”In the cold dark days of winter, dream about the flowers to get warmed up!”
Looking out the den window, I can see bright sun, a gorgeous blue sky and pine trees bending and swaying from the wind. When I got the paper, I gasped from the cold. The wind went right through me. I was out and back in record time. The high today will be 32°. I’ll be bundling.
No birds are at the feeders this morning. I figure they’re hunkered down somewhere warm. The dogs are sleeping on the couch. Jack, the cat, is sleeping curled inside his teepee. I am the only one up and about. I am jealous of them.
When I was a kid, winter Saturdays often meant going to the Saturday matinee. It was always crowded. It was always loud. The balcony was usually closed because of projectiles, but that didn’t matter. They got tossed from behind us, from the back. I remember getting hit in the head with Jujube candy. They hurt. We saw a cartoon or two and a movie. The only movie I remember is The Wizard of Oz because of the awesome change to color. I didn’t know it was an old movie, one we couldn’t see on TV because of that color. The back side rows always had couples making out. I used to sneak peeks when I went to the bathroom.
I’d buy long lasting candy which didn’t include Jujubes, the hard candy used as weapons. The work to chew them was wasted. They really didn’t taste good. They were only good as weapons. I’d often buy a Sugar Daddy or Sugar Babies. They lasted.
Explore posts in the same categories: Musings
keepthecoffeecoming.blog 
February 17, 2025 at 1:26 pm
I mentioned before the Coral Pink Cardinal that came out of the wildfire. Well I have a new female coming to the feeders and she’s the most amazing green breast and gold back. I’m curious if she’s an offspring of the Coral Pink male.
I related to you about the Titmouse that follows me around. I figured out it’s a female. She showed up to accompany me this morning, fat as a pig with eggs. She’s talking to me as I go. Flitting from bush to branch while she clicks and peeps. She’ll stop in my path and eye me directly while cocking her head and talking. I don’t know what she’s on about. I doubled the peanuts in the feed as I believe she wanted.
February 18, 2025 at 12:01 am
Beto,
I’m a bit jealous of your bird. I love the ones I get, but how neat it would be to get a different bird. I have had some once in a while at the feeders but they didn’t stay around, an oriole, a few grosbeaks and a hummingbird.
The feeders are both off the deck and hanging from trees. Sometimes, when I sit outside, the birds, usually chickadees, zoom so close to my head on the way to the tree feeders I duck.
Your titmouse is quite the intelligent bird. She knows exactly how to get what she wants. I love that she chats with you!! Keep those peanuts coming.
February 18, 2025 at 9:07 am
I stopped hanging feeders some time ago and put cedar platforms on the side of the loafing sheds. (loafing sheds are covered pole sheds with two walls blocking the north and west exposures from the wind to protect the livestock)
Putting the feeders there encourages the birds to hunt for bugs after they have their fill of seed and they keep the pest insects cleaned up astonishingly well.
This morning I was heading out to the post office and a fledgling Cardinal was fighting himself in my truck’s side mirror. Maybe I’ll take them off. I don’t use them anyway.
February 18, 2025 at 10:03 am
My backyard is wild. I have never taken down the trees. I consider it dog land. It isn’t a good place to hang feeders. When I added the deck, several pine branches hung close to the deck, close enough for me to hang the feeders and fill them. Over time the branches have fallen so the feeders are off one large branch and a few hook holder sort of arms off the deck. I think the birds would have trouble in winter finding an alternative diet.