The weather has turned quite cold... a low of 26 degrees this morning. I had to smile when I read Al's post.... he wore his flannel jammies under his jeans to keep warm. I might consider that except we haven't been walking every day like we did in Mexico and I might not be able to get my jeans fastened if I had an extra layer of clothing there. Oh well... I'll work it off soon.
Red.... what could be more red than a male Cardinal?
Plans for the summer? Well, Bill's appointment at the Arena Eye Center was yesterday. He's scheduled for April 27th to fix the cataract in his left eye. It will be sometime in May before he'll have the right eye done. We knew last year that we wouldn't be going back to Maine this summer as the cataract procedure was most likely. Following that we'd planned to spend 3 months in the United Kingdom.... England, Scotland and Ireland.
More Red... along with some black and white...
Red-bellied Woodpecker..... Don't you love how they use the stiff feathers in their tail to brace themselves along a tree trunk?
Well, those plans changed when we decided to buy the house in Lo de Marcos, Nayarit, Mexico. We just didn't feel we could afford to do both this summer. Then when we got back here in Ohio, we found that one of our rentals really needs to be brought up to our standards.
Yellow - Male Goldfinch..... in the process of growing their summer plumage.
There's a female at the lower right... look how drab she looks. Those males will be a brilliant yellow soon.... but the little lady will always be drab. I bought this thistle-seed feeder yesterday... got tired of replacing those net socks. Look how many birds can use it at the same time!
So this will be a good time to finish working on the house. It's currently unoccupied which allows us the time and space to work there.
Blue - Eastern Bluebird
This male is checking out the birdhouse Bill has up on a post about 20' from our motorhome. While there are several birdhouses up on the property, many of them are in disrepair and need either replaced or fixed. Another project for Bill.
The weather may be cold now, but in a few weeks it will be hot and humid.... true SE Ohio summer weather. We'll have all summer to get things done before returning to Texas in the fall for a few weeks before heading to Mexico.
Kind of a fuzzy photo of a Purple Finch....
The chickadees, nuthatch, titmouse, downy and hairy woodpeckers, chipping sparrows, white-throated sparrows ... and yes, even the cowbirds.... have found the feeders. I hear the bluejays in the nearby woods, but haven't seen any at the feeders yet. And the hummingbird feeder still remains untouched... with this cold spell it may be a while before they return.
Just wanted to get caught up on what's happening.... probably won't post as often... but we'll be busy with those necessary things that need attention. And it sure would be nice if it warms up soon!
That's All For Today!
I can relate to "things spreading" once we stopped walking each day, like we did in Mexico. We're still in Arizona though, and it's in the 80s here, so our situation is a little different. I'll miss your frequent posts, but I understand. Taking care of Bill's eyesight certainly must be a priority.
ReplyDeleteAh, now I understand why you're staying put. I've always wanted to see Scotland and Ireland. Love the bird photos. Sounds like a lot of work in store for the summer.
ReplyDeleteI envy you your bluebirds! I know we have them, but no open meadow for them to frequent. Have a good summer!
ReplyDeleteI love to see those Cardinals against the white snow. Also, they look gorgeous when the sky is very dark before a storm. Can't wait to get our feeders up and enjoy the beauty of the birds.
ReplyDeleteExcellent bird photos, thanks for the update.
ReplyDeletehope Bill's surgery goes well and you get the updates done on your rental.
Always good to have some plans. Straying in OH for the summer will sure be different than heading up to Maine.
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