Dull? Counting Sheep Helps...

Same face, day after day. The feeders are becoming dull, at best. Until tonight. The red-bellied woodpecker is back and some others. More later.

Maybe it’s my fault for my snitty behavior lately. Yes, in fact, it is my fault. At the office, I throw paper across my desk, curse at the copy machine, and mumble obscenities at the staple remover when it rips the corner of my document. I’ve been yelling at the dogs, too, in a kind way. It’s the little things in life that can either turn me into a monster or make me smile lately. I'm still exhausted and cranky, but I'll give a good effort with this post.

Last night I decided to stay away from the computer. I was in bed by 9:30 p.m. and that’s after I took a one hour nap after dinner. Crash. That’s all it takes. I know how important my sleep is and how much healthier and alive I feel when I get it. A few more nights like that and I’ll be a new person. I’ve been a night owl for too many weeks.

I’ll start an insignificant rant now. Who waters the dying gardenias and hydrangeas every day because of the drought? Who tops the pond and cleans it? ME! This is really a sore subject. I want a hose bib conveniently located in the back of the house. We have two, but they’re a good walking distance away, on the sides of the house.

One of them has less water pressure than a drinking fountain. The other one has great pressure but has a honking, 1,000 foot heavy-duty hose attached to it which means I need to unroll it, hoist it over the fence and drag it a quarter of a mile to the pond. Ok, it’s not that far and not that long... But when I have only a few hours in the evening, dinner in the oven and water boiling on the stove, I need to be fast, “chop chop!”.

For over a year, I’ve been hinting for a convenient garden hose as a gift idea. HA! It['s true. So, he gives me a Dooney & Bourke handbag as one of my Christmas gifts. I've been thinking about this lovely bag today. It’s a very nice handbag and I appreciate it (thanks to Gina, who encouraged him because of her own handbag fetish). Honestly, all I asked for was a black handbag from Belk’s or Target. $16.99-$40.00 will do to carry my life under my armpit. Am I the type of person who needs a Dooney to go along with my sweat pants, tee-shirts and tennis shoes? Do I drive a Mercedes? Do I care if my shoes match my bag? Heck, no! I buy my clothing from the sales racks at department stores and a lot from Target. Twice a year, I change my handbag from spring/summer to fall/winter. How ridiculous is it to see a little blonde lady run to the grocery store with pond sludge on her sneakers and a Dooney over her shoulder?

For my next gift, I’ll insist on the giver sticking a bow on the new hose bib or handing me a gift card from the plumbing company. I’ll take care of the rest, dammit. Whew. I’m done.

There was new male here yesterday. A female has been visiting once in a while. A male Eastern Towhee isn’t a lifer, but this is the best photo I have. I enjoyed his nonchalant behavior in front of the camera.

Camera hog, Robin, in my front yard.

The same Brown Headed Nuthatch has been pecking away at the same tree on campus for a week. Click to enlarge this tiny acrobat. Sweet!

If there was a contest of stopping your car and photographing a lifer in the shortest time, I'd win. In approximately eight seconds or less, I can pull over, throw the gear in park, find the camera, power it up, turn off the radio, exit my vehicle quietly, and grab a shot of a lifer. A Killdeer is unusual. It crouches low as if playing dead, or camouflaging itself. I don't understand its behavior.

This photo is not completely in focus but I saw those large eyes looking at me. Wow.

A pair of lazy Canadian Geese didn’t want to leave the campus this morning. They knew I was spying on them.

For Lynne and Cathy, who share love of bird butts with me. This one is especially robust. My kind of woman! (Is she a woman?)

How close can you get to a Canadian Goose without being assaulted? I took a chance and it proved to be a lucky one.

Here’s lookin at ya, kiddo! Trust me.

Goose: Got any cooked spaghetti - hold the sauce?

I filled one of my hummingbird feeders a week ago and have been noticing the nectar getting low. While standing on my back deck tonight, I saw the sunlight catch the buzz, hovering and darting. It was the beautiful blur I haven’t seen since last summer. Is this a female Ruby Throated? My heart raced as I tried my best to control the camera. This is my first photo of a hummingbird.

JOY!!!! Now, to bed.