Winter Blues

Fooled you, didn't I? You probably weren't expecting Winter Bluebirds! via

Baby Birds and Spring Blossoms

via

There's nothing sweeter, is there?

I have house wrens nesting in one of my Williamsburg bird bottles on the back of the house and blue birds nesting in the blue bird box. I love the chitter chatter of the wrens. The bluebirds are very quiet. I planted two limelight hydrangea a few days ago, one in the back and one in the front. If they are half as good as they are supposed to be, I'll be happy. I got a big pot at a local garden center for a good price and when I got it home, it turned out to be two plants growing very close together. I was thrilled I was able to separate them. Read about this variety here.

Bluebirds On Mother's Day

Look to your right and you'll see the female bluebird on the garage roof (click photo to enlarge). I didn't even see her while I was snapping away at the colorful male with my trusty Nikon SLR this morning. The males get all the glory in spite of the fact that it's Mother's Day and the nest is full of eggs in the house these two occupy near the big tree. Guess he decided to give her a short break. Can bluebird babies be far behind? I used my Nikon D40 digital SLR with a Nikon 18-200 zoom lens. 

Looking Back: A Dozen Photos

My grandfather clock. My pantry with Dutch door closed. An early sundial on the counter before I had a microwave there. The outlet behind it was broken and I finally had it fixed when I needed an electrician for a more pressing repair.

An amazing winter golden hour. Photo was taken from the balcony off my living room.

Footprints in the snow. I walked halfway down my property a cold winter's day and these were the first prints I encountered.

One of my cardinals.

Bluebirds are my favorites. They love this corner of my balcony railing.

Geraniums on the lower level deck next to the sliding glass doors.

A favorite photo of my kitchen showing my tongue and groove ceiling.

The wreath on my front door last year photographed from inside.

A lovely notecard with a real shell on it.

My favorite photo of my cottage after it was painted summer 2022.

A nook in my kitchen.

One of the first photos I ever took in my kitchen.

I hope you enjoyed my trip down memory lane with old photos you have probably already seen. I had a great Thanksgiving and hope you did too. My new eyes are just wonderful after my cataract surgery. It will be three weeks on Thursday since I had my rught eye done and a month since the left one. I was a little concerned about the "floaters" in my right eye but they went away after two weeks. I couldn't be more pleased.

xo

Baby Bluebird Rescue At The Cottage

When I woke up this morning I looked outside my bedroom window and saw a blob that wasn't moving on the lawn near the Eastern Bluebird house. It looked like a baby bird and it was. The bluebird parents weren't at all upset and every once in a while they would fly down and shove something in its mouth. I was very concerned because it was almost time to let Webster out and this little bird clearly could not fly. I got my camera and a big stick. As I was shooting baby bluebird portraits the parents were dive bombing my head. Then I got my stick and tried to make this little one perch on it so I could put him back in the house. That did not work. So I picked him up and poked him back inside so he could tell his juvenile brothers and sisters about the outside world and the giant who helped him. I hope he stays inside until his little wings are stronger. All is well now. You know how much I love my bluebirds and I don't want to lose a single one. Here's hoping you have some excitement too this weekend. xo, Rosemary

My camera ~ Nikon D40 SLR

My lens ~ Nikon 18-200 zoom lens with VR
(Macro at any focal length)

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Tiny Bath Under The Stairs

I love everything about this tiny bath tucked under the stairs. I'd love to have a window over my sink instead of a mirror. I usually walk over to the window to look outside while I'm brushing my teeth. It much more interesting than my reflection and oftentimes I see bluebirds.




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A Bluebird and A Double Rainbow

I've never been lucky enough to get a shot like this. You know I love bluebirds and have them here at the cottage. This has to be the ultimate happy photo of a bluebird and a double rainbow. I love it.

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The Bluebird Man - Video

I watched this PBS Documentary about Al Larson and it is simply wonderful. It's 30 minutes long and there is a lot of archival footage. I know you will enjoy his complete single-handed devotion to enlarging the bluebird population in Southern Idaho after he retired and beyond.

Read this article first and you will be encouraged to watch the video.

Meet the 96-Year-Old Man Who Turned Southern Idaho Into a Bluebird Haven

Al Larson is responsible for bringing 27,000 bluebirds into his hand-made nest boxes he nailed up on his ranch and along the numerous trails in the area. At least I think that was the figure mentioned in the documentary. Be prepared to fall in love with him. I know I did! 

Tomorrow I will update this post and put in a video about his wife.

A Memorial to Al Larson's wife Hilda.

Home Page with Lastest Post with Updates

Natural Pest Control Has Wings

Barn Owls have the best ♡ shaped faces.

Shy barn owlet peeking out.

It's a lot to read but this article is very rewarding if you are at all concerned about pesticides on your fruit or in your wine. Fruit growers in California have begun putting up nest boxes in their orchards and vineyards and letting the occupants help with pest and insect control. They are finding the birds are outperforming the pesticides and I find that to be quite thrilling. I always enjoy Penelope Bianchi's owl videos on Instagram showing her barn owls bringing vermin back to the nest box to feed their young. Of course, bluebirds in nest boxes help with insect control as do other small birds.

I have two more dahlia photos awaiting processing which I will add to this post later. I have to transfer them from my Nikon camera on my attic computer which has a card reader. I am waiting for my generator to come on for the weekly 15 minute test cycle before I turn on the computer. I'm glad so many of you are still enjoying my cottage flower photos. xo

The green background seems to fighting the green dahlia foliage of this Black Velvet beauty in my backyard.

I enlarged this dahlia by cropping out all but the flower. It's the same photo I posted yesterday minus the rooster.

The Daffodil Twins

Every year the daffodils of spring delight me in the woods and naturalized areas around my cottage. I photographed these twins with my iPhone this afternoon under overcast skies with no shadows.

"When I bought my farm, I did not know what a bargain I had in the bluebirds, daffodils and thrushes; as little did I know what sublime mornings and sunsets I was buying." 

Ralph Waldo Emerson

American Robin in the Snow

I saw some winter Bluebirds flying around on a bitter cold and windy day last week. Guess this robin is doing some winter house hunting. via

Bluebird At The Cottage

Have I missed my window of opportunity to take this birdhouse down, clean it out and repaint? The bluebirds have already been going in and out of each compartment to stake out their nesting places. It really looks awful. I might be able to clean it in place with some warm water and a brush. I took this photo last weekend.

I took this photo in January. I wonder if it's the same bird that's perched on top of the birdhouse? It's sunny, cool, and very windy today so things should dry out from all the rain we've had. Happy Friday.




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Blue Skies from My Window Today

The thermometer is dropping like a rock and the winds are howling. I can't complain because we've had a few warm days to melt a lot of the snow and ice in the gutters and all of my icicles have disappeared. Have you ever seen a more beautiful blue sky? I actually removed the screen from my bathroom window to snap this photo just a few minutes ago. Oh, I almost forgot to tell you that I've seen bluebirds flying around too but couldn't grab my camera fast enough. 

Bluebirds Galore and a Boss Baby

Proud Father.

Father, trying to teach baby everything.

Baby is on railing to the right,

Boss Baby, trying to bluebird.

Isn't he adorable? I love him💙

Buttercups, my favorite wildflowers (right now) outside my front door.

It's supposed to get quite cold tonight but I am not going to cover my geraniums. I think they will be fine, fingers crossed.

xo

Bluebird On The Roof

Even though I have a birdhouse full of bluebirds right outside my window, I never fail to be thrilled when I see one. I can see this portion of my garage roof very clearly from my attic studio. This is fresh off the press. News Alert ~ Blubird sighting.




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