he is getting the "hang" of it! Possible new one foot hold

I went outside yesterday and ran my lawnmower over all the leaves in the front yard in attempts to mulch them some.  While I was outside, I filled a flower pot with some soil to put that onion in that I found growing in my refrigerator (see previous blog). I forgot about the pot until this morning. I picked it up and carried to the back room.  I put that onion in the middle of the rick-rack cactus, I went to pick it up and put it in the pot and it wouldn't move.  The onion had already rooted in.  I couldn't believe it. Look at the shoots in the picture. First one was on the 22nd and the second was was taken this morning on the 25th.  Guess I will just leave it in that pot and see what happens.  LOL! found on 11-22-2018  put in this pot on 11-22-2018 picture taken 11-25-2018

I am cooking and almost finished with dinner for myself and hubby and asked him if he wanted some green beans. "Sure", he said.  I proceeded to open a can of green beans and put a tablespoon of bacon grease in and reached for my onion container in the crisper.  I opened it up and started to laugh.  The onion had sprouted and had roots growing.  I would not have believed it if I hadn't seen it with my own eyes.  Now, I decided I would put it in some soil.  I have some rick-rack cactus growing and there was a center area and I plopped the onion down there.  I have not clue if it will continue to grow. Can only wait and see! I walked to the kitchen, still smiling and laughing.  Then it came to me, I really needed to document this.  I grabbed my phone and started doing the picture taking. First of the container, then I went in the back room and took the onion out of the soil.  I think you can still see the growth and the roots!  This wa...

Due to personal problems, my yard was thrown to the various weeds.  It looks horrible and now I have tons of leaves to contend with, which are now buried in snow!!! This is only the 14th of November. Way to early for this white stuff on the ground.. Just to make matters worse, the temperatures are just plain frigid. This morning I got up to 13°F. This is not normal temps for Central Missouri in November.  With the temps that low, the snow is still on the ground covering all the leaves.  I may never get them blown off as they have to dry first.  I can be thankful that some of them had been removed in October by my Grandkids that were here for a short time.  I even got a lightweight new leaf blower run by batteries.  That means our household is the proud owner of three blowers.  Can you hear the laughter in my fingers as I type that, and see the grin on my face?  I do have a couple of pictures to share with you!  A couple of the snow and then ...

There is absolutely no comparison between a hawk and brussel sprouts unless you are me!  I noticed there were a few small brussel sprouts in the pot on my deck.  I have attempted to grow these for years and have never been able to.  Heat is one thing and bugs were the other. Not much rain for gardening this year but this one was on the deck, in it's on pot and it was watered.  The bugs, I broke down and used Sevin Dust!  I mostly gave up as the plant really wasn't growing.  Well, behind my back, evidently with the little rain in September, they proceeded to grow some.  I picked them on November 3, cooked them and ate them with my baked turkey.  They were actually quite good! Small, not enough of them, but good! Then, today as I was getting ready to leave the house, I looked out my window and there was a lovely hawk on my deck. I thought it was a Cooper's Hawk but after posting a picture on the River Bluff Audubon Society Facebook page, I belie...