Sights from around Crooked Acres.
This week, birds ‘n squirrels and some randomness. Next week, chickens, ducks and dogs!
We moved this miniature (potted) lemon tree into the garage for the winter. This will be the first winter in several years during which we haven’t killed one citrus tree or another. (Though the winter’s not over yet, so I won’t count my lemons before they’re squeezed.)
I snapped this picture this week to share my awesome spice-organizing method. Not only do I have a neat (unpictured) spice rack over the back of the stove (you may have seen it in previous pictures), I also have two magnetic knife racks mounted under the cabinets, where I have more spices hanging. There’s also another one on the other side of the stove, where I have a couple of jars of kitty treats hanging. This works well, because it keeps the spices (and cat treats) at hand, but not cluttering up the counter. And honestly, unless you know they’re there, you probably wouldn’t notice them. Well, not the spice jars, anyway – the cat treat jars are pretty big and noticeable.
My cabbage, still hanging in there. I’m thinking I’m just not meant to be a cabbage farmer. I’m going to be 95 before they’re ready to eat – and they’re going to be tough as leather.
I chopped the catnip plants back, but didn’t pull the plants themselves up, I figured either they’d hang in there or the cold would kill them. The weather’s been so mild that the plants are pretty happy and unless it turns unexpectedly cold, I think I’ll be harvesting from them again this Summer.
Carrots! They look like they’re crowded, but I did thin them out and there’s plenty of space between them, they’re just taking forever to grow. Maybe not a carrot farmer, either?
Birdapalooza on the seed cake!
Blue Jay. Fred’s stepmother hates Blue Jays because (she says) they’re aggressive jerks. I think they’re purty, though. (He does have a wing, it’s just hidden behind the crossbar (or whatever you call it) on the window.
Male Cardinal, keeping an eye on me. I looked out one day, and counted six male Cardinals and four or five females. We’re awash in Cardinals!
Tufted Titmouse. They’re so purty.
Nuthatch!
(No Chickadee or Bluebird pictures this week, though. I haven’t seen the Bluebird in several days (I prefer to think that he found a better place to hang out) and the Chickadees are just too flitty!)
Is it just me, or does this guy (or girl) have really long, finger-like toes?
They always look so blissful when they’re eating bird seed.
“Come here, my beloved bird seed. Come ever so closer…”
When you stuff too many seeds in your mouth, some of them are inevitably going to fall out while you’re munching.
The entire time I was taking this series of pictures, birds were trying to land on the feeder to eat and then were scared off by the squirrel. That Red-Winged Blackbird on the green feeder had tried to land, got scared away, then retreated to the green feeder to keep an eye on the squirrel.
“Dude. Stop bogarting all the seeds!”
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The Peppers (and Miz Poo) gather for some of that da bird action.
A warm-up jump.
Thinking…
Everett wonders if his sister needs a smack.
But is distracted…
Nice jump for a cat without a head.
Oh gravity, you are a cruel mistress.
That is an interesting position, right there.
::LEAP::
Sugarbutt looks a little sympathetic here, doesn’t he? “Dude, that landing had to hurt!”
Sugarbutt wanders off to sharpen his claws, while Miz Poo moves in closer for a sniff at the feathers.
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Hey, Joe B., whatcha doin’?
“Well. My toes are a bit dirty, so I’m going to wash them.”
“And now that that’s done, I think I’m going to go kill and eat a mole, then vomit it up in the house. But don’t worry, I’ll make sure I do it on the rug. I wouldn’t want to mess up the hardwood floor.” ::LOVE EYES::
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Previously
2011: “Where’s my mama?” starring Reacher.
2010: Skeptical Truvy.
2009: No entry.
2008: No entry.
2007: No entry.
2006: No entry.
2005: No entry.
Why do they always manage to nail the rug? Or the path between the bed and the bathroom? Gah! Hairball between the toes.
I bet the instant they feel like they might vomit, they start doing all sorts of calculations – “If she walks from the bed to the door, she’ll have to go right through THIS spot!” Monsters.
And there’s nothing quite like a CLEAN rug to vomit on, either!! Not a neat freak about the rugs, but all I have to do is wash them, and it’s like an emetic for cats…
And bluejays are pretty, but they are renegades or maybe gangsters to the other birds.
MMM catnip!
Glad my cabbages aren’t the only small ones. They have survived some pretty cold temps, and I’ve wondered how they’ll turn out.
Ewwww, did he swallow it whole or something? Bleh. Well, at least he had a good time.
It certainly looked whole to me, but I try not to look too closely anymore. I figure what I don’t know won’t hurt me. 🙂
All those amazing pictures, and I’m most impressed that you caught the squirrel with seeds falling out of his mouth. There is something wrong with me.
I know, isn’t that neat? I love it!
I think that one’s awesome, too! We can be weird together 😉
That blackbird is really pretty. Funny how some cats will only like certain types of catnip. I have two varieties but one cat will only eat the tenderer, big-leaf kind.
I think I mentioned before, someone like Maggie would probably enjoy catmint but I’ve never tried with my pack.
I’ve only vaguely even heard of catmint, but you know I’m going to have to try growing some for my own cats now! 🙂
Have you tried increasing the watering of your carrots ? Root veg need water to swell up also brassicas .
I was going to say that with all the rain we’ve had in the last month, there’s no way those carrots need more water (seriously, every inch of this property is squishy), BUT the carrots ARE in a raised bed, so maybe they do need watering more often! I’ll give it a try and see if it works, thanks for the suggestion. 🙂
Blue Jays are jerks. When I had a few in the big tree behind my 6 foot wide yard, they would dive bomb the cats to the point where they wanted to go out front for the quiet.
And that’s why I never vacation in Toronto in the spring? *Ba-dum-bum*
/groan. Sorry, I couldn’t resist!
Lucky Joe Bob is so hunky and handsome — and, we now know, ambitious!
Your photo stories, and especially the seeds-falling-from-squirrel-mouth bit, reminded me of Julie Zickefoose and her woodpecker Garrett. http://juliezickefoose.blogspot.com/ Go back a couple weeks to start the Garrett stories. The “ptooi!” captions reminded me of your “thllurrrp” photo captions. 🙂
Have I said how gorgeous Miz Poo is lately? I didn’t think so, so here goes. Miz Poo is gorgeous!!!
Oh Joe Bob, splay those toes! You heart breaker with the love eyes and that little smile that says you know how adorable you are!
Love Da Bird, those kitties are really making you bring it out a whole bunch. Demanding lot, huh?
sweet Joe Bob!!!!
Blue Jays are quite nasty. I worked at a vet and we had one once with an injured wing and he was the meanest thing – though very very pretty! I think I have pictures of him somewhere.
aw joe bob thats quite disgusting good thing you’re cute!