Weather woes, wrens and wondering!

It's due to start raining again later today. . . . . . . and continue until Sunday!  

Enough is enough.  Yes, rain is great for the garden, too much rain along

 with predicted evening thunderstorms is not.

The above snaps I took yesterday. It was peaceful outside, the plants

standing tall. . . . . . except for three unruly rabbits nibbling my sunflowers

 to the ground, and the pack of four young squirrels fighting for the bird

 feeders like circus aerialists performing acrobatics.

How lovely the many songbirds birds are, just happy to eat quietly

 in between perching in the fig tree, or coming to the porch. 

A Carolina wren, my favorite bird, just sat on a chair outside the

window . . . . . chirped 'good morning' through the glass before

 hopping off on the hunt for breakfast.

Did you read the New Blogger notification of the late June new interface
  which popped up this morning?

Rather unnerving and not expected. I'm still stressing over

Adobe Flash closing down end of year and wondering how hard it

will be for non techies, like me, to learn the new version of PicMonkey, 

my personal photo editing program!

I thought being in lockdown would bring me much more time, and patience,

to work on things which might make life more pleasurable for this

 new future we are going to live in!

Instead, at this point, I feel like I'm falling into a crevasse, or off a

precipice, heading down into the depths of a darkness I may not be

 able to survive in.  Will this new world throw we seniors into the abyss?

I hope not because I do still have the proverbial 'bucket list' floating

about in the back of my mind. . . . . . . and believe me, I like to think 
I'm not over the hill yet! 

Do you feel up to learning a new blogging platform and editing

 program during this questionable worldwide order we may be facing?

Will you keep your blog going no matter what?

Perhaps we can share with each other any technical challenges

which may befall us in the months ahead. . . . I would be so grateful 

knowing we can rely on each other if need be.

Wishing you a good day as always.

Damn the virus - May moments are still special!

It's a beautiful day after a great weekend.

Note the moon!

I baked on Saturday - a quiche full of 'exotic mushrooms', and my friend Penny

 of Enjoying The Simple Things recipe for her fabulous apple pie.

 My Carolina wrens were busy on the gazebo searching for bugs to gobble up.

The roses continue to clamber over the side fence. . . . . . . .

. . . . . . and the other amaryllis opened, just two buds - and really surprised with creamy 

white blooms - I don't recall ever having this color when grown in the house.

Perhaps it is this one. . . . . . from two years ago.

It's lovely, just as any flower is no matter the color.

I visited yesterday - daughter's garden (with distancing and masks) - and had

 such a good time just sitting around the fire pit with snacks and chilled wine. 

Flowers were exchanged. . . . . . I came home with a beautiful bouquet, she

 was pleased with two new potted roses to plant in her garden.

Grand-doggie Razzy, now eleven but still like a puppy in many ways, enjoyed

 being outside with us. Like her Grandparents, she's in need of some personal

 care - especially a haircut!

Hoping this week will see good changes. . . . . . we will continue to stay

 at home except for popping out for essentials.

Stay safe - be well everyone.

Spring has sprung according to the birds------------------

Carolina wren on the front porch early today.

My favorite tiny bird who is waking me these mornings with raucous calls

 to its mate. I love how the wren goes to the feeder, digs out a favorite, always 

a peanut, brings it quietly to the bricks, tucks it into a groove to help hold it

 steady, then nibbling commences. Sunflower seeds are ignored. . . . .a lot

of work for one peanut meal.

The birds are very busy performing obvious mating rituals and starting nest

 building, with non-stop eating requiring the feeders to be stocked almost daily. 

They need to keep their strength up!

I'm sure I'll have the usual 'bird observations' in the coming weeks. . . . . all part

of springtime in my garden.

Enjoy a lovely Sunday - hopefully with pretty birds to watch.

Carolina wrens forever -

. . . . . . . . and even in the winds brought by Hurricane Florence.

My pair of sweet wrens stayed around all through the stormy days - looking 

for insects, chirping loudly, and taking shelter on the porch when the rains

were drenching everything. 

The sun is back at last and things will be drying out.

We had limited time to do a complete clean up outside before leaving for

 Canada very early yesterday morning. It will wait for our return.

To remind me. . . . . . .

. . . . . . of how precious life is and how quickly
 it can be taken away.

I worked in the garden yesterday morning for a few hours. 

It was incredibly hot for mid-February and broke the record for the date
 reaching 81F. I enjoyed a mini breakfast out on the front porch, the air felt so good. 
Came in damp and tired, feeling pleased with myself for accomplishing some small
 chores which needed attention.

Today will be much cooler with rain later, the garden will only be viewed
 from the windows.

I pruned the Japanese maple, also took a few more lower twigs off the Celeste fig tree.

I fertilized all the Spring bulbs scattered throughout both front and back garden beds,

 natural areas, and in large pots. I left the potting shed door open for a burst of

 fresh air and, when I returned to put away my gloves and tools, in with the air

 had flown one of the always inquisitive Carolina wrens.

 I chatted with her as she hopped around inside, not scared, just checking things 

out before flying off. How can one chat with a tiny bird? Quite easily!

I cut just 17 daffodils and jonquils for the dining room, some in full bloom, 

others still in bud.They are my way of remembering those 17 precious people
 taken from their families and friends in the Florida school shooting this week.

A wet February Saturday. . . . . . . . .

A really dreary February morning, fog early and now rain falling and a 

miserable wet weather forecast for the coming several days.

I have never been a great fan of the month of February with fluctuating 

temperatures breeding germs and bringing colds, 'flu etc.

The garden looks at its worst this month - the dust in the house seems to 

never go due to the fireplace - thoughts of welcoming Spring are starting.

Taken this morning from the dining room window.

By now I'm sure you know this tiny wren is my favorite garden bird.  

Here in North Carolina this extremely chatty, boisterous songster, is not

 an annual migrant, tending to remain resident in its own territory. 

Here, it is in my garden, and on the front porch where a family has raised young

 for many a year in springtime. They spend cold nights tucked into my

 dying hanging Boston ferns which, although not pretty, remain up all winter to

 provide shelter, and sometimes they just tuck themselves into the high corners

 of the porch to shelter from the wind. 

They come to the feeders for seeds and suet when their natural source of food, 

spiders and insects, quickly vanish as the weather turns cold. . . . . . . 

. . . . .and here you can see my 'breakfast offerings' along the porch rail today, 
awaiting any and all birds who need food and a little shelter from the rain.

Our street is covered with now soggy, packed leaves, the city is way 
behind with pick up.

The tiny bird with the big voice.

Did I tell you I love my birds? 

"Amid the leafless thorn the merry Wren,
When icicles hang dripping from the rock,
Pipes her perennial lay; 
Even when the flakes
Broad on her pinions fall,
She lightly flies
Athwart the shower
   and sings upon the wing."
. . . . . . . . James Graham

P.S.  Many, many thanks for all your good wishes regarding my Wednesday hospital visit due to a kidney stone! 
 I'm doing OK, no pain now, but haven't caught the stone yet!

The Saturday morning wren. . . . . . . . .

Carolina wren, as you know by now, is my much-loved sweet little bird.

Our live-in pair. . . . . . . . sleeping nightly in the now dead hanging Boston ferns

on the front porch (those plants left purposely to serve as their 'hotel rooms' 

every winter) . . . . . . have been nibbling on this seed bell to which I add

 peanut butter each morning.

Yesterday morning was a golden gift of cold, yet brilliant, sunshine. 

The bird baths were frozen solid, the birds were hungry - Bob ventured out,

 filling feeders and suet holders. Me? I grabbed the camera and spent time

 at the windows just watching and enjoying the tiny visitors at breakfast.

Today is overcast, grey, cold, and a drizzly rain has started falling and will

continue until evening. I'm definitely not a football fan - but I do enjoy 

a fireside snack (naughty I know) and a nice glass of red on a cold evening, 

so guess that's where I'll be tonight. . . . . . . but viewing VICTORIA!

Thanks for being wonderful 'you' - your comments on the

woodpecker photos were lovely.

Front porch 'restaurant'. . . . . . . .

I love this photo because I rarely see two of these little devils together in a

 cute pose like this!

A very quick move to the window with the camera and I caught them

 eating the seeds and crumbs offered to the birds.

They had a short fight on the rail first to decide who would eat, then the one on

 the right waited patiently for his turn. . . . . . . though there was little remaining 

as squirrels suck up their food like powerful vacuum cleaners!

Note, last week's 7" of beautiful snow is history and we are back to bare, brown, 

dreary and warm temperatures again in the winter garden.

A new purchase for the porch 'restaurant' - a birdseed bell covered with a rather 
cheapo type of seed - but I bought it specifically to spread with peanut butter for 
the birds. No sooner was it hanging when the Carolina wren appeared to check it out! 

 They are the most curious little birds.

The Carolina wren, sweetest little garden bird around here - always my favorite.

How are the birds faring in your area? 

 Thanks for helping them with food and water at this time year.

What a difference the sun makes. . . . . . . . . . . . .

We're already having a 'January thaw' around here. Amazing what warmth the early morning sun can share, even when the temperature is still below freezing. Actually, looking out now several hours after I took these photos, the icicles have gone. Neighbors are out cleaning off their cars and scraping their steps. We'll be out there soon but not planning to drive anywhere until tomorrow.

Trees sparkling with a coating of ice.

Surely the WELCOME flag will thaw and unfurl soon!

This is my very own dear Carolina wren - and it has a mate. Each day they arrive around 5:30 pm and fly into the two hanging baskets containing the now dead Boston ferns - I have to leave them up 'til Spring just for these birds - on the front porch, where they spend the night. We hear them rise in the morning at dawn - they are very chatty first thing.This month, since the weather cooled off, they get into one basket together. . . . . . . now how sweet and romantic is that! I know I've shared this story previously, and it happens year after year, but I just have to tell it again. Nature never ceases to amaze.