A Finch’s Confusion

I see the little guys swoop all around this water thing. They drink from it through those tiny holes. My beak won’t fit so maybe I can drink from the center. Nope too shallow. Everybody is over at the bath getting water. Too crowded for me. So I will just rest in the shade.

What are you doing here? This is no place for you. Got to the bath with the big guys. This is for us little guys.

I am not bothering you I am just resting.

Then go rest on your feeder. This one is ours.

This cant be a feeder, there are no seeds. This is clear like water. And I was thirsty, less bodies are here.

We don’t eat seeds, we eat nectar from flowers. That’s is why my beak is thin to drink from flowers or here and yours is thick to crush seeds. Go to your seeds.

The young ones just don’t get it sometimes. Can you believe that guy!

As we watch and laugh at the things of nature that amuse us, you can’t help but put words to what seems silly. These two birds watched each other for a good ten minutes before the finch decided to go to the large bird bath with his friends. I know the pictures are not real clear but I think you can still enjoy the silliness of the situation they created.

And as always, I remind you of the power of kindness. Even though they were totally different species of bird, they were kind and sharing of the space…for a short spell.

No Professional, But Fun

There are many novice photographers better than me, but I would venture to say I at least will tie with someone who has the most fun trying. Since retiring a few years ago(I retired when I was very young, Ha) I have developed a love of bird watching and tie that into my love for photography and you have mostly fun photographs.

I work part time at the church and have also placed bird feeder there so today is a sample of birds at home as well as at church. Most of the pictures are new but some are favorites. I have become fascinated with the hummingbirds of the area and most from the church were taken today as the phone were very quiet.

These two seem to fight over the feeder or at least like to play chase. I know the pictures are not real clear but I did not have my telephoto lens with me today, so we are zooming way in per the computer.

They seem to have no tail feathers when they sit as their wings are longer and cover them when they rest. But when they fly, it is amazing how they move those for balance and direction.

I love this picture even though the hummer is not real clear. But his reflection shows up in the water as do the flowers below. And you can see how he spreads his tail feathers.

Both of these birds seem to be females as they males have that legendary red throat. I have a male one at my home that guards that feeder.

I need to learn how to work with the shutter speed on my camera to see if I can catch the wings clearer. Below are some other pictures I took today and a few of my favorites of my bigger birds. The cardinals are beginning their molt so they are looking real sad as they lose old before the new arrives.

As we enjoy nature around us, remember nature likes kindness too so remember to be kind to all kinds.

Hello Again, Its me!

Life. It can get so out of control sometimes that you just need to stop, get your bearings and say hello. That’s what life was for me last week. I don’t think I even saw my computer much less wrote anything so this week I will unload with flowers, birds and activities. For now lets talk about birds. I put in a new feeder at work and am now enjoying hummers at the office. The pictures aren’t great but they are from a phone and they are fast little critters.

I also added a new cloth thistle bag at home and the goldfinches seem to like it better than the large thistle feeders.

The blue jays, the woodpeckers and the nuthatch enjoy the peanuts I put in the ring.

And of course the rest of the birds enjoy the house feeder. I have even had some mourning doves stop by.

about I do enjoy the birds and the flowers during the warmer months. They help me settle and bring enjoyment while I see the birds scamper and sometimes become territorial over whose feeder it really is. I hope they enjoy the sunflowers now that they are beginning to seed out. I already have ideas for next year. Enjoy nature in your back yard and remember to always be kind.

And the War Goes On

Since the fall of creation, the planet and its many species have been at war with each other. Some fight to establish dominance, some fight to protect their homes. When we think of war, we think of people for they are the most ruthless and demeaning of all but I want us to think of smaller territories…basically the back yard.

Since March I switched from the suet feeders to the seed feeders. I have been enjoying the various birds that come to my yard and through switching feeds around, I have settled on Saffron seeds for two reasons. One squirrels don’t like them and various birds that I consider take over birds (Grackles & sparrows) are generally not a big fan of Saffron. Yes, I lose some of the other birds I enjoy watching but the ‘war’ seems to be less intense. While sparrows are cute and cuddly, they come in swarms and deplete the feeders before anyone else can have any so, sorry guys but you are pigs.

What I did not expect to see was the war between the Blue Jay and the Robin. While I do have a ring of peanuts for the Blue Jays and the Woodpeckers, I have a platform feeder with Saffron for the Robins and the Mourning Doves. The rest of the feeders are tube feeders filled with Saffron.

I did some research and found that Jays and Robins generally have strong animosity towards each other but will nest in the same tree. Coming from the south, I am well aware of tactics of Jays and always thought the Robins to be the gentle bird. Not in my yard. If a Jay dare show his face in my yard, the Robins come out of nowhere and run them off. Its quite comical. The obvious leader of the Jays in this area is quite large and beautiful. He is a large male that is a good bit bigger that the Robin – no matter, he runs from the Robin.

***Is he around…not back there…not on the ground…***

I write a lot in my blogs about being kind to all kinds but you can’t train out instincts of nature. One day we will all get along, but not today. So until, that day, try to always be kind. You will be surprised of the encouragement you will spread.

Weekend Writing Prompt #214, Unkown

Sammi Cox tells us with her challenge that Weekend Writing prompt is a word prompt to get your creativity flowing. How you use the prompt is up to you. Write a piece of flash fiction, a poem, a chapter for your novel…anything you like. Or take the challenge below – there are no prizes – it’s not a competition but rather a fun writing exercise. If you want to share what you come up with, please leave a link to it in the comments. Word Prompt is:

Unknown

The hawk’s next meal is unknown to him as he soars effortlessly on the summer breeze. He sends out his shrill call to his mate or fellow hawks as they all float in the upper air drafts of the sky while scanning the earth floor below in search of an unknown victim that will be their next meal.

While all life is precious, the rules of nature are always at play. So it is always important to share kindness wherever you can, for some are victims and some are just plain lost.

Always Be Kind.

A Refracted Bird??

I have seen the odd bird once in awhile sit on the support arm of one of the cameras around our church but this by far was the weirdest bird. Every time the wind blew he fluttered his wings. Wish I could have gotten a video of it for you because then you would really laugh.

The head and beak and eyes are well defined

I actually pulled out my camera before it turned into a bird. It originally was a pair of large yellow googly eyes as it slid across the churches camera lens. What is this strange creature that changes shape…its a raindrop.

I am always amazed of the shapes and colors that can refract through water. Rainbows are an amazing example. This orange bird is a reflection of the guide stripes in the parking lot. So now that you have joined in on my fun for the day, I hope you have a fabulous weekend. Here in the US, it a highly respected weekend. Memorial Weekend, where we remember those military men and women who gave us the ability of freedom where we can laugh at raindrops making funny shapes as they slide across a lens. At my church, on Sunday, we also honor those loved ones who passed on to be with Jesus.

Regardless of what the weekend may or may not mean where you are, remember the value and honor of kindness.

Been Busy

I have been so super busy since the end of September that I have not had time to even look at the computer much less get on it to write. In September I finished painting and decorating the kitchen from the grossness of tacky wallpaper…

I show this corner of the kitchen as it goes down to the basement because it shows the most wall. Tiny kitchen…way too busy a wallpaper. Time to get rid of it. So I stripped it off, and repainted and added more interesting décor.

The plants in the hangers are live. I decorated the grapevine wreath on the wall and now the room looks bigger. Then my Christmas project came in…

So since the kitchen was done, I have been getting the wooded decorations painted to hang on the fence with garland and red bows. Here are a few of the 11 balls. They go up 1st week of November. Yes I decorate early. And this year we are looking to get it done and have better things for the coming year.

So now we are varnishing them to protect them. And while the paint is drying, I am posting. As I sit on my couch and watch the feeders, I forget how big the Blue Jays are when I usually just have the Chickadees or sparrows.

It is fun in life sometimes to just stop and watch nature’s beauty that is all around you. So take the time today to see the beauty surroinding you and remember to always be kind.

One all the painting is done, I will get back to my daily words of interesting tid bits. Be safe.

MY Feeder

This is my feeder

It’s very easy to see

And I do not share

Beauty in the Sky

Things that Fly

This is an awkward story, rather a poem of things that fly

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Of God’s creation on day five of things that fill the sky

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Big things and small things can zoom through the air

Other things just float or flutter with acrobatical affair

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Heavy things and light things, so many types there be

One must pay attention to all the beauty you can see

It was day five that God created the many things that fly

To show us the beauty of Him that love us…way up high

Anita Neal

If you enjoy being outside, look around at all that there is to see. There is life and beauty everywhere, big and little, fast and slow. All with their unique purpose and task to complete. And as always I remind you the beauty and important attribute of Kindness. In all that we do, we should always be kind.

Kindness 18

Escapist Coloring Club, May

Boy do we need to escape from this mess now, and this is a great way to do that. Some of us are busier than ever and some are at a snail pace. I am somewhere in the middle but lean more toward the snail. I wanted to color something to make it feel like spring, even though we are still in long sleeve.

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Come join in the our fun way to relieve stress get in touch with your inner child. Linda G Hill hosts this prompt once a month as The Escapist Coloring Club Prompt.

And remember to always be kind with all people and all creatures, especially when things are so unhappy. You may never realize the affect you have in doing so.

be kind