Mama Kat Thursday: This Weeks Smile

-
The Mama Kat prompt for this week is: "Something that made you smile this week."

Finally, today I smiled with satisfaction.
In late 2013,with a starry-eyed visions of enjoying feathery visitors, I bought an Audubon-rated squirrel proof bird-feeder to hang in my yard. Only smaller birds, like finches, sparrows and wrens can access it.
In the early spring of 2013, I filled the feeder with thistle seed, that is allegedly supposed to allure finches & chickadees.
I was quickly disappointed. It didn't attract the business I'd hoped.
In fact, I ended up taking it down within a couple months because I'd hung it on a hook attached to a pine tree, which made it accessible to a baby squirrel small enough to slide through the grill.
So much for that. I'm not interested in feeding nuisance squirrels.
Then later in the fall, we purchased a nice tall shepherd hook to hang the feeder on, which I placed away from the trees,  yet in a spot still easily visible through the back sliding glass door.
Still, it only had thistle seed, which apparently isn't of much interest to anyone other then a Chickadee or two.
Fast forward to Febuary 2014.
 I bought a bag of regular wild bird seed mix, stirred in some of that thistle seed (so it won't go to waste) in a measauring cup, poured it into the feeder, then sat back to see if that might work.
It did. 
It took a couple days for word to spread among local birds that a new restaurant was open, but I'm pleased to say, today, I saw the visitors I'd been hoping for: Goldfinches in their winter color, rosy House Sparrows, cute brown Carolina wrens and tiny Carolina Chickadees all visiting my feeder.
I couldn't help but smile.

House Sparrow
American Goldfinch in winter drab

Carolina Wren
Carolina Chickadee




 



(P.S.: I put popcorn out on the ground for the Cardinals, Jays, Doves and Mockingbirds!)
Thanks for visiting!

Comments

Jerralea said…
Glad you figured out what works. Love the photos you shared. Birds make me think of spring so I'm doubly delighted to see them today!
Feb 20, 2014, 3:29:00 PM
KatBouska said…
It worked! I set up little bird feeders last year and was so excited when I saw them actually take notice of it and they DO spread the word! Before I knew I had quite a few regulars!
Feb 23, 2014, 3:00:00 PM

Post a Comment

Thanks for leaving a comment!

Popular posts from this blog

Mama Kat Thursday: Backwoods Indiana Memories: Laundry Day

-
Image
Wringer Washing Machine I remember while growing up in rural Indiana in the 60's and 70's, doing laundry was an all day event. My clearest memories of  "laundry day," come from summer time, when we were out of school.  Mother had a certain day of the week she did laundry usually. I liked to sleep in and I recall waking up around 9:30 to the chugging rhythm the wringer washer already at work.  I'd see all the dirty laundry sorted into piles around the utility room floor: whites, light colors,  medium colors, dark colors and heavy darks, like jeans. (The photo is one I found online of a Kenmore wringer washer quite similar to the last model I remember Mother having in the 70's.) You have to understand, wringer washers only do the washing part. S he'd start with whites, then once the washer finished it's wash cycle, it would stop. Then she'd, by hand, pull each item of clothing out of the washer and feed it through the wringer rollers ...
Read more

Mama Kat Thursday: Just 12 Lines

-
Image
Today's Mama Kat blog prompt challenge: "Write a post just 12 lines long": This Week In Our Local Police Blotter: Dude owns a gray 4-door GMC truck. Drives it home. Parks it in his driveway. Leaves the doors unlocked. Leaves key in the ignition. Goes to bed. Gets up in morning. Finds truck gone. Calls the police. Doesn't understand why his truck got stolen. Duh. ******* True Story. Want to read other posts in the Mama Kat blog prompt link-up? Go here .   Kat's post is first, followed by the linky list. Thanks for visiting!
Read more

Mama Kat Thursday: That First Coffee

-
Image
The Mama Kat topic for today is:  "The best part of my day is..." I guess I kind of fulfill that famous Folgers Coffee Jingle: "the best part of wakin' up is... "some kind of coffee.. .in my cup." The first best part of my day is Hubby finding my head somewhere under the covers to plant a kiss on my forehead, then the second best part of my day is that first cup of coffee. Usually a mix of Decaf Community Coffee and regular Chocolate Mint 8 O'Clock Coffee. The next best part of my day is our cat, Sunni, asking me to take a time out, away from the computer, let her sit on my lap for a little attention. We rest together that way, she and I. The final best part of my day is when Hubby comes home and we trade stories about how we spent our days.    Then the cat sits on him. So what's the best parts of your day? Thanks for visiting!
Read more

Mama Kat Thursday: The Halloween's of Yesteryear

-
Image
The Mama Kat blog writing prompt for today is: "Share a memorable Halloween costume." An example of a 1960's boxed costume For me to reminisce on a memorable Halloween costume means I have to time travel back to the 1960's when costumes weren't sold on a rack, but in a box.  Each costume consisted of a character mask and a satiny polyester knee-length one-piece outfit with short sleeves, legs and an open back that you stepped into, then tied at the back of the neck. Usually it said the character name on front--just in case the mask wasn't identification enough. I remember seeing row upon row of these boxed costumes at the five-and-dime store in town all through October. I remember looking at them longingly. They were exotic, sparkly things. But they cost $5. Far too expensive. (In the 60's, that was roughly equivalent to $25 nowadays.) Besides our Mother frequently sewed us costumes for free or we put together something from whatever we cou...
Read more

Good Eating Monday: Peach Cobbler Dump Cake!

-
Image
Yes, I tried another new Pinterest recipe and this one is a winner! The primary dictionary definition of a "Dump Cake," is an easily made cobbler in which cake mix is dumped over canned fruit or pie filling.  This recipe was pinned from Del Monte, which means it's been a recipe that's been created & tested in a corporate test kitchen. That's one benefit of all those label, can & box recipes provided by manufacturers on their product packaging. You can even buy cookbooks featuring nothing, but package & label recipes of which many are vintage. The only changes I'd suggest is add one more 15 oz can of fruit. It can be more peaches, cherry fruit cocktail, regular fruit cocktail or whatever you want. (So, I've noted 4 cans of peaches in the recipe.)   It just needs a little more volume on the fruit quantity.  And stir a teaspoon or two of cinnamon into the fruit! Otherwise, this is an excellent, quick dessert you can serve hot with v...
Read more