.All winter, we have had a clay dish on top of a large planter on our patio with a bird bath water heater and two rocks in it for birds to land and then sip on fresh water instead of solid ice. A couple weeks ago, we noticed various debris in the water in the dish. The debris included dirt and grass and other unidentifiable particles. Dutifully, my bird loving husband cleaned the dish and added fresh clean water, gently…..
The following is an article I wrote in 2008 for our community newspaper:
People have asked me how I come up with topics for this article each month. The answer to that question is I just listen. That’s right…..you heard me. I just listen. Now you may think I’ve totally lost it, but if you’ve seen the movie August Rush, you probably have an idea of what I mean. If you haven’t seen the movie yet, it’s a must see……
Just wanted to share a sweet Pay It Forward story that took place today. While selling books at the Woodstock Farmer’s Market this morning, an older couple stopped by my table to chat about my books. They said they don’t have children in their lives anymore but wanted to pay me for one book and that I should then give one to a child sometime today. Well, 3 hours later, I knew exactly who to give it to. A young…..
I saw a disturbing sight in a neighborhood yard while driving last week. It was an American flag that was faded, tattered and torn pretty much in half, yet was still on display. Now, I don’t question the owner’s patriotism in any way as most people who display the American flag are proud of our country and all our flag represents. Maybe the flag on display was from a relative who served our country and is no longer in this…..
My niece Cathy tagged me on an article this morning posted on Facebook by Goodnewsnetwork.org. The headline read “Watching Birds Near Your Home is Good for Your Mental Health”. I totally agree, having lived many decades of watching birds and now, of course, known as Bird Lady! Let me explain what I learned in a matter of only ten minutes just this morning while watching a pair of Sparrows as they were building a nest in the bird box outside the window.
But first I…..
Throughout the 19th and 20th Centuries, several versions of this children’s story were published by different authors. They were considered examples of folklore that made light of paranoia and mass hysteria.
But first, let me remind you a bit about the story. Henny Penny, also called Chicken Little, is terrified and convinced that “the sky is falling” when an acorn falls on her head. The chick decides to go to the King and on her way meets other animals who…..
I have always thought of mourning doves as sweet birds, both grandmotherly and grandfatherly in nature. They are always seen either in lifetime pairs, cooing at or preening one another, or in a flock. It doesn’t matter to them that the flock they are seen in is not of the same species. They just continue to coo, preen, and eat and when they are ready, they take flight with audible squeaks as their wings flap, and awkwardly, head to another spot where they can once again coo, preen…..
Several friends, family and neighbors have mentioned the lack of birds at their feeders. We, too, have seen quite a drop in the number of feathered friends at our feeders and in trees in the past month or so. Likewise, usual deposits left on the rocks in our pondless waterfall as the birds sip water or bathe have diminished or disappeared entirely. Bird songs are virtually non-existent.
So, is their disappearance due to some mysterious demise, you might wonder? Well, not to…..
Upon returning from a two week vacation in Alaska, I’m still in awe of the beauty that one enjoys and the peace that one feels while there. Spending seven days on a cruise ship moving steadily through still waters, we spotted many Orca whales as they surfaced the water and one fluke of a Humpback at the end of its breach. Otters and seals floating on their backs or taking a well deserved rest atop a glacial ice float added a bit…..
Well, I wrote my obituary this past week. Ok, you can stop laughing now, but I really did! Afterall, who knows me better than me? I don’t plan to have the family use it any too soon but I’m thinking I’ll spare them the added grief of trying to produce an obituary that pays tribute to my life while they are in the midst of preparing for my funeral.
So by searching Google, I discovered certain topics usually included in one’s…..
