That is one good thing about this world…there are always sure to be more springs.
— Anne of Avonlea
Today is the final Friday in spring and even though it feels more like summer outside today, it has been a most glorious spring! One thing a Year of Time has done for me is to give me a better awareness to “be in the day” versus jumping ahead to the days that are not yet here. I am more than a little sad to move on from spring, but Montgomery’s reminder is a good on for me… there will be more springs!
Way back in February, we got a Bird Buddy bird feeder. At the beginning, I laughed at the squirrel antics, but that soon changed… and those dratted squirrels got so bad that we took Bird Buddy down while I contemplated solutions. Those squirrels were cleaning out my feeder in short order and then they began chewing the feeder. Big chunks of the feeder. Spicy seeds did not stop them.
But Etsy to the rescue… I purchased some 3-D printed “sides” and some “stick holders” and with a couple of sticks, a bit of wire, and I have outsmarted those squirrels… at least this week! On the bright side, the woodpeckers love the new “branches” and they are now very regular visitors! (For those interested, I got the fence sides here and the perch with suet holder here.)
Last November, I planted a plethora of bulbs… most were successful, the crocus… not so much. Apparently bunnies don’t like white crocus though because they did bloom! I was stunned that the deer did not eat the tulips! Those damned squirrels on the other hand… All the daffodils did amazingly well and I am planning to purchase more bulbs this fall! The early spring alliums were just stunning as well! Tall, stately, and they drew hummingbirds like mad! And thank goodness for a sea of yellow dandelion’s that our backyard is for those early spring bees!
I did, finally, go and get my hair cut as well. At first, it was hard to “do” but soon my minute hair abilities kicked in and I found I really loved the “just brushing my shoulder” length! I also got new glasses (with all three visions… trifocals FTW!)
This year, as part of my time contemplation, I have been taking photos of each full moon. Nothing fancy, just a snap with my iPhone. Spring had three full moons: Worm Moon in March, Pink Moon, in April, and Flower Moon in May. Cloudy skies and rain kept me from getting May’s moon at full… but I managed to get an early morning picture of that waning gibbous Flower Moon!
I am getting very good at “making do” and last year I implemented to “ground level” bird baths out of repurposed garbage can lids. This year, thanks to an Amazon Deal of the Day, they got a bit of an upgrade! And the birds LOVE them! We have a couple of Fish Crows that come regularly and chatter away as they splash about! And when the Mourning Doves come en masse, it is so funny to watch them wait “in line” for their turn.
We had some things that were not captured in photo or video. The robins who nested in our bushes (not the wisest choice) laid four eggs… but soon there were only two eggs. Those eggs hatched but one baby did not survive a wild storm and sadly a few days later the remaining chick became a casualty of the neighbors cat. Not a good outcome for the robins, but I hope they learned that those bushes are not good for a nest! We see deer frequently in our neighborhood but over the course of May it seemed there was evidence of a deer bedding down in our yard… well, not only was she bedding down, she gave birth and hid the wee fawn in the bushes. I have also seen a few “baby bunnies” hopping around our yard! They love the bird bath and I see them frequently getting a drink! We also had a great view of the eclipse! But perhaps the greatest delight has been the family of Red-bellied Woodpeckers… Dad, Mom, and two adorable babies! Dad brought them to the feeders a couple of weeks ago. At the beginning, the babies stayed on the tree and dad would bring them suet but they have graduated to “self-feeding” and are so fun to watch!
There was a trip to Erie (which is always so delightful!) and so many beautiful sunsets! But the Aurora Borealis in the South Hills of Pittsburgh is something I will delight in for years to come! Perhaps the biggest thing was that I got hearing aids! Yes, this is me fresh from the audiologist… hearing all the things!
Finally, this spring was SO good for Sherman! He has gotten his third Librela shot and the results are nothing short of miraculous!
What about you? How was your spring?
Have a great weekend everyone, see you all back here on Monday!
Spring was such a delightful season at your house and I hope summer is equally as wonderful. I love how Sherman always looks so solid in photos. I do like those examples of people’s cleverness from etsy as squirrels are the bane of my existence, too, always chewing on things (like the roof soffit and setting up house in the attic). Enjoy your backyard with your new “eyes” and “ears”!
Sherman is living his best life, I love that photo of him. I like your hair and your new glasses. It seems that spring was a great time and I hope summer is better than ever!
I enjoyed this spring recap SO MUCH Kat! And I love seeing you here — *great* haircut, and I’m glad you’ve gotten used to how it feels/how you ‘do’ it. That always takes a few days for me, even as slight at my changes are.
Such a wonderful wilderness in your backyard! I can’t get over how much deer activity you have — a nursery, no less. And I’m very impressed with your squirrel win. Our feeders are good at outwitting the squirrels, but the chipmunks are another story. The last tool at my disposal is to adjust the feeder so it can’t accommodate a chippy’s weight. But that means I lose some of my bigger birds.
Thanks for the Sherman centerfold!! Hooray for his health report ♥
What a fun recap of your spring, I enjoyed your words and your photos. We’ve had good luck with the spicy seed keeping the squirrels away from our Bird Buddy, thankfully.
I am still kicking myself for not trying to see the aurora when they were in our area (even though I know that it’s probably unlikely I would have seen anything from my house because of all the light pollution — but we could have driven somewhere if we’d known about it beforehand!). I am delighted to hear about all the wild animals who feel at home in your neighborhood, though it’s clear they have a lot to learn about what it means to be a good guest (namely not eating your plants).
I’m glad Sherman is doing well with the Librela and he looks great in that photo! My neighbors and I had to take our bird feeders down to get a pesky racoon to stop taking them apart. The racoon would run at us and hiss if we tried to scare it away! I hope you can enjoy your neighborhood wildlife throughout the summer!
Love your make-do birdbath! We have the solar-powered fountain in our tiny one, but it doesn’t get enough sun to shoot that high — it just burbles, which is fine by me. No birds have ventured to it, but the squirrels love to get a drink after eating all that dry corn and seeds.