April Fool

I really hope you're all dealing with this new world order... I'm not fond of it to be certain!  Yesterday when I pulled into my nearby State Park there was this hand scribbled sign on cardboard sitting in front of a locked gate it said CLOSED TILL APRIL 30th
 REALLY?  I don't like it one bit..

So far the National Wildlife Refuge nearby is still open or it was on Friday  when I was there...they have been doing their prescribed burns as seen in this photo...Looks like it was about 3 weeks ago when they did it.

This refuge does not cater to the wading or waterfowl birds, they keep the water level too high...and I think all the burning causes run off that changes the PH of the water.  That is MY theory.   The do cater to the Red Cockaded Woodpecker tho...and they have been very successful in bringing back their habitat and increasing their numbers. I saw 4 on this day in three different locations of the refuge.  

The burning plays a large roll in this habitat restoration.  

These woodpeckers live in family groups much like Bluebirds look for the broad white cheek patch when trying to ID them and they sound a lot like White Breasted Nuthatch with a chattery sound.  The video came out better than the still since he would never be still so check out the video.  

Martin's Lake 

The yellow Jasmine has bloomed, it is our  State Flower.

This Pileated Woodpecker was at the edge of the yard this morning, My tulips  made it, and I cut my grass for the first time this week in 2020...

I took my coffee out on the screen porch this morning to sit with the dogs after they ate  so Casey could go about his morning routine while I watched him from my seat, he has been having some very big challenges lately....and I thought I saw something really fast go zooming by.  So later I hung my hummingbird feeder! NOW I've seen a male Ruby Throated feeding at it all afternoon. 

welcome home little friend, Im sure this bird was born right here in my yard 

The lettuce is almost big enough to eat.  Im trying to keep the squirrels away from it, I moved the spinach under my new safety box... but this pot is way too heavy to lift.

And the spring onions are getting ready to join that salad! I have them under a wire cage to try and keep critters out! I built this box outta some of Mom's Ramp wood.  That's why it's a little odd blueprint wise as it is re-purposed.  

Since all the State managed parks are currently closed I have to depend on my roadside nature spots...I checked on the beaver pond, and he has added a bit of fresh stuff...to the dam, kinda sloppy looking but hey it's also re-purposed!

A Belted Kingfisher was hunting close to the dam, 

I checked on the Eagle chick he is still hanging out at the nest and there was one adult in the area possibly a parent come to check on him...he leaves the nest and does his own thing I missed his flight as I was busy phishing some Black and White Warblers and Ruby Crowned Kinglets out of the trees.  They stayed back in the shadows but this Tufted Titmouse came out. 

Found more Savannah Sparrow roadside.  

And some Eastern Towhee showed an interest in me.  A female and a male.  

We had a rain day but the morning was okay so I went out early...to see if the Riverside County Park was open, it was!!  The Twenty Five Mile Creek was in flood stage again not as much as before but moving swift and muddy.  I'm checking for the Northern Waterthrush to return. I had some good interaction with a Ruby Crowned Kinglet.  He seems to have a weird toe. 

And this really "angry bird" looking Blue Grey Gnatcatcher was really mad at me for being too close to his patch!

I had to do chores...had some big pine limbs to cut up and take to the dump, then I washed my van it was so dirty!   While out there working I spotted this Brown Thrasher up high singing his heart out!  

A home video for your viewing pleasure.



I watch free movies on Tubi.  They stream fast there may be an ad or two but free is free!  The other night I saw a John Travolta flick I have never seen, it was a good thriller...Domestic Disturbance.  Also watched one with Demi Moore that was set in a beautiful seaside cottage...also a thriller/drama, called Half Light it had a twist for sure.  Both were entertaining.  Hope you got things to keep you busy while we are under these orders to stay clear of each other.  Now if they say we have to stay indoors....
HOUSTON we got a problem!!  

Now for some serious talk:  I'm down to 2 rolls of TP and one half of a roll in the van for those emergencies when one is miles from a bathroom.  So My backup plan is I have a few boxes of Kleenex and that should go about a month, after that must get creative!! I've read on various blogs and seen on You Tubes all sorts of advice.  My Granny had the Sears n Roebuck catalog in her outhouse...but Sears did away with that and put it online! There is this Harbor Freight catalog but it has a glossy finish--- ut-oh! What y'all gonna do? Those same people who bought up all the TP and are hording it, also bought rifles and shotguns to keep it.  I was clueless about the whole buy out that was happening as I am the last one to know anything!  Trump should of tossed us some TP. 

PEACE

Every day is a new Adventure.

Sic Daze

Blogger seems to have decided to let me keep the old Interface a little longer...yeah!

WELL after my weekend in the mountains, I came home and have been quite sick! I did the working sick thing for a week, then basically died on Saturday spent an entire 48 hrs in jammies and slippers and ate pbj sandwiches to stay alive, okay Im exaggerating a wee bit but thats about how bad Ive been feeling.  Then another week of dragging myself to work on days when I would rather stay home in bed!!   Hope now Im on the mend a bit,,,,body aches, like crazy, and I had a mega fever of 104!!! Chills the whole nine., trust me you dont want it!! 

Ive been eating out of my garden, and NO that's now the cause of the illness, the illness came in before the Beans did,  my first "mess" as we say its a MESS OF BEANS....they were good for sure right off the bush into the pot and then on my plate!

I hope after all the rain of this week another Mess will be on the bush by weekend.. I also picked this fancy lettuce and its quite tangy...

 I also have fresh basil, parsley, spring onions, some small carrots and the cherry tomatoes are clustering again....the deer came by and topped all my bushes when I first set them out so they've had to catch up...

All the plants on the deck are making me happy, Im especially happy with the prickly pear cactus I put it in this pot 2 yrs ago, and this yr it bloomed...  Prickly Pear grows wild here and I never realized how well they will grow in pots too!! SOME get quite HUGE so Im gonna try for a BIG One...

and this FRIENDLY SUN is one of my deck buddies...

The little brown headed nuthatch had a visitor knocking on the foot of his tall pine...so he came down to investigate...do you see him there on the upper left?

KNOCK- KNOCK

Who's there?

Pileated Woodpecker that's Who!

SO, as we say in the deep south Good Lord Willing and the creeks dont rise,  I will be cleaning up the yard its about 4 weeks past due and just chllin in my little piece of the American Dream better known as HOME this weekend.

Hope you're all doing the same.



PEACE