Out My Window

There are so many things I should be doing right now. I have a house full of Christmas that isn't put up yet. I have a couple of Christmas project unfinished, and one of Mom's actually. But I have a cold and skipped Sacrament meeting yesterday to come home and go back to bed. I feel better, but still ucky. So...
Out my window in the winter....

I was really cross when my neighbors planted two globe willow trees exactly over the fence from my grape vines. I knew they would eventually grow huge and shade them until after noon. I was right. But in the winter they are perfect for watching the birds hang out in the morning, waiting for Bob to put the bird seed out. There are aspens in the yard, and telephone wires. The doves - 20-30 of them some days - wait and watch. Once Bob is inside, they descend. All at once. The flat feeder with sunflower seeds , which comfortably will allow 6-8 birds to eat at once, has 12-15 in three layers! They land on top of each other and work their way down until the ones on the bottom have had enough (meaning enough pushing and wiggling - not enough food) and fly off a ways. Then, back they come and land on top of their friends, like otherwise refined women at a bargain sale.

Then, before long, a flock of pinion jays zoom into the yard and take over. Their noise and brash behavior is more like young men rushing for seats at a rugby match. They dive in and out, pushing the others off the feeders. They hang off the smaller feeders, trying to get what they can of the small seed. They pretty much inhale everything. Occasionally they will get there before the doves. When that happens, the doves must be content with what the small birds drop onto the deck, although they still stop at the platform feeder hoping to find something left behind.

The smaller birds - juncos, house wrens, Cassin's finch, etc- hide in the wild rose bush, where there are still some leaves and rose hips. They patiently wait. When the ruckus is over, they politely take their turns with the seed and thistle.

I think if Bob filled the feeders 3 times a day, they would eat it all every day.

Although it is cold outside, the sky today is blue and white. The sun has dried up the melting snow. The leaves under the fruit trees are wet, matted and molding. The remains of flowering plants, that really should be cut down before the next snow (but probably won't be), look like skeletons. The grass is still green, holding on to the moisture from the last snow. I love the winter.

"This is the day which the Lord has made. We will rejoice and be glad in it."

Inside there is bean and ham soup bubbling in the crock pot. The gas fireplace in the kitchen is warm and inviting. If my Christmas was up, it would be perfect. Okay. I guess I better get to it. Thanks for sharing my ramblings.