Gracious Rain

Around here–we get a ton of birds. There are always robins and starlings on the lawn eating all the gnats and worms. If we throw out just the right kind of bread we can even attract seagulls and the occasional wild ducks. They are all fun to watch, but my favorite are—

the seed birds.

A while back, I bought this bird seed bell to entice them to come closer. For some reason, they didn’t really care about it–the darn thing just sat there–until it rained. Then all the seeds got soft and started crumbling off into piles below. Then they noticed and gobbled it up. There must have been something unnatural about their lunch looking like a church bell that disturbed them.

Our birds are much more interested in the regular bird feeder. They flock around it like it’s their one shot at happiness in this life. I’m pretty sure their only complaint is that it isn’t the size of a wheel barrow. I wonder sometimes, if we’d get more birds that way or we’d keep the same ones–only they’d grow to the size of big, fat turkeys. Either way….it’s entertainment at it’s finest.

With our modest feeder, we get camera shy, tiny birds with yellow, orange, or scarlet heads.

Then, we get these, much bolder blue fellows.

Then a mix of red and blue. I don’t really know what type most of them are–but the ad on the seed package is right–you get some really exotic looking birds when you put these different mixes out.

The doves usually wait until the smaller birds have settled down a bit then they pick up whatever scraps are left. Whenever the feeder is empty–I swear–the other birds send the doves to tell us about it. Some days they come right up to the window as if to say, “HEY! We’re outta’ food here!”

Pet Shop Birds

Watching these guys always makes me feel so sorry for the little birds in the pet stores locked up in cages. I just want to wait until no one is looking and unhinge the latches and help them make a break for it.

Can’t you just see the news report? “Ridiculous Woman Leads Budgies To Freedom.” I know, I know. Pretty silly thing for a mother of five to do prison time for.

It’s just a thought.

I suppose it’s safer to stick with the seeds–even if the volume can get kinda pricey. The plus side is that you can always be certain something is a great investment if—

it livens up the yard…

it entertains the kids…

and…

it keeps your mother out of jail.

News at six.

Week 15 Food Storage Prompt: 1 bag of bird seed….just kidding!

5 boxes Macaroni and Cheese.