Unwanted visitor!

Never discuss cheese with rats, talk bread with birds

 or make moves with snakes.

                                                               ~ Author unknown ~

Love birds, will share my cheese with a rat teeny tiny

 mouse . . . . . . but snakes terrify me!

OMG, thankful again for yet another great neighbor, this time Dale, two doors down.

He's my go to nature guy as he's a hunter (I forgive him), and will save me

from the not so nice critters who visit the cottage.

Picture this - me sitting on the front porch after supper last evening - light drizzle
 falling as dusk fell. Bob upstairs on phone making travel arrangements.

Finch parents making a last check on their babies in the hanging basket overhead,

(I think they'll fledge any day now), cardinals singing in the fig tree, no mosquitoes,

  life was good. . . . . . 

. . . . . UNTIL I went in the house to get a paper towel to wipe a spider web off the

 carriage lamp and on my return this gigantic 5 foot black snake was silently
 slithering across the chair seat cushion and my reading glasses, WHERE I WAS
 JUST SITTING, down onto the porch and over the doormat.

I could have died right then and there as I'm terrified of snakes - and this was
the biggest I've ever seen at the cottage!!!
Calling for Bob to come downstairs (how I didn't scream I don't know) and at the
 same time calling Dale who was the only person I knew could help me - he was
 having dinner in a restaurant but promised to come home soon. 
Bob couldn't believe his eyes when he saw the size of this creature. I went into
 the dining room and immediately saw it looking at me through 
the window as it climbed up the frame and then I realized where it was planning
to go. . . . . . . . to get my baby finches in the hanging basket, help!!!!!!!!
Dale pulled up - grabbed a shovel from his truck - Mary ran out the back door and
 down the driveway (camera in hand of course!), Bob followed and we all 
headed to the front porch.

Dale: "Oh yeah, that's really a big one"
Bob: "Thanks for coming Dale, is it poisonous?" 
Mary: "How can you get it off the window and save my baby birds?"

As you can see in the photos, it was a huge, but not venomous, black rat snake.
 Dale was brave, Bob was relieved he didn't have to capture and dispose of it
 as even non-venomous snakes bite and one can get a nasty infection, and
 Mary's hands were shaking - and heart pounding.
What a night!

The finch babies are safe and enjoyed what could be their last night on the
  porch prior to fledging - they really look ready to fly. Little do they or their
parents know what a close call they had.

Gotta run now. We're off to the coast - it's drizzly and so humid this morning.
More later. . . . . . . . 

April shapes and shadows. . . . . .

On Sunday I had to do some garden work. That said, I must add that I never thought

 I'd get to this point in my garden chores where I describe it this way.  "Had" to, 

"chores", even "work".

Well a garden is always work. . . . . . remember that quote I've shared previously ~

 A garden is a thing of  beauty. . . . . . . and a job forever.  So true!

Fifteen years ago I could work out here for 8 hours straight. Everything was 

immaculate, aches and pains had yet to start, I had stamina. Now I can only work
 for short periods of time but that's OK, as long as I can keep gardening for an hour
 here, maybe a couple of hours there on a good day, I'll do it. I have been 
blessed with a small piece of land and I like it to look lovely from my windows. . . . . . 
. . . . . . . . . .and be a haven for wildlife.

So, on that perfect Sunday afternoon, I took a late lunch break under the umbrella

 on the back deck. I made a simple blender smoothie - blueberry kefir (I'm addicted to
 healthy kefir), tossed in fresh raspberries, a couple of ice cubes, a sprinkle of Chia seeds. 
No mosquitoes around yet, just a light pollen dusting.
 I was in heaven, enjoying the new greens bursting forth overhead - Spring
 sending me a joyful message from the trees and blooming shrubs.

Are you enjoying bloom time yet?
Will you have pretty gardens for Easter next weekend?

"Just Ducky"

You may recall that delightful Fiona the penguin arrived with traveling companions 

a few days prior to Christmas. That large unexpected box from North Carolina's

coast also brought another wonderful surprise, the twins, Hannah and Phoebe! 

Such a beautiful pair of sassy ducks whom I'd also met earlier in that

lovely shop BAROUKE in Wilmington, NC. I loved the idea of ducks wearing
 wellies and shared them with you HERE in an earlier post.

Hannah and Phoebe, after testing the waters in the garden - where constant rain

the past couple of weeks have drowned and dampened everything outdoors -

decided that, although they had fun splashing in their polka dot wellies, they would much

prefer staying in the cottage now that cooler winter weather seems imminent and

they are not really into ice skating yet!

So, they are happy in the kitchen this week, celebrating a new year, bird watching 

through the windows, joining in the fun, and adding their cheerful "quacks".

Thanks again to delightful Jannett at BAROUKE who made Christmas,

and forever, very special for me with these delightful gifts.