Bird Houses

We brought a lot of our bird houses from Cedar Pond to our new home here at Laughing Dove Farm. This bird house is now on our front porch wall. This spring there were some swallows checking it out , even going inside the middle hole but I suspect my cat Miss Marple scared them off by staring at the bird house and twitching her tail at them as she watched them indoors from the window very near the bird house. She didn't fool them at all, she was easy to spot from outside. Poor Miss Marple , smart birds.

We bought this bird house at a Spokane garden and craft fair and hung it up over the front porch. Almost immediately the swallows moved in, built a nest, and raised a family or two. Only a few feet away from the previous bird house shown but immediately bird approved. Maybe because there was no twitching cat staring at it ?

 

I bought this bird house at a Yelm Christmas craft show. The lady who built it set up her table with about 20 different versions of this birdhouse and was sold out immediately. Birds love it .We had both sparrows and swallows raising families in this bird house all summer.

This bird house was originally hung in an old stump at my husband's youngest sister and her family's home. When they moved we adopted it and brought it with us to our new home. The birds here seemed to think it was a nice place to raise a family, and again, sparrows moved in. This bird house overlooks the sheep pens and paddocks , apparently a popular place with many birds.

One of our granddaughters helped build and paint this birdhouse beloved by Western Bluebirds. Yay, we finally have bluebirds on our place, and in abundance. Bluebirds lived in 3 of our birdhouses and we love watching them.

Unfortunately this bird house was taken over by cow birds, but that is O.K. They ate a lot of bugs and since this bird house is perched on a corner post of our ram pen, that was a good thing. The cow birds also ate the seeds that fell out of the hay I tossed to the rams. The cow birds never became a big problem so I let them be and they raised at least 2 families here and moved on.

I bought this bird house at the local supermarket because I could not resist it. I bought it too late for it to be taken into consideration by the swallows and sparrows that kept checking it out after they'd already settled in other places. Maybe next year. The cool thing about this bird house is it has a nice back door that is easily opened for cleaning and just as easily secured.

I love bird houses, I love birds. I have a collection of bird nests, bird books, and love bird watching. The creativity of birds and how and where they choose to build their nests or make their homes often goes against what is  written about them by the experts in the bird books. All I have to do is watch and observe the birds outside my window and back door to discover there is way more to the average wild bird than what you'll find in your bird books. Birds are truly amazing and I am thankful God has filled His creation with them and sometimes birds will find a few of my birdhouses worthy of raising their families in.

Bird Book, Bird Nests, and Cozy Reading

 Last weekend was perfect reading weather. Storms raged over our area making this the wettest rainy season on record. After feeding the animals I decided to take a break from packing and brew a pot of tea for my husband and myself. He settled down to watch a show about chefs and I settled down to read this beautiful book The Bluebird Effect* by Julie Zickerfoose while I sipped tea from this cup by Pip *. I found this tea / coffee cup in a shop on the Oregon coast during a short get-away with my husband. I will always remember that precious time when I see this cup. The cup and the book seem meant to be together to me.

 This is one of many illustrations by the author . " And each chapter is illustrated with Zickfoose's stunning watercolor paintings and drawings. Not just individual tales about the trials and triumphs of raising birds, The Bluebird Effect mixes humor, natural history, and memoir to give readers an intimate story of a life lived among wild birds."  Quoted from the flyleaf of the book. The book is quietly stunning and a good read, especially on a rainy day .

This is one of my favorite coffee cups. I know, it could be used for tea, but I prefer to drink coffee from it and as an extra treat I add real heavy whipping cream. This cup and saucer set by Furnival is a gift from one of my husband's sisters. She especially loves books and I wish we had more time to simply discuss books, authors, illustrators... maybe one day.

 It is still raining off and on , I slosh through mud to do my chores every day. My lambs look like they're wearing boots . No respectable lamb wastes a day lounging under cover when they can be jumping, leaping, and running.When my chores are done though, I am eager to escape the mud and rain and settle down with a hot cuppa and a good book.

" I live for the moment when my gaze meets a bird's - that exchange of awareness of the "who" in each of us, the spark of understanding leaping from the bright bead of its eye to mine. ~ It's that spark gleaming in the cupped hand of my own experience that I want to bring to you. I want to tell you their stories." Julie Zickafoose (  book introduction)

I have been missing my Tea Time Tuesday celebrations and hope they're still being hosted by these gracious ladies ~Bernideen's TeaTime Blog * , Rose Chintz Cottage * , Antiques and Teacups *, and Martha *.

Just An Ordinary Day ~ Tea-Time Tuesday !

I have been away and when I came home there was so much  catching up to do in the gardens and chicken & sheep pens. All things I love to do but sometimes the work can be daunting after I've injured myself and have to take things slower. I find myself spending more time on my porch watching the birds during my breaks. The work wears me out quickly and when I have time for blogging I decide to go to sleep instead. That's all good because sleep after a hard day's work is healing, but I have missed my Tea-Time Tuesdays.

Two of the sweet ladies who come to the Thursday Ladies' Luncheon & Bible Study gave me a most wonderful gift basket the very day I left on my small vacation over the mountains. The gift basket contained teas, an electric tea kettle, pretty napkins, tea-towels, delectable cookies, and TEACUPS ! Look at this beautiful teacup .

I made myself some of the white mint tea from the basket, helped myself to a very healthy home-made muffin , and went to savor the moment on my front porch where I could watch the birds at the feeder and the birds who'd set up house-keeping in the birdhouse near-by.

The teacup is by Victoria of England. There is no other information on this teacup that I can find except a hand painted number , and I love this teacup ! Especially because of the two ladies ( mother & daughter ) I have grown close to during our Bible studies.

There is a lot to be said for ordinary days at home, and I myself appreciate them immensely. They settle my soul and remind me of the simple pleasures we all have . Sipping tea or a cup of very good coffee while watching birds from the porch are among the treasures of just an ordinary day at home.

Thank-you Marlene & Marjorie !

• I joyfully join these ladies of the teacup for my Tuesday celebration :Sandi at Rose Chintz Cottage *, Terri at Artful Affirmations * , Martha at Martha's favorites * , Bernideen's Tea Bernidee's Tea Time Blog * ,Ruth at Antiques & Teacups *.

 

Bird Drama

 It's that time of year again when birds are courting , mating, nesting, and raising their young. There is so much excitement and drama anywhere there are birds that it is hard to get any yard work done for all the distraction this causes me. This bird house is home to a pair of chickadees. Their young have not hatched out yet but soon, very soon. Last year this location was used by chickadees and juncos , they seemed to take turns raising their families in it but I think the juncos moved on to ...

... this bird house nearby, above my sheep shelter .

 Yes, it is now home to a pair of Oregon Juncos. If you look very closely at the bottom left of this elaborate house you will see the pair of juncos chose to build a nest on the porch ! I think they prefer open air housing. Mama Junco's head can barely be seen over the horizontal branch, but she is there faithfully sitting on her eggs.

 This is one of 4 robin's nests in our trailer shed . We have another in our hay shed. I am glad the robins are able to safely raise their young here now. For years we watched the robins lose their eggs and young to crows but when we built this shed to protect our travel trailer we discovered the robins  also found it to be a safe haven.

This bird house is actually 3 houses in one structure and sits in front of our porch .This is part of my view when I sip my coffee in the morning while I watch the birds .There is a family of chickadees living in it , not the bird you see in the picture . Maybe this bird is considering living in the triplex , wouldn't that be interesting porch entertainment ? It could provide a lot of bird drama .

These are but a few of the many places I have observed birds nesting here at Cedar Pond . What is most fascinating is watching the bird drama as each tiny area around our home seems to have its' own bird community , its' own birdy squabbles, its' own bird beauty. Oh , I almost forgot, its' own bird comedy . The show begins before sunrise and ends after sunset , but not really. If you sit on the porch in the evening you can hear the owls in the woods and if the moon is bright enough you can see the bats silently flying about snatching mosquitos from over the wet grasses and the pond. Bird drama , better than anything on T.V. !

Sedum Roof For The Birds

 Just a birdhouse with no roof, but no ordinary roof-less birdhouse. This house is now a home ! This birdhouse was built many years ago by our nephew Kevin*, during a summer visit to Cedar Pond, and over the years the turquoise roof fell apart and finally blew away in a storm. I stuck a small pot of sedums in the little house never dreaming a pair of birds would move in and raise a family.

 A pair of Oregon Juncos have moved in , built a nest, and are tending the eggs carefully. And protectively. The father Junco is not happy with me being nearby, but I have to pass the birdhouse to water and feed my sheep. Really Mr. Junco, I won't disturb your nest.

 Both Mr. & Mrs. Junco were chattering and chittering at me as I did my chores near their home, but soon after I was done they resumed their parental duties and delights. ( I like thinking of parenting as a delight!)

 Can you see the bird ( Oregon Junco) peeking out?

Who knew a roofless birdhouse could be a home? An Oregon Junco, that's who. "To build a house is one thing, but to make it a home is quite another." Louis L'Amour

Thankful Thursday ~ My View From The Porch

 This is a well-traveled and used area of our property. The lattice hides the wood shed where we also keep our garbage cans. This area is in full view of our front porch too, so it is nice for it to be somewhat visually appealing.

 The mirror was a Goodwill find for under $5.00 and has endured quite a few winters here. The ceramic planters are re-planted every spring. The bird-bath is new. We have 3 bird-feeders hung in the trees surrounding the wood shed.

 Every morning and in the early evenings we sit on the porch and watch the birds fly in for sunflower seeds. We see chickadees, nuthatches, Oregon Juncos, Stellar Jays, Grosbeaks, finches, Goldfinches, sparrows, Towhees, Cedar Waxwings ~ to name a few. We also watch hummingbirds flit around the Bleeding Hearts and Ajuga that grow lush around the porch and squirrels doing acrobatic tricks to get as many seeds from the "squirrel-proof" feeders as they can carry away in their pouches.

There is no end to the entertainment at the feeders and in the garden, especially now that the weather has warmed. Thank-you Lord for your glorious creation ! ~"For by Him all things were created, both in the heavens and on earth, visible and invisible, whether thrones or dominions, or rulers or authorities- all things have been created by Him and for Him. And He is before all things, and in Him all things hold together." Colossians 1:16,16

Ducks ~Just Ducks.

Ducks , viewed from our front porch as they eat the sunflower seeds dropped from our bird feeders by the feeding wild birds. This is my flock of ducks. They are released from their pen every morning to wander as they will around our property, swim in our pond, sleep in the sunshine on our big front lawn. 

 I love my ducks.At the close of the day my ducks pen themselves up. I need only remember to close the door of their pen and latch it, thus protecting them from the many predators we have around our home that love duck for dinner.In the morning I will again release them to wander and swim, as I sip my first cup of coffee of the day and watch them.