Thursday, October 18, 2007

Silly Dogs and a Lifer!

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Mary, the wanna-be ant-type blogger, is sitting here wondering what to say. It’s the worst day of grasshopper-type posting.

The early morning smelled like rain and looked like rain, but we ended up dry, sunny, and hot after a promising forecast. See the Wren’s shadow?

There was a thirty-minute window of time in which I had to watch the birds tonight and they snubbed their noses at me.


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A Red-bellied Woodpecker hammered on the hawk perch and I was tickled to know I recognized its sound.

Without bird follies, I walked around my dry earth to give praise to some hard core survivors.

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A very pointy bug :o)


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Wearing fresh lipstick this morning, I gave both Chloe and Bella a kiss between their eyes before I left for work. There are days when I want to change back into my PJs to snuggle and snore beside them when the skies are dark and cloudy.

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Before I kissed Bella, she was about ready to sink into a sofa pillow. She was trying to watch “Good mornin’ Merica” on TV. They like to watch Regis and Kelly while I’m gone and they know I’m due home while they have one eye open on Oprah.

My challenge today was to have them sit side by side for a photograph of my lipstick kiss between their eyes.


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“Bella sit. Chloe sit. Together.”
Not happening. I even held a slice of cheese over my head. No go.


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“Bella come closer.”
No go.

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“Will you stop squirming and listen to me, Bell?”



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“Chloe, STOP jumping! Let me wash your mud-caked face. You have very large ears.”

I gave up.


Before the shadows fell long beyond the feeders, I saw an odd bird. I could have taken a great close-up of it if dear Chloe had not sprinted nearby. It must have been a juvenile because it didn't mind me approaching. I never dreamed I would see a lifer today! I hope it stays for a while.


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Juvenile Brown-Headed Spinch. Yes!


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Rain is on the way from the south. Sock it to me.

35 comments:

Carol Michel said...

I hope you get that rain from the south! Cute dogs, they are soooo spoiled, aren't they? And congrats on the new bird for your life list.

Unknown said...

oh Mary I do hope it rains for you.
Shall we do a rain dance.
Your babies look so cute with their kissed forehead.
and congrats on the life bird.
Now I have to look that one up.

Mary said...

Carol and Toni, good luck with your field guides (wink) :o)

Ruth said...

Spinch?? Must be a very local species! ;-), or is it like a cockapoo?

Mary said...

Ruth, could be a cockapoo...

I haven't a clue ;-) LOL!

Unknown said...

Was the lipstick still there when you got home?

Your Spinch is wonderful! Being on the west coast, I can only *dream* of seeing a Spinch -- brown-headed or not! Congrats! :)

Mary said...

Mary we are good at rain dances in UK so we will carry on trying for you. We had first frost here last night and it is cold again this evening. Autumn has arrived with a vengeance and I hope it does for you too soon.

thailandchani said...

Today was one of those days.. and somehow I knew that coming by to look at Mary's pictures would improve my outlook. It did. :)

Anonymous said...

I think your bug is a Western Conifer Seed Bug. Very cool bug for sure and a good sign that cold temps are starting to come. Including the rain! Also, love your bird!! That's one I have never seen! LOL

entoto said...

Lipstick kisses. Beautiful! I am willing the rain to visit you for a long time. I sure hope it works.

Susan Gets Native said...

Well, you are one up on me, girl. I've never seen a spinch.
The heat has made you goofy.

LOVE the kissy prints. LOVE.
We are getting hammered by rain right now. But not good rain. Tornado warning rain.

Off to batten down the hatches!

JeanMac said...

Love those lipstick kisses!(Poor things - what if their friends see!)

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Juvenile brown-headed spinch!!! LOLOL!! It's 12:30 in the morning, I"m just home fro work and now I've laughed so hard milk almost came out of my nose! Oops- now I woke Art! :(
Those kissy faces are the sweetest things!

Q said...

Dear Mary,
A Spinch is a sure sign that rain is coming! Pointy bugs also are rain indicators... olde tyme wisdom. I do believe you are the only East Coast backyard birdier with a Brown Headed Spinch on the feeder.
Sweet Doggie kisses! I bet you had to reapply for the office.
Mary, I love you!
I love the way you view the world.
Sherry

The Quacks of Life said...

congrats on the lifer. Rain ? I recognize that :D

LostRoses said...

Spinches always bring rain, didn't you know, Mary? And lipstick kisses! Your dogs don't know they're dogs, do they? You're so funny!

Alyssa said...

Love the Bostons wearing lipstick! I will have to try that with Garm some day before I leave for work. I'll have to have some real light frosty stuff on for it to show up on Thea. Even though they weren't sitting side by side, you got some really good shots of the two of them.

Jayne said...

Love the puppy head kisses! Send your spinch to me here.... we don't seem to have enough! Hugs Mary!

RuthieJ said...

Oh Mary, those pups are too cute.

I like your Carolina Wren. That would be a lifer for me....I hope one shows up in my yard someday.

Any rain yet? I hope it's only rain with no severe weather like some folks got down there yesterday.

Mary said...

It's raining right now and we might get a total of 1/2 inch! Some of you knew something I didn't: Spinches bring rain.

dguzman said...

Here's hoping for your rain. Cute pups! Good thing they didn't scare away your rainmaker spinch! I'll have to note that in my Stokes' guide....

Please stop by today, Mary, as I nominated you for a blogger star award!

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

From now on, every brown bird that I can't id will be a Mary's Spinch!

Susie said...

That last photo of the sky was absolutely awesome :)
Cute kissy photos too!!
xo

Anonymous said...

Home from the hospital and a little shaky non-the-less, but I'm here. Tears were running down my face from the pixs of Chloe and Bella, I was LOL. The little love marks are precious and those adoring eyes looking up at you, keep that camera handy. We don't see enough of Bella and Chloe.
Nature Knitter's Mom [Betty K]

Chrissie said...

Great photos, Mary. Love the woodpecker, lipstick kisses and the sky. Can't say the same about the bug photo but I'm sure he has his uses :-)

Mary said...

Betty, glad you are on the mend and laughing. I'll show more of the angels.

Mary said...

So who can correctly identify the Spinch?

~Red Tin Heart~ said...

Mary, love the pictures of the dogs. So sweet. xoxo nita

NatureWoman said...

I've never even heard of a spinch. Very cool, Mary!
I love the lipstick kisses!

cestoady said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
cestoady said...

I am sure your two dogs can not wait for you to come home for more lipstick marking .Who could blame them ?

Another nice photo of one of the Wheel Bugs -- that dorsal crest is unmistakable -- see the blog: Natrue Remains ( July 12 ) ,for some closeups of the same strange creature.

A Brown Headed Spinch , wonderful find !! Lucky you. Did you know that it is a close relative of the Purple Egg Planter ?? keep your eye out for ithem -- they should also be coming through on migration. Remember, they are somewhat larger than a Purple Flinch, and much more robust than a Purple Martian.

Mary said...

CESTOADY, thanks for your terrific advice and starting my day with a belly laugh!

Larry said...

I'm jealous!I've never seen a spinch-I'll bet you it's popeye's favorite bird.

Anonymous said...

Boston Terriers! What a joy!
I have had 3 and they each had that "master of all I survey" personality.

Cathy said...

Oh! Oh! Oh! I'd missed the lipstick between the eyes. THANK YOU :0D