Saturday, March 22, 2008

Baffles and Butterflies

Instead of taking advantage of a day off to accomplish work around the house yesterday, I meandered around with my camera and laughed, forgetting to comb my hair until noon. A Sloth, I was. Remembering Good Friday, I planned Orange Ruffie for dinner – the only work I did all day.



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Do you laugh at bird behavior? I do. I thought having many Mockingbirds would calm the lonely savage. Instead, there is more very interesting chaos. Wince or smile, it’s an education. They made me laugh.


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HA! Two pudgy pigeons arrived. I remember them making love on a rooftop last spring and there's no doubt that I’ll catch them again.

We regard squirrels in different ways but I think most of us find them to be very annoying, especially those of us who have bird feeders. My squirrels visit during spring and summer. They store enough food to make it through winter, thank you. Yesterday, I found great pleasure and a few laughs…


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Oh boy, oh boy, oh boy. The best black oil sunflower around…



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Uh-oh. Why, hello lady! Remember me?



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If I may say so, you have the best feeder in the town.



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She is not yelling, yet. Hmmm… I’m going for it.



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Hey! Stop startling me! I’m teetering here…
Give me a break, will ya?


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…gone, in the blink of an eye. I'll be baaaack....
Baffles. What a ridiculous notion.



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A leaf flew by one of the hummingbird feeders and I froze in my tracks for a brief second. They’ve been reported north of us in eastern NC and VA. No sightings in Charlotte yet, but they’re getting close.


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I plopped a large Hibiscus under their favorite feeder today. Hey, if they don’t come back, I’ll just have to go out and buy a few hummingbirds.

;-)

My shoulders are sagging, you know.

Springtime is full of unexpected surprises. Just beyond the hummingbird feeder, I saw the first Eastern Tiger Swallowtail of 2008 today.




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The winds have been very gusty and strong which proved to be difficult for the butterfly to hold on and for me, too. Swaying branches test your focus but I managed somehow.



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This swallowtail is for my friends who are still sloshing in snow, ice, and deep water - from Canada, Minnesota, Ohio, and all the way to Maine.

Spring is coming. Believe me.

I wish everyone a Joyous Easter!

Off to boil some eggs, now.

33 comments:

Carol Michel said...

I am not *yet* taunted by squirrels, but it just a matter for time for the trees to mature and then the squirrels will be around my feeders, too.

I bet Chloe and Bella get some nice full baskets from the Easter bunny tomorrow, full of colored egg!

Happy Easter

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter to you and your family Mary!

No hummingbirds here yet either but they have fresh sugar water waiting on them when they show up.

I have lots of squirrels here. I have been feeding them also.

Angie

Unknown said...

I love your photos and captions ~ the captions crack me up!

I have quite a few bird feeders that my husband doesn't really care all that much about one way or the other, but he loves to watch the squirrels and chipmunks so we have a squirrel feeder that has a block of seeds/corn on it and we also have a wood and jar feeder filled with nuts that they can either go into and eat or stop by for take out. I've found that my birds (chickadees and nuthatches) will enter the jar and take their pick of the nut mix. Blue jays, chickadees, and nuthatches will all go at the block feeder. It's hilarious to see the expression on the squirrel's face the few times they've come to feed and found a bird using THEIR feeder!!

Q said...

Dear, dear Mary,
Seeing your Eastern Tiger Swallowtail sent shivers down my spine!! Oh my goodness they are beautiful! Not at my house yet but I do beleive they will come soon.
You are ready for the hummers! Any day now.
Hope you get a nice new Easter Bonnet. You do not need to comb your hair, just plop on your hat and you are good to go!
Hoppy Easter!
Sherry

Ruth said...

Happy Easter to you Mary. Thanks for thinking of us in the north and giving us a lovely preview of what is to come.

Anonymous said...

Mary, Happy Easter to you and your family! Lets hope that Easter Sunday will bring you some hummingbirdies! And I also think your puppies can help with your squirrels!

Mary C said...

Happy Easter, Mary. I hope your hummingbirds come soon. Even though we seem to have similar climates, I am amazed that your hummingbirds head farther south for the winter. Our Annas are here year long, as are our house finches and lesser goldfinches. And, of course, the squirrels are here all year long, too. Ever since my husband put up a feeder for the squirrels, they have pretty much left my other feeders alone. Only once in a while we have some young squirrels who will test their physical limits, and try to show everyone how wiley they are.

Lynne at Hasty Brook said...

Thanks for the butterfly picture! It's still snowing... Art had to snow-blow the driveway this morning... I know it won't last, but really, this is THELONGESTWINTERTHATWON'TENDEVER!!

Happy Easter sweet May!!

nina at Nature Remains. said...

Happy Easter, Mary, to you and yours.
I can't wait for the hummers, either. And those swallowtails--such a nice gift of spring--thanks!!

dmmgmfm said...

Hoppy Easter to you too, Mary.

JeanMac said...

Happy Easter to you, too. I discovered a squirrel had enjoyed a comfy winter in my garden shed - ate my man's hammock canvas, my foam kneeling pad and various other items - nuts, cones, all over!

Sherry at the Zoo said...

Happy Easter!

the pictures were wonderful, and that was probably just the thing you needed, being able to sloth it till noon. Hope you get some well deserved rest this weekend.

Sherry at the Zoo

Cheryl said...

Wow wow wow......Mary lovely post but the butterflies, my heart skipped a beat absolutely made my day to see them.

Funny squirrel, how it made me laugh.....they are a nuisance but so much fun.

Light snow here....happy easter sunday to my favourite blogger.

Chrissie said...

Your last photo of the blossom and the butterfly prove there is an end in sight. Enjoy your camera, wildlife and garden :-) and have a great weekend.

Jayne said...

LOL at your squirrel Mary! I've got my hummer feeders up and ready too. Beautiful Swallowtail! Have a very joyful Easter!

NatureWoman said...

Happy Easter Mary! Ohhh, thank you for the butterfly photos! Soon, Mary, you'll have the hummers. They *will* be back!!

Stacey Olson said...

Great post, those lazy days are the best.. Love the anitics of the squirell Happy Easter

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary,

Good shots of the Swallowtail. They are very rare in UK and can only be found in a small part of West Norfolk.

http://www.ukbutterflies.co.uk/species.php?vernacular_name=Swallowtail

I was able to photograph plenty in Tuscany on Holiday though.
Roy

Anonymous said...

Happy Easter Mary and family. Thank you for the lovely pictures of the birds, flowers and swallowtail.
It is snowing in So. Minn. today, highs in the low 30's. I yearn for green grass even if it has to be mowed and warmer weather. I close my eyes and wish, and when I open my eyes, there is still plenty of snow, should melt some this week it is suppose to be in the 40's. If I need a spring fix I look at your pics, thank you.
Nature Knitter's Mom [Betty K]

Mel said...

Happy Easter!!!
I do laugh watching birds, smile, get excited, point like a kid, sometimes even jump or dance with excitement (blushing), hehehe... It's just so much fun!
Funny squirrels ;)
Mel

Pappy said...

Hi Mary,
I linked with you from the comments section on Beth's stories. Always enjoy your comments. Nice blog. Hope to see you on my site soon. The Texican

Sandpiper (Lin) said...

What a wonderful post this is! It's so nice to see butterflies and flowers, with everything looking so green. I don't mind squirrels and I think yours is very cute! I actually set up feeders for my little furry friends, and sometimes they're more fun to watch than the birds. LOL
HAPPY EASTER, MARY!!!

Robin's Nesting Place said...

Oh, Mary, a swallow tail already! Lucky you! I can't wait until your hummers arrive.

I'm in a newer subdivision with no mature trees, so we don't have squirrels here.

Alyssa said...

Happy Easter, Mary. It is great to see that beautiful swallowtail on the white blossoms. I sure can use that after the blizzard we had Friday! You are lucky that you only have a few squirrels visiting your feeder - sometimes we have over a dozen. Steve does "thin" them, but it doesn't seem to matter. They are agile and interesting little buggers to watch, though. And I think sometimes we all deserve to be a giant sloth once in a while. It sure does my mind good. . .

Susan Gets Native said...

Thanks for the butterfly, Mary. It's looking more and more like Spring here, but it actually snowed for about 10 minutes at dinnertime.
It's easier to take knowing that Winter is officially over.

Sherry said...

Happy Easter to you too, Mary.

Great post! I was laughing out loud looking at the squirrel photos and reading your captions. :)

I saw the first swallowtail here this weekend too. Loved seeing your butterfly photos.

Happy Spring!
-Sherry

Anonymous said...

Hi Mary,

Slothful is good sometimes, especially on weekends! Your photographs are gorgeous ... I especially loved seeing the Swallowtail with the blossoms. I must have sat and stared mesmerised by the fruit tree blossoms. Then I went through the squirrels pictures again - quite amazed at daring these little animals are. They are so agile and confident that very little seems to stop them.

Have a good week! I'll send you an email tomorrow about my blog change.

The Quacks of Life said...

lurve the swallowtail!!

RuthieJ said...

Green grass, flowers, and butterflies--Just Beautiful Mary! We're enjoying spring through your pictures (I don't suppose you were wearing a coat outside when you took these either, were you??)

dguzman said...

Oh!!! I hope it comes up here soon. We had three inches of snow on Saturday, then full sun (but cold temps) yesterday and today. Still--I heard spring peepers on the marsh last night! Spring!

Lisa at Greenbow said...

Love your spring pictures Mary. I wish it was warm enough for butterflies here. I can't hardly wait.

Cathy said...

Oh Mary! That beautiful butterfly those not-to-be-believed blossoms.

Thank you for the message of hope.

(That squirrel looks lonely. I've still got a dozen I'd be happy to ship down to you:0)

I hope your Easter was as wonderful as those blossoms are beautiful.

Big Hug.

Donna said...

You make me laugh Mary! Love the photos of the butterfly. Can't wait till the hummers come.
Hope you had a nice Easter.
Hugs,
Donna