Boxing Day birds -

I love English robins. 

I love American robins too . . . . . . I love all birds.

Little chubby, round English robins are so different from our 

big hopping all around the lawn American robins. 

English 'robin redbreasts' are always welcomed on Christmas

 cards arriving from across the pond.

These are on my fridge right now, reminding me of my childhood,

 and being enjoyed over the holidays. . . . . . and they will remain until

I pack away Christmas decor, a job I really dislike!

English robins seem so happy perched on snowy branches around

the winter season while ours just do what they always do, wander

about on the ground, stand still listening, pulling up a juicy worm now

and then . . . . . . and of course coming to the bird baths or fountain

 for an often lengthy splash, swim, or bath, not sure which, but 

they really love water.

Boxing Day is my favorite holiday. I call it "my day" because I only do

 what I want to do!  I may just sit here all day in my pj's and robe, or 

I may get out and enjoy the beautiful weather we are having right 

now - all day sunshine and 74F - who can complain. I would have 

enjoyed a "White Christmas' of course but it wasn't in the forecast

 so there was no disappointment. . . . . . .and we do have January

through March when snow often pays a visit to North Carolina.

So, hoping your Christmas was memorable in many ways.

Ours was quiet, very quiet.

We watched the Queen's speech, as always, and thought she

 looked and sounded amazing at 95 years!

Did you watch the wonderful "Downton Abbey" movie last night?

The scenery, costumes, ballroom waltzing, kitchen scenes - and new

love stories for the future perhaps - were outstanding.

We really enjoyed it a lot. 

Followed by the Christmas episode of the always excellent

 "Call The Midwife" we got a big dose of English

 Christmases past.  I admit to wiping away a few tears and said

 a prayer that we will get to cross the pond again in the

coming year!

Enjoy your Boxing Day and this slow week ahead as we

await the ringing in of the New Year. . . . . .which we all hope 

will be a better one.

We forgot to even open the champagne last evening - but

there's always tonight.

CHEERS! 

Feeling a bit ruffled . . . . . . .

This is my 'lone robin' who has lived in the garden for so long.

An extra long birdbath shower yesterday required lots of fluffing and

preening on the warm brick steps afterward.

Meanwhile, my feathers were ruffled somewhat as I spent the afternoon

at the hospital and surgeon's office preparing for my surgery next week!

Have you ever had a tiny camera shoved up your nose and down 

your throat after being doused with drops and sprays? Not nice but the way to

check your vocal cord nerves.

Then paperwork covering my entire medical history again, and an EKG - heart

looks good. Mostly I check out pretty good for an old gal, BUT after four years of

watching and checking, that darned thyroid now needs to be removed.

I'll be the guest of a local hospital, hopefully just for the day on Wednesday,

and, fingers crossed, the surgery goes well thanks to my wonderful

surgeon Sweeney Todd/Doctor F.

Apparently my throat will be glued back together and the doc will make

what will eventually just become another wrinkle in the old neck!

Anyone out there had a total thyroidectomy?

Needless to say I'll be taking it easy for a couple of weeks, and will have time

 to catch up with everyone and share more of the trip to beautiful Ireland.

Then I'll tell you where our travels will take us next.

Just thinking about nesting. . . . . . . . . .

With the official first day of Spring now here. . . . .I've been thinking.

Mostly about the garden which requires a lot of sprucing up and TLC, and 

about the bird population which seems to be ever increasing around here.

It's a good thing! 

I need to start dragging home large bags of mulch to replenish the sad looking beds.

The sun has just popped out so it may be a good afternoon for a garden center

visit - with the temperature due to hit mid-60's.

Will there soon be more tulips?  This is the first and probably an old bulb, 

the stem and leaves are very short. Last Fall's planting are all in large pots 

and just coming up. . . . . . I hope they will be tall and strong, able to wave 

to passersby in the March winds.

Does my year-round robin, sitting in the fig tree, and whom I now think is a 

female, have a gentleman caller at long last? Is she playing hard to get? 

Will there be a nest construction project in the near future?

Note the suet cage on the ground - each time we fill it some animal, probably 

a raccoon, takes it down, opens it up, and has a greasy midnight meal.

Our woodpeckers are getting really upset!

Talking of nesting - will our longtime porch-living wren family be building again this Spring? 

I've already seen one checking the window box but still too cold and a bit early perhaps 

to start on construction.

My lovely blog friend Deb at Just Cats in still really snowy/chilly Ontario, Canada, 

has a great idea which I must share, and will be doing too as I already 

have the suet cage. Hopefully raccoons will steer clear!

She fills her cage with leftover scraps of yarn cut into 2" pieces, and even cat hair from 

her beautiful kitties - all of which nest building birds will pull out and use. 

Other bloggers, in their comments to Deb, also share the bits and bobs they 

put out for their birds, including lace. 

How lovely is that, a tiny bird weaving delicate lace through a twiggy nest.

 I usually tuck chunks of dryer lint into places on the front porch, and will be starting 

this again after my next laundry load - I have seen the lint used in the nests in our garden.

Hyacinths are late blooming this year too.  These will be pink and pretty, but blue

are my favorite - perhaps I can find some at the garden center for the dining room table 

Easter vignette. I love their fragrance

The white rabbits are ready, out of storage, and waiting for their place in the sun, and 

with Easter coming early I must stop thinking and get to work.

So dear friends, a very happy beginning of springtime. 

May your days get warmer, your blossoms bloom, your birds find mates, 

build pretty nests, sing early in the morning to start your day joyfully,

(notice how much louder they are singing now),

 and the real bunnies stay away from your lettuce!