The way things are going today, before I get halfway through this, it will blow up in my face.
It was a late start because having finished a long letter, I went to print it only to find:
Printer disconnected. Password? Neither of the two I have written down apparently.
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So I abandoned that to deal quickly with another matter. Quickly? Hah!
“Issues” with my iPhone had me gnashing my teeth for another half hour.
How nice it would be to have a dollar for every hour I have wasted dealing with technology!
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But it is a good day. Because this morning…
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“Old” Nibbs showed up, trotting down the path to greet Grant:
“Sorry I was rude the other day.”
He stopped to have a word with Lucy who Grant had taken out with the others.
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“Hello Ms Lucy. Are you well?”
“Thank you young man. Doing well under the circumstances.”
“What do you mean?”
“I can’t see anymore, but I remember your handsome face. Are you joining us for breakfast?”
“Well yes, I thought I might.”
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“Leftovers?”
“We didn’t get that far yet Nibbs.”
It was such a fine morning, Grant had let all the cats out before breakfast and then had to round some of them up.
So we were off to a slow start from the beginning.
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Nibbs quickly toured the living room in case he had missed anything and then came to give me the face.
To the disgust of the residents, Nibbs got served first, on the patio.
After which I presume he had other affairs needing his attention.
I’m sure he called out:
“Thank you! See you later!”
Intriguing to see such an about-face in a matter of days. Are there two Nibbs’?
Maybe he’s a multiple-personality cat.
We’re so happy he’s perked up.
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Willow was a bit standoffish.
Amazingly, we’ve been able to get the ointment in her eye without too much drama which is a relief.
And as you can see, it looks fine although we must do the ointment for a couple more days.
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Now what was I going to write about?
Perhaps it was birds.
A few days ago I posted pictures of a Phoebe. A little bird we’d not seen before.
It came back!
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It was sitting on the number board and I was sure it would fly off when I lifted the camera.
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It dipped its head and did a flip.
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It’s too bad I wasn’t recording a video because I would love to see how, suddenly the bird was facing the other way.
It was instantaneous.
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Then it flipped back.
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Tell me this bird was not posing!
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There’s another bird story.
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Wetness and cooler temperatures emphasize the peculiarity of Master Sparrow’s bush .
Parts of it seem to have been growing in long tendrils. It looks like an invasive creeper, but as far as I can see, those long bits (technical term) are growing from the same bush.
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At the moment, though:
When you put bird food out, inevitably some of it germinates. The first summer we were here I had sunflowers which I have tried unsuccessfully to grow ever since.
Up at Grant’s squash farm he’s managed to grow one stalk of corn.
But this I believe is sorghum.
I almost pulled it out but I’m glad I didn’t.
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Getting lunch yesterday, I noticed:
Sparrows were feasting on the seeds.
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As we watched, more sparrows arrived.
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This is the seed birds reject in dry form.
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Wild bird seed comes in mixed bags and we figure sorghum is just used as filler, to get the weight up, because the birds seem to prefer everything else.
We were not able to identify it before but obviously some of the rejected seed produced these stalks, stems, I don’t know the correct term.
Today I haven’t the energy to check.
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“Thank you missus, for the new stuff.”
“It’s really swell!”
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I wonder if it will grow when I ask it to?
Or will it be like the sunflowers.
“We’ll try, Master Sparrow!”
What else can we do?
Thank you, Carolyn, for today’s pictures!
Joanna
I love reading all of your good news, today. ❤️
So happy to see Willow looking so much better, and the return of Nibbs.
Thank you for sharing….
Catherine
Perhaps the fresh seed supplies some fluid for the Sparrows?
Good to see the rapid improvement in Willow’s eye.
Best wishes, Pete.
I used to love watching birds before I went blind, so it is great to read your stories of birds.
Let me just start by saying that your first three photos are stunning. It’s so nice to see (familiar) visitors … His Nibbs with his cute face and also the little poser of a phoebe. And there you go – a new seed land for the sparrows! You unknowingly grew bird seed … that’s pretty amazing!
You fell off my radar and, not being on top form, I’ve only just noticed. I shall catch up!
Oh I’m so glad you’re back Peter. I have been worrying about you. XX