Sunday, February 28, 2010

Through a window

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Been spending time looking through windows this winter.

I remember happy times when I carried a tiny spiral notebook and a tiny pen in my pocket to jot down notes for stories to share on Mary’s View.

That was then.

Now,

I got nothin’. A few photos of birds and snow is what I have to offer.

Heck, this nothing post dangled in front of me for weeks on a canary legal pad before I had the gumption to do something about it. Tonight, I didn't remember how to create a post of words and photos... Pathetic, and I just renewed my flickr account.


A hockey game distracted me. Thanks to Canada and USA!


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Here are nice sparrows.


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It’s been cloudy and unusually cold for three months.

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Then there are the Starlings. They need to eat, too. I'm patient with their poor manners until the ground thaws and bugs emerge.

Spring is near and it’ll charge me, at least that’s my wish. Spring Peepers entertain more often now and affect my mood in a good way. They make me want to sing out loud!

I’m tired of taking pictures through the window.

I want to get outside and wash them!



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My Carolina Wrens are on a feeding schedule

and scream when I’m late with my delivery.



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The Eastern Bluebirds are like the Wrens.

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I love this photo. Bluebird, far away in a tall pine, watching me deliver his Zick dough and worms. Thought: “Come land on my thumb, will ya?”


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Soon, I will wean all of the birds from their elaborate menus. I’ll need to do it slowly and gently.

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Zick dough is like crack. Brown Thrasher is an addict. See the dough?

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Down the hatch, Brown Thrasher. Enjoy!

Most of my suburban backyard birds are found on pages xviii-xxiv of the Stokes Field Guide to Birds, Eastern Region, Quick Guide to the Most Common Birds.

Well. I have had a few uncommon birds, including the Eastern Bluebirds. Not many, however.



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I’ve had a Ruby-crowned Kinglet here for a year but haven't been able to grab a pic of her until a few weeks ago. You know how flighty they are.

I feel like I’ve made the Varsity team of backyard birds and I’m honored

but will always acknowledge my regulars who never wander.



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I can feel it. There are a few good, urgent, and wordy posts on the way. They’re only distant thoughts right now and many of them won’t have much to do with birds or nature.

Human nature is quite interesting... Maybe I’ll vent or blow a fuse here. That’s always fun.

I’ve been following old Chloe and lonely Bella. There’s a story to tell for them, too.


It's been fun this evening, here on the keyboard with a Patchouli candle burning behind me. Love Patchouli.

Yep. For now, I got nothin’ except the desire to keep this blog alive.

Somehow.

34 comments:

Mary Ann said...

wow, what a treat; I miss having bluebirds in my yard; it's just matured and grown up, so not right for them any more. I thoroughly enjoyed this piece, especially the Thrasher. Gawd! I'm ready for Spring!

KGMom said...

Hi Mary--it's hard to stay turbo-charged where blogging is concerned. I find myself running to FB, grabbing a few tidbits then running.
Blogging takes time, thinking, cogitating.
I am inching toward more commentary these days--may lose readers. Oh well.
Love da birds at your place--I have, for the first time I can recall, a lovely Carolina wren hanging around.

A New England Life said...

For someone who ain't got nothin it seems to me that you got plenty!

I'll never figure out you people who have Bluebirds like chickadee's. I get one once in a great while but that's it. What's the deal? I want a Bluebird!

And Peepers? Oh goodness what I wouldn't give to hear a Peeper. In my dreams!

Susan Ellis said...

OH Mary, you're nothin' is sure somethin! and you have more birds than me and I'm sick of winter too! Bring on the sunshine!On my blog, the pictures are getting bigger and the sentences shorter, all my creativity being used up just to survive the longest winter in recent history!

Caroline said...

Mary,
My Minnesota kids feel like they have seen the beginning of the next Ice Age this winter...everybody above the 40th parallel is hungry for spring!
I went into my stashed photos from last spring for this week's blog. I am tired of shooting pictures through the window, too.

nikkipolani said...

Thanks for the glimpse out your windows, Mary. You can share your "nothin'" anytime :-)

Anonymous said...

Just that last cardinal photo is enough to keep me coming back, even if you don't talk to us... LOL

DI
The Blue Ridge Gal

LauraHinNJ said...

I'm always glad to have something from Mary...

Thanks for making me smile tonight.

Murr Brewster said...

So, you're chipping a little hole to keep your blog from icing over? Consider it chipped. Now put some peas around it, and watch what comes up.

Beth said...

Missed you and your amazing photos and words. Can't wait to catch up on Chloe and Bella, the yard, the frogs, the birds and your life.

Jayne said...

((((Mary)))) I've missed you here. Sending big smiles and warm hugs your way today.

Julie Zickefoose said...

Well, hello, dear. That's some kinda nothing you got there. Today, I'm facing an empty blog pantry and little desire to remedy the situation. Hm. What to do? We're under a foot of snow, more falling today; the poor woodcocks are wandering in the road, having no place to go. Everyone's cranky and tired of the relentless cold and snow. We should have been hearing peepers for two weeks by now. I hear you!

The Science Chimp cannot help noting the swollen left foot on your beautiful male bluebird. Does he flap a lot when he lands? It seems to be giving him pain. Looks to me like the same gout that affected my crack-addicted pair here (see my post, Uh-Oh, Zick Dough). http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/2008/06/uh-oh-zick-dough.html
If you can get more pictures of him, I'd really love to see them. You get superb detail in your shots.
Looks like time to cut off the crack for your birdies.
: - (
I'd love to have a brown thrasher tossing it back!
Oh, the dilemma of luring birds in with stuff that's bad for them. Rest assured I'm working on the recipe.
Good luck with the blog doldrums.

The Quacks of Life said...

Hi Mary

I know how you feel I'm totally unispired at the moment. The skies are generally grey and full of rain.

nice pics btw

Mary said...

Well the Science Chimp came and saw. I knew you would catch that, Julie. I almost commented on his swollen foot in the post but I was not certain and planned to send you a note about it. I made a double batch of Zick dough this weekend. Last one of the year...

Dog_geek said...

This winter seems to be sucking the life out of all of us. I keep telling myself that this winter has to end sometime, but I've said that so many times that it has become cliche. I think I've stopped believing it.

Anonymous said...

Tired of winter in Southwest lower Michigan too. At least the sun is out and the roads are clear today. Love your "nothing" blog entry. Keep them coming. Thanks.

NatureWoman said...

Wow, Mary, you've got a lot more than you say you do, wow. Your birdie photos are a sight for my winter-sore eyeballs. I couldn't stop looking at the bluebird photos.

Anonymous said...

You call this nothing???

Anytime you feel blog-empty, just slap up a bluebird picture and feed my addiction.

Do know what you mean though about being low on ideas---I resorted a rerun--back to my Boston Terrorist post which was about the time I found you.

Look at all your snow! What a difference a few miles make! We got nuthin'! Thanks for sharing yours. Close enough, thank you!

Tina said...

Mary,
Always a treat to visit and read your blog..I'm just a little envious of your "nothen"...you have blues, and kinglets! sigh..I break a nail getting the top off of my peanut feeder just so those starlings can swarm, fight and scream at each other..how I would love to look out and see that thrasher..

Wendy said...

For a nuthin post - it was full of good pics! Spring is coming. I have chipmunks running all over the back yard - even in the snow.

possumlady said...

Now is the Winter of our Discontent--

I think those words can be the title of almost any story about the 2010 winter season.

I have one mockingbird (I've named Marcel)that is always secretly standing guard. Every morning and every evening I throw out some Zick dough and he magically appears out of nowhere to gobble up a few globs before flying off.

NCmountainwoman said...

Mary, your nothings are so much better than most somethings. We're getting blasted with snow again. Hope it bypasses you.

Q said...

I am so happy to read your post and see your birds.
It has been a wet and cold winter at my house too. Sweet Spring is wakening up and she will be throwing a party soon.
I am enjoying my husband's retirement. We play alot!
Good to hear from you,
Sherry

Mona Sabalones Gonzalez said...

hi Mary,

it must have been a year since i last visited your blog and i think it is lovely the way it has evolved. i loved your ramblings and bird photos. hope the snow clears up soon. Here in the Phililppines we have scorchiing heat. i love looking out windows and enjoyed seeiing the view from yours:)

Cathy said...

Mary!

There's more life in your backyard than most of northwest Ohio!

Honey!

Peepers? I won't hear them for weeks and when I do it will only be after traveling several miles.

You are blessed, my friend.

As are the creatures that you care for :)

Michelle Palmer said...

AMAZING photographs! Very ready for spring... your window view of these sweet friends is perfect~
Hope you Friday is wonderful!
Michelle

RuthieJ said...

Please keep the blog alive Mary!

I loved seeing your Brown Thrasher -- mine are weeks away yet!

jeanmac said...

What a treat of pictures. Surprised to see how much snow you have. Wishing for spring - - -

dugfresh said...

as usual, your pictures are beautiful, and your comments speak volumes. i miss you here.

that thrasher was awesome!! but i think he might need a couple of months in rehab — him and that wild, crazy, staring yellow eye of his!

it's good to know i'm not alone in getting tired of shooting birds and whatnot through the windows. it requires more time in photoshop to get that haze off the picture! spring can't come soon enough.

those starlings freaked me out. i didn't realize they hung around here in the winter. i've never seen them in snow. cool.

anyway, thanks for another nice and much-needed post.

Mary said...

Doug, where are you in North Carolina, or in this world, that you don't see Starlings 365 days a year? I'm shocked.

Dawn said...

Hi Mary,

If your excellent entry was nothing, then my little blog may not even exist. Honestly, well done! You're a very talented lady. What fun to see all your birds. My favorite line: "Zick dough is like crack. Brown Thrasher is an addict. See the dough?" Heh heh. I can just imagine the birds hammering at your windows if you forget to give them a hit. ;-)

As always it's a pleasure to visit your gorgeous, thoughtful site.

Kerri Farley said...

I miss your posts Mary! I've no idea why it took me so long to get to this one ~ I hope Spring has Sprung for you ~ It has in my neck of the woods ~ hoping that the snow stays away until next winter

~ As Always ~ your shots are amazing!

All My Best to you!

Mel said...

Hola Mary,
I hope that you are doing ok. I haven't been posting much either. At least you have some beautiful backyard birds to enjoy and photograph.
Smile! Your blog will be alive for a loooooooooooong time, it is just hibernating ;)

Sherri said...

Beautiful post, Mary. Hope Spring comes your way soon. Ours is a little late here -- but temps have finally started to warm. It has been an unusually cold winter for central west Florida. Our azaleas are just starting to bloom -- about 4 weeks late. :)