So once again we’re having a morning full of snow. Perhaps it is going to stop at noon as predicted – perhaps not!
A twelve-point buck and a beautiful doe are out wandering in the garden, eating all the different sorts of bird food on offer. There’s thistle – just thistle – in a separate feeder off in the corner by itself. That’s for the finches, the black capped chickadees, and occasionally other small birds.
Then safflower seed in a feeder on the triple shepherd’s crook in the center. It tastes bitter to squirrels, and thus gives the cardinals a real chance for a good meal. Plus almost all the other birds – blue jays sometimes, always flycatchers, titmice, sparrows, sometimes bigger birds try to climb on – which usually doesn’t work, so they end up feeding on the fallen seed underneath. On another arm of the triple is the hot pepper suet feeder, much beloved by the flickers and the downy woodpeckers, though appreciated by everyone. The squirrels can taste the hot pepper and don’t like it – while birds can’t taste it. The third arm is unoccupied for the winter – that’s where the hummingbird feeder goes, long about April 15.
I scatter mixed bird see around the edge of the garden, and spread the no mess mix all over the patio. There’s always a salt block for the deer behind the logs bordering the upper patio – and right now a deer block on that patio – corn and molasses, which the squirrels also share.
So everyone’s happy and well fed, and I love to watch, admire and praise all that beauty and joy.