Here Today. .Gone Tomorrow!

 I love birding!! And when I am big enough to retire. .I guarantee that the habitat here will attract them from far and wide, and you will find me in a hammock with my binocs stuck to my eyes!! But, to tide me over until then. .the last two beautiful days have given me some satisfying bird views!! And just like the blog titles suggest. .these beauties were here yesterday and gone today!!

As Cam slept yesterday afternoon and I went out to tackle some garden chores. .J hollered at me to help him move a vehicle into the shop.  As I wandered over. .looking up into the trees as I have a habit of doing. .I was excited to see two yellow headed blackbirds sitting in the tree.  I impatiently sat in the dead auto silently imploring him to hurry up before they got away!! The birds didn't move from their spot. I was able to snap a couple pictures from as close as I dared when. . 

I heard their gruff voices and flapping wings coming from behind me. .

and about another 50 showed up to join the party.   

I was SOOO glad to be home to watch them yesterday!! They migrate through looking for the wetlands..which is where they take up residence for the summer.  And they travel in HUGE numbers!! We usually enjoy them for a mere couple of days before they head out.

They are VERY loud. .as any other blackbird is. .and secretly. .

I am glad they only hang out for a day or two!! But if you have never seen them. .they WILL get your attention. .they are just gorgeous!! I was worried briefly that my new little pond might look like home to them. .apparently not. .whew!

Along the same lines as the blackbird. .these grackles have been many in number lately.  They are also loud, messy, and hungry. But in their own rights, they are very pretty birds too. .with their irridescent black/blue feathers.  I usually stop putting out bird food when they show up. .as they will clean it out PRONTO!

The robins have been busy eating insects and singing songs.  

This one was hunting a meal!! Last night as Cami and I were walking (her in the jogging stroller), we were delighted to sneak up on a rabbit. .who paid us very little attention. .she loved watching him eat from about 10 feet away. And then we were rewarded to see a Western Meadowlark perched on the fence post.  Because she was able to see him isolated from any other birds. .she was amazed to see his lips open as he sang us his tune.  I will never forget the look of amazement on her face for as long as I live!! She turned to look at me to see if I saw. .She couldn't believe that it "talked."  We didn't see any meadowlarks on our walk tonight. .so no photos.  We were also very pleased to see the thin little bluebird last night and tonight.  We have seen it close to two sets of birdhouses. .so we aren't sure if it has taken up residence in one box or not. .And I haven't seen any others. .so I hope they are coming!

It may be a little early yet. .but I couldn't resist hanging up my hummingbird feeder.  The Kansas bird book that I consulted reports that most hummers come through in the fall. .and that they have very few reports for hummer arrival in the spring. .the book also suggest that they don't stay around in the spring. .I think that a few do spend summers here. .and I hope that a few decide to hang out here too! 

On our final lap around the "trail" tonight I was astonished to see this guy far down the fence row. It's a scissor tailed fly catcher!! I LOVE these guys. .and we are always blessed with several pair that stay during the summers! They have the LONGEST tails. .that flick like scissors as they fly. .totally unmistakeable!! I still mourn the lack of cardinals here. .but we do have some great birds!! I know that more will be here weekly now!! We have a great weekend of garden projects going on around here. .The boys sandblasted some old metal chairs and a swing that I got at an auction before Christmas. .I installed the rest of my drip irrigation to one of the existing garden beds. .Grant helped me repostion my stone bench from the fire pit to pond side. .I hauled in several wheelbarrows of compost to improve the soil where I intend to move a couple of rosebushes. .and improved the soil in the bare spots of the south flower beds, to be ready for seed planting soon.  I LOVE this time of year!! Hope you all have a GREAT weekend!!

Flower Pot Crafts

Last Friday, I took the kids to the local nursing home to help the residents make Easter decorations.  They were so cute, I couldn't help but share the pictures. 

They started with small clay flower pots that someone had painted white.  Using small sponge sticks of varied sizes, the kids dipped them in different colors of paint and sponged designs onto the pots.

Even Cami enjoyed helping. .and her pot turned out pretty cute too. .with no rhyme or rhythm to it! She was very intent on doing a good job!

After the designs were sponged on, they painted glue onto the top lip of the pot and then sprinkled glitter on.

After the pots dry. .Easter grass will go in,

as you can see in the pot center bottom of the picture. Plastic easter eggs will settle nicely into the grass, and they will really make adorable table decorations!! I think they would look cute with goodies in them to give to someone special!

The kids and the residents had a great time working on the project together. .and a super lesson for the kids in working with older adults, challenged adults, and, in general, getting out of their own small worlds!! I sure like Easter coming a little later. .It's nice to enjoy the warm weather along with the holiday!

Weekend of Blessings

We are back to the usual grind this week after a very enjoyable. .and overdue visit with my family.  We hadn't been back home since Christmas. .so it was nice to be there.  Of course. .the weather was perfect for gardening Friday. .and not even too bad Saturday.  Grant and I planted our beets, carrots, onions, Swiss chard, and some cilantro before we left on Friday afternoon.  The winds have been

F-E-R-O-C-I-O-U-S since then. .so trying to keep them moist will be tricky!!

My hometown has a BEAUTIFUL park. .and we took full advantage of the delightful April temperatures by spending some time there Saturday afternoon.  I would say that we took the little ones to play. .but you may notice that the BIIIIIGG one who lives with me. .is enjoying the swingset as much as the smaller ones on either side of him!

They have some great new equipment there. .and this triple layout of slides was a HUGE hit for race fans. .big and small.  The cousins don't get to see each other much. .and is sure fun to watch them play well together. .their smiles were that big the whole time!

This is one of my favorite shots of the day!! Dylan had just hit her little forehead on the side of the slide as she got to the bottom and was crying.  But she took Cami's hand and let her go back up with her to the slide for another turn!

Even the big boys (who REALLYdidn't want to go along) enjoyed the trip!  Even more so when my brother the vet called to see if they wanted to stop by his clinic and watch a C-section on a cow.  Tristan was not too impressed by it. .but Grant and Dev really enjoyed watching!

We missed seeing Colton and Brady this weekend. .they would have loved the park outing for sure!

But what a busy crowd the rest of them were!! We enjoyed a trip to visit my aunt and uncle on the way to my folks. .Jane and I swapped out some gardening stuff. .I received some water iris for the pond. .and she got some butterfly weed plants, a few tomato plants from my excess numbers, a pepper plant, and some basil to put in the co-op veggie garden with her neighbor this summer!!

We enjoyed a trip to the flea market outside of Wichita on the way home. .that sweetie that drives me around is getting pretty good about taking me places that he would rather steer clear of!! Even the kids seemed to enjoy the unusual things that we saw.  I got a great deal on a couple of antique oil cans for Jeremy's shop collection. .and a couple funnels for myself. .I saw a magazine picture a while back that used old metal funnels as planters and hung them up. SUPER CUTE!!! I will keep you posted on how they turn out!! I can hardly wait to get them fixed!

We enjoyed great food, good conversations, funny stories, and even watched the most hideous movie I've ever seen (28 minutes long) that starred my littlest brother as "a cowboy." Though we laughed through the whole thing (it was REALLY pathetic. .guess they had ZERO budget and mostly students doing the filming) My brother did a super job with his 15 second spot :-)

The prairies were all lit up with ranchers burning their pastures and fields to allow for the new grass growth. A beautiful site if you have never seen it!! And as another testiment to God's abundant blessings. .after a 3 hour trip each way. .the fuel pump went out on our Yukon yesterday. . as we drove by a friends house. .7 miles from our home!!! And I know all of our extended family is glad they didn't have to come pick us up!!

Thanks for stopping by today . .Have a great week!

Junior Chefs Strike Again!

Those junior cookers were at it again this week.  I like to think of that experience as a great lesson in patience!! We had 8 chefs Monday night. .and since March was National Peanut Month. .we started by making peanut butter popcorn. .which was a hit among the children!

Our next recipe came out of this book. .and if you don't have it and love cookies. .it's an excellent choice.  I bought it last fall from a Books R Fun dealer for about 13 bucks. .well worth every penny!! The kids' recipes for the Christmas cookie exchange came out of here too.  It calls for sweetened condensed milk and graham cracker crumbs in addition to the regular staples that you would usually have on hand in your kitchen.

Once 8 kids in two separate groups got into the swing of measuring, mixing, asking questions, and sharing tasks. .I totally didn't think about taking pictures. .until they left and all that remained was Dev's plate of cookies. .and a mess!!

And I didn't even take a picture of the popcorn littered floor. .or the flour layered over everything!! Aside from the mess. .the products turned out great!! And these cookies were even better than I had hoped they would be. .We used Recees pieces. .because that's all I could find in my cabinet after I decided Monday that we were making those (nothing like a little proscrastination, eh?) The real recipe called for M&Ms. .I used those yesterday afternoon in another batch. .I like the peanut butter better than the chocolates. .but Jeremy preferred the chocolates.  You choose for yourself. .but you GOTTA try 'em!! It makes a big batch!

Crisp Graham Cookies

½ cup butter flavored shortening

½ cup packed brown sugar

1 egg

1 ½ tsp vanilla

14 oz can sweetened condensed milk

3 Tbsp creamy peanut butter

1 ½ cup flour

1 cup graham cracker crumbs

1 tsp baking soda

1 tsp salt

2 cups plain M&Ms or Recees pieces

½ cup chopped pecans

Cream Crisco and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg. Add vanilla and milk. Blend in peanut butter. Combine dry ingredients; add to the creamed mixture. Stir in the candies and nuts. Using cookie scoop, place 1 inch apart on ungreased baking sheets. Bake at 350 for 10-12 minutes or until golden brown. Cool completely.

Wishing everyone a terrific entrance to April!!

Spring's on the Way!

Though the weather has been as chilly as it looks in the above picture. .there are plenty of things around my yard that say spring is here!!

Hyacinths are pretty much my spring time favorite!! The smell is delicious!! Sometime or other I have planted these babies in places I don't even remember planting!! There is a clump about 15 feet from my back door that just entices me to deep breathe every time I walk in it! And unlike tulips, which are finicky at my house about coming back every year. .these little treasures do!! I've already picked one to scent my kitchen!

My forsythia bush grows ever so slowly. .and the blossoms are scant so far. .but hey. .blooms are blooms at this time of the year!

The lilacs seem to have lots of buds popping.  I was quite surprised a few weeks ago already to be able to see the buds emerging from the twigs. .it seems a little early to me..but no complaints from me either! The only type of vegetation (aside from cedar and elm trees) growing here when we moved was two lilac bushes. .one white and one purple. .and a handful of tulip bulbs.  6-7 years ago when we added on a laundry room, storage space and a second bathroom, we had to transplant the purple lilac bush.  Not sure if it would survive that move or not, I took several pieces of new wood and root and transplanted them into a short row on the north side of my house.  They are slowly enlarging in size and have been blooming for the last few years.  I don't think one can ever harvest enough of these scented flowers for spring time bouquets!

The multi-stemmed redbud bush is starting to bloom. .from the ground up. .And my redbud tree is also very close to showing off it's stuff too!  I do love the colors of these trees.  A couple years ago, we bought 3 flowering crabapple trees. .Those should be popping blooms soon too.  I was sad to see that one of the three may not be coming back this year.  Some deer really did a number on the trunk 2 years ago. .last year it seemed to do well. .and I thought we would get by alright. .this year, not a leaf as of yet. .just some growth coming up from the ground, that I would trim off anyway.

The moon has been wrong for planting seeds. .and if the moon is right. .the weather has been wrong!! The tomatoes are taking off in their individual pots, and the butterfly weed is starting to root out the bottom of their pots.  One of the passion flower vines has 2 big, fat flower buds on it. .I can hardly WAIT to see that bloom!! I've also noticed that some of my cheap Walmart roots are coming out of the ground. .Hee Haw!! The weather will feel like spring again in a few days!! Maybe to stay! What's coming up around your place??

You are NOT gonna believe this!!

Because I could hardly believe my eyes yesterday!!

Do you see it??  Look to the left of the new bluebird homestead. . 

Un-stinking-believable!!

An Eastern Bluebird!!

That's what I said yesterday as I dropped my fork and ran for my camera!! The little doll was drinking at the side of my pond. And was scared off by a car coming up the drive.  I never sited it again by the pond. .but we watched it dive for insects off the fence for quite a while.  I do hope it sticks around. .and brings all it's little friends!! 

It's a good thing Dev and I got a few more of these made!! We had a great time measuring, cutting, and assembling the houses.  He's getting to be quite a hand at the nail gun (which scares the CRAP out of his mother!!).  He and Grant spray painted them yesterday.  I know. .the paint is absolutely hideous. .but it was the best I could find in a small town dime store!! We have two cedar pickets left to turn into houses.  I think that he will stain those two. .and keep one of them indoors until the fair in July.  Hoping Jeremy will help us hang them up this evening in the cold drizzle.  We've had a relapse into winter. Brrr. . 

I did get my grass seed planted this afternoon. .figuring that the drizzle will help it along. While I was collecting laundry out of the boy's room upstairs. .I thought that the  world looked so frigid and still. .I had to capture it!  My Bradford pear tree is blooming. .I can hardly wait until it is big enough to look all white and cottony during its bloom. 

I also shot this different view of the pond.  Much of the muck is clearing out. .and you can see the stones on the bottom. .even from clear up here.  The rocks sticking out of the south end were just unloaded there Friday. I intend to do some bog plantings behind them in the pond. .and hoping to fill much of the soil with plantings soon!!  I'll try to remember to include this view of the pond from now on. .it's easier to get the "big picture" here!  The little cookers will be here soon for another lesson of some sort. .so I'd better get back to planning!! Just wanted to say. . .

If you build it. . .

They will COME!!

Have a great week!

Bluebird Trail

Devin and I have been working on making our own bluebird trail.  We had a few pair of bluebirds a few winters ago. .but haven't seen them regularly since.  Lately, I have had my inner conscience nagging me to put up a trail.  So that is what we are doing!! It's so easy because it takes one 5 foot length of a 1X6 board. Pine. .Cedar. .redwood. .Your choice!

We chose pine to start with because we happened to have a couple boards leftover in the shop.

Tristan did one of his first 4-H talks on making these bluebird houses.  And his houses went to grandmas'. I've thought several times since then about making them. .just never got around to it! They are super easy and quick to make. .we got the first three done in about 1 hour cutting and assembling them in an "assembly line" type of fashion.

Here's some facts about bluebird nesting that we found useful to know!

--Bluebirds nest in suburban and rural areas (primarily)

--They don't make their own nests and rely on old woodpecker holes or other empty cavities to nest in

--The houses should be placed at least 100 feet from wooded areas where wrens might likely be living

--Open fields and fence rows are great spots to hang nests. .in addition to large yards, golf courses, or along open highways (we are in a great locale for those guidelines!)

--Because they are territorial, they generally won't nest within 100 yards from another nest. .so your spacing should reflect that

--That being said. .sparrows also like to use bluebird houses for nesting. So we put the houses in sets of two about 15 feet apart 

--They hang great on fence posts. .and ideally should be 4-5 feet off the ground. .ours are about 4 feet high

--The entry hole should be facing either east or north as this keeps it cooler in the hot summer

--No perch needed

--The houses should be placed in February for the south and mid March in the north. .I hope we weren't too late to attract some for this year.

If you want some more information. .you can find it at bluebirds forever

Devin and I are planning on making more of these this weekend. .we sure have a lot of fence posts available for hanging houses on!!

If you are interested in the pattern. .you can find it at this Birds and Blooms website. But be careful though. .you might get hooked!! Even if you don't have a good spot to hang them in a habitat acceptable to bluebirds. .they sure are cute. .and we have had a ball making them!!