What's outside of your picture window today?

I miss the Oregon coast so much! I now live in the Mid-West and miss the beach trips and the waterfalls.

@loribmt, @gingerw,!@artist01, @sueinmn, @johnbishop, @athenalee and all...Hello, everyone. Well, one more time... I've been getting all my notifications in Spam since the last time we went through this. I got the Daily Digest in my Inbox, but notifications in Spam . I just lived with it and it was working ok. Now, I'm not getting anything! I'm beginning to feel a bit paranoid. The Gremlins are out to get me. But, I'll win. I'll call Comcast to see if they can shed any light on this issue. I will be successful, someway, somehow!

Yesterday I spent most of the day downstairs, a lot of time marveling at my birds and feeders. The day before, I put out 16 cubes of Tomcat Rat Bait, in the holes behind my bath vanity, in the walls and ceiling opened by the plumbers, inside the entrance holes, 4 of them, outside on the patio in the burrows and digging done by someone! I even got a stick and poked them deeper inside so birds and animals on the patio won't be able to get the poison from outside the holes. I also, sorry to say, I put several outside my fence under the shrubs. I hated doing that but felt it necessary since that's where the burrows go. So, I'm hopeful no squirrels or cats or dogs will venture there and get into something bad. We don't allow pets out off-leash, but it still happens and I'd be crushed if that happens. But, after weighing the pros and cons, I went with putting the bait out.

Wow, was it amazing? Almost immediately as I put the bait in the holes, I heard those critters scurry after it and some noises, then all was quiet. It's been quiet since. I think I may have won this round. No pitter pat of tiny feet...Hope so, I'm so sick of this invasion.

Yesterday, as I marveled at the birds, there were only 2 squirrels on the tree and feeders. It was both funny and sad to see one little tree rat hop on top of one of the baffles, a clear plastic one, slide off and catch himself on the cage with a huge woodpecker seed cake. He was scrambling so fast, trying to climb up the hanger and get through the clear plastic. He thought he could get to the tree that way. It was sad. He finally jumped to the limb safely. Whew...I then went out and moved a couple of feeders, etc. I am so pleased. They are isolated to a tube of peanuts and one feeder. All the other feeders they don't like or can't reach. Yeah! One for Elizabeth....And didn't see a single rat scurry around on the fence or the ground. Not one. Life is improving.

I must tell you all I saw so many new birds. I have a group, family or extended family of some kind of sparrow, I think. There were 5-7 little fellows on the feeder tray having so much fun chowing down. They are very fluttery, their wings going crazy like hummers when they looked for a place to land. Fun to see. And, I now have a couple of yellow finches and mates. Wonderful. So bright and sweet. I really love the finches.

My cardinals aren't as prolific as they used to be. I had several red daddy's but that's all. Wonder why? The precious and huge mourning doves, all 6, were feeding most of the day. I'm sad I didn't have my phone to take a picture for you. They are quite large, huge wing-span, and worked so hard to balance on the trays on 2 feeders. At one time, there were 2 doves on one feeder and 3 on the feeder close to it. They worked together to balance all at one time, I had the best picture I could have published in Birds and Blooms. 2 were facing each other on one feeder, with the others looking their way from the other feeder. What a sight.

Ok. That's it for now. I've caught you up on the recent goings-on at my crazy place. BTW: I was up the last 2 nights from 3 a.m. on. I understand this is typical of folks with Parkinson's, so maybe I'm exhibiting another symptom. I think, now that I've been more active, the vasculitis and is flaring. I called my rheumatologist this morning. Staying quiet and resting all day. Throw out the plans...this is my life, my friends. Up and down, a crazy roller-coaster of illness and expectations with plans. It's just the way it is. Especialy with autoimmune diseases. So, so be it. I'll get some treatment for it and deal as always. As we all do. Right? I am a bit jealous of you who have times out with live people, walk-in parks with family, and such. Just a tiny bit jealous. But, good for you. My estimation for my future days is the same as now, just getting weaker and more painful. I'm hurting a lot yesterday and today. I'll be honest and estimate a couple more years for me. Then, the birds and my son will be on their own. God bless them...

Blessings to you all...Elizabeth

@loribmt and all...Geex, another book! Should publish all this stuff and make money and help some folks....elizabeth

@johnbishop , @loribmt, @sueunmn. @becsbuddy, @artist01 and all....I'm attaching several pics to share of my patio friends, mess and all. I stooped by the garden shop and saved some pretties from the sale tables. Also got some bloomers for instant pleasure. What joy looking outside patio windows...

I also include a leaded glass piece I love and found. It's in my bedroom window and gives me peace, joy...Be well, Be safe, Be blessed.

@ess77, since you like the big Blue Herons, I’m posting some photos I took at St Andrew’s Park in Florida yesterday. There are hundreds of white egrets and blue herons nesting in the very tall bushes around a small lake there. It’s just amazing to see these huge birds on a nest in such spindly branches! Sometimes 4 birds on one bush!

@loribmt, Wow. What beautiful creatures. great photos. I've never been to that park. It looks fantastic. Thanks for sharing. ess

@loribmt
They don't look like ducks but still nice photos.
Jake

@ess77 Hi Elizabeth. Lovely pics of your garden and it's feathered inhabitants. The leaded glass piece is awesome. I saw no mess - only beauty!

@artist01, Well, my dear Laurie, obviously you are too kind and possibly losing your eyesight? That patio is a true mess, lots and lots of sunflower seed and other junk on the ground, lots of feeders now full and clean, so a lot of happy birds. Not so happy squirrels. Goody...they are so adorable hanging upside down from their little paws on the limb and all stretched out to eat the peanuts. I filled the tube yesterday. It's almost empty today. Pooh...
Have a lot of interesting and different visitors these days. Makes me so happy.
Glad you like the lead glass piece. I love it. It's quite old and I've never been able to hang it properly due to the weight and needing a special spot with light. So, I just plopped it on the window sill and am loving it all day.

Glad to hear from you. Have you moved to the new place? hope you have and are settled and in love with your new digs. Let me know how you are.

Much love your way, and blessings....Elizabeth

Hello Elizabeth. I just completed a lonnnng reply to you about my move, my horrible Covid misadventure, etc., but when I attempted to attach photos I lost the whole thing. Aaarrrgh.
I'll try another day. This Covid thing is no joke for us immunocompromised people, even though I was fortunate to get the monoclonal antibodies by infusion on my 2nd day, at the Covid Therepeutic Clinic in a major Victoria hospital. I'm still coughing, blowing my nose constantly, fatigued, etc., but SO much better than initially. It hit me very hard at first.
And yes, I had my 3 vaxes, isolated myself for a month in my room during an outbreak at that last sorry excuse for a care facility. Anyway, I'm euphoricly happy in my new place. I'll try to follow John Bishop's step by step instructions to you, which I've saved. Not today, but soon. Hugs, Laurie