Thank you for your kind words Susan, we have a choice between a fire brand and a Calm collected experience man, who may be too calm and collected for the present situation and the fire brand who may be too loud, the fire brand would only make it all worse, you do not fight shouting with shouting. Our 3rd party the NDP seem to have lost their way.
As for Comet, I wondered if you guys would know what that was. It is an old fashioned power bleach, you pack a large spoonful on a slice of bread with cheap jam, strawberry seems to be a hit make a sandwich and cut it into 4 then slip it down their tunnels or under hiding places, making sure you keep it out of the way of birds. If you use it wear gloves and a mask as the powder is very fine. I tried using Draino but could not find any as it is all liquid now. We would leave them alone, but they are too near the house and they eat all the Duck food. They are not even the Wood rats but the , what I call the ship rats, gray and mean looking.
It is hard to equate the Caste system here. Like you we are a multi race country and we have Quebec which is deeply French in its ways. I have noted changes over the years, but as far as I can see we are more bonded together here, we have many inter-racial marriages and people who follow a different faith or way of living are far more accepted. That does not mean to say we do not have our bigots we do, but generally we are more accepting of the different.
This Election is a very crucial one as we are to deal with the Tariffs and threats of annexation.
Liz, also this from ecologist Bill McKibben, this morning: ...Citizens of the not-51st-state rejected a Trump-lite figure named Pierre Poilievre (who had been leading by 23 points on January 20!) and instead elected Mark Carney to lead their country. This has been correctly interpreted by all as a reaction to the ham-handed bullying of the canned ham currently resident in the White House. But though he was elected a little by accident (albeit after a brilliant campaign) it means something far more: in Carney we now have the world leader who knows more than any of his peers about climate change. And who knows roughly twenty times as much about climate and energy economics as anyone else in power. He may turn out to be a truly crucial figure in the fight to turn the climate tide.
Maybe your new PM can lead a charge on the climate-change front!
I'm celebrating your choice this morning, although I confess I don't know much about him. But he's anti-Trump and liberal, which makes me happy (but ignorant).
Oh, Comet cleaner! We have that--in fact, I have one under my sink right now. I hadn't thought of using it that way. Thank you for the explanation. We use a bait we buy online, only in the house. I'm fond of the two clans of field rats who live in our backyard. Like you, I just don't want them in the house!
I agree: I think Canadians have absorbed immigrants much more easily than Americans. You don't have to deal with the situations established with our historical practice of enslavement, or with our large influxes from Central/South America. They are the Other that MAGA wants to get rid of.
this is a quick one before I go to bed - Yes you are quite right that Mr. Carney has vast experience in climate change, economics and in working to bring Countries forward and out of a slump. You are also correct in saying we do not have the historic practice of slavery . I found the book Caste quite an eye-opener.
I wonder who (he who shall not be named) will get to do the cleaning in the White House if he gets rid of all the immigrants I can't quite picture him in an apron and rubber gloves. Perhaps he will ask Mr. Musk to help. I think it will be a bumpy ride for both our Countries for a while until this is all sorted out . Our payers are with both our Lands at this time.
Musk is also an immigrant--he actually grew up (with grandparents) in Canada. And HWSNBN is married to an immigrant. But as I'm sure Wilkerson would point o out, both Musk and Melania are White immigrants, not brown or Black.
No, he's a longtime editor, very widely respected. That's important to know, so you're asking a good question. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Baron Did you see the film Spotlight? Baron was the Boston Globe editor in that film.
Yes Susan, the book is a struggle to read, but all the books we have been reading have given me an amazing understand of what is going on . We love you all dearly, but do not want to be anything but Canadians . the most difficult one was Jesus and John Wayne and the idea that Women should give up any education dash home and hang around hopefully waiting to have babies, good grief! I missed out on the one about the Nazis in America, I found it too close to home to want to read. I have almost finished Wilkerson's book but will have to think on it a bit before commenting
Yes, yes, yes! Please stay as Canadian as you are, Liz! We need you up there, grounding us and reminding us of the importance of work, especially in difficult places. You're susceptible to the same inner impulses and outer pressures as we are, and maybe we err in imagining that you're stronger. I hope you'll bring us your thoughts on caste-in-Canada. It would be similar in some ways to ours, but OTOH, very different.
Thank you so much Susan I am so looking forward to reading the new version of your Novel,(which I have read) Also, what wonderful birds you get, We do not get so many bright coloured birds as you do, but the Hummingbirds often stay the winter, We have an Anna who is a wonderful brilliant green with a red head and neck who we think, lives in our Holly tree. We were amazed he survived the winter as it was very bad this year and so glad to see him. (at least I assume it a male, the females are slightly different in colour but they zoom about so fast I can't get a moment to see.
Spring is here too, and the flowers and WEEDS are on the march. Masses of Cherry and Apple blossom and one of our local farms who run sheep have had lots of baby lambs, All my friend's Ewes had twins, so eight Moms with two each!! I've seen the Ribbon snake and the BEAR has left his footprints along the flower bed. At the moment we are at war with the Rats and we seem to be winning, unless they have gone in for tea as they say in the Cricket world. I have been feeding them Comet and jam sandwiches and using live traps then we drown them. Worst year ever for the stinkers.
We vote tomorrow for a new Government, Wish us luck, I am so sick of (He who should not be named) He cannot think of anything more stupid to do. My friend who lives near Fort Worth told me her Son In CA who works from home in Cyber space, lost his job instantly with the thousand of others. But was lucky enough to be hired by another company with better hours and better pay. but my heart goes out to the thousand of Government and contract workers who will not be able to be so lucky.
Anyway dear friends, As the sun is peeping out of the clouds a bit more each day, God is in his Universe and I am off to have a cup of tea! Happy Spring everyone .
Oh, Liz, thinking of you as you vote today. Be wiser than we have been, please! We need your grounding energies! I'm so glad to hear about your friend's son's new work: but I'm sorry we lost him. The government needs good people. We don't need a wrecking ball!
Enjoy your spring! And even your rats. I imagine ours as Ridley, Rosabell, and their attic friends (in Miss Potter's attic) and so feel more neighborly with ours. We have two clans: one living at the end of the unused dog run, under a board; the other in an old stump in my vinca bed. One clan is brownish, the other silvery; I see them every evening when I take the bird feeders down. What is Comet?
I remember all the beautiful birds when visiting Sarah. There are so many lovely things in the Hill country. Will be looking for the next China book. Happy Easter.
A day late but such a joy fix, Susan 😁 Started me thinking about birds I’ve seen in other parts of the world - the tiny bee hummingbird that whizzed past my head in Cuba, the soaring reintroduced red kite in England, the road-runner in Arizona…and of course the daily enjoyment of our bird (and squirrel!) feeders. Nothing in Ontario to equal the gorgeous painted bunting but cardinals and blue jays are handsome, the Ruby throated hummingbirds will be back soon, and I do love the more sober juncos, chickadees and finches.
Love those natty little chickadees, always in their best bib and tucker (interesting phrase, had to stop and look it up). It's the show-off birds that always get our attention, when the many little brown birds (what a biologist friend calls LBBs) do so much to keep their niche operating the way it designed itself. One winter, I tried to learn all our different species of sparrows. Gave up when I got to 6--and there were many more.
Thank you Susan for sharing all of the wonders that make your spot on earth so special. It just knocks me out to think of the male scissor-tailed flycatcher's dazzling flights and swirls. I was fascinated just reading about him! As sad as it is to hear of the loss of nesting territory for the golden-cheek warblers, it is good to know that you are saving a place that has proper nest building supplies. My mind boggles at the great distances many birds fly annually, let alone that they have been doing it for centuries! I suppose we will never know how the golden-cheek warbler chose the perfect nest making materials, any more than we will ever know how the signature songs of many birds began. But I find these things fascinating to ponder.
Will be ready when The Biter Taste of Garlic hits the screen!! Thank you for providing so many special treats to look forward to during these trying days!
I love your description of all the birds you see. With the bird flu spreading, I'm hoping for the best for all of them. The poor birds don't need more survival challenges. Coming from Arizona, which has the most variety of hummingbirds in the United States, I miss them. They are both fierce and beautiful.
They *are* fierce, aren't they? Surprisingly so, for such tiny creatures. And yes, bird flu is a threat. Haven't seen any local news since the buzzards found in Hays County, but I'm sure it's out there. And with the Trump administration reducing tracking efforts, we'll probably never know for sure how much there is.
Looking forward to The Bitter Taste if Garlic series- I was thinking about rereading the China Bales books and this will be a fun way to go back and enjoy the revised version!
I also enjoyed reading about your local birds and the migrating ones- beautiful photos! I miss feeding my AZ birds- now that we’re in Hawaii we have Myna birds beautiful yellow and orange headed birds , jungle chickens, and even hawks!
Bird-envy here, Charlene! I'm sure you have many tropical island birds, unique to that isolated, remote place. It would be such fun to learn them all!
It will take a while to get these books out there--34 weeks for the first one, and probably similar for the other two (I haven't looked at them yet). So if you're thinking of rereading the series, don't wait for me! 🙄
Re: number of books. I've been writing for 40+ years, and books have been my passion, so it's no wonder that there are many of them. 🙄 Hope to keep on writing for years to come, just not novel-length.
Your column always makes Monday a little brighter and more filled with wonder! Thank you for your dedication to writing. We too love the birds at our feeders all year round. The surprise last week was two nervous pigeons, who spook easily and a new type of finch. I look forward to reading the first three China Bayles books again! For gardening here, I am pulling out the last of the leeks (for soup and stir fry dishes) and Swiss Chard for raised beds. Planted lettuce starts among the Spring blooms on the deck railing pots two weeks ago and are enjoying fresh leaves already. Going to skip this Guerrilla reads book, as we are preparing house for family Easter dinner and RV for first trip a few days later. Look forward to next book though. I do miss live book clubs! Only ones I have found either have Romance themes (ugh) or Fantasy (and those attendees were all under 30–sigh!).
We've seen only one pigeon in our nearly 40 years here: a carrier pigeon, on a mission! He spent 4 hours at our feeder and bird bath and then went on his way. Such a singular experience. I'll never forget it.
I think we all miss our face-to-face book groups. I know I do--ours began in 1997 and only disbanded with COVID. Our Guerrilla format isn't entirely satisfactory (IMO anyway). But it beats Zoom and chat (also IMO), and encourages readers to note their responses to the books in writing, which helps them clarify their thoughts about the book and its meaning to them. And it's a continuing record of the discussion, also good. (Would love your thoughts on this, Pamela.)
Incredible!!! The painted bunting is amazing. I'm envious. I have always fed birds and other wild critters, but - in a city - we started having problems with rats (long story) and I can't do as much as I used to. You're so fortunate.
Oh, rats! Don't get me started--although ours are field rats and somehow less objectionable. But they do get into the birdseed if I'm not careful. And yes, that painted bunting is remarkable. I always think he's just flown off a page in a coloring book. 🙄
Yes, a child's coloring book. In our case where I kept the feeders in the backyard we had an old concrete pad that used to hold a tank for fuel for the furnace at the time (it's a 100 year old house). The rats started digging tunnels under the pad. When it rained water flowed through those tunnels and directly into our house. I had to stop feeding seeds and other birdy delicacies and we were afraid the same thing could have happened if we put out food anywhere else around the house. Sigh. It's ok. I keep suet for them at least...
Sounds like some of our adventures with our doublewide, Carolyn. I swear, there's always something having a party under our bedroom at night. Possum, raccoon, skunk, maybe? Or just those field rats. (I wrote about them in one of the Cottage Tales--personal experience!)
My God, Susan, I've never seen such beautiful and colorful birds! Now I see why "birding" is so popular. What amazing creatures. And you have so many of them in your back yard. Either you or Bill are mighty good with the camera. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge about the birds in your world.
Actually, these are a gift of the flyway, Marilea--these are our summer tourists, here to do their breeding business and then back home. We admire and love them while they're here, but cherish our home-place birds all year round. ❤️
Thank you, Nancy, on behalf of the birds! A wren just flew into the can nailed to the side of my office window. Mouthful of nest stuff. Last year, a snake climbed the wall and stole the eggs--one of nature's small tragedies. And I'm looking forward to China myself!
I absolutely loved the article about all your bird visitors! We feed the birds here in western Colorado, but see nothing as exciting as you have. We’re still waiting for the hummingbirds to arrive.
We're on the flyway, Susan, so our most interesting birds are "tourists," here for the breeding season, then gone again. You're at the far western rim of the same flyway, so I suppose it's no surprise that you don't see them. https://www.fws.gov/partner/migratory-bird-program-administrative-flyways But you have some gorgeous birds: western bluebirds and magpies (such fun!) And more owls than we do.
Susan, As always, you inspire me! Just got back from a 2 day convention in Charleston SC with my Beta Sisters! Wonderful time meeting new and old friends! I need to get my hummingbird feeders filled and put out. We don't have them arriving until mid to late April, so my chore for the day! Always love reading about your place in Texas, so different from eastern North Carolina. We have the windows open and I can hear several different birds singing. Unfortunately, I can't always tell which is which, so I just enjoy them. My roses are just opening, so will smell them when I get out in the yard.
Oh, roses! I gave mine up in our latest drought cycle--no rain and I just can't lug the hoses around. I envy your reliable rain (but not of course your hurricanes). Wonderful to connect with friends and feel their energy as we all try to meet the challenges of our current situation. Enjoy those hummingbirds!
Thanks Susan, I'll look that up
Thank you for your kind words Susan, we have a choice between a fire brand and a Calm collected experience man, who may be too calm and collected for the present situation and the fire brand who may be too loud, the fire brand would only make it all worse, you do not fight shouting with shouting. Our 3rd party the NDP seem to have lost their way.
As for Comet, I wondered if you guys would know what that was. It is an old fashioned power bleach, you pack a large spoonful on a slice of bread with cheap jam, strawberry seems to be a hit make a sandwich and cut it into 4 then slip it down their tunnels or under hiding places, making sure you keep it out of the way of birds. If you use it wear gloves and a mask as the powder is very fine. I tried using Draino but could not find any as it is all liquid now. We would leave them alone, but they are too near the house and they eat all the Duck food. They are not even the Wood rats but the , what I call the ship rats, gray and mean looking.
It is hard to equate the Caste system here. Like you we are a multi race country and we have Quebec which is deeply French in its ways. I have noted changes over the years, but as far as I can see we are more bonded together here, we have many inter-racial marriages and people who follow a different faith or way of living are far more accepted. That does not mean to say we do not have our bigots we do, but generally we are more accepting of the different.
This Election is a very crucial one as we are to deal with the Tariffs and threats of annexation.
Liz, also this from ecologist Bill McKibben, this morning: ...Citizens of the not-51st-state rejected a Trump-lite figure named Pierre Poilievre (who had been leading by 23 points on January 20!) and instead elected Mark Carney to lead their country. This has been correctly interpreted by all as a reaction to the ham-handed bullying of the canned ham currently resident in the White House. But though he was elected a little by accident (albeit after a brilliant campaign) it means something far more: in Carney we now have the world leader who knows more than any of his peers about climate change. And who knows roughly twenty times as much about climate and energy economics as anyone else in power. He may turn out to be a truly crucial figure in the fight to turn the climate tide.
Maybe your new PM can lead a charge on the climate-change front!
I'm celebrating your choice this morning, although I confess I don't know much about him. But he's anti-Trump and liberal, which makes me happy (but ignorant).
Oh, Comet cleaner! We have that--in fact, I have one under my sink right now. I hadn't thought of using it that way. Thank you for the explanation. We use a bait we buy online, only in the house. I'm fond of the two clans of field rats who live in our backyard. Like you, I just don't want them in the house!
I agree: I think Canadians have absorbed immigrants much more easily than Americans. You don't have to deal with the situations established with our historical practice of enslavement, or with our large influxes from Central/South America. They are the Other that MAGA wants to get rid of.
this is a quick one before I go to bed - Yes you are quite right that Mr. Carney has vast experience in climate change, economics and in working to bring Countries forward and out of a slump. You are also correct in saying we do not have the historic practice of slavery . I found the book Caste quite an eye-opener.
I wonder who (he who shall not be named) will get to do the cleaning in the White House if he gets rid of all the immigrants I can't quite picture him in an apron and rubber gloves. Perhaps he will ask Mr. Musk to help. I think it will be a bumpy ride for both our Countries for a while until this is all sorted out . Our payers are with both our Lands at this time.
Musk is also an immigrant--he actually grew up (with grandparents) in Canada. And HWSNBN is married to an immigrant. But as I'm sure Wilkerson would point o out, both Musk and Melania are White immigrants, not brown or Black.
Exactly!
I am about to start Collision of Power which I understand is the May book. I do not know the name Martin Baron is he a political journalist ?
No, he's a longtime editor, very widely respected. That's important to know, so you're asking a good question. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Baron Did you see the film Spotlight? Baron was the Boston Globe editor in that film.
Yes Susan, the book is a struggle to read, but all the books we have been reading have given me an amazing understand of what is going on . We love you all dearly, but do not want to be anything but Canadians . the most difficult one was Jesus and John Wayne and the idea that Women should give up any education dash home and hang around hopefully waiting to have babies, good grief! I missed out on the one about the Nazis in America, I found it too close to home to want to read. I have almost finished Wilkerson's book but will have to think on it a bit before commenting
Yes, yes, yes! Please stay as Canadian as you are, Liz! We need you up there, grounding us and reminding us of the importance of work, especially in difficult places. You're susceptible to the same inner impulses and outer pressures as we are, and maybe we err in imagining that you're stronger. I hope you'll bring us your thoughts on caste-in-Canada. It would be similar in some ways to ours, but OTOH, very different.
Thank you so much Susan I am so looking forward to reading the new version of your Novel,(which I have read) Also, what wonderful birds you get, We do not get so many bright coloured birds as you do, but the Hummingbirds often stay the winter, We have an Anna who is a wonderful brilliant green with a red head and neck who we think, lives in our Holly tree. We were amazed he survived the winter as it was very bad this year and so glad to see him. (at least I assume it a male, the females are slightly different in colour but they zoom about so fast I can't get a moment to see.
Spring is here too, and the flowers and WEEDS are on the march. Masses of Cherry and Apple blossom and one of our local farms who run sheep have had lots of baby lambs, All my friend's Ewes had twins, so eight Moms with two each!! I've seen the Ribbon snake and the BEAR has left his footprints along the flower bed. At the moment we are at war with the Rats and we seem to be winning, unless they have gone in for tea as they say in the Cricket world. I have been feeding them Comet and jam sandwiches and using live traps then we drown them. Worst year ever for the stinkers.
We vote tomorrow for a new Government, Wish us luck, I am so sick of (He who should not be named) He cannot think of anything more stupid to do. My friend who lives near Fort Worth told me her Son In CA who works from home in Cyber space, lost his job instantly with the thousand of others. But was lucky enough to be hired by another company with better hours and better pay. but my heart goes out to the thousand of Government and contract workers who will not be able to be so lucky.
Anyway dear friends, As the sun is peeping out of the clouds a bit more each day, God is in his Universe and I am off to have a cup of tea! Happy Spring everyone .
Oh, Liz, thinking of you as you vote today. Be wiser than we have been, please! We need your grounding energies! I'm so glad to hear about your friend's son's new work: but I'm sorry we lost him. The government needs good people. We don't need a wrecking ball!
Enjoy your spring! And even your rats. I imagine ours as Ridley, Rosabell, and their attic friends (in Miss Potter's attic) and so feel more neighborly with ours. We have two clans: one living at the end of the unused dog run, under a board; the other in an old stump in my vinca bed. One clan is brownish, the other silvery; I see them every evening when I take the bird feeders down. What is Comet?
I remember all the beautiful birds when visiting Sarah. There are so many lovely things in the Hill country. Will be looking for the next China book. Happy Easter.
Thank you, Toni--yes, lovely. I appreciate these spring days even more, I think, knowing what summer will bring.
A day late but such a joy fix, Susan 😁 Started me thinking about birds I’ve seen in other parts of the world - the tiny bee hummingbird that whizzed past my head in Cuba, the soaring reintroduced red kite in England, the road-runner in Arizona…and of course the daily enjoyment of our bird (and squirrel!) feeders. Nothing in Ontario to equal the gorgeous painted bunting but cardinals and blue jays are handsome, the Ruby throated hummingbirds will be back soon, and I do love the more sober juncos, chickadees and finches.
Love those natty little chickadees, always in their best bib and tucker (interesting phrase, had to stop and look it up). It's the show-off birds that always get our attention, when the many little brown birds (what a biologist friend calls LBBs) do so much to keep their niche operating the way it designed itself. One winter, I tried to learn all our different species of sparrows. Gave up when I got to 6--and there were many more.
Thank you Susan for sharing all of the wonders that make your spot on earth so special. It just knocks me out to think of the male scissor-tailed flycatcher's dazzling flights and swirls. I was fascinated just reading about him! As sad as it is to hear of the loss of nesting territory for the golden-cheek warblers, it is good to know that you are saving a place that has proper nest building supplies. My mind boggles at the great distances many birds fly annually, let alone that they have been doing it for centuries! I suppose we will never know how the golden-cheek warbler chose the perfect nest making materials, any more than we will ever know how the signature songs of many birds began. But I find these things fascinating to ponder.
Will be ready when The Biter Taste of Garlic hits the screen!! Thank you for providing so many special treats to look forward to during these trying days!
I write for my own pleasure and learning--just so grateful to have a platform to make it available!
And yes, migrations are just amazing. Have you seen this? https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Winged_Migration It's visually stunning. And I love the soundtrack.
Ooh! Winged Migration is new to me. I will check it out this weekend. Thank you! :-)
I love your description of all the birds you see. With the bird flu spreading, I'm hoping for the best for all of them. The poor birds don't need more survival challenges. Coming from Arizona, which has the most variety of hummingbirds in the United States, I miss them. They are both fierce and beautiful.
They *are* fierce, aren't they? Surprisingly so, for such tiny creatures. And yes, bird flu is a threat. Haven't seen any local news since the buzzards found in Hays County, but I'm sure it's out there. And with the Trump administration reducing tracking efforts, we'll probably never know for sure how much there is.
Looking forward to The Bitter Taste if Garlic series- I was thinking about rereading the China Bales books and this will be a fun way to go back and enjoy the revised version!
I also enjoyed reading about your local birds and the migrating ones- beautiful photos! I miss feeding my AZ birds- now that we’re in Hawaii we have Myna birds beautiful yellow and orange headed birds , jungle chickens, and even hawks!
!
Bird-envy here, Charlene! I'm sure you have many tropical island birds, unique to that isolated, remote place. It would be such fun to learn them all!
It will take a while to get these books out there--34 weeks for the first one, and probably similar for the other two (I haven't looked at them yet). So if you're thinking of rereading the series, don't wait for me! 🙄
I so enjoyed seeing these birds as I wind down for the day. I am glad Spring has sprung!
I also look forward to your new project. I don't think I realized you had written quite that many (150+!) books. Wow!!
Re: number of books. I've been writing for 40+ years, and books have been my passion, so it's no wonder that there are many of them. 🙄 Hope to keep on writing for years to come, just not novel-length.
Your column always makes Monday a little brighter and more filled with wonder! Thank you for your dedication to writing. We too love the birds at our feeders all year round. The surprise last week was two nervous pigeons, who spook easily and a new type of finch. I look forward to reading the first three China Bayles books again! For gardening here, I am pulling out the last of the leeks (for soup and stir fry dishes) and Swiss Chard for raised beds. Planted lettuce starts among the Spring blooms on the deck railing pots two weeks ago and are enjoying fresh leaves already. Going to skip this Guerrilla reads book, as we are preparing house for family Easter dinner and RV for first trip a few days later. Look forward to next book though. I do miss live book clubs! Only ones I have found either have Romance themes (ugh) or Fantasy (and those attendees were all under 30–sigh!).
We've seen only one pigeon in our nearly 40 years here: a carrier pigeon, on a mission! He spent 4 hours at our feeder and bird bath and then went on his way. Such a singular experience. I'll never forget it.
I think we all miss our face-to-face book groups. I know I do--ours began in 1997 and only disbanded with COVID. Our Guerrilla format isn't entirely satisfactory (IMO anyway). But it beats Zoom and chat (also IMO), and encourages readers to note their responses to the books in writing, which helps them clarify their thoughts about the book and its meaning to them. And it's a continuing record of the discussion, also good. (Would love your thoughts on this, Pamela.)
Incredible!!! The painted bunting is amazing. I'm envious. I have always fed birds and other wild critters, but - in a city - we started having problems with rats (long story) and I can't do as much as I used to. You're so fortunate.
Oh, rats! Don't get me started--although ours are field rats and somehow less objectionable. But they do get into the birdseed if I'm not careful. And yes, that painted bunting is remarkable. I always think he's just flown off a page in a coloring book. 🙄
Yes, a child's coloring book. In our case where I kept the feeders in the backyard we had an old concrete pad that used to hold a tank for fuel for the furnace at the time (it's a 100 year old house). The rats started digging tunnels under the pad. When it rained water flowed through those tunnels and directly into our house. I had to stop feeding seeds and other birdy delicacies and we were afraid the same thing could have happened if we put out food anywhere else around the house. Sigh. It's ok. I keep suet for them at least...
Sounds like some of our adventures with our doublewide, Carolyn. I swear, there's always something having a party under our bedroom at night. Possum, raccoon, skunk, maybe? Or just those field rats. (I wrote about them in one of the Cottage Tales--personal experience!)
My God, Susan, I've never seen such beautiful and colorful birds! Now I see why "birding" is so popular. What amazing creatures. And you have so many of them in your back yard. Either you or Bill are mighty good with the camera. Thanks for sharing your wealth of knowledge about the birds in your world.
Actually, these are a gift of the flyway, Marilea--these are our summer tourists, here to do their breeding business and then back home. We admire and love them while they're here, but cherish our home-place birds all year round. ❤️
Your birds are indeed beautiful, and I'm glad we'll get monthly installments of your revision of your first China Bayles mystery!
Thank you, Nancy, on behalf of the birds! A wren just flew into the can nailed to the side of my office window. Mouthful of nest stuff. Last year, a snake climbed the wall and stole the eggs--one of nature's small tragedies. And I'm looking forward to China myself!
I absolutely loved the article about all your bird visitors! We feed the birds here in western Colorado, but see nothing as exciting as you have. We’re still waiting for the hummingbirds to arrive.
We're on the flyway, Susan, so our most interesting birds are "tourists," here for the breeding season, then gone again. You're at the far western rim of the same flyway, so I suppose it's no surprise that you don't see them. https://www.fws.gov/partner/migratory-bird-program-administrative-flyways But you have some gorgeous birds: western bluebirds and magpies (such fun!) And more owls than we do.
Susan, As always, you inspire me! Just got back from a 2 day convention in Charleston SC with my Beta Sisters! Wonderful time meeting new and old friends! I need to get my hummingbird feeders filled and put out. We don't have them arriving until mid to late April, so my chore for the day! Always love reading about your place in Texas, so different from eastern North Carolina. We have the windows open and I can hear several different birds singing. Unfortunately, I can't always tell which is which, so I just enjoy them. My roses are just opening, so will smell them when I get out in the yard.
Oh, roses! I gave mine up in our latest drought cycle--no rain and I just can't lug the hoses around. I envy your reliable rain (but not of course your hurricanes). Wonderful to connect with friends and feel their energy as we all try to meet the challenges of our current situation. Enjoy those hummingbirds!