While I was out there putting the new homemade suet in the feeder, I heard, and then finally found a Flicker in the neighbor's yard. I haven't seen him at my suet feeder yet, but I hope he comes to visit. In the meantime, the last couple of days I've seen Chickadees, a Downy Woodpecker, … Continue reading Visitors to the Homemade Suet
Category: General
Winter’s Last Gasp
We can only hope it is winter's last gasp. Once again, we awoke to a fresh covering of snow. This was a typical heavy, wet March snow that covers everything it falls all. Hopefully, the damage will be minimal. Some branches and tree limbs here and there were down, the evergreens are sagging badly again, … Continue reading Winter’s Last Gasp
Seeds are in the House
After spending quite a bit of time pouring over seed catalogs, I finally sent in my seed orders. I had lots of new seed catalogs come to the house, and some more companies I just visited on-line, making the choices this year really tough. Ultimately, I went with some Burpee stand by's and the rest from … Continue reading Seeds are in the House
Trips Down Memory Lane
One of the things I've really enjoyed while blogging is having my memory jogged by reading other blogs. For example, reading about lichens and mushrooms on another site brought back memories of when I was in high school and my family went to a huge Audubon gathering in the Allegheny State Park called the Allegheny Nature … Continue reading Trips Down Memory Lane
Blustery Day
I felt a little like Winnie the Pooh yesterday. Oh the wind is lashing lustily And the trees are thrashing thrustily And the leaves are rustling gustily So it's rather safe to say That it seems that it may turn out to be It feels that it will undoubtedly It looks like a rather blustery … Continue reading Blustery Day
Great Backyard Bird Count
Great Backyard Bird Count February 14-17, 2014 Since 1998, birders of all kinds have come together for a four day bird count in February. Counting birds at the same time every year provides a snapshot into the overall health of bird populations around the world. Years ago as a service project, my Girl Scout Troop … Continue reading Great Backyard Bird Count
A Midwinter Walk
Between polar vortexes, my husband and I had a chance to go for a walk in one of our local forest preserves. One thing that that I find remarkable about the Chicago area is the forest preserve system. They are maintained by the individual counties, but their common general goals are to preserve open, natural … Continue reading A Midwinter Walk
Cross Country Skiing-25 Years Later
I'm not sure why, but ever since we moved to Chicago, my cross country skis have been in storage in the basement. Many years, there just wasn't enough snow to ski, and then when there was snow, I'd come up with reasons why the conditions were never quite right. Mostly, it was that I grew … Continue reading Cross Country Skiing-25 Years Later
Tax Time
I've had to take a break from thinking about gardening and bird watching to take a week long training class to be a AARP Tax Aide for Seniors. Tax season can sure be daunting, and I'm going to try and help a few people get theirs done a little easier. Do you volunteer? I'll be … Continue reading Tax Time
Squirrel Calisthenics
Anytime you put out a bird feeder, you are also bound to be inviting squirrels to your yard. So, I now have a group, scurry, dray, or whatever a bunch of squirrels might be called, who visit on a regular basis. I'm beginning to be able to pick each out based on their coloring and … Continue reading Squirrel Calisthenics