We had our Welsh Christmas Tea yesterday, with a service of lessons and carols beforehand. I had been asked to come early and greet people at the door in my Welsh costume. So there I am, in full costume, about to pull out of the driveway, when two police cars come roaring up and surround my car, blocking me from leaving. All kinds of things were running through my head - like "are they looking for an escaped convict reported in this area, or what?" So I roll down the window and say, "Can I help you?" They say, "Ma'am, we've had a third-party call about a domestic dispute." I tell them there is another couple that lives above me in the house, but that I haven't heard anything unusual that morning. Anyway, I'm already running late, and they won't let me leave until they find out what is going on. So I go back downstairs to call my friend Audrey, who happens to have a beautiful, traditional Welsh betgwn, and would look much more elegant than me in my dance costume. Since I live way out in the country, she had plenty of time to get dressed and fill in for me. She had been planning to do so anyway, since I had asked her last week at our dance rehearsal if she would join me in costume to greet people, so I wouldn't be the only one in costume!
I was also one of the scripture readers, but I would be last in the service so I wasn't too worried about that. In the meantime, an ambulance had shown up. I guess that is standard procedure until they know if anyone is hurt or not. All the police would tell me was that there had been a fight, and it was now okay for me to leave. I did get to the church shortly after the service started. It was a lovely service, and the reading (in both English and Welsh) went fine. Lots of appreciative comments about the Welsh. During the tea afterwards, the story of why I was late provided much hilarity. Audrey, a fellow librarian (now retired), joking that the police found out about all those library fines I owe....
And here I thought it was so peaceful out here in the country!
Monday, December 10, 2007
Bird Update
My bird report this week includes the usual chickadees, juncos, downy woodpeckers, blue jays, and house sparrows. Still haven't seen any house finches in quite awhile - very strange. The goldfinches were last seen about three weeks ago. Same with the white-breasted and red-breasted nuthatches. I guess that is because of all the snow we got, and it turned very cold! We had a couple of nights below zero this week.
The big surprise was a Cooper's Hawk that flew into the evergreen tree up on the hill outside my window. The two dozen or so house sparrows that usually hang out there took off in a BIG hurry. LOL! I saw it again several more times during the afternoon on Tuesday. It's fun to get the rare visitors on my Feederwatch count days!
The big surprise was a Cooper's Hawk that flew into the evergreen tree up on the hill outside my window. The two dozen or so house sparrows that usually hang out there took off in a BIG hurry. LOL! I saw it again several more times during the afternoon on Tuesday. It's fun to get the rare visitors on my Feederwatch count days!
Another mouse story
I was doing laundry the other day when I stepped on a lump under the throw rug in front of the washer. I peered under the rug to see what it was. The light isn't great there and I didn't have my reading glasses with me. It was brown and had a long tail and looked just like a slightly dried up mouse that the cats might have been playing with. I gingerly picked it up by the tail intending to throw it away, and when I got it into the better light in the kitchen, I realized it was one of the little beets from the garden that I had harvested! They were in a pail in the kitchen with a towel over them, because Gwen delighted in rolling them all around the kitchen. I guess she had managed to dig under the towel for her latest favorite plaything!
Wednesday, November 14, 2007
Bird Update
I'm so excited to report another new (to me) visitor to the bird feeders! This morning there was a red-bellied woodpecker at the block feeder down at the end of the yard. I've also received my packet of info for Project Feederwatch which I will start next week.
Monday, October 22, 2007
The Joys of Country Living
The cats woke me up at 5:30 am this morning playing with a mouse in the bedroom. Not a toy mouse - a real one. If they would just kill it and be done with it, that wouldn't be so bad. But they worry it to death first. By the time I woke, it was injured and bleeding and wouldn't live much longer anyway. I got up and threw it in a grocery sack, then, in nothing but nightgown and slippers, took it out to the barn for the kitties there to eat. The lawn got mowed yesterday, and it was covered with dew, so I came back in tracking wet grass that had gotten stuck all over my slippers. Heh heh, at least it wasn't cow manure. Then I discovered blood on my brand new bathroom rug, so I had to scrub that out in the bathtub, and then threw it with some other rugs in the washer and turned it on. Then wiped up more blood stains from papers I had on the floor in the bedroom which the cats (and the mouse) had made a mess of. Sorry if I'm being too graphic - just trying to explain how AWAKE I was by that time.
I'll be glad when it's colder and "mouse season" is over. (Well actually, I won't be glad about the colder part.) Poor little things! I know - I'm a softie. Any mice that end up in my live trap get transported 5 miles away to a wilderness area down by the river. The cats have no such scruples about killing the local wildlife, however.
One nice thing about this adventure - it did get me out of bed at just the right time to view some of the Orionid meteor shower. Well, okay I saw one meteor. Or thought I did. The stars were brilliant and gorgeous despite the security light that stays on all night long, and Orion was high overhead. We're still far enough away from the city lights, that the sky is quite breathtaking.
I'm looking forward to an uneventful night tonight...okay guys? No mouse hunting, or you'll all be sleeping in the kitchen!
I'll be glad when it's colder and "mouse season" is over. (Well actually, I won't be glad about the colder part.) Poor little things! I know - I'm a softie. Any mice that end up in my live trap get transported 5 miles away to a wilderness area down by the river. The cats have no such scruples about killing the local wildlife, however.
One nice thing about this adventure - it did get me out of bed at just the right time to view some of the Orionid meteor shower. Well, okay I saw one meteor. Or thought I did. The stars were brilliant and gorgeous despite the security light that stays on all night long, and Orion was high overhead. We're still far enough away from the city lights, that the sky is quite breathtaking.
I'm looking forward to an uneventful night tonight...okay guys? No mouse hunting, or you'll all be sleeping in the kitchen!
Tuesday, October 16, 2007
Garden News Flash!
Wow! I just discovered I have a whole bunch of pine siskins at the finch feeders. At first I thought they were my goldfinches, just looking very dark, but they all have streaky breasts. Another NEW for my yard list. They do winter here, so I wonder if I will see them all winter? Maybe I had them last year, but am just getting better at identifying what I have! The red-breasted nuthatches are very busy here today too. I thought I saw another elusive junco skulking under the mums, but it disappeared as soon as I grabbed the binoculars.
Sunday, October 14, 2007
Bird and Garden Diary - October 14
Lots of bird news to report. Sorry I haven't kept track of exact dates, but I've been busy with work, and getting the dance group and language classes under way for the season. I ordered the "pond" that I'd been wanting all summer and it came and is set up. You can see pictures at http://public.fotki.com/llawryf/home-and-garden-2007/page4.html
The birds do indeed love it! The one chickadee I had in early September must have invited ALL of his brothers and his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! Because now there are dozens of them everywhere. And I love them! Whether it was the pond, or not, I had an entire flock of yellow-rumped warblers here in late September and early October. For at least two weeks, they were also everywhere. And they thoroughly enjoyed the pond. I have a wonderful picture of that - still in the camera at this point - but it will be added to the above photo album in the next month as soon as I use up the film. I am trying to get a picture of the red-breasted nuthatch who showed up here again today. It seemed to be having a bit of a discussion with a chickadee in the platform feeder!
My white-breasted nuthatch has made several appearances in the last few weeks. And the downy and hairy woodpeckers are back. Have also seen blue jays. Early October brought a one-time appearance of a northern flicker. I THINK I may have had a purple finch in the birdbath, but he flew away before I got a positive ID, and I haven't seen him since. The house finches are back. I have a female that has been sleeping regularly on the feeder hanging by the window. She has also been trying very hard to get stuck in one of the ports of the combo feeder, so I decided I had better fill it up with more seeds! I also think I saw the first junco of the season today, but it flew away before I could grab the binoculars. Anyway, it was dark above, white below, and had the definite flash of two outer white tail feathers as it flew away. Haven't seen any goldfinches today, but they have still been around lately.
The last hummingbird left probably in the last week of September. Seemed earlier than last year but I don't remember for sure. We had a hard freeze around September 10. Definitely too early! I put blankets over all of the veggie garden that night. It has stayed above freezing since then, so I am still getting eggplants, peppers, and lots of tomatoes. I will need to pick the last of them soon though. The mums are gorgeous! Three different shades of pink and burgundy across the fence around the front window. They look like velvet. The aster is in full bloom. The osteospermum is still blooming. Also the large yellow rudbeckia or whatever it is. And the white swan echinacea.
Ha! Just got a picture of the red-breasted nuthatch, the downy woodpecker, and some chickadees at the feeder all at the same time. Just two more pics and I can go get the film developed. Now where was I? Oh yes, one of the delphiniums has rebloomed, and the alyssum and other wild flowers along the front walk are still blooming. Yesterday I had a rabbit sitting for a long time right in front of the front window. It was sitting in the little depression left by the bunny birdbath which I moved over to the other side of the garden. I love October!
The birds do indeed love it! The one chickadee I had in early September must have invited ALL of his brothers and his sisters, and his cousins, and his aunts! Because now there are dozens of them everywhere. And I love them! Whether it was the pond, or not, I had an entire flock of yellow-rumped warblers here in late September and early October. For at least two weeks, they were also everywhere. And they thoroughly enjoyed the pond. I have a wonderful picture of that - still in the camera at this point - but it will be added to the above photo album in the next month as soon as I use up the film. I am trying to get a picture of the red-breasted nuthatch who showed up here again today. It seemed to be having a bit of a discussion with a chickadee in the platform feeder!
My white-breasted nuthatch has made several appearances in the last few weeks. And the downy and hairy woodpeckers are back. Have also seen blue jays. Early October brought a one-time appearance of a northern flicker. I THINK I may have had a purple finch in the birdbath, but he flew away before I got a positive ID, and I haven't seen him since. The house finches are back. I have a female that has been sleeping regularly on the feeder hanging by the window. She has also been trying very hard to get stuck in one of the ports of the combo feeder, so I decided I had better fill it up with more seeds! I also think I saw the first junco of the season today, but it flew away before I could grab the binoculars. Anyway, it was dark above, white below, and had the definite flash of two outer white tail feathers as it flew away. Haven't seen any goldfinches today, but they have still been around lately.
The last hummingbird left probably in the last week of September. Seemed earlier than last year but I don't remember for sure. We had a hard freeze around September 10. Definitely too early! I put blankets over all of the veggie garden that night. It has stayed above freezing since then, so I am still getting eggplants, peppers, and lots of tomatoes. I will need to pick the last of them soon though. The mums are gorgeous! Three different shades of pink and burgundy across the fence around the front window. They look like velvet. The aster is in full bloom. The osteospermum is still blooming. Also the large yellow rudbeckia or whatever it is. And the white swan echinacea.
Ha! Just got a picture of the red-breasted nuthatch, the downy woodpecker, and some chickadees at the feeder all at the same time. Just two more pics and I can go get the film developed. Now where was I? Oh yes, one of the delphiniums has rebloomed, and the alyssum and other wild flowers along the front walk are still blooming. Yesterday I had a rabbit sitting for a long time right in front of the front window. It was sitting in the little depression left by the bunny birdbath which I moved over to the other side of the garden. I love October!
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