Is a baby catbird a kittenbird?

While we were watching the tree trimming out the bedroom window, we saw something moving in the bushes by the corner. It was a fledgling catbird, just out of the nest.
No wonder the catbirds have been chasing everyone away from that corner!

Tree trimming

We had a thunderstorm a couple of weeks ago. After the storm you couldn't see the waterfall. This was because a huge limb of the mulberry had broken and fallen down. It split the trunk down to the bottom. Most of the limb was caught in lower branches so the whole thing was precariously balanced over the back of the waterfall.

This called for a tree trimming crew! They came last week with gigantic trucks - which they BACKED all the way from the upper shed down to the pond!

That was one impressive feat of driving!
The main truck had a bucket on it that took the tree cutting guy up and down and back and forth so that he could get his chainsaw in the right place to cut the limbs.

Naturally, Granddad wanted to watch the action. He had a great view from the bedroom window. It was fine entertainment for him!
Nothing more fun than watching people work.

I thought of you tree-climbing sorts as they scrambled up in the tree and swung down on ropes.

Granddad wasn't the only one watching the action.

Do you see the hummingbird in this picture?
This feisty bird was not fazed by the noisy saws and chipper - he just kept coming and going from his feeder.
When all was done and they'd cleaned up the twigs and sawdust and the trucks had trekked back up the yard and everything was quiet again, Granddad said: "Now what are we going to have done tomorrow?"

Hummmmm

I got a fat envelope in the mail this week.
Inside were some wonderful letters and a newspaper article all about hummingbirds.

How did Sarah know that this is the time of year when we have lots and lots of hummingbirds in our yard?


We have three special feeders for them that I fill with sugar water.
Right now they seem very hungry!
The article says that they have to eat at least every 30 minutes when they are not sleeping.
And they eat twice their body weight every day.
But with all the flying around they do, they never gain weight.


If you look out the window at the feeder, you are sure to see one of the young hummingbirds. If you sit outside and watch them you will hear them too. It's their wings that humm - their voices are little chittery tweets.
If you take out the camera to get a picture, they move away fast.
So I have a LOT of pictures of places where a hummingbird was just a second ago.

I wait and wait and snap and snap and get lots of very blurry pictures.

I knew the wings would be blurry - they move something like 20 times a second.

Sometimes they sit on the rim of the feeder. Snap! Caught one looking up.

What about those beautiful hummingbird colors? The iridescent green, the sparkling ruby throat? The sun's on the other side of the feeder. I just get silhouettes. Guess I'll have to just keep trying to take the perfect picture of a hummingbird.
In the meantime I'll read all the interesting facts in the article Sarah sent.

Sudden shower

Every day the weather report says "thundershowers possible". We've been waiting. Sometimes we get clouds, sometimes a breeze, sometimes we hear thunder off in the distance. It's been weeks. Then, suddenly -

Hooray! All over the yard trees and grass and all kinds of plants are drinking in the long awaited water. They are waving green leaves and cheering with plump flowers.

Confession of a Boston Gentleman

It isn't easy having a reputation to live up to. I try.

I know I have my duties to fulfill -

I have to show the Old Gal how to sit politely and wait for treats...
after I persuade the Servant that treats are in order and point out where they are.

I have to fetch that ball that goes flying around the house all the time...

one has to keep the Servants busy, you know.




Then I have to be sure everyone gets outside and exercises a little. Get that Old Gal moving around. Check for dangerous bunnies and chipmunks.


Yes, it isn't always easy being leader of the pack.


I must confess sometimes I grow weary of responsibility and the pressure of expectations.

What I really long for is a lazy afternoon sleeping in the sun.

Where's my order?

Wait a minute... where'd my cheeseburger go? And yes, I did want fries with that!

Socks meets a Lily

"I like this Lily" says Socks." She's just the right size for me. Her feet have good smells.
And she has good instincts. Feed the dog, that's right. It's the right impulse even if she is trying to feed me grass. I can work with this.

Animal crackers, that's better. We'll finish the box together.

I don't know why everyone doesn't eat on the floor.

And if she drops a few crumbs, I'll be right there to clean them up.

Yup, we make a good pair, this little Lily and me."