Posts Tagged ‘Home’

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Eating Us Out of House and Home

November 7, 2008
Young Goldfinch in one of our feeders. October 28, 2008.

Young Goldfinch in one of our feeders. October 28, 2008.

I’ve mentioned several times that Betsy has become an avid birder.  She keeps a pair of binoculars by her favorite chair and periodically consults several books and blogs in her attempts to identify new birds that come to our feeders.

We now have six stations where the birds can get food.  Betsy has tried her best to provide the favorite food of each of the different birds in our area.  Judging by the numbers of ‘feathered friends’ on our deck, I would say that Betsy has done a good job.

I guess we’re running a cafeteria for birds.  I will admit that the birds are interesting, and the young ones are even cute.  But they sure can eat!!  It seems that we’re having to refill feeders every time we turn around.

I’m glad Betsy likes her birds.  I just hope we can continue to afford to feed them!

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New Neighbors

October 30, 2008
Bluebirds checking out a new house. October 29, 2008.

Bluebirds checking out a new house. October 29, 2008.

If you read Betsy’s blog, you know that she has become fascinated with ‘her’ birds.  We now have several feeders and keep them stocked with several different types of bird seed.  Betsy keeps a pair of binoculars near her chair in the living room so she can get a good look at her feathered friends.

Yesterday I was splitting some wood when I noticed bluebirds on the bluebird house in our backyard.  I told Betsy about them so she could keep watch on their activities.  I also got the picture above.

Although there are only two bluebirds in the picture, there were at least three flitting around.  At one point we watched two emerge from the house while the male was on the top.  I wonder if they’re moving in?  If so, I hope they like the neighborhood.

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We’re Ready for Winter

October 22, 2008
Our woodpile. October 21, 2008.

Our woodpile. October 21, 2008.

Betsy is looking forward to a harsh winter.  All the old-timey weather signs (especially the heavy mast crop this year) say we’re going to have a harsh winter.  Betsy hopes that means lots of snow, but it could mean just lots of cold weather.

Either way, I guess we’re about as prepared as it’s possible to be.  The picture above shows our wood pile, so hopefully we’ll be able to stay warm regardless of how harsh the winter is.

Actually, we hope that pile will last for two winters, but as I said, it looks as if we’re ready for winter.

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No Rest For The Weary

October 16, 2008
Wood to be stacked in our yard. October 15, 2008.

Wood to be stacked in our yard. October 15, 2008.

There is no rest for the weary.  Tuesday I finished up the three flower beds in our front yard.  All three now have pansies and daffodils and the largest also has lilies in it.

I was able to enjoy the feeling of a job accomplished for perhaps two hours.  (During that time I had to mow the front yard, but that’s a routine job that is never finished!).  But about the time I finished mowing I got another job to do.  I’m tired just thinking about it.

One of the requirements my beautiful bride had when we were looking for a house was that we had to have a fireplace.  Betsy just loves a fire in the fireplace on a chilly evening.

The only problem with that is that in order to have a fire we need wood.  We don’t go out and cut down trees, but we do buy firewood.  It’s delivered by truck and dumped in our side yard.

My job is to stack the wood (Betsy helps).  It sometimes takes longer than I would like, but there are some advantages to the stacking job.  If the weather turns cold while I’m stacking, the wood warms me twice — once while I’m stacking the wood and again when we burn it.

You’ll notice a wood stack behind the pile of wood in the picture above.  The stack contains the wood we’ll burn this year.  The wood pile is the wood we’ll burn next year.

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It’s Beginning to Look Like Autumn

October 4, 2008
Betsy's Autumn Decorations. October, 2007.

Betsy's Decorations. October, 2007.

It’s starting to look like autumn at our house.  The leaves (and nuts) are starting to fall from the trees and the sky is a gorgeous blue.  We don’t have a great deal of color yet — I’m not sure how good the color will be this year because of our drought.  But either way we will soon be knee-deep in leaves.  Such fun!

And it’s even starting to feel like autumn — the nights are down-right cool (and the sleeping is great!).  We haven’t had a fire in the fireplace yet, but I suspect that it won’t be long before we have one.  There’s something special about a roaring fire on a crisp cold night!

An autumn tradition at our house is the decorations Betsy puts out — pumpkins and scarecrows.  The picture above was taken last year and this year’s decorations are very similar.  So please drop by — you’ll see Betsy’s scarecrows and pumpkins and perhaps even some smoke rising from the chimney.

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