Monday, April 19, 2021

Sunday, April 18, 2021

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.
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.



Saturday, April 17, 2021

Bluebird Family Coming Soon


I am very excited that this bluebird and his mate are building a nest in my bluebird box for the first time in about three years. The Carolina wrens have always beat them to it. I made a few changes to the surrounding area that might have made a difference. I moved my bird feeder from my balcony to a spot near this nesting box and the bluebirds are enjoying perching atop the tall shepherd's hook to look for insects. I took this photo from inside the house with my telephoto lens on my Nikon. They perch here also looking for insects to eat themselves and feed their young after they hatch,


I also moved this tall chicken planter to the flower bed in front of the bluebird box where my poppies were last year. The female bluebird pulled a lot of the Spanish moss out from under this clay hen to "feather" her nest and I thought that was a good sign she was moving in and would soon lay her blue eggs. Fingers crossed for baby bluebirds once again. You know I love them so! Bluebirds are also perching all over this fancy wire plant stand to look for insects in the grass.


I took down this birdhouse and replaced it with the one with a copper roof. This is one of my bluebirds on an older post. I always thought this birdhouse was too small but I still have it and plan to put it up again in a different location on my property.


This is one of my bluebird photos from a post in 2009. As you can see, I sometimes add more photos to an existing post rather than make a totally new one. I started out with bluebirds last night and this morning they are still on my mind.

Listen to the birdsong of the Eastern Bluebird on YouTube.

My dog friend Missy is staying with me for three days and she settled right in. This is her second long weekend with me and the weather is perfect for our walks. I honestly don't know how people with dogs managed during the long winter with two feet of snow on the ground for so long. I guess I must be fair-weather dog person. 

Friday, April 16, 2021

Perfect Country Kitchen


I found a great article about someone who found an old school house and converted it into a delightful home. I love this country kitchen so much. 

Thursday, April 15, 2021

Eider Duck: Absolutely Waterproof


Just rolling off: You’ve probably heard the expression “like water off a duck’s back.” Here's where that idiom comes from. The spectacled eider’s feathers are so waterproof that the water just beads up and rolls off. This image of the near-threatened species, which breeds on the coasts of Alaska and Siberia, attracted nearly a million Instagram likes. Nat Geo Explorer Tim Laman photographed this male at the Ripley Waterfowl Conservancy in Connecticut, which maintains genetic diversity of rare and endangered species. 

The National Geographic Society has funded Laman’s work documenting rare and endangered birds. Photo by ©Tim Laman 

I am so happy to see this bird since I sleep under an Eiderdown comforter almost every night. I don't think I have ever seen a photo of an Eider and I'm sure I would have remembered such an unusual looking waterfowl.


Happiest Kitten Expression Ever


If this kitty doesn't make you smile, nothing will. I wonder what she's looking at to evoke such a wonderful reaction? via



Wednesday, April 14, 2021

Freshly Picked Daffodils


She wore her yellow sun-bonnet, 
She wore her greenest gown; 
She turned to the south wind
And curtsied up and down. 
She turned to the sunlight
And shook her yellow head, 
And whispered to her neighbour: 
“Winter is dead.” 
 ~Daffodowndilly” A.A. Milne.

I love everything about this. Found here.


Don't you love flower-gathering baskets full of daffodils? Photo found here.