Thursday, March 06, 2008
QUEEN OF CRITTERS.....
Yesterday was IRS day here. I got that out of the way and then took care of some errands. Number one was to go to the feed store for Black Oily Sunflower Seeds. I was in for a shock as I used to buy #100 for near the $30 dollar mark. The last trip was near $40 and yesterday it was a few cents of $50.
With our bad weather lately I feed the birds more often as the feed is critical when the ground is snow-covered. It is beautiful to see 25 to 30 Cardinals at the feeding stations, in the trees and on the ground picking up the seeds dropped from above. Birds in this area have been fed faithfully by my parents first and then at our house since we moved here.
The parent birds bring their young to show them the food and water supply and once the babies get the idea…..mama and daddy have a little quality time together. The poor things wear themselves out caring for the brood before they are capable of making it on their own. I couldn’t tell the times we have watched the little fledglings get their “wings…… it is so worth the feed they eat.
Cardinals and Bluebirds are the favorite of everybody and all the other songbirds are part of the equation. I love them all. I am getting to the age where it is work to care for them but as long as I can carry a bucket of feed and the hose I will provide for them. Becky will assume that chore when I can’t get out.
I had to break down and buy large bird feeders as the last one Rocky made finally cracked and showed mold inside. I took it to the garage and will keep it as long as I am here. Both Bear and Rocky loved birds and our kitchen window is perfect for watching them. One time we had 24 Bluebirds at one of our bird baths but Bear was too sick to see them. It was January and he died in February.
When I married Rocky, he was fascinated with the number of Cardinals. He had not seen that many where he lived though he coaxed them with everything he could think of. I have sweet memories of watching both husbands carry feed to the feeders and fresh water for all. We read in a bird book that water was as important as feed for them to survive. If they can’t find water when it’s either a drought or frozen water they have to travel miles until they find water that‘s drinkable. Since then I have made it essential to keep fresh water in the bird baths. Becky found small heaters to keep the water from freezing and we have used them since. It’s a wonderful aid.
One of my favorite “Rocky” stories concerning birds was shortly after we married. He used to park his truck in a nearby parking lot of a restaurant. No matter if he was gone for the day or longer this Cardinal would immediately fly to his truck upon his return. Rocky began to notice the bird always went to the large side-mirror on the right side of the truck.
He would stare adoringly at himself and put kisses on the mirror. The mirror would become sticky from those ardent kisses and Rocky figured it was mating season and Mr. Cardinal was looking for a mate. This went on without fail until Rocky sold his truck. The pleasure he garnered from that little bird episode was worth the time he spent watching it.
Be it birds or dogs or cats we fed them all and derived pleasure from their personalities. Napoleon is the most unusual bird to come along and this June will be the third year he has roamed our yard, hanging out with the cats or to give me summons that he’s ready to eat. I’ve often mentioned his preference for sweets. He will pass up anything else to feed his sweet-tooth. I’ve often wished I could get a video of me taking the wheel-barrow full of “burn” things to the back corner of our acre.
I take the lead, then Callie, Chevy and Lovey in a single line behind me with Napoleon bringing up the rear. I swear Peacocks are every bit as nosey as cats are. He is always at my elbow when I’m outside to see what I’m going to do. If I stay at one job for a while he will find a nearby windbreak and settle into the flowerbed just like an old hen. He lays with one foot stretched out behind him and the other curled up under him.
The pets Rocky and I have taken in to give them a “home” are now a great source of comfort to me. Without a loving God to watch over me and Rocky’s presence still felt by me I would become desolate. It is the little critters who perform antics for me and continually show their love and need of me that keep me happy.
People are basically in two groups. Folks who love critters and folks who don’t. There is no gray area….it’s all black or white……and those who love God’s creatures somehow bond together to share the passion they have for pets.
When the world turns sour, when you’re lonely, or sick…..when the tide turns against you there is no therapy like a little four-legged ball of fur to hop onto your lap and offer their consolation. They love us whether we deserve it or not. I find that very rewarding……the Cardinals are worth $50 worth of feed and the rest? Well, as you might guess……..they are worth it too……
Essentially Esther
With our bad weather lately I feed the birds more often as the feed is critical when the ground is snow-covered. It is beautiful to see 25 to 30 Cardinals at the feeding stations, in the trees and on the ground picking up the seeds dropped from above. Birds in this area have been fed faithfully by my parents first and then at our house since we moved here.
The parent birds bring their young to show them the food and water supply and once the babies get the idea…..mama and daddy have a little quality time together. The poor things wear themselves out caring for the brood before they are capable of making it on their own. I couldn’t tell the times we have watched the little fledglings get their “wings…… it is so worth the feed they eat.
Cardinals and Bluebirds are the favorite of everybody and all the other songbirds are part of the equation. I love them all. I am getting to the age where it is work to care for them but as long as I can carry a bucket of feed and the hose I will provide for them. Becky will assume that chore when I can’t get out.
I had to break down and buy large bird feeders as the last one Rocky made finally cracked and showed mold inside. I took it to the garage and will keep it as long as I am here. Both Bear and Rocky loved birds and our kitchen window is perfect for watching them. One time we had 24 Bluebirds at one of our bird baths but Bear was too sick to see them. It was January and he died in February.
When I married Rocky, he was fascinated with the number of Cardinals. He had not seen that many where he lived though he coaxed them with everything he could think of. I have sweet memories of watching both husbands carry feed to the feeders and fresh water for all. We read in a bird book that water was as important as feed for them to survive. If they can’t find water when it’s either a drought or frozen water they have to travel miles until they find water that‘s drinkable. Since then I have made it essential to keep fresh water in the bird baths. Becky found small heaters to keep the water from freezing and we have used them since. It’s a wonderful aid.
One of my favorite “Rocky” stories concerning birds was shortly after we married. He used to park his truck in a nearby parking lot of a restaurant. No matter if he was gone for the day or longer this Cardinal would immediately fly to his truck upon his return. Rocky began to notice the bird always went to the large side-mirror on the right side of the truck.
He would stare adoringly at himself and put kisses on the mirror. The mirror would become sticky from those ardent kisses and Rocky figured it was mating season and Mr. Cardinal was looking for a mate. This went on without fail until Rocky sold his truck. The pleasure he garnered from that little bird episode was worth the time he spent watching it.
Be it birds or dogs or cats we fed them all and derived pleasure from their personalities. Napoleon is the most unusual bird to come along and this June will be the third year he has roamed our yard, hanging out with the cats or to give me summons that he’s ready to eat. I’ve often mentioned his preference for sweets. He will pass up anything else to feed his sweet-tooth. I’ve often wished I could get a video of me taking the wheel-barrow full of “burn” things to the back corner of our acre.
I take the lead, then Callie, Chevy and Lovey in a single line behind me with Napoleon bringing up the rear. I swear Peacocks are every bit as nosey as cats are. He is always at my elbow when I’m outside to see what I’m going to do. If I stay at one job for a while he will find a nearby windbreak and settle into the flowerbed just like an old hen. He lays with one foot stretched out behind him and the other curled up under him.
The pets Rocky and I have taken in to give them a “home” are now a great source of comfort to me. Without a loving God to watch over me and Rocky’s presence still felt by me I would become desolate. It is the little critters who perform antics for me and continually show their love and need of me that keep me happy.
People are basically in two groups. Folks who love critters and folks who don’t. There is no gray area….it’s all black or white……and those who love God’s creatures somehow bond together to share the passion they have for pets.
When the world turns sour, when you’re lonely, or sick…..when the tide turns against you there is no therapy like a little four-legged ball of fur to hop onto your lap and offer their consolation. They love us whether we deserve it or not. I find that very rewarding……the Cardinals are worth $50 worth of feed and the rest? Well, as you might guess……..they are worth it too……
Essentially Esther
