The Babies Are Here

They have arrived!

Yesterday we spotted, for the first time, the new twin fawns. Aren’t they adorable? It’s not unusual for does to have twins – at least not around here.

We have the good fortune to be witness to new fawns every spring, and often there is a set of twins. These two, and their mama, are looking very healthy. We are thankful for that.

For the next year we will watch as these two grow. They will be quite lively in the next few weeks. We’ll watch them nursing, running around and playing, and learning to be cautious from their mother. Eventually, as fall progresses, we’ll see their spots fade into winter coats.

But for now, we’ll just enjoy these new little beings.   

                                           Photo taken by Mark Noll

Planting Seeds

I’m excited. This coming weekend we celebrate Memorial Day and what better way than to plant seeds?

Getting our hands dirty while happily placing seeds into the soil, then tending to our gardens by watering and weeding – all the while watching as these seeds sprout and grow into full-sized plants bearing fruit (or vegetables as the case may be).

Is it not unlike our lives and our families? Our ancestors gave us life, nurtured us, and now we do the same. No wonder people enjoy gardening so much.

My parents gardened, as did their parents. I came to gardening a little later than most – although I’ve always grown houseplants. Gardening, planting seeds, is seasonal, it’s a ritual, and can be spiritual. And what a joy to watch something grow that you planted.

I had fun picking out packets of seeds today. And whether or not the sun shows up this weekend, we’ll be out there planting our seeds and being grateful for those who nurtured us.

Introducing...Kitty

Having written about Kitty before, I thought it was time I produced a picture of her.

Here she is in all her cat-like glory. She’s looking poised and sublime.

Except for some definite cat traits (like meowing and her occasional mousing habit), she often behaves like a dog. Trying to take her picture, for instance, she kept walking towards me every time I squatted down to get a better angle. And would you believe that she actually comes running in from outside when I call her? Sometimes even the dogs don’t do that!

We don’t know her age exactly because she was a stray cat that happened upon us one spring day about seven years ago. Not being a “cat person” back then, I said we could feed her but she was not coming in the house. We set up a safe, comfortable place for her to sleep out on our back deck. We weren’t going to name her either. We called her “Kitty” and that was that. 

She and I then got to know each other. I would sit outside and she would hop up on my lap, purr endlessly, and drool – while I discovered how soft she was and how she warmed up my lap. She knew how to break me down. As the weather became colder and the rains began to return that fall, off I went to Wal-Mart to purchase a litter box and a cat bed.

Kitty’s been a member of our family since. And I’m now a dog person and a cat person. 

The Industrious House Wren

Over the last few springs we’ve had the pleasure of watching house wrens build nests in bird boxes that are nailed to posts at our back deck. This is a ritual I have come to anticipate and enjoy viewing.

During this past week, not only one, but two house wrens have been around. They’ve been squabbling with each other a little, which is also fun to watch. They don’t seem to get nasty, just raise their voices in higher, greater, and longer trills.

The house wren is not much larger than a hummingbird. It moves quickly and works hard. Oftentimes it sits atop a bird box just trilling away – singing out for a mate, I believe. When it’s not trilling, it is busy building nests, stick by stick.

I caught, on camera, this activity – this industrious little bird working so hard.

Wild Irises and Lilacs

Today I discovered this lovely surprise on the hillside of our backyard. Wild irises are popping up everywhere and they are beautiful. We mostly see them near the edge of the woods, but this group is smack-dab in the middle of the grass on the hill.

Our lilac bush is in full bloom now too. A few days ago I clipped a few lilac flowers to bring into the house. Our dining table needed something to spruce it up, and what better way than to gather some gorgeous blooms from right outside our door? They smell wonderful too.

Along with the banana bread muffins that I just baked, the kitchen is overwhelmed with great smells. I’ll take them all! It’s such a joy to have the doors and windows open again – to have the fresh air breeze coming into the house, the scent of lilac every time I walk by the table, and of course, something fresh-baked from the oven.

We're Getting There

Stepping outside, all I hear is a symphony of bird calls. It’s wonderful.

In between rain showers, our sons have managed to get the grass cut (a 4 hour job here), the picnic table is in the process of getting scraped, sanded, and refinished, the garden has been tilled, and the back deck has been cleaned off.

We’re still a long way from having everything ready though. Pots sit empty, waiting to be filled with new herbs. The garden awaits planting with vegetables and flowers. And I can hardly wait to bring out the folding chairs for the back deck. But patience is called for here.

Luckily, we have this hanging fuchsia which is giving us encouragement. It is starting to blossom!

We are getting there… just as this fuchsia has finally begun to blossom. 

Feeding The Lot

This is pretty much what our feeders look like throughout the days now. Lots and lots of birds. In this photo, the evening grosbeaks and several finches are having their turn at feeding.

That is until a squirrel comes along. Whenever a squirrel comes pouncing along the deck rail, all winged creatures take flight like a tornado is coming through. Then the squirrel spends an obscene amount of time hogging – not to mention emptying – the feeder.

Sure, there are a few brave birds that sneak in there to get a seed. Nuthatches and juncos typically. But not our spring visitors. The finches and grosbeaks are very skittish.

Ultimately, all get fed. The feeders are always busy stations. And I’m trying to keep up. It’s amazing how many 50 pound bags of sunflower seeds we purchase each spring.

Thank goodness birds and squirrels are small. Although, we have had raccoons and skunks at our feeders too, but that’s another story…

Cold Spring

Okay. Still waiting.

Where is the warm spring weather?

It is spring alright. Trees and flowers are blooming. Birds are flocking to the feeders. But I’m still wearing sweaters and fleece, and my hands are cold.

I went to a plant sale over the weekend. I didn’t have the heart to buy any vegetable plants yet, because it’s too cold to put them into the garden. Brrrr. Well, maybe not. It’s too cold for me to be out there planting them.

I did purchase a beautiful fuchsia hanging pot, but even those buds don’t want to open because they are cold.

The warm weather has to come sometime. In the meantime, I’ll go make myself some hot tea and watch for the sun.

Mother's Day

Happy Mother’s Day!

Today is my 19^th Mother’s Day. I am so privileged to be a mom. There isn’t a greater job or honor in the world.

This is also my first Mother’s Day without my mother. She lives on in our memories, in the characteristics through our genes, and in all that she taught us. A day does not go by without thinking of her.

I have a wonderful husband who brought me these flowers for Mother’s Day. This picture will preserve them for always, and enables me to share them with you.

Goldfinch

It’s May. We are well over a month into spring, yet it’s just now starting to feel like it.

Back in March, I, like everyone else, got my hopes up that spring was on its way in all its glory because – daffodils were blooming!

Not so, revealed Mother Nature. Up until now, our weather has remained cold and rainy. No one has wanted to go outside and start the spring clean-up, do any gardening, or even sweep off the decks.

Thank goodness for birds. They are soooo reliable. As I have mentioned before, the evening grosbeaks, swallows, goldfinches, pine siskins, and housefinches have returned in their great numbers, brightening up our otherwise gray days.

Here is one such goldfinch. A bright spot during our less-than-ideal spring.

And along with that, today is sunny and warmer.