A Little Food... A Little Water...

The aluminum heater for a birdbath has never been large enough for the entire birdbath, so I placed a small terracotta saucer on top of the heater. This means there's a little water in the birdbath and water in the saucer, too. I was able to catch some activity here!




Are you able to provide fresh water for the birds this Winter? In our cold climes, the water is as important as the food. Looks like this fellow enjoys the heated water! :-)

Yippee! I'm Stuck at Home!

This morning at 8:30 a.m. it was 30 degrees Fahrenheit. At 10:30 a.m. it was 6 degrees F. I don't know where it is now. The wind has mounted and it's snowing quite a bit, now (and the wind is blowing quite briskly). The ice returned to the birdbath, so I plugged in that new heater. ;-) I placed another small stone on the other side for weight.So far, I've captured a photo of a sparrow.While visiting with my dad on the phone, a house finch, a sparrow, and a junco each enjoyed a drink. So, it's worth the effort.
Why don't you try your hand at adding a final stanza to the Beverages poem at this posting?

School was called off this morning and children were taken home. Organizations have canceled meetings. In celebration of the weather, I've decided to try my hand at bread-baking. I haven't done anything like that for years, I think. If you're interested in seeing a recipe, I'll post it here. Later, when I'm done, I'll post a photo of the finished product. Hopefully it turns out! :-)

There's Been a Slight Change in the Weather
(sung to "My Bonnie Lies Over the Ocean)

There's been a slight change in the weather.
The wind has brought cold temp'ratures.
The snow is all swirly and twisty
and indoors pursuits provide cures.

Winter
Weather
Perfect for staying indoors, indoors!
Winter
Weather
Bread Baking beats scrubbing floors!

The temp'rature's now close to zero.
The wind chill must be mighty cold.
And Shady's the birds' brand new hero,
'cuz her water will never get cold.

Winter
Weather
Perfect for staying indoors, indoors!
Winter

Weather...

But how do I get to the store?

Just hold the applause. ;-)

PS: A couple more photos:
The wind is wilder,
the snow is snowier,
and the birds are moving in
closer.




Look for 3 - 4 cardinals at
the feeder,
several on the ground,




and one on the bird bath! :-)

Wow! A Balmy Day in January!

It was fifty-two degrees Fahrenheit today.

Wearing a light jacket and armed with a telescoping pruning saw/bypass cutter combination, I was a woman on a mission! Look out unwanted tree branches!

This is a photo of a backyard tree trunk where I'd done a little surgery.

This is the refuse at the base of this same tree.

And this is an expanded view of the backyard with limb refuse everywhere!
I'd begun this demolition duty in the front yard, on the north side of the driveway.
I just piled the limbs onto those still lying there waiting to be hauled away.
(Remember the ice damage in December?)

It felt so good to be working outdoors! :-)

The first thing I did today had to do with
bird-pleasing. After all, Shady's Retreat
Restaurant isn't any good without beverage.
(see Garden Author)

If it's beverages they want, then beverages they'll get! ;-)

Beverages

Chirping and flitting,
and fluttering about,
they all found the seed to be tasty.
BUT
Unrest was contagious;
Their thirst was outrageous.
Providing fresh water's not "wasty!"

"Okay!"replied Shady as she
plugged in the heater,
"This decision's never been hasty."

(I think that has to be the end of that!)
Or perhaps YOU have another stanza? ;-)