It turned cold again Tuesday night. It's overcast and in the 40˚s currently dropping into the 30˚s tonight and for a couple of nights. There are two squirrels in the little backyard that have been keeping me entertained and driving the dog nuts. I finally had to bring the one bird feeder in because I could not keep one (or both) off it. And they aren't in the least intimidated by me, holding their ground until I get about 3' away staring at me until they leap away. So now the cardinals keep flying to the tree looking for it and the squirrel(s) keep coming back to the branch looking for it as well.
Or else on the shepherd's crook trying to get at the squirrel proof one.
Eventually I'll give in and put it back out (which I did when I had four cardinals and a chickadee sitting in the tree giving me the stink eye).
You may not of noticed, and why would you since I haven't been in the habit, but I've been trying to reply to all your comments the last several posts. I do appreciate that you take the time to tell me what you think.
It was cold in the house Wednesday night and I opted not to go to yoga. I had been feeling achy in the head and neck, a funky stomach, afib acting up because I forgot to take my pills the night before, all day. (OMG, is this covid?!) We're all so paranoid, the least little feeling of unwellness has us freaking out. But no, not covid, I'm fine today.
And it is cold today, low 30s when I got up and at midday has only made it to 40˚ and overcast. But I know why this front came in...it's the week of the trail rides that come into the city for Go Texan Day on Friday for the start of the rodeo and livestock show and the parade. The trail rides recreate the paths that the cowboys used to drive their cattle to market. When I was in high school it was the only day us girls could wear pants to school and back then it was the Rodeo and Fat Stock Show and kids that wanted to participate in a trail ride could get the week off school. The trail riders hit town on Friday and camp out in Memorial Park for the weekend. This year there are eleven different trail rides participating. The weather can be warm and pleasant up until the week the trail riders come in when it almost always turns cold and wet.
image via the internet
Right now there's at least a dozen cardinals dive bombing and mobbing the bird feeder and a goldfinch holding its perch not the least bit intimidated by the bigger birds.
Better get that bird feeder out there!! I need to get mine up. I will miss my birds that came to the campground year after year. I heard from a former tenant of mine that the campground is being torn apart. They intend to re-do all the utilities at the same time, as well as gutting the main building. I am wondering how they will continue to get revenue while digging everything up. I can only imagine how utterly disappointed they will be the first time a camper runs over the hydrant or pulls out while still attached to the power box. I tried to tell them that repairs will be a constant, but they refused to listen. Oh well!
ReplyDeleteThe good thing is it's not your problem anymore and they will learn the hard way.
DeleteWe finally have a feeder that neither squirrels nor chickens can reach and boy! Are they pissed off!
ReplyDeleteI want some of your cool weather. Even cold weather. We're back up into the eighties. I'm sweating already.
Glad you felt better today.
I'm going to get a squirrel feeder with corn as a friend says that worked at their house to keep them off the bird feeder but I'm also on the lookout for another squirrel proof feeder. Now if I can figure out a way to deter the grackles. It's 40˚ out there right now and raining. Are you sure you want some of this?
DeleteActually...we could use some rain.
DeleteWe have an ice then snow event coming in over night. I have a doctor's appointment tomorrow at 3. I may or may not cancel, depending on the condition of the sidewalk out to my car.
ReplyDeleteAt least we don't get snow and ice but I'm tired of this wet cold.
DeleteWhat was up with that? We could not wear trousers except on one day, all other days we froze in sub zero wind and ice waiting for the damned school bus. Skirts and nylons and pumps. Dumb rules for girls- no rules for boys.
ReplyDeleteI missed that rule by just a few years and thank goodness for that. I am ALWAYS COLD and I would be totally ticked if I had to wear a skirt in the freezing cold. Ridiculous
DeleteRight? let the girls freeze their little vajayjays as long as the boys get to keep their pee pees warm.
DeleteAh yes, I remember and wrote about the no slacks or jeans for girls. Looking back I am surprised there was not a bigger revolution on our part.
ReplyDeleteWomen were still fairly oppressed back then. It took our generation to start claiming power. I think it changed a couple of years after I graduated.
DeleteIt's definitely a delicate dance trying to keep the bird feeder full around here. Fortunately a lot of our birds like to graze on the ground & the squirrels are happy to oblige by flinging seed everywhere.
ReplyDeleteThere's a golf tournament that happens in Ohio every year & almost without fail they have pouring rain. Interesting what events the weather gods decide to target :)
Right now I'm fighting off the grackles.
DeleteSquirrels are greedy little things but fun to watch. I put a baking pan full of seed on the railing outside my office window but the wind blew it down and then it snowed, so there it stayed! Next, I put a pie pan of food on the deck, but then it snowed and buried it, so there it stayed! LOL The hummingbird feeder is still frozen solid and buried in snowfall. I think everyone is having a severe cold spell these days. Stay warm!
ReplyDeleteI'm going to get a corn squirrel feeder. A friend tells me it worked to keep them off her birdfeeder.
DeleteWe are up to 61 today. :) No squirrels here tho. Their antics always amuse me
ReplyDeleteIt's 41˚ here and raining off and on. Makes me not want to go outside.
DeleteIt's always fun to listen to the traffic reports when the trail rides start coming in. I'm always follow the Salt Grass trail ride; I just learned this year that there's a group that comes in from East Texas, too. Speaking of feeders, I walked into the living room this afternoon, looked out at the feeders, and there was 'my' juvenile Cooper's Hawk -- sitting right in the middle of a platform feeder! I don't know if he decided that was the perfect perch, or if he'd made a dive from the cypress tree to try to pick off a sparrow or finch, but we were only about six feet apart, at eye level, and he was as surprised as I was.
ReplyDeleteYou didn't want to have business in the Memorial Park or Allen Parkway areas when the trail riders were afoot. And how cool to see the hawk close up. They land in my backyard sometimes during the summer when it hasn't rained for water from the turtle pond. Either that or fishing for the goldfish of which I'm down to just three now. Started with 12. I know the turtle ate one for sure.
DeleteThose darned squirrels! Bummer about the weather change. Wouldn't want to be a trail rider in cold/wet conditions!
ReplyDeleteSquirrels and grackles are being real pests. And no, no trail ride for me. Those people are nuts. It almost always turns cold wet and bitter.
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