It won't be long now

It is almost time. In fact I've heard that hummingbirds have returned to the area already, though I haven't seen them buzzing around our front porch quite yet. I filled the feeders and hung them in their usual place. Now I wait. 

This is always a happy time of year for me, when the hummingbirds return from their winter respite. Hah, some respite. These formidable little birds fly more than one-thousand miles in the spring and fall every year. Some travel more than 300 miles in a day. I figure, the least I can do is reward their long journey with a little sweet nectar upon their return. 

I've been feeding the hummers every year for the 16 years we've lived here. 

Interestingly, my first hummingbird encounter was "in the wild" when I lived in Illinois. I was photographing nature scenes for an assignment in Kankakee County many years ago. This particular area along the Kankakee River was a lovely prairie remnant with spectacular patches of cardinal flowers, asters, grasses and more. Hummingbirds were thick as they buzzed about, pausing to partake of every flower and then scurrying off to the next. I wish I could harness that kind of energy. 

I had never seen anything like it before. It was like stepping back in time to a pre-settlement era. The beauty and diversity of the prairie plants, some as tall as me, hosted a plethora little winged creatures. In addition to the hummingbirds, there were several varieties of butterflies, dragonflies, damselflies, and bumblebees to name a few. 

The only other time I'd seen a hummingbird, was simply a close encounter. If I had not been looking in the right direction at the right time, I would have missed it. A hummer was visiting my neighbor's butterfly bush. I'm sure it returned, but I had only seen it once. 

When my husband and I vacationed in Arkansas, I was amazed at the wildlife, colorful birds, and hummingbirds "in the wild." 

When we finally moved here, to our little house in the woods, one of the first things I did was buy a hummingbird feeder. I have several now, both in the front and on the deck. No matter how much sugar I have to buy or cleaning necessary, it is worth it. I love these little harbingers of springtime.

Happy Autumnal Equinox!

While I truly love the Fall, one of the saddest parts is that I will miss these beloved hummingbirds as they head out on their long long journey south for the winter. I always miss them.

This little female, (pictured above), was perched on a heart-shaped wrought-iron plant hanger. It is positioned just past the front porch, but still beneath the overhang of the roof, so it is always shaded.

This seems to be a favorite place 

for the usually frenzied fliers to rest those crazy wings of theirs, which flap a feverish 50 to 200 beats per second.

I love to watch them, whether they are flying, hovering, or just sitting and looking around. They don't generally perch for long, because the more aggressive males will generally chase the females. Often times, they simply take her place. No worries. There are lots of shrubs and trees that offer perfect little twigs on which little hummers like to perch.

A few weeks ago I was sitting on the couch talking on the phone when a hummingbird flew right up to the window, and looked right at me, hovering close to the glass. There used to be a hummingbird feeder in the back of the house, until one of the pesky squirrels I've been plagued with this year, knocked it down, shattering the glass on the rocks below. I hadn't replaced it.

But after this encounter, I took the hint and installed a new feeder there. Before long, it became a regular stop for several hummers.

Hummingbirds are said to be smart, with remarkable memories about their food sources, remembering every flower and ever feeder they have visited. I believe they return every year, so some of them are like old friends. They know at this location, there is always clean, fresh nectar for them.

I plan to enjoy them for as long as I can, while they are still here.

Autumn reflections

Days are getting shorter. All the windows in the house are open and gentle breezes are wafting through the house. I feel like I can breathe once again. I love the fresh air. The air conditioner is getting a needed break.

The hot, humid weather of summer has given way to Autumn's cooler temperatures and low humidity. It is positively beautiful outside.

It is time to reflect on the summer.

We've had plenty of visitors this year. It is always a thrill to enjoy the wildlife.

After all, we recognize that we moved into their habitat.

We are honored to share with them, although I do believe they took a little unfair advantage this year, resulting in our dismal gardening feats. In fact, chalk up the summer of 2014 as a total bust.

While these young bucks were just passing through, it was the  rest of the family that seemingly caused all the problems. 

These resident fawns, and their mother, who didn't accompany them on this particular jaunt, were the real culprits in our garden failure.

They had a voracious appetite and ate everything in sight. Sometimes I caught them and could scold them until they moved away, but sometimes I didn't. From the Mimosa sapling to the cone flowers, petunias, geraniums, and everything else we planted, it was open season on greenery at our house.

My vegetable garden didn't fare much better, as we had planned to install a new picket fence around the raised beds, but never got around to it. In addition to the deer, the squirrels picked the tomatoes clean long before they ripened. Even the plants in containers on the deck didn't have a chance. The total lack of rain didn't help things either.

When all is said and done, it was not a good year.

Just the other day I went out to plant some fall perennials only to be eaten alive by chiggers. This is never a pleasant experience! I spent an entire week of absolute misery with all the home remedies I could find. The only thing that really works is Benadryl and time, and scratching. 

I'm happy to report that indoors life was so much better. In addition to revamping the sun porch, as previously mentioned, I also finished a quilt I've been working on for more than two years.

The entire year is rapidly coming to a close. It goes without saying that time is moving way to swiftly these days.

Sadly, some of our best friends--the hummingbirds--will probably be moving on soon. This little guy is likely one of the last hummingbirds we'll see for a while. Looks like it is time to make more food; now is not the time to run out since they will need all the energy they can get before their long journey southward.

We've already seen some migratory activity as the Starlings from the north stopped at our bird feeders.

Twice every year, we see an abundance of these. They are very animated and make their appearance obvious. Their  chatter is so loud in the woods that it is as if the trees are talking to one another. The first time I experienced their 'landing' I was amazed, by the shear number of them.


I dread the winter coming, but anticipate a beautiful Autumn. There really is no time like Autumn in the Ozarks. It is almost as exciting as the Spring.
Oh, I think I feel a little Spring Fever coming on!

 

May Day in the Ozarks brings new friends and a little magic

Summer Tanager

It seems that every year I forget how spectacular Spring can be. It seems that every year I am reminded that this is my favorite time of year.


I noticed a Summer Tanager now lives among us. This little guy has been singing his head off, sitting on a branch right outside my office window. Look, you can see his mouth--er--beak open as he communicates with another. 

I love these guys and have been looking for them since I first spotted one when we first vacationed here in 1997.

I was a little worried about the hummingbirds a few weeks ago. They were late coming, with my seeing the first one on April 5. For the longest time I saw only one or two, then three. Well, no more worries, except perhaps how to afford all the sugar to feed them. We are inundated. That's OK, because I love these little critters. Yesterday, I counted six on one feeder. I don't usually see that kind of behavior until very late in the summer; never this early. Normally, they don't get along so well, fighting when somebody tries to eat nearby. Not this year though. We have five feeders in the yard and each of them has its share of active participants.

I just went onto the deck this May Day to bring out a bird feeder. We bring them in at night, because of raccoons and whatever else roams around. I was wearing a magenta chenille robe. One of the hummers, a little green female actually landed on me, just below and to the left of my chin. I had my camera with me, but there was no way I could turn it around fast enough to capture this sweet, apparently hungry, little bird. So, I just enjoyed the the moment. She was only there for an instant before making her way to the feeder. Magic moments!

It really is Spring in the Ozarks

Despite the variant temperatures that during at least one day this month, it required the air conditioner in the afternoon and heat at night. The calendar really does have it right; it is Springtime. 

This is the best time of year normally--my absolute favorite--even if this year it has been less than ideal. I'm trying hard to enjoy it anyway.

One day it was so warm that hubby and I just had to take a ride to the lake. I don't know how it is for anyone else, but I know there are just days when my psyche needs to see, hear, and smell the water.

We had a picnic lunch at a favorite spot and happened across this duck who must have had the same idea. He had just resurfaced, after a deep dive where he undoubtedly found something good to eat. 

On another day when a cold snap retreated just long enough to take a slow, leisurely walk in the backyard, I was captivated by this old, gnarly cedar tree, a real thing of beauty. 

I couldn't help but wonder what kind of critter installed that rock at the base of the tree. It was obviously being used as a front door to the entrance to someone's den.

One of the most lovely sights to behold, at least in my opinion, is that of the bluebird keeping watch as the female sits on her nest inside one of our many bluebird boxes. 

I love everything about these birds. 

I recall seeing them when I was very young, growing up in a Chicago neighborhood, but they had long since disappeared. It wasn't until visiting Arkansas on vacation that I was re-acquainted with them. Now that we live here, I'm so happy to share space with a bunch of blues. I find that absolutely thrilling.

Of course the hummingbirds are back. We have been waiting, with the feeders in place for almost a month. This year they came back April 13. 

My husband saw them first. I didn't see my first until a couple days later. At first there were only one or two, but they are coming back in some numbers now. By later this summer, there will be the usual feeding frenzy going on. 

Springtime is the time for one of my favorite Holidays--Earth Day. That was yesterday when this picture was taken, of our Earth Day crabapple tree.

I always like to commemorate Earth Day with some kind of tree planting. Even though this one is teensy, I have high hopes that one day it will fill the front yard with fragrant pink flowers. 

Spring really has come to the Ozarks, even if the signs can be rather illusive.