Birds & Blooms

I am a bird nerd!  I keep a birding journal.  I have nest boxes and feeders all throughout our property here.  I  don't know when exactly it was, that I began to fall in love with these delicate feathered creatures.  But I do love them.  Greg says he sparked that interest in me.  He is probably right.  I can remember 30 some odd years ago, living in our little Carbon Canyon house in rural Chino, that Greg would begin to point out to me the different species there.  I tried to be interested, but frankly, I was a busy young Mommy, with little time to identify birds.  But then, something happened many years down the road.  And a love of these beautiful creatures developed.  I remember the very first morning, here in our home at Grover's Grove.  The bird song was incredible.  I was smitten.  I discovered that if you feed them, they will come.  And come they did!
For the past couple of days, I have delighted in watching this little Rufous Hummingbird visit, and guard the nectar feeder outside my kitchen window.

We have always had lots and lots of hummers.  They are here all year.  But rarely have I seen a Rufous!
His beautiful coppery feathers, shimmering like pennies in the sun.

He worked this feeder all day long.  Fiercely guarding it from the other hummers that wanted a sip of nectar.

His teeny tiny feet, clasping the top of the feeder where his new found cafe was hung.

I will miss him when he moves on.  I have several nectar feeders here.  They are visited by hummers year around.  But in the Spring, I begin to buy sugar in bulk, and make nectar by the gallons to keep these topped off for not only the many hummers, but for my much loved Orioles that begin to visit, and stay until September.  Oh how I adore these gorgeous birds!!!  I have spent hours trying to capture them feeding.  But they are so very shy.  The females arrive first.  They are much lighter in color, but still so pretty in their soft buttery yellow Spring coats.  Then, about two weeks later, the males come, and they pair off, and begin to nest in the palms that surround our area.
I caught a glimpse of orange out of the corner of my eye, and ran for camera.  I just barely snapped a couple photos, although I was not equipped with my zoom lens at the time.

He is so regal looking in his bright orange suit, with black topcoat on.

Their happy song, is so easily identifiable, with a series of what I call, chittering twirls. When I hear this, I know that they are either at a nectar feeder, or out back at the orange and grape jelly bar.

I keep an old serrated knife in my garden shed out back, and halve oranges straight off the trees, and stick them onto any spiky protrusion I can find.  The Orioles love them.  And they will ream an orange halve in a days time.  Grape jelly is a favorite of theirs too.  I keep it in little cups, and sometimes I just drop a dollop or two onto a stump or plate, and they find it.  House finch also love the jelly and oranges.

The American Goldfinch are another favorite of mine.  They hang every which way, onto the thistle feeder sock, and feast on seeds.

You can see the American flag waving in the breeze from my neighbors yard across the way.

Above is a male and female House Finch, as well as an American Gold Finch.  They can empty a thistle sak in a day!
I keep a little feeder with black sunflower seeds and safflower seeds in the front planter.  Makes for some easy bird watching from the front living room window.  Below is a male House Finch.

A little Phoebe Fly Catcher resting on the wooden front yard swing, waiting for his next moth to snatch up with a click!!!

The skies here have been glorious lately.  We have had some rain showers at night, leaving us with beautiful clean air, and white puffy clouds in the day.

On my little walk yesterday around the homestead, I snapped some pictures of what is blooming.

 I planted these nasturtiums from seed last Spring.  They have exploded in a medley of color, with delicate edible leaves, climbing and crawling this way and that.

The tacky little white fence was to try to keep the chickens from destroying them, as they are quite a tasty treat.  As you can see by the edging ala hen.

I have placed some garden art here in this bed.  The back support of an Adirondack chair that has finally given up the ghost.  And an iron magazine stand, that the nasturtiums have completely wrapped around.  I happen to love the look of it spilling out of it's boundaries, like cascading waves onto the patios, and beyond!

Geraniums are a big favorite of mine. And they tolerate our extremely hot summers  here.  Blooming and putting on a show, all year long.  This one sits in an old chair in the grove, that I painted blue and placed over an old concrete  irrigation piece, so as not to injure anyone.

My roses are really beginning to show off now too.

There are 42 of these rose bushes, that line the front perimeter of our house.  In the Spring, they really help our simple Ranch Style house shine, with their front yard curb appeal blooms.

The recent rains have left me with some work to do out there.  I need to pluck all of those little pesky weeds out of the rocks where they are poking through.
Soon, my Iris will be erupting in bright purple, grape scented blooms, all throughout the front and back yards.

Ducey obviously does not share my enthusiasm for Spring!

Nor does Dusty.

Today I have dozens of eggs to wash and sort.

And the marketing too.  I think I have my blogging mojo back.  Look out!!!  As my beautiful granddaughter Hannah would say, " I have a lot to say, so I cannot be quiet! "
I leave you today with a heart that is full!  Go make it a great day!!!

Coming up tomorrow, a yummy recipe for you!!!!
XO  Kris