I'm Back

I think maybe I just needed a little break to let my mojo recharge.  Or maybe I needed to look outside and see an unusual bird.  Maybe both.  

This dapper woodpecker is a Yellow-bellied Sapsucker, adult male.  He was checking out the suet feeder, much to my surprise.  Not a bird I commonly see in the yard and also not common this time of year.  All in all, a nice surprise.  In the category of mixed blessings, I also have a half dozen Common Grackles in the yard.  Mixed because although I do like them, six can easily become 50; and they tend to dominate the feeders being the largest bird out there.  They even dominate the red-bellied woodpeckers who are usually the rulers of the suet.  So, I am letting them have some time on the suet and then going outside and scaring them off to let the smaller birds get some food.  Pretty things so I will put an unedited shot in Extra.

Jax has been pretty mellow today.  We took him to Lowe's which was a great adventure for him since it was crowded.  He got lots of pets and sniffs.  I was happy that he got to interact with some kids too - he seems to love children but doesn't often get to interact.  The only tail-tuck came when we saw a small Christmas tree that had been modified to look like Santa with a big bushy beard - not to Jax's liking and hackles were raised.  He is now curled up on the cat bed in the kitchen window.  Yep, 65 pounds of dog in a cat bed.  You can't make this stuff up.

We are headed over to our friends at the farm tonight to enjoy a dinner of  turkey gumbo and good conversation.  Cooler day in the forecast tomorrow so we've already got a load of firewood in the garage, ready to start a fire in the morning.  

Okay, time to go rid the suet of grackles.  And something dark...

xo
Debbi